As we close the year, the Tarble reflects on a fall semester focused on belonging. Together we’ve built lasting memories and deepened our connection to the arts and to one another.
September 20, 2024, marked the opening of the Tarble’s Fall 2024 exhibitions. On view through January 25, 2025, is An Other World, featuring recent contemporary acquisitions paired with historical folk art from the Tarble’s permanent collection; Famous Black Americans: The Dolls of Ida Roberta Bell, which honors the remarkable work of Ida Roberta Bell, who made the dolls against the backdrop of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement; and Touch Me—a community flat file exhibition that gives an unprecedented look at the variety of work being produced by artists working today.
These exhibitions invited programming that included receptions, artist lectures, gallery talks led by Tarble student staff members, free after-school art programs, community wellness programs, and iykyk Week @theTarble—a week-long celebration of creativity and knowledge that brought in artists for talks, workshops, and a pop-up art market, and honored the inventive spirit and imaginative legacy of Carl Wilen with a recreation of his monumental earthwork, Untitled (Cut).
In addition to exhibitions and programs, the Tarble also introduced two new initiatives:
Playspace is a vibrant new area designed for the youngest visitors at the Tarble. Kids aged 0-5 are invited with their caretakers to unleash their creativity and have fun in a safe and engaging environment surrounded by artworks from the museum’s collection. It has also allowed us to offer free childcare for select programs, allowing access to educational programs for all.
The Tarble Zine Library is nestled within the Design Lab and provides a space where visitors can immerse themselves in a collection of zines created by artists and authors of all ages and backgrounds. The library is browse-only (no check out) and includes zines created during Tarble workshops, submissions from the public, and two personal zine collections on long-term loan.
