The Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) in West Bend has opened a new exhibition titled "The American Landscape: Beyond the Horizon," celebrating the role of Wisconsin artists in capturing the state's contributions to the United States ahead of the country's 250th birthday. The show features over 60 works, 60% from the museum's permanent collection and 40% borrowed from artists and collectors, including pieces by John Stuart Curry, Lois Ireland, Georgia O'Keeffe, Native American artists like Helen Lonetree and Lila Greengrass Blackdeer, and contemporary works by incarcerated artist M. Winston. Guest curator Rafael Salas, a professor at Ripon College, also includes three of his own works.
The exhibition matters because it uses landscape as a metaphor to explore Wisconsin's history, identity, and evolving cultural narratives, from pioneer expansion to Native American heritage and contemporary immigration. By blending historical and contemporary art, including objects like a Native American tunic and a Harley Davidson jacket, the show encourages viewers to reflect on who they are and where they come from, making it a timely meditation on American identity during the nation's semiquincentennial.