Current Exhibition

Jan. 19 – April 28, 2024
Patterns of Meaning: The Art of Industry by Cory Bonnet

In June 2021, Pittsburgh artist and preservationist Cory Bonnet, along with scrap dealer Chip Barletto, acquired an enormous collection of wooden casting patterns from the late-1800s and early-1900s.  Since then, ten 26-foot box trucks filled with patterns have made their way to Bonnet’s studio in the Energy Innovation Center (EIC) at the foot of Pittsburgh’s Hill District.

With the collection moved and assembled at the EIC, Bonnet set about combining these historic steel mill artifacts with his industrial painting. Viewing each pattern as “a work of art in its own right,” he began using the patterns in new ways: as support for his paintings, as sculptures to create artistic assemblages, and as forms to create new pieces in glass, ceramic, and other materials. As such, Bonnet’s paintings and sculptures become monuments to industry created from these salvaged materials to reflect the awe, respect, and gratitude he holds for the sacrifice and accomplishments prior generations made to provide what we now too often take for granted.

The sheer scale of the collection ultimately led Bonnet to assemble a multidisciplinary group of artists to fully explore its potential. Since Patterns of Meaning was first exhibited at the EIC, the collection continues to grow and evolve through Bonnet’s collaboration with the Patterns creative team of Angela Neira, Nate Lucas, Brian Engel, AJ Collins, Mia Tarducci, and Andrew Moschetta. This special exhibition at the Grohmann Museum will be the first museum exhibition of this breathtaking collection merging art and industry. Do not miss the opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind display first hand.

Upcoming Exhibitions

March 22 – May 26, 2024
H.D. Tylle at Seventy: American Worklife

Opening reception—Friday, March 22, 6-8p.m.

On the occasion of Hans Dieter Tylle's 70th birthday, the Grohmann Museum is organizing a retrospective of over 20 years of his artistic exploration of the world of work in Wisconsin. The renowned German artist has forged a career as a contemporary chronicler of labor and industry.

As the artist responsible for many of the site-specific artworks at the Museum, Tylle has also created works for many companies in the United States. This has resulted in more than 150 paintings of working scenes. Included in the exhibition are paintings of such local companies as Aluminum Casting & Engineering Company, Charter Steel, RES Manufacturing, Kondex Corporation, Pieper Power, Michels Corporation, MetalTek International, and Scot Forge Company, among others.

Tylle currently lives and works in Fuldatal in the State of Hessen, Germany. Wisconsin and Hessen have a partnership dating to 1976—working together in the areas of commerce, research, and education. In the spirit of this partnership, this exhibition is presented through the support of the Hessen-Wisconsin Society and will include a concert by German soprano Astrid Weber, accompanied by Janna Ernst, principal coach and pianist for the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee.

Horizontal Directional Drilling, Watertown, WI USA,

May 9 – Aug. 23, 2024
Crossing the DMZ: Photography of Modern Vietnam by Dennis Darmek

Opening reception—Thursday, May 9, 5-8p.m.

Although a locally based artist, Dennis Darmek’s photography has a global view. Often touching upon the enduring bond between the United States and Vietnam, Darmek’s experiences as a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War guide his art. Crossing the DMZ is the third show of his which explores that connection. Spanning from video art to a photography book, Darmek contemplates Vietnam in the years since the war, as well as the lasting relationship between American and Vietnamese citizens. This third iteration of Crossing the DMZ examines the economy of Vietnam and acknowledges the influence that the war has had on Vietnam, from a scarred landscape to the tourist industry that emerged in recent years.

However, the primary focus of this photography exhibition is women at work. Between traditional jobs and today’s industries, women comprise a sizable portion of the workforce. From floating markets to street vendors, from farming rice and coffee to making deliveries on a scooter in cities, women shape the economy and culture of Vietnam. In his travels to Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia, Darmek uses his art to capture underappreciated moments of labor and brings greater attention to these working women.

Upcoming Events

March 22, 2024, 6-8p.m.
H.D. Tylle at Seventy Grand Opening

Join us for the grand opening of H.D. Tylle at Seventy: American Worklife in our second floor galleries. The opening of the exhibition begins with a concert by the German soprano Astrid Weber, accompanied by Janna Ernst, principal coach and pianist for the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee.

March 27, 2024, 1-4p.m.
Kids' Art Days: Mosaic Masterpieces

Come to the Museum for a tour at noon and stay to create your own found object art like the works in the special exhibition Patterns of Meaning: The Art of Industry by Cory Bonnet. This family-friendly activity is free with the price of admission and will take place in our stART Lab (Lower Level). 

April 6, 2024, 12-4p.m.
The Art of Industry LEGO Workshop

A fun event for all ages! John and Sylvia Peine return to lead the ninth annual LEGO+ building workshop at the Grohmann Museum. Inspired by the current exhibition, Patterns of Meaning: The Art of Industry by Cory Bonnet, participants will create imaginative LEGO builds incorporating such unusual materials as wood rods, paper, thin plastic, gears, nuts and bolts, nails, string, lights, and more!  Completed builds will be placed on display for all to see. Examples of LEGO structures will be on display for ideas, and volunteers will be available for guidance.  All skill levels are welcome. The workshop is free with admission.

April 19-20, 2024
Gallery Night & Day

Visit us during Gallery Night & Day and receive free admission from 5-9p.m. on April 19 and 12-6p.m. on April 20.

May 9, 2024
Crossing the DMZ Grand Opening

Join us for the grand opening of Crossing the DMZ: Photography of Modern Vietnam by Dennis Darmek.

Stay tuned for more upcoming events by joining our mailing list and following us on social media

Past Exhibitions

2024
  • Mining Gems: Stories from the Collection
2023
  • Excavations: Paintings and Drawings by Michael Newhall
  • David Plowden: The Architecture of Agriculture
2022
  • A Time of Toil & Triumph: Selections from the Shogren-Meyer Collection of American Art
  • Familias Unidas: Tribute to the Migrant Farm Worker Labor Movement in Wisconsin, 1960s-70s
  • Robert O. Lahmann: Working in Wisconsin
2021
  • The Railroad and the Art of Place: Photographs by David Kahler 
  • artWORK by the League of Milwaukee Artists 
  • Electric Steel: Recent Photographs by Michael Schultz 
2020
  • TWO EDMUNDS: Fitzgerald and Lewandowski—Their Mark on Milwaukee 
  • IRONBOAT: New Photography by Christopher Winters 
2019
  • The Magnificent Machines of Milwaukee 
  • Roll Up Your Sleeves 
  • Growing Place: A Visual Study of Urban Farming 
2018
  • David Plowden's Portraits of Work
  • Wallace W. Abbey: A Life in Railroad Photography 
  • The Art and Mechanics of Animation 
2017
  • Masterworks from the Grohmann Museum - Celebrating 10 Years 
  • Artists at Work: The Cedarburg Artists Guild 
  • STEEL: The Cycle of Industry by David Plowden 
2016
  • On the Job: Photography by Jim Seder 
  • Milwaukee's Industrial Landscapes: Paintings by Michael Newhall 
  • Art of the North Shore Line 
2015
  • Forge Work: New Photography by Michael Schultz 
  • Metal for Mettle: Historic Commemorative Medals Honoring Labor and Achievement 
  • H.D. Tylle: Studies 
  • Carl Spitzweg in Milwaukee
  • The Art of the Milwaukee Road 
2014
  • Erich Mercker: Painter of Industry
  • Art Shay: Working 
  • Trains that Passed in the Night: Railroad Photographs of O Winston Link 
2013
  • A Working Ranch by Jim Brozek 
  • Born of Fire: Scenes of Industry from the Westmoreland Museum of American Art 
  • Bridges: The Spans of North America - Photographs by David Plowden 
2012
  • MSOE at Work: Selections from the Campus Archives 
  • Carl Spitzweg: The Poor Poet and Other Characters 
  • Great Lakers: Selections from the Great Lakes Marine Collection of the Milwaukee Public Library 
  • H. D. Tylle: Touring Germany and Working in Wisconsin 
2011
  • Requiem for Steam: The Railroad Photographs of David Plowden 
  • Milwaukee Mills: A Visual History 
  • Lake Boats: The Photography of Jim Brozek and Christopher Winters 
  • Wonders of Work and Labor: The Steidle Collection of American Industrial Art, Penn State University 
2010
  • Working Wisconsin: Selections from the Museum of Wisconsin Art 
  • Foundry Work: A View of the Industry, The Photographs of Michael Schultz 
2009
  • Midwest Murals: Joe Jones and J.B. Turnbull from the Haggerty Museum of Art, Marquette University 
  • The Bookworm by Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885) 
  • Wisconsin at Work: Thorsten Lindberg Paintings and Drawings from the MCHS Collection 
  • Cradle of Industry: Works from the Rhineland Industrial Museum 
  • American Steel: Works from the Collection of Tom and Lorie Annarella 
2008
  • A Focus on Figures
  • Stone
2007
  • Physicians, Quacks, and Alchemists