Print of a snowy street scene with houses covered in snow and bare trees and street lights iced over
Winter Twilight, 1927, Wanda Gág, American, 1893–1946, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. John E. Larkin, Jr. L86.212.9

Friends Newsletter

President’s Letter, February 2025

Dear Friends,

We’re almost to February, our shortest and many times snowiest and coldest month. Winter can be isolating. The prognosticating groundhog supposedly pops out of its burrow on February 2, a date roughly halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. For some, hopes are high that the day is cloudy and Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t see its shadow, which according to legend, can foretell an early spring.

Either way, we have much to look forward to. The Lunar New Year began on January 29, and we’re officially in the Year of the Snake. As you read on, you’ll see several ways to combat the doldrums of winter. Join us at our pre-lecture tours and evening lecture on February 20 with multimedia artist Deborah Roberts, a members’ outing to the Cafesjian Art Trust, Book Club discussions and tours, and a midwinter fundraiser on February 26.

Call the Friends office at 612-870-3045 if you have any questions about these events. And make sure you’ve renewed your membership for 2025.

Art in Bloom 2025 preparations are in full swing so mark your calendars for April 24–27, with a fabulously festive Party in Bloom set for Friday evening, April 25.

As you look for community and conviviality, make your way to the museum to join in our Friends events, stop in the Friends office, or explore the galleries to find new acquisitions and exhibitions. It may be cold outside, but it’s always warm at Mia!

My best,

Barbara Proeschel
President, Friends of the Institute

February Friends Lecture: Deborah Roberts
Thursday, February 20, 2025, 6 p.m.
Pillsbury Auditorium

Photo of Deborah Roberts sitting at a table holding scissors

Spend an evening with the Friends and Deborah Roberts, a mixed-media artist celebrated for her artworks that explore topics of Black childhood, at the February Friends Lecture. Roberts is joined in conversation by Mia’s associate curator of global contemporary art Leslie Ureña. This lecture provides a unique chance to hear Roberts share her artistic journey, techniques, and the motivations behind her powerful work.

Note: The Friends pre-lecture tour starts at 5 p.m. Call Visitor Experience at 612-870-3000 to sign up.

Friends March Lecture: William Barnes, Associate Professor of Art History, St. Thomas University
You’re invited to join William Barnes on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2 p.m. Barnes will share his amazing research on the art of ancient Mexico focusing on Central American sculpture and Mesoamerian manuscript painting.

February Friends Book Club
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
Friday, February 21, 2025, 10 a.m.
Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10 a.m.
Friends Office

Book cover of "Deacon King Kong" by James McBride

Why might you want to read and talk about Deacon King Kong?  According to the New York Times book critics who chose the novel as one of the best 10 books in 2020: “A mystery story, a crime novel, an urban farce, a sociological portrait of late 1960s Brooklyn: McBride’s novel contains multitudes. … He conducts his antic symphony with deep feeling, never losing sight of the suffering and inequity within the merriment.”

The book, one of Oprah’s book-of-the-month selections, starts “in September 1969, when a fumbling, cranky old church deacon known as “Sportcoat” shuffles into the courtyard of the Cause Houses housing project in south Brooklyn, pulls a .38 from his pocket, and in front of everybody shoots the project’s drug dealer at point-blank range. The reasons for this desperate burst of violence and the consequences that spring from it lie at the heart of this funny, moving novel.”

If you’re interested in joining a lively Friends Book Club discussion, register now. Call the Friends office at 612-870-3045 or email friends@artsmia.org. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. The Book Club is an increasingly popular benefit of Friends membership, so if you want to be part of one of these stimulating discussions, either on Friday, February 21 or Saturday, February 22, sign up soon.

Whether you choose the Friday or Saturday discussion, Book Club meets in the Friends office, located behind Agra Café. Following the discussion, you can join an optional hour-long, guide-led tour of objects from the museum’s collection that relate to the book.

If you’re looking ahead to March, our book choice is When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill.

Art in Bloom 2025
Celebrating Latin American Art
Thursday, April 24–Sunday, April 27, 2025

Painting of a procession of young women wearing traditional Mexican dress and long, braided hair carrying baskets and trays of fresh flowers on their heads and in their arms.

The Art in Bloom 2025 signature piece Las vendedoras de flores painted by Alfredo Ramos Martínez

Art in Bloom 2025 will take place the last weekend in April, beginning with the opening on Thursday, April 24, and featuring the popular Party in Bloom on Friday night, April 25. This year’s theme will honor Latin American culture in the Americas and the Twin Cities, embracing the region’s color, vibrancy, and rich traditions. Let’s make Art in Bloom 2025 a celebration to remember!

Would you like to join the Art in Bloom team? We are currently seeking volunteers to help plan and coordinate events throughout this exciting weekend. Please contact Laura  in the Friends Office at 612-870-3045 or email us if you’re interested.

Friends Only Events 2025

Photograph of people listening to a speaker and looking at prints in Mia's Herschel V. Jones Print Study Room.

For 2025, we kicked off our Friends Only events in the intimate setting of a little-known gem of Mia, the Herschel V. Jones Print Study Room. The Print Study Room is a resource for individuals, groups, and classes where you can view prints and drawings from Mia’s permanent collection.

We hosted 15 very inquisitive guests and were treated to a private viewing of some new acquisitions. In the words of Friends member Monica Buller Cabral, “This was such a special morning with Tom Rassieur and his new supervisor of the Print Study Room, Lori Williamson. Tom’s knowledge and enthusiasm for all of the works he shared with us was welcoming and inspirational. Lori’s energy complimented him at every turn. Nice collaboration. This was a very special exposure to the different aspects of the vast and eclectic collection of prints and drawings owned by Mia and stewarded by two persons of passion for the beauty of it all.”

Upcoming Friends Only Events

The following is a lineup of unique opportunities to explore the treasures of art, architecture, and history, specially reserved for us. RSVP for all Friends Only Events by contacting Lezlie Pinske.

All events are open for registration, so feel free to sign up for one—or all—today! Just be sure to RSVP before the deadlines and before spots fill up.

1. February: Cafesjian Art Trust

Take a private tour of the current exhibition at the Cafesjian Art Trust, followed by an optional lunch gathering at Churchill Street Restaurant.

  • Date & Time: Friday, February 7, 10–11:30 a.m.
  • Location: 4600 Churchill Street, Shoreview, MN
  • Cost: FREE (Limited to 20 guests)
  • RSVP Deadline: Wednesday, January 29, by noon. Please indicate if you plan to join the lunch gathering.

2. March: Violin Guild of America Studio

Go inside the Violin Makers Studio and enjoy an evening of music, craftsmanship, and a bit of social aperitivo at the shop with Greg Sumners and master luthier Will Bartruff.
This is a joint event with the Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra.

3. April: Walker Art Center

Enjoy a private tour of the “Ways of Knowing” exhibition.

4. May: Lakewood Cemetery

Enjoy a 1.5-mile walking tour of the grounds and buildings of Lakewood Cemetery and learn about its history.

5. June: Al & Alma’s Lake Minnetonka Boat Tour & Luncheon

Take a boat tour of the historic boathouses of Lake Minnetonka, hosted by author Melinda Nelson. Learn about the matriarchs and patriarchs who shaped the Minneapolis Institute of Art. This is a Friends & Friends Event: Invite a friend to experience the benefits of Friends membership!

  • Date & Time: Wednesday, June 4, 10–1 p.m.
  • Location: 5201 Piper Road, Mound, MN 55364
  • Cost: $75 per person (Limited to 40 guests); payment: Venmo @Lezlie-Pinske
  • RSVP Deadline: Thursday, May 15, by noon

We hope you’ll join us for these exceptional events! RSVP for any Friends Only Events to Lezlie Pinske.

Volunteer Opportunity
Family Day
Sunday, February 9, 2025, and Sunday, March 9, 2025

Looking for a way to brighten up your winter weekends? Mia’s Family Day provides an easy and fun opportunity to volunteer. If you’re interested in volunteering for a few hours as a greeter or helping families with art projects, join us Sunday, February 9, or Sunday, March 9. Each month offers new activities that range from storytelling and dance performances to art projects and gallery hunts.

If you’re interested, please email Pat Gale or call 612-868-1079.

Friends Fundraiser: Midwinter Curatorial Social
Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 5–7 p.m.

Home of Kate & Mark Stephany
Lowry Hill – Dupont and Mount Curve
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(plenty of street parking is available)

Tickets: $100 per person
Limited to 40 attendees
Call the Friends office at 612-870-3045 or email us to reserve your ticket.

Photo of an ornate entry way in a house, with a wide wooden staircase, a chandelier, ornate mirrors on the walls and rugs over hardwood floors

The Friends warmly invite you to an intimate evening celebrating art, community, and local history at the home of Kate and Mark Stephany. Built in 1893 by Theron P. Healy, their historic residence is a beautiful example of Lowry Hill architecture from the close of the 19th century. Enjoy cocktails, wine, hors d’oeuvres, and good company as we gather to toast to our shared love of art and Minneapolis history.

Max Bryant, the James Ford Bell Associate Curator of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture, will discuss the new exhibition “Survival of the Fittest: Lessons from La Fontaine in Textile and Porcelain.” This display of textiles and ceramics was inspired by Jean de La Fontaine’s 17th century Fables.

Galina Olmsted, associate curator of European art, will discuss the Hokusai | Monet exhibition. She’ll share insight into the Japanese prints of Kasushika Hokusai and Claude Monet’s en plein air paintings of chrysanthemums as they grew in his garden in Giverny, France.

Study Shows the Benefit of Regular Cultural Engagement

three woman listening another woman giving a tour in Mia's galleries

Chris Vickery, Friends of the Institute Membership Co-Chair, leads a gallery tour, November 2024. Photo by Linda Briscoe Myers

Recently, Upworthy, an online magazine whose mission is to share uplifting news stories, shared the fascinating results of a study published by The British Journal of Psychiatry:

“Researchers from Cambridge University examined data on 2,000 British adults over the age of 50 over a 10-year period and found that those who attended films, plays, or exhibitions every few months had a 32% lower risk of developing depression, with those attending once a month or more having a 48% lower risk.”

Lead author for the study Dr. Daisy Fancourt noted that, much like exercise, the most positive benefits came to those who committed to a regular attendance at those community venues and events, and that an improved mood demonstrably increases productivity. Additionally, “Cambridge researchers believe the power of these cultural activities lies in the combination of social interaction, creativity, mental stimulation, and gentle physical activity they encourage. You simply can’t get that combination staying at home.”

In Minneapolis this time of year, it may be easy to stay home, but we encourage you to brave the cold and join us for the many opportunities offered in this newsletter!

—Linda Briscoe Myers, Mia Friends of the Institute Membership Co-Chair