Wexner Center for the Arts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wexner Center for the Arts

Location	1871 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio
Type	Contemporary art
Owner	Ohio State University
Public transit access	Add→ 1, 2, 31, Night Owl

The Wexner Center for the Arts is a special place at Ohio State University. It's like a "laboratory" where artists from all over the world can explore and create new contemporary art. Contemporary art means art made in our time, often with new ideas and materials.

The Wexner Center is a place for experiments and a public gallery. But it's not a typical art museum because it doesn't collect art pieces to keep forever. However, when it was built, it took care of about 3,000 artworks from the old University Gallery. These artworks are used to help with the center's programs in visual arts, media, and performing arts. Students and the public can visit the Wexner Center. It opened in November 1989 and was named after the father of Leslie Wexner, who gave a lot of money to help build it.

History of the Wexner Center

Before the Wexner Center, there was the University Gallery of Fine Art. In the 1970s, this gallery started showing works by important contemporary artists. It also began collecting art that would later become part of the Wexner Center.

In the 1980s, Jonathan Green became the director. He brought in art that showed strong messages, often about social issues. The last show at the old gallery was about AIDS in 1989, right before the new center opened.

The Wexner Center cost $43 million to build. Ohio State University asked for it to be built. It was named after the father of Leslie H. Wexner, who is from Ohio and went to Ohio State. He promised $25 million for the project. In 1983, Peter Eisenman won the competition to design the building. He was chosen over many other famous architects.

The Wexner Center officially opened on November 17, 1989. Many famous architects came to Columbus to celebrate. The New York Times called it "one of the most eagerly awaited architectural events of the last decade."

From 2002 to 2005, the Wexner Center was closed for major repairs. Its galleries moved to a temporary spot, but film and performance shows continued at the main building. Before the repairs, about 200,000 to 250,000 people visited each year. The Wexner Center reopened in November 2005.

Architecture and Design

A sidewalk at the Wexner Center

The Wexner Center is a three-story building, about 108,000 square feet in size. It was designed by architects Peter Eisenman and Richard Trott. Laurie Olin designed the outdoor areas. This was the first big public building Eisenman designed. He was known more as a teacher and for his ideas about art. His idea was that art should be "challenged" by its surroundings, not just displayed simply. This building made Eisenman very famous. He later designed other big projects, like the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.

Eisenman and Trott chose a special spot for the building. It sits between the music hall and a large auditorium.

The building has a big, white metal grid that looks like scaffolding. This design makes the building seem unfinished, which fits with Eisenman's "deconstructivist" style. This style often breaks down traditional ideas of design. Eisenman also noticed that the streets of the OSU campus and the city of Columbus didn't line up perfectly. So, he designed the Wexner Center to follow both street patterns. This made the building very interesting to look at, even if some parts were a bit unusual. The brick towers on the building look like the old castle-like building that used to be on the site until 1958.

Inside the Wexner Center, there's a film and video theater. There's also a performance space called the Mershon Center stage, which can hold 2,500 people for dance, music, and plays. You can also find a film and video studio, a bookstore, a café, and large gallery spaces. The galleries are set up in a line to show a clear path through the art. The Fine Arts Library is on the lower level. Since there's no natural light there, the architects used special lights to make it feel like daylight. The gray colors inside help focus attention on the art.

In 1993, artist Maya Lin created a large art piece called Groundswell for the Wexner Center. It uses broken glass to create shapes that look like landscapes. That same year, the building won a big award from the American Institute of Architects.

The 2005 renovation improved the building's systems like heating, cooling, and lighting. These changes were made carefully to keep the original design while making the building better for the environment and for showing art. The bookstore, film theater, and café were also updated.

Programs and Activities

Art Exhibitions

A work by Cindy Sherman displayed in the Wexner Center (right)

The Wexner Center hosts many exciting art shows. Some famous exhibitions have featured artists like Chris Marker, Julie Taymor, Shirin Neshat, and Cindy Sherman.

In 2002, the Wexner had a big show called Mood River. It showed many different types of design, from art pieces to everyday products like the Stealth Bomber. In 2018, they showed works by 16 artists who use modern abstract styles, including Eric N. Mack and Sam Gilliam. In 2019, to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the center had an exhibition called "HERE" with works by Ann Hamilton, Jenny Holzer, and Maya Lin.

The Box is a special area at the Wexner Center just for video and short films. It usually shows a new piece every month. Since 2022, it's free for everyone to visit the Wexner Center's galleries!

Film and Video Theater

The Film/Video department at the Wexner Center is known for showing unique films. They screen new and different movies, rare classics, and experimental films that you might not see anywhere else. They have a year-round program that includes independent films, movies from other countries, new documentaries, and experimental works. Often, filmmakers visit to talk about their movies with the audience.

The department shows over 180 films and videos each year in its theater, which seats about 300 people. They also host filmmakers and run a studio program. This program helps filmmakers and video artists create their work. The department also programs The Box and organizes gallery shows that use moving images. In 2002, they won an award for being an "Outstanding Organization."

Performing Arts Shows

The Wexner Center supports artists who create dance, music, and theater. They help artists develop new shows and bring them to the stage. Some of the artists and groups who have worked with the Wexner Center include Bill T. Jones, Anne Bogart and the SITI Company, Akram Khan, Elizabeth Streb, and The Wooster Group. They also host famous groups like the Kronos Quartet.

Artist Awards and Support

The Wexner Prize

The Wexner Prize started in 1992. It honors artists who show amazing new ideas and high quality in their work.

The winner receives $50,000 and a special sculpture designed by Jim Dine. The Wexner Center also holds events to explore the winner's career and ideas.

Past winners include film director Peter Brook, choreographer Merce Cunningham, artist Bruce Nauman, filmmaker Martin Scorsese, painter Gerhard Richter, and filmmaker Spike Lee.

Artist Residencies

Residencies at the Wexner Center offer support to artists. They often give artists a chance to work with students and the public at Ohio State. These residencies are a key part of the Wexner Center's goal to be a creative research lab for all types of art.

The Wexner Center Residency Awards are the most important residencies. They are given each year in performing arts, media arts (film/video), and visual arts. Some projects can last for two or more years.

Other artists who come for exhibitions or performances also get support. They often lead workshops or discussions with students or the community. Also, about 20 visiting filmmakers and video artists come each year to work in the Film/Video Studio Program.

Some artists who have received Wexner Center Residency Awards include:

In Popular Culture

Parts of the movie Little Man Tate, directed by Jodie Foster, were filmed at the Wexner Center in 1991.

Management

Directors

• Jonathan Green
• Robert Stearns
• 1993–2019: Sherri Geldin
• 2018–2021: Johanna Burton
• 2021–2022: Megan Cavanaugh and Kelly Stevelt (temporary directors)
• 2022–present: Gaëtane Verna

See also

In Spanish: Centro Wexner para las Artes para niños