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On View in Milwaukee

Mack Bo Ross

Ancestral Layers

November 21– February 15

MOWA on the Lake inside Saint John's On The Lake

About the Exhibition

This exhibition is open to the public at MOWA on the Lake, located inside the retirement campus of Saint John’s On The Lake in downtown Milwaukee. Learn more

 

Opening Party | November 21 | 5:00–7:00

Artist Talk | November 21 | 6:00

Growing up in small, predominately white communities throughout Wisconsin, Mack Bo Ross struggled to find his voice, often facing judgement and coping with feelings of isolation. Turning to art and poetry, Ross discovered powerful ways to express what words could not. Watching his grandfather paint awakened his creative passion; visual art became “a language for the voiceless, a bridge between pain and hope.”

The digital prints featured in Ancestral Layers blend muted color palettes and geometric shapes with accompanying poems written by the artist. Each piece reflects Ross’s ongoing dialogue with family roots, personal growth, and healing. Birds often appear as symbols of his children, while faint faces in the background evoke the guiding presence of his ancestors. Grounded in love, loss, and resilience, Ross’s work invites viewers to recognize our shared humanity—different shades, one heart.

This exhibition is open to the public at MOWA on the Lake, located inside Saint John’s on the Lake in downtown Milwaukee.

Image: Mack Bo Ross, Double Vision (detail), 2024

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