(WEST BEND, WISCONSIN) – Museum of Wisconsin Art is proud to present No Agenda: Fred Stonehouse, an exhibition showcasing a collection of never-before-seen drawings from one of Wisconsin’s most distinctive contemporary artists. Dating from 2008 to 2024, No Agenda assembles over 150 drawings of his iconic characters, fantastical hybrid creatures, and self-portraits that explore human vulnerability and complexity. No Agenda: Fred Stonehouse will be on view March 15 through June 8. A publication accompanies the exhibition.
Early into his professional career at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Stonehouse began blending his departmental obligation—the monthly faculty meeting—with his lifelong love of drawing. Deftly rendered in black and red pencil on antique ledger paper, torn book covers, and repurposed file folders, these works were never intended for exhibition and offer a rare glimpse into deeply personal moments of artistic expression. “It is astounding to me that Fred Stonehouse rarely missed a 3-hour faculty meeting and actively listened throughout,” said Dr. Jane Aspinwall, MOWA’s Deputy Director. “Considering the persistent devaluing of the arts and humanities in today’s world, artists like Stonehouse remind us of the power of creative energy in our everyday lives.”
Snippets of the meeting’s academic and administrative language find a way into Stonehouse’s compositions, humorously blurring the boundary between the professional setting and the introspective phrases often associated with his art. Lengthy written text passages, inspired by interactions with colleagues, add a layer of complexity to his more recent full-color drawings.
What an incredible opportunity to peek behind the curtain of Fred Stonehouse’s artistic practice,” said Anwar Floyd-Pruitt, MOWA’s Associate Curator of Contemporary Art. “There’s a beautiful and gritty honesty to the way he instinctually blends drawings, text, and the assorted aged papers to produce work that is uniquely Fred, yet connected to us all.”
Stonehouse grew up on the north side of Milwaukee and attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, receiving a BFA in 1982. During his forty-year career, Stonehouse’s national and international reputation has grown to include exhibitions in Amsterdam, Berlin, Los Angeles, Milan, New York, and Paris.
In addition to the exhibition, MOWA will host an Opening Party on March 15 at 2:00 and an Artist Talk on May 3 at 11:00. During the talk, Stonehouse will share insights into his process and the evolution of No Agenda.
Join MOWA for No Agenda: Fred Stonehouse, and step into the artist’s imaginative, unfiltered world that blends the professional and the poetic.
Image Credit: Fred Stonehouse, Why Can’t You Try Harder?, 2023 (detail)
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