Two documentary exhibitions explore storytelling, sharing history and truth

“Daffodil House” by Jason Reblando
MILWAUKEE (January 31, 2020) … Two new documentary exhibitions are on view now through March 14, 2020 in MIAD’s Brooks Stevens Gallery. The exhibitions present different approaches to telling stories, sharing history and shifting perspectives. The Opening Reception for both exhibits is January 31, 6 – 8 p.m.
In “New Deal Utopias” photographs by Jason Reblando focus on three U.S. “Greenbelt Towns,” including Greendale, Wisconsin, and explore the complex roles of housing, nature and government in planned communities and American life.
Reblando says his photographs invite viewers to reflect upon their own communities, whether they be planned or unplanned, and meditate upon the human urge to create an ideal society.

Typewriter from “Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play?” exhibition
In “Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play?” curator Danny Volk uses a collection of antique typewriters, eyewitness videos, archival documents, recorded interviews, photographs and other artifacts to share one man’s tragic experience of an Illinois tornado and to invite viewers to reflect on how truth is documented and represented.
Additional exhibition events:
- February 21, 6 – 7:30 p.m.: “New Deal Utopias” Panel Discussion
- March 6, 6 – 7 :30 p.m.: “Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play?” Panel Discussion
MIAD’s Galleries are free and open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. More information: miad.edu/galleries
News
Double ASID award winner is inspired by nature and internships
Rising senior at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) Adam Wold ’27 received two awards in May from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The Interior Architecture and Design (IAD) major won the Silver Award in the Commercial category and the Bronze Award in the Residential category.
MIAD faculty, alumni shine at WI Visual Art Achievement Awards
Professor Leslie Fedorchuk and alumni of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) received four of the eight individual 2026 Wisconsin Visual Art Achievement Awards for “their significant contributions to the state’s creative culture.”
National Society of Illustrators honors 13 MIAD students
Works by 13 students and recent graduates of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) were selected from among 4,550 nationwide submissions to receive 2026 honors from the national Society of Illustrators.
Pallas Textiles competition provides real-world experience
First-place winner Sophia Simonson ’28 created Refractions as part of her MIAD studies in Interior Architecture and Design. She is one of 20 students studying at MIAD through a cross-registration program with Concordia University. MIAD students Kaitlyn Powers ’26 (Illustration) and Natalie Spetell ’27 (Product Design), both of whom have minors in Communication Design, received Honorable Mentions.
2026 First-Year Exhibition showcases professional growth
An annual tradition at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design from late March through September, the juried First-Year Experience Exhibition celebrates students’ yearlong personal and professional growth.