West Bend, Wi – The Museum of Wisconsin Art proudly presents Dormant Season: Erinn Springer, an ongoing photographic series focusing on Springer’s exploration of her childhood home in rural Wisconsin. Featuring over 30 striking black-and-white photographs and a video installation, these personal images reveal a poignant picture of place and the restorative power of home. Travelling locally in Dunn County, Springer photographed family and neighbors, rediscovering her own deep connections to the community. Dormant Season will be on view June 21–September 14.
At the age of 18, Springer moved away from her rural Wisconsin town of 1,000 people, never intending to live in the state again. But after the loss of a family member, she returned home in the winter of 2019, seeking a part of herself that had been latent in her adult years.
Using photography initially as a coping mechanism for her grief, Springer discovered an inner dormancy that reflected the landscape around her—brutally cold dark days, snow covered fields, and indoor isolation. As the seasons changed, so too did Springer’s understanding of home as both a mental space and a physical place.
“These photographs are a reminder of the relentless onward march of life; an understanding of renewal after dormancy as vegetation returns, farm animals are born, and kids play outside,” said MOWA’s Deputy Director, Dr. Jane Aspinwall. “Springer considers this to be the beginning of her life’s work of documenting this region.”
Springer holds a BA from Parsons, The New School of Design, in New York. Her photographs are featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Vogue. Springer currently splits her time between Duluth, Minnesota, Menomonie, Wisconsin, and Brooklyn, New York.
The museum will host an Opening Party on June 21 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., including an Artist Talk at 12:15 p.m.
Join MOWA for Dormant Season: Erinn Springer, an honest portrayal of the connection and isolation of the modern Midwest, where the story of self and society intertwine with the cycles of the seasons.
IMAGE CREDIT – Erinn Springer, Tucker’s Buck, 2020
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART
A vital cultural center, educational institution, an expanding network of ideas, the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) collects and interprets American art through the lens of a single state. Informed by dynamic initiatives and collaborations, MOWA is an innovative forum for contemporary artists, socially relevant exhibitions, lectures by artists and industry experts, and engaging classes and activities for all ages.
MOWA has two permanent venues—the West Bend “Mothership” and MOWA | DTN in downtown Milwaukee’s Saint Kate—The Arts Hotel—as well as two partnering community organizations that create access across the state. MOWA annually welcomes 200,000 visitors, making it a cultural destination for the art and artists of our time.
