Wander Minnesota: 'Modern Spirit: The Art of George Morrison'

Last week I offered up some less-traditional options for Valentine's Day. What follows is not a Valentine's Day event itself, but it opens on Valentine's Day and could make for a fun afternoon event.

The Minnesota History Center is opening a new exhibit on Saturday: Modern Spirit: The Art of George Morrison, which will remain open until April 26. This is the first comprehensive retrospective exhibit of an important American artist.

George Morrison was a 20th-century artist born in Minnesota, in an Indian fishing village near Lake Superior. He spoke only Ojibwe until he was six and began attending school. In the 1940s, he left Minnesota for New York City, where he studied art and made friends with the likes of Willem de Kooningand Franz Kline.

Throughout his prolific career, Morrison not only created artworks that gained praise and respect, but he also taught art and Native American history. Upon retirement, he returned to Minnesota to live on the Grand Portage Indian Reservation.

Morrison is widely considered to be the founder of Native modernism, and he used the natural world as inspiration for his paintings, sculptures, totems, and collages. At the same time, his work has raised debates as to what constitutes Native art, as his use of impressionism and expressionism does not overtly represent the Native life.

The exhibit at the History Center includes 80 pieces by Morrison, half from St. Paul's Minnesota Museum of American Art and half from public and private collections across the U.S.

There will be special events associated with the exhibit, including a public talk by Morrison's biographer Margot Galt on Feb. 17, and The Heavy Table will offer one of its series, North Coast Nosh , on Feb. 19 with "Sioux Chef" Sean Sherman (reservations required for the latter).

What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Tuesday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.