West Bend, WI – The Museum of Wisconsin Art is delighted to announce Into the Blue, an immersive installation by Madison-based artist Jennifer Angus. Using unexpected and captivating medium choices—such as cicadas and a variety of leaf-mimicking insects—Angus creates intricate patterns that reveal the beauty and fragility of our ecosystem.
Into the Blue transforms MOWA’s Hyde Gallery into a temple of nature, inviting visitors to reflect on the delicate balance and interconnectedness of all life. Into the Blue is on view November 23–March 2.
“Into the Blue uses vibrant blue walls and lighting to set the stage for Angus’s bold installation, evoking the limitless, abstract realms of sky and water—spaces that encourage contemplation,” said Thomas Szolwinski, Curator of Architecture and Design at MOWA. “From immersive gallery-wide displays to palm-sized bell jar environments, Angus’s work invites visitors into a series of unique and captivating experiences, with insects as the main characters.” Her awe-inspiring creations emphasize the essential role insects play in both natural ecosystems and human life while raising awareness of the environmental threats they face.
“Jennifer Angus’s installation challenges viewers to see beauty in unexpected places,” said Laurie Winters, James and Karen Hyde Executive Director. “Her work is a poignant reminder that art is all around us, and that we only need to be receptive to the possibilities.”
Angus is a renowned professor in the Design Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She holds a BFA from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and an MFA from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago. Her work has been widely exhibited, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery in Washington, DC, and the Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto. Her artwork is held in prestigious collections worldwide, from the Museum of Art and Design in New York to the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand.
In conjunction with Into the Blue, MOWA will host an Artist Talk on December 8, where Angus will share her approach to immersive installations and use of insects as a medium. Then, on January 18, entomologist Daniel Young will discuss the taxonomy, natural history, and conservation of Wisconsin’s fireflies.
Join MOWA for Into the Blue, an experience that will challenge viewers to see insects in a new light—as vulnerable creatures who must be protected for the sake of their beauty and the future of our planet.
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, 205 Veterans Avenue in West Bend, WI | 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.
