South Dakota Art Museum

HOURS:
Mon – Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sun, 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.
Closed Sundays, January through March and all state holidays, please call for more information.

Mission:
As steward of the state’s art treasures, the South Dakota Art Museum collects, preserves, and exhibits visual art to provide access and education, and foster appreciation of the visual arts for the people of South Dakota and its visitors.

History:
The South Dakota Art Museum originated through the resolve and enterprise of the people of South Dakota. The plan for an art center in South Dakota originated in 1947. Under the guidance of the South Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs, a resolution was brought forward to erect a building to be known as the South Dakota Federation of Women’s Clubs Memorial Art Center at their state convention in 1955. In April, 1955, Brookings was selected for the Art Center’s development and the South Dakota Board of Regents approved the placement of the South Dakota Memorial Art Center on the campus of South Dakota State College, now South Dakota State University (SDSU) in June. Construction of the $600,000 museum facility began in 1969 and the building was dedicated in 1970, more than 20 years after the original plan was formulated.

In 1976, the American Association of Museums (AAM) recognized the excellence of the South Dakota Memorial Art Center when it became the first museum of any kind to gain accreditation in South Dakota. The expanded scope of the Center’s programming and collections was acknowledged in 1987 when it was renamed the South Dakota Art Museum (SDAM) by the state’s Board of Regents.

In 1995, the Museum set out to raise $1.9 million for an 8500 square foot addition and renovation of the existing building. A new state-of-the-art facility opened in December 2000 after only 1.5 years - using entirely private funding.

Exhibitions:

Oscar Howe and Native American Games

Clive King

South Dakota Artist Series: Steve Babbitt & Michael Hill

Marghab Linens

The Inspiration: South Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs Donation

Carol Hepper, Vertical Chamber Exhibits

Harvey Dunn: A Selection of His Prairie Works

Madeiran Stitchery

Illustrations from The Lost Children by Paul Goble

Events

Oscar Howe and Native American Games
January 24, 2012 - April 15, 2012

Howe Sword Dance DDM collectionThe exhibition includes paintings by Oscar Howe which illustrate the use of Native American games, and the actual game pieces from the collection of the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Clive King
December 13, 2011 - April 15, 2012

Public Artist Reception
Friday March 30, 2012 from 4:30 to 7 pm
Artist Presentation approximately 5:30 pm

Clive King wants "to make a positive contribution to the status of drawing as a prime and terminal medium for contemporary image making." He wants to "demonstrate that in physical scale, depth, intensity drawing can involve the spectator in an equal physical and emotional engagement."

South Dakota Artist Series: Steve Babbitt & Michael Hill
December 13, 2011 - May 6, 2012

Steve Babbitt is a photographer and Michael Hill is a ceramic artist. Babbtt's subjects are often in or connected to the landscape which in some way seem out of place or not readily identifiable. Babbitt states, "I like to use my camera to aid in my exploration of the world and to pare away or isolate all that I feel is unnecessary."Bottles, Michael Hill

Michael Hill considers himself a potter and not a sculptor. However, this does not mean that he doesn't think about it or use the concepts of sculpture in his work. Hill states, "My current work is about searching for my tradition. While I am influenced by pottery from other countries, cultures, and time periods, I don't want to adopt their traditions…."

Marghab Linens
November 23, 2011 - November, 2012

Fern Ponto de Sonbra face, MarghabMarghab linens were made on the Island of Madeira from 1933-1980. With nearly 250 embroidery firms located on the Island, Marghab adhered to the strict guidelines of "Madeira" embroidery. This encompassed the use of 18 basic stitches and one technique. "Madeiran Stitchery" will feature each stitch and technique with examples from the Marghab Collection.

The Inspiration: South Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs Donation
From the Collection of the South Dakota Art Museum
November 1, 2011 - April 22, 2012

At the first convention in 1900, The South Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs decided that its chief purpose would be to stimulate a greater interest in the fine arts. For nearly fifty years an interest in the arts developed resulting in a group of women from Pierre assembling a sizeable collection of artwork. This collection would be the inspiration for the establishing of an Art Museum. South Dakota Federation of Women's Clubs have played an integral role in the establishment and continued support of the South Dakota Art Museum. This exhibition features works collected by the SDFWC and donated to the South Dakota Art Museum.

Harvey Dunn: A Selection of His Prairie Works
September 1, 2011 through April 15, 2012

Something for Supper, Harvey DunnA selection of items from the Harvey Dunn collection of the South Dakota Art Museum featuring images of men and women surviving within the prairie landscape.

Illustrations from The Lost Children by Paul Goble
October 5, 2011 - February 5, 2012

Goble was born in England in 1933 and realized his love for Native American culture as a child. He moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1977 where he drew inspiration from the stories and traditions of the Plains Indians. His books retell ancient cultural stories and his accompanying illustrations depict vivid, colorful scenes with accurate images. Goble has written over twenty books that have won praise from the American Library Association, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council amongst others. Goble's artwork resides in several museums and institutions, including the Library of Congress though his entire collection of original illustrations was gifted to the South Dakota Art Museum in 1977.

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