Overture Galleries have gone digital!
Though our building may be closed, Overture Galleries are now available as digital exhibitions. Scroll down to view all four galleries in the spring cycle.
For the best experience, hit the full screen icon (on desktop: the bottom right of each window, on mobile: in the center). In full screen mode you can zoom in on pieces using the +/- slider along the bottom. While you are zoomed you can click and drag on the piece to move around. Use the arrows on the left and right to move between pieces. Enjoy!
Spring 2020 Exhibition Cycle
TUE, MAR 10 – CURRENT
This spring marks the 50TH Anniversary of Earth Day and the UW-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. During this “Year of the Environment,” Overture Galleries partners with the Nelson Institute in presenting exhibitions and programs exploring environmental topics. Our featured artists will challenge us with questions about the impact of human behavior on the health of our planet through their artwork that explores the experiences of inhabiting our Earth and human relations with our fellow creatures.
GALLERY I – Endgame – John Riggs & Hannah Sandvold
John Riggs and Hannah Sandvold record landscapes of the Pacific Northwest in transition. Riggs’ photographs are a call to action, linking the devastating results of clearcutting to our climate crisis. Sandvold uses traditional printmaking techniques to create layered visual journeys, mimicking the the experience of moving through natural spaces.
GALLERY II – Altered Scapes – Ginnie Cappaert & Lynne Roark
Ginnie Cappaert and Lynne Roark depict the beauty of natural landscapes, distilling them into their essential elements. Cappaert’s intimate works created with 30-40 layers of oil paint and cold wax speak to the small, but important fragments of life. Madison Photographer Lynne Roark has taken to the skies to capture Iceland’s landscapes from above. Roark’s Ghosts of Glaciers Past presents surreal combinations of ice, glacial rivers and shorelines. Shooting straight down from a single engine plane, her photography creates enticing and provocative imagery, bringing attention to the fragility of our world’s receding glaciers.
GALLERY III – Unaccountable Abodes – Erin Liljegren & Robert Jaeger
Robert Jaeger and Erin Liljegren present both Earth’s human and animal inhabitants in man-made environments. Liljegren addresses the deprivation of the environment caused by human over-population and massive consumption through mixed media and recycled materials. Jaeger photographically documents the juxtaposition of zoo visitors and the resident animals in captivity within the context of environmental degradation and extinctions.
PLAYHOUSE GALLERY – Earthly Kin
The relationships between humans and our fellow living creatures are ancient and complex. In this exhibit, artists explore the mysteries, beauty and tragedy of our shared lives.
Learn about the impact of the Overture Galleries in the following personal testimonies:
• Erin Liljegren: Overture Galleries exhibit inspires local artist to make more art
• Robert Jaeger: Local artist shares what Overture means to him and the Madison community
• Hannah Sandvold: Overture Galleries provide an outlet for voices to be heard
Community Events
ClearCut – The Wages of Dominion – THU, APR 2, 6:30 PM
This in-person event in the Wisconsin Studio was rescheduled as a webinar on APR 2. Watch the recording here:
CANCELED – Poetic Justice: Words on Environmental Crisis – WED, APR 22, 6:30 PM | UW Memorial Union
We have canceled the in-person Poetic Justic gallery talk, however online events are being planned. Check back soon for more information!
CANCELED – The Truth About Recycling: Here and Around the World – WED, APR 29, 6 PM | Wisconsin Studio
We have canceled the in-person Truth About Recycling panel discussion, however online events are being planned. Check back soon for more information!


Looking at Local in a New Light
Overture Center’s four galleries create a forum for diverse artistic expression that fosters the growth of local artists, curators and arts organizations. Three galleries radiate off Rotunda Lobby, and the Playhouse Gallery serves as the lobby for The Playhouse Theater. Overture Galleries are free and open to the public.
Artists’ Information Upcoming Exhibitions Previous Exhibitions
Gallery hours
Monday – Thursday, 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday, 9 AM – 9 PM
Saturday, 10:30 AM – 9 PM
Sunday, NOON – 5 PM
For more information about these exhibits, please contact our Community and Education Program Manager, Beth Racette at bracette@overture.org / 608.258.4169