Visual Arts at St. Thomas

The AMAA is one of the largest collection of Asmat art in the country, with more than 2,900 objects. Most of the works date from the mid-20th century to the present. The collection originally was formed by missionaries from the Crosier Fathers and Brothers, a Catholic religious Order, who worked in the Asmat region beginning in 1958.

The museum had two previous homes in Hastings, Nebraska and Shoreview, Minnesota. In 2007, the Crosiers, wishing to place the collection in a setting where it would be used to educate students and the public about Asmat art and culture, gave it to the University of St. Thomas. The museum's gallery, located on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center on the University's St. Paul campus opened in 2012.

Mission

The American Museum of Asmat Art at St. Thomas engages students and the global community through preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting the art of the Asmat people, in order to expand human understanding and promote intercultural awareness.

Vision

The vision of the American Museum of Asmat Art at St. Thomas is to be a preeminent teaching collection, interdisciplinary in nature and programmatically diverse, that promotes global understanding of Asmat art and culture consistent with the mission and values of the University of St. Thomas.

The gallery is divided into two sections: a permanent section, which displays Asmat ancestor poles (bis), canoes, and other large-scale works, and a rotating exhibition section, which presents regularly changing exhibitions on different aspects of Asmat art and culture using works drawn from the collection.

The museum's collection continues to grow and the AMAA forms an integral part of the University's broader commitment to fostering respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and the artistic achievements of all of humanity, and of the Department of Art History's dedication to teaching global arts in context.

Location

The AMAA@St. Thomas showcases rotating exhibitions on view in the gallery on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center.

Hours

• Monday & Tuesday 10 a.m – 4 p.m.
• Wednesday Noon – 4 p.m.
• Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Friday Noon – 2 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday Noon – 4 p.m.

Parking

Street parking is available in non-permit areas along Cretin Avenue and Summit Avenue. Guests are also welcome to park in the Anderson Parking Facility and the Morrison Parking Ramp.

We welcome artists to submit proposals to exhibit their work in our gallery. Scheduled two years in advance, our Art Exhibition Program presents two major displays during the academic year (September through December and February through May). We welcome all emerging and established artists, working in all mediums, to submit solo and/or group proposals.

You are welcome to submit a proposal at any time and it will be reviewed during the next cycle. The current application cycle is closed, so please check back regularly for updates.

To submit a digital proposal, please include the following:

• Letter of introduction stating intent/exhibition proposal (PDF format and up to 3 pages total)
• Résumé/CV: Your current résumé/CV (or that of each artist involved), up to two pages per artist
• Artist Statement
• Digital images: In JPEG format, 72 dpi, 600 pixels in longest direction
• Image list: title, date, medium, dimensions for each
• Contact information: phone number and email address

Digital proposals only, please. Do not mail anything.

Send all questions and submissions to:
Marria Thompson
Department of Art History Gallery Curator
ArtHistoryGallery@stthomas.edu

Send all questions and submissions to:
Marria Thompson
Department of Art History Gallery Curator
ArtHistoryGallery@stthomas.edu