Marria Thompson
Department of Art History Gallery, University of St. Thomas Art Collection
- Email: marria.thompson@stthomas.edu
- Phone: 651-962-5877
Visual Arts at St. Thomas
About the Visual Arts at St. Thomas
The art and architectural collections and galleries at the University of St. Thomas serve as teaching opportunities for our students and the public. For undergraduate and graduate students in art history, the VISUAL ARTS@St. Thomas provide the experience of working with artwork, learning proper curatorial and exhibition techniques, and fostering a better understanding of the works' cultural context.
The VISUAL ARTS@St. Thomas include:
- The American Museum of Asmat Art | On view: Woven Together: Asmat Women and Art
- Department of Art History Gallery | On view: UNWOVEN THREADS by Tia Keobounpheng
- University of St. Thomas Art Collection
- Voorsanger Architects Archive
The American Museum of Asmat Art (AMAA)
The American Museum of Asmat Art is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the visual cultures of Asmat while educating students and the general public about this region.
The term “Asmat” refers to a people, a language, and a geographic area. Today, Asmat homelands lie within Papua Province, Indonesia on the southwest coast of the Island of New Guinea. Many Asmat live in villages along rivers that wind through the dense rainforest of a vast muddy coastal plain. They are among the finest and most prolific wood sculptors and weavers in the Pacific Islands with artists working in a variety of materials such as seeds, feathers, and shells.
About the Museum
What is the AMAA?
The AMAA has one of the largest collections of Asmat art in the country, with almost 3,000 objects. Most of the works date from the mid-20th century to the present. The collection was originally formed by missionaries from the American Crosier Fathers and Brothers, a Catholic religious Order that was in the Asmat region starting in 1958.
The museum had previous homes in Hastings, Nebraska and Shoreview, Minnesota. The Crosiers, wishing to place the collection in a setting where it could be used to educate students and the public about Asmat art and culture, gave it to the University of St. Thomas in 2007. The museum opened in 2012 and is located on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center on the St. Paul campus.
The museum had previous homes in Hastings, Nebraska and Shoreview, Minnesota. The Crosiers, wishing to place the collection in a setting where it could be used to educate students and the public about Asmat art and culture, gave it to the University of St. Thomas in 2007. The museum opened in 2012 and is located on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center on the St. Paul campus.
Mission and Vision
Mission
The American Museum of Asmat Art at St. Thomas engages students and the global community through preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting the art of 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
The Gallery exhibiting holdings from the American Museum of Asmat Art is divided into two sections. The objects on permanent display include Asmat ancestor poles (bis), canoes (wuramon), and other large-scale works such as shields and masks. The rest of the gallery is for rotating exhibitions, which feature periodic displays based on the different aspects of Asmat art and culture.
The AMAA forms an integral part of the Department of Art History’s dedication to teaching global arts in context and the University’s broader commitment to foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and the artistic achievements of all humanity.
The AMAA forms an integral part of the Department of Art History’s dedication to teaching global arts in context and the University’s broader commitment to foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and the artistic achievements of all humanity.
Visit
Groups wishing to schedule a visit may contact Gretchen Burau, Museum Director in advance of their visit.
Location
The AMAA@St. Thomas showcases rotating exhibitions on view in the gallery on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center. Admission is always free.
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.
Academic Year Hours
- Tuesday – Thursday 10 a.m.. – 3 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday 10 a.m... – 2 p.m.
- Sunday – Monday Closed
Summer Hours
- Tuesday 10 a.m.. – 2 p.m.
- Thursday – Saturday 10 a.m... – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Monday& Wednesday Closed
Scheduled Closings
The Gallery is closed for all major U.S. holidays, fall break, Thanksgiving weekend, winter break, final exam week, January term, spring break, Easter break, and in June for installation.
Explore the Collection
AMAA Board of Advisors
Mr. Gerald D. Brennan, Chair
Mrs. Carole Boyum
Mrs. Gretchen Burau, Interim Director & Curator
Mrs. Cheryl Cook
V. Rev. Tom Enneking, osc
Dr. Bernie Folz
Dr. Thomas Harkcom
Ms. Phyllis Hischier
Fr. Kermit Holl, osc
Ms. Gretchen Holland
Ms. Ursula Konrad
Mr. David Kostik
Fr. Virgil Petermeier, osc
Ms. Topsy Simonson
Dr. Nick Stanley
Mrs. Lori Wiese-Parks
Dr. Mark Stansbury-O'Donnell
Dr. Victoria Young
Mrs. Donna MacMillan, honorary member
Mrs. Suzanne Burke, College of Arts and Sciences staff
Mrs. Carole Boyum
Mrs. Gretchen Burau, Interim Director & Curator
Mrs. Cheryl Cook
V. Rev. Tom Enneking, osc
Dr. Bernie Folz
Dr. Thomas Harkcom
Ms. Phyllis Hischier
Fr. Kermit Holl, osc
Ms. Gretchen Holland
Ms. Ursula Konrad
Mr. David Kostik
Fr. Virgil Petermeier, osc
Ms. Topsy Simonson
Dr. Nick Stanley
Mrs. Lori Wiese-Parks
Dr. Mark Stansbury-O'Donnell
Dr. Victoria Young
Mrs. Donna MacMillan, honorary member
Mrs. Suzanne Burke, College of Arts and Sciences staff
What is the AMAA?
The AMAA has one of the largest collections of Asmat art in the country, with almost 3,000 objects. Most of the works date from the mid-20th century to the present. The collection was originally formed by missionaries from the American Crosier Fathers and Brothers, a Catholic religious Order that was in the Asmat region starting in 1958.
The museum had previous homes in Hastings, Nebraska and Shoreview, Minnesota. The Crosiers, wishing to place the collection in a setting where it could be used to educate students and the public about Asmat art and culture, gave it to the University of St. Thomas in 2007. The museum opened in 2012 and is located on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center on the St. Paul campus.
The museum had previous homes in Hastings, Nebraska and Shoreview, Minnesota. The Crosiers, wishing to place the collection in a setting where it could be used to educate students and the public about Asmat art and culture, gave it to the University of St. Thomas in 2007. The museum opened in 2012 and is located on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center on the St. Paul campus.
Mission and Vision
Mission
The American Museum of Asmat Art at St. Thomas engages students and the global community through preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting the art of 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
The Gallery exhibiting holdings from the American Museum of Asmat Art is divided into two sections. The objects on permanent display include Asmat ancestor poles (bis), canoes (wuramon), and other large-scale works such as shields and masks. The rest of the gallery is for rotating exhibitions, which feature periodic displays based on the different aspects of Asmat art and culture.
The AMAA forms an integral part of the Department of Art History’s dedication to teaching global arts in context and the University’s broader commitment to foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and the artistic achievements of all humanity.
The AMAA forms an integral part of the Department of Art History’s dedication to teaching global arts in context and the University’s broader commitment to foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and the artistic achievements of all humanity.
Visit
Groups wishing to schedule a visit may contact Gretchen Burau, Museum Director in advance of their visit.
Location
The AMAA@St. Thomas showcases rotating exhibitions on view in the gallery on the second floor of the Anderson Student Center. Admission is always free.
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.
Academic Year Hours
- Tuesday – Thursday 10 a.m.. – 3 p.m.
- Friday – Saturday 10 a.m... – 2 p.m.
- Sunday – Monday Closed
Summer Hours
- Tuesday 10 a.m.. – 2 p.m.
- Thursday – Saturday 10 a.m... – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Monday& Wednesday Closed
Scheduled Closings
The Gallery is closed for all major U.S. holidays, fall break, Thanksgiving weekend, winter break, final exam week, January term, spring break, Easter break, and in June for installation.
Explore the Collection
AMAA Board of Advisors
Mr. Gerald D. Brennan, Chair
Mrs. Carole Boyum
Mrs. Gretchen Burau, Interim Director & Curator
Mrs. Cheryl Cook
V. Rev. Tom Enneking, osc
Dr. Bernie Folz
Dr. Thomas Harkcom
Ms. Phyllis Hischier
Fr. Kermit Holl, osc
Ms. Gretchen Holland
Ms. Ursula Konrad
Mr. David Kostik
Fr. Virgil Petermeier, osc
Ms. Topsy Simonson
Dr. Nick Stanley
Mrs. Lori Wiese-Parks
Dr. Mark Stansbury-O'Donnell
Dr. Victoria Young
Mrs. Donna MacMillan, honorary member
Mrs. Suzanne Burke, College of Arts and Sciences staff
Mrs. Carole Boyum
Mrs. Gretchen Burau, Interim Director & Curator
Mrs. Cheryl Cook
V. Rev. Tom Enneking, osc
Dr. Bernie Folz
Dr. Thomas Harkcom
Ms. Phyllis Hischier
Fr. Kermit Holl, osc
Ms. Gretchen Holland
Ms. Ursula Konrad
Mr. David Kostik
Fr. Virgil Petermeier, osc
Ms. Topsy Simonson
Dr. Nick Stanley
Mrs. Lori Wiese-Parks
Dr. Mark Stansbury-O'Donnell
Dr. Victoria Young
Mrs. Donna MacMillan, honorary member
Mrs. Suzanne Burke, College of Arts and Sciences staff
The American Museum of Asmat Art at the University of St. Thomas presents Power and Presence: Water in Asmat, an exhibition exploring the many ways Asmat people engage with water. It considers how relationships between animals, humans, and the ancestors are formed around this natural resource and encourages museum visitors to consider their own connections with water.
Why is water important? Water is a force that shapes many aspects of physical and spiritual life. In the Asmat rainforest, water is omnipresent. It is collected for daily needs and sustains complex rivers systems that are essential for transportation, trade, and recreation. Water is a recurring element in ritual practices and figures prominently in myths that are essential for Asmat cosmology. Many of these practices are currently under threat due to social and environmental changes in the region. Visual culture on display at the American Museum of Asmat Art tells part of this story.
Check back for events related to this exhibition.
Image: Markus Tipin, Figure Carving, 2009, Asmat people, Safan region, Wood, paint, string, cassowary feathers, feathers, seeds (AMAA 2010.01.002). Purchased with 2009 Spirit of Solstice fundraiser contributions.
About the Gallery
Mission
The Department of Art History Gallery is committed to providing an exhibition program that fosters dialogue centered around the issues of contemporary and historical art and architectural topics to encourage paths of inquiry and intercultural understanding to advance the common good.
Visit
Groups wishing to schedule a visit may contact Marria Thompson, Gallery Curator, in advance of their visit.
Location
The Department of Art History Gallery is located on the first floor of the O'Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC) in St. Paul.
Hours
Open daily and admission is free!- Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday 9 a.m.. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday 9 a.m.. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
Parking
Street parking is available in non-permit areas along Cleveland Avenue and Summit Avenue. Guests may also park in the Tommie East Parking Garage.
Artist Opportunities
Who can submit a proposal?
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.
Application Cycle and Timeline
Proposals for exhibitions in 2025 and beyond are now being accepted on a rolling basis.
Proposal Guidelines
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
Mission
The Department of Art History Gallery is committed to providing an exhibition program that fosters dialogue centered around the issues of contemporary and historical art and architectural topics to encourage paths of inquiry and intercultural understanding to advance the common good.
Visit
Groups wishing to schedule a visit may contact Marria Thompson, Gallery Curator, in advance of their visit.
Location
The Department of Art History Gallery is located on the first floor of the O'Shaughnessy Educational Center (OEC) in St. Paul.
Hours
Open daily and admission is free!- Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday 9 a.m.. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday 9 a.m.. – 5 p.m.
- Sunday 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
Parking
Street parking is available in non-permit areas along Cleveland Avenue and Summit Avenue. Guests may also park in the Tommie East Parking Garage.
Artist Opportunities
Who can submit a proposal?
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.
Application Cycle and Timeline
Proposals for exhibitions in 2025 and beyond are now being accepted on a rolling basis.
Proposal Guidelines
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
After years of conceptually unweaving the fibers of her identity to understand her place in the context of her bloodline and this moment in time, Tia Keobounpheng emerges to celebrate an enlightened foundational warp. Through geometry, color, and thread she imagines what is possible when our assimilating learned behavioral weft is removed.
After years of conceptually unweaving the fibers of her identity to understand her place in the context of her bloodline and this moment in time, Tia Keobounpheng emerges to celebrate an enlightened foundational warp. Through geometry, color, and thread she imagines what is possible when our assimilating learned behavioral weft is removed.
Tia Salmela Keobounpheng is an interdisciplinary artist based in North Minneapolis. Her work merges fiber, metal, and drawing techniques to create sculpture, installation, public art and mixed-media compositions that express a personal reckoning. Her process-based practice explores the complexity of identity through ancestry, forces of assimilation, and the experiential memory within the physical body.
Her solo exhibition DEFUSE was on view in the summer of 2021 at the Duluth Art Institute. Her temporary outdoor public art installation, UNWEAVING, was installed in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis in February 2021 as part of The Great Northern Festival and in Sister Cities Park in Duluth in the Fall of 2020 as part of a MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant. Her work has also been exhibited at the New Studio Gallery in St. Paul, the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, and the Finlandia University Gallery in Hancock, Michigan. She holds a BA degree in Architecture from the University of MN and studied as an exchange student in Oulu, Finland - the land of her ancestors.
tiakeobounpheng.com
tiakeoart.com
unweaving.org
Tia Salmela Keobounpheng is an interdisciplinary artist based in North Minneapolis. Her work merges fiber, metal, and drawing techniques to create sculpture, installation, public art and mixed-media compositions that express a personal reckoning. Her process-based practice explores the complexity of identity through ancestry, forces of assimilation, and the experiential memory within the physical body.
Her solo exhibition DEFUSE was on view in the summer of 2021 at the Duluth Art Institute. Her temporary outdoor public art installation, UNWEAVING, was installed in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis in February 2021 as part of The Great Northern Festival and in Sister Cities Park in Duluth in the Fall of 2020 as part of a MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant. Her work has also been exhibited at the New Studio Gallery in St. Paul, the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, and the Finlandia University Gallery in Hancock, Michigan. She holds a BA degree in Architecture from the University of MN and studied as an exchange student in Oulu, Finland - the land of her ancestors.
tiakeobounpheng.com
tiakeoart.com
unweaving.org
Artist Reception Feb. 11 6 - 8pm | All are welcome. Masks required. No registration required.
Virtual Artist Talk April 12 6pm |Open to St. Thomas students, faculty, staff, and the public. Registration required for access.
Visit UNWOVEN THREADS Virtually
Questions? Please contact Marria Thompson (marria.thompson@stthomas.edu).
Artist Reception Feb. 11 6 - 8pm | All are welcome. Masks required. No registration required.
Virtual Artist Talk April 12 6pm |Open to St. Thomas students, faculty, staff, and the public. Registration required for access.
Visit UNWOVEN THREADS Virtually
Questions? Please contact Marria Thompson (marria.thompson@stthomas.edu).
The St. Thomas Art Collection
The St. Thomas Art Collection includes the many works of fine art and outdoor sculptures on view throughout campus, as well as numerous other artworks housed within the Department of Art History. The collection represents a variety of regions from around the world, in particular African and Midwestern art.
About the Collection
Mission
The University of St. Thomas Art Collection seeks to bring the visual arts to the university, providing an enriching and engaging experience for all students, scholars, and community members. Diverse in scope, the collection fosters critical thinking about global cultures and the material world.
Explore the Collection
With historical oil paintings, large scale outdoor sculptures, intricate African carvings and more, the University of St. Thomas Art Collection has over 1,500 works of art that you can search and explore.
Greco-Roman Coins
During Fall 2019, students in Professor Vanessa Rousseau's Museum Studies: Collections (ARTH 250) explored the Greco-Roman coins from the University of St. Thomas Art Collection. This hands-on project allowed the students to work with objects, metadata, and digital exhibitions while creating an online database that serves as a valuable resource for the collection.
Mission
The University of St. Thomas Art Collection seeks to bring the visual arts to the university, providing an enriching and engaging experience for all students, scholars, and community members. Diverse in scope, the collection fosters critical thinking about global cultures and the material world.
Explore the Collection
With historical oil paintings, large scale outdoor sculptures, intricate African carvings and more, the University of St. Thomas Art Collection has over 1,500 works of art that you can search and explore.
Greco-Roman Coins
During Fall 2019, students in Professor Vanessa Rousseau's Museum Studies: Collections (ARTH 250) explored the Greco-Roman coins from the University of St. Thomas Art Collection. This hands-on project allowed the students to work with objects, metadata, and digital exhibitions while creating an online database that serves as a valuable resource for the collection.
Voorsanger Architects Archive
The Voorsanger Architects Archive holds the work of Voorsanger Architects PC, a New York-based architectural firm. The physical archive focuses on highlights of the design and creative process from initial sketches to final photos of the firm's various projects, as well as items relating to Principal and founder Bartholomew Voorsanger, FAIA.
A curated collection of 25 projects was selected as representative of the firm's work from the 1970s through the 2010s. Quick facts on these selected projects are showcased on the archive website, while the archive database offers more detailed information and documentation on each of the 25 selections.
Contact Us
Questions? Please feel free to contact us.
Gretchen Burau
American Museum of Asmat Art
- Email: bura8354@stthomas.edu
- Phone: 651-962-5560
Christine Dent
Voorsanger Architects Archive