Saintly: Behind the Curation of UWM’s New Art Exhibit

As protests rage outside Mitchell Hall regarding the Middle East’s latest conflict, a small gallery tucked inside the century-old building pays tribute to some of the region’s most famous daughters.

“Saintly,” an exhibit curated by UW-Milwaukee graduate art history student Nikki Ranney, highlights depictions of the Virgin Mary and female saints from the 15^th through 18^th centuries. The exhibit explores perspectives of religious lives of women of the Bible and the early church.

The exact period was intentional, a time that included significant spread of Christianity and the Bible, featuring the Reformation and the introduction of the printing press.

“I was just super drawn to the time period because there was so much change happening across Europe,” said Ranney. “I grew up attending Lutheran church, went through Lutheran confirmation, and that piqued my interest about the Reformation and the conflict between Catholicism and Protestantism. My work explores that period of tension; I think it’s super fascinating.”

The period in question was also a time with inequality between men and women. Focusing on women magnifies the voices of the underrepresented half of the population, particularly during a time when women did not have the same social standing as men.

Though women were depicted in medieval art far less than their male counterparts, they play a prominent role in the Biblical narrative and the story of the early church.

“The show emphasizes the agency of religious women,” said exhibit intern and art student Morgan Moore, “despite being created in times where women were unable to exert much influence themselves.”

Curating – an Art in Itself

Viewers tend to focus solely on the individual artwork at an exhibit, but curating the exhibit itself is an artwork, according to those involved in the process. Just as each piece of art stems from an idea with a vision, an exhibit is curated in the same manner. It’s an arduous, step-by-step process that requires foresight.

“When I started working on this project, there were one or two pieces I was really drawn to,” said Ranney. “By the spring of last year, I knew that I wanted to pursue a feminist lens on early modern art. In the fall, I really got to double down and start picking out things.”

The pieces came from the special collections at UWM, the Haggerty Museum at Marquette University and the Wright Museum at Beloit College.

Choosing which pieces to use is only a portion of the process – sometimes it’s even more difficult to determine who the subject of each piece is, as was the case for a painting believed to portray Mary Magdalene.

“It’s the gallery ourselves who are identifying it as Mary Magdalene,” said Ranney. “You do that based on iconography – so looking at what little symbols are in the painting that might suggest it’s the same figure that appears in this one. A lot of these similarities are bottles of perfume or ointment and pearls and a beautiful pair of shoes.”

Saints often become known for a specific Biblical passage, as was the case for Mary Magdalene. The saint anointed the feet of Jesus with a pound of expensive ointment, as detailed in the Gospel of St. John.

Or they become known for a unique or noteworthy event that became widely circulated in the early church. Fourth-century St. Catherine of Alexandria is typically depicted with the tool used in an attempt to martyr her. The saint was set to be killed by a spiked wheel, but she prayed, and an angel came down and smashed the wheel. Her depictions typically involve a spiked wheel.

Much of the show highlights the dichotomy of Christianity’s most famous woman, Jesus’ mother Mary.

“In depictions, one of the primary ways of showing her is very queen-like,” said Ranney. “You can see in this statue – she’s literally got a crown on and she’s dressed in beautiful robes… It’s very regal, very royal.”

Ranney continued, “Other depictions, she’s a mother and so it’s instead holding baby Jesus like he’s a prop. It really is this engagement in a moment of domesticity.”

The religious art carries deep meaning, representing beliefs held centuries ago that still stand today. Artistic portrayals of Mary provide insight to a character central to the Christian faith.

“It’s called the Virgin and Child with a Cat,” said Ranney, describing a work of Rembrandt. “[The snake] is under the foot and she’s stepping on it and crushing it… Snakes are evil, but the Virgin Mary is stepping on it like she’s conquering evil, because she’s the queen of heaven.”

The show allows viewers to appreciate some of the most important pieces of art in the West’s rich religious tradition. The exhibit doesn’t merely provide insight for the viewer, but also provided a valuable experience for the curator.

“I’m really proud of how this show turned out,” said Ranney. “It’s been quite a long time in the making.”

“Nikki’s show turned out absolutely stunning,” said art student and intern Sadie Schmitt. “Her passion and knowledge of the show are so impressive. Her dedication to the aesthetic value of her catalog, wall texts and logo for the show gives it such a professional polish.”

The exhibit runs through Thursday, May 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is free to the public.