Works by Iconic Wisconsin Artist at Smithsonian Museum

by Will DeFour, age 15

A new exhibit at the Smithsonian dedicated to the groundbreaking Ho-Chunk artist Truman Lowe will open to the public this October.

The exhibit, titled “Water’s Edge: The Art of Truman Lowe,” will contain 50 of his creations, such as paintings and sculptures. It will be showcased in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian on Oct. 24 and will close just over a year later in January 2027.

Lowe graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La-Crosse in 1969 and transferred to UW-Madison, where he earned his master’s in sculpture. He went on to teach as a professor at UW-Madison for 35 years and became chair of the arts department in 1992.

Lowe made many sculptures and paintings that take inspiration from his Ho-Chunk origins. His sculptures usually contain carved wood and sticks, and his paintings often use bright blues in the background. Lowe already has pieces in the Smithsonian, as well as the New York Metropolitan Museum, and the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art.

Lowe died in 2019, and shortly after his death, UW La-Crosse named its center for the arts after him. This was the first building on campus named after a person of color.

Lowe was a great Wisconsin artist. The exhibit at the Smithsonian is one way he is remembered today.

[Sources: Madison.com; La Crosse Tribune]