Exhibitions Archive
Learn more about MMoCA’s previous exhibitions.

Organized by opening date*
2022
- There’s Something Happening Here (March 12 – July 31, 2022)
- Boxed In (March 26 – July 17, 2022)
- 2022 Wisconsin Triennial: Ain’t I A Woman? (April 23 – October 9, 2022)
- Faisal Abdu’Allah: DARK MATTER (September 17 – April 2, 2023)
- Apsáalooke: Children of the Large-Beaked Bird (November 12 – February 26, 2022)
2021
- Patrick Martinez: Signs of the Times (January 23 – May 2, 2021)
- Amy Cutler: A Narrative Thread (March 12 – May 16, 2021)
- Alone Together: Perspectives on Isolation (April 3 – June 6, 2021)
- These Unruly and Ungovernable Selves: Michelle Handelman (April 24 – August 15, 2021)
- Natalie Frank: Unbound (June 5 – October 24, 2021)
- AMENDS: Nick Cave and Bob Faust (June 19 – October 24, 2021)
- Between (July 10, 2021 – February 13, 2022)
- Caja de visiones: Arte moderno y contemporáneo de México en el Medio Oeste de los Estados Unidos (September 18, 2021 – January 23, 2022)
- Kenneth Tam: Silent Spikes (November 6, 2021 – February 27, 2022)
- Santiago Cucullu: You still make me tremble (November 20, 2021 – March 20, 2022)
2020
- James Cagle: A Final Meditation on Art (February 29, 2020 – January 31, 2021)
- Uncommon Accumulation: The Mark and Judy Bednar Collection of Chicago Imagism (March 14 – October 11, 2020)
- Sebura&Gartelmann: Bonded (June 6 – September 27, 2020)
- Gladys Nilsson: Out of This World (August 6, 2020 – June 6, 2021)
- Santiago Cucullu: The Wandering Rocks (August 6, 2020 – August 1, 2021)
- Jenny Holzer: YOUVOTE 2020 (October 2 – November 4, 2020)
- Jojin Van Winkle: The Destruction Project (October 17 – December 20, 2020)
- Full Circle: Acquisitions and Exhibitions (November 14, 2020 – March 21, 2021)
2019
- Mirror Image (February 23-May 19, 2019)
- Young at Art (March 16-April 21, 2019)
- Shimon Attie: The Crossing (April 20-September 29, 2019)
- Tyanna Buie: After Image (May 4-September 22, 2019)
- Jeffrey Gibson: Like a Hammer (June 8-September 15, 2019)
- Ray Yoshida: The Spaces in Between (June 29, 2019-April 12, 2020)
- 2019 Wisconsin Triennial (October 19, 2019-February 16, 2020)
2018
- José Carlos Teixeira: On Exile (January 13-May 20, 2018)
- Civic Exchange Society (May 4-December 31, 2018)
- Irene Grau: construction season (May 5-August 5, 2018)
- Far Out: Art From The 1960s (May 19-September 2, 2018)
- The House Of Sparkling Glasses: A Celluloid Experience by M.J Paggie (June 2- September 2, 2018)
- Eye Deal: Abstract Bodies of the Chicago Imagists (August 11, 2018-June 9, 2019)
- William J. O’Brien: Reliquary (August 18-November 11, 2018)
- Joel Shapiro: The Bronzes (September 23, 2018-January 13, 2019)
- Frida Kahlo: Pitahayas (October 12, 2018-Februray 3, 2019)
- Nathaniel Mary Quinn: This is Life (December 1, 2018-March 3, 2019)
2017
- Do Ho Suh (February 11-May 14, 2017)
- Young At Art (February 11-April 23, 2017)
- Kambui Olujimi: Zulu Time (May 6-August 13, 2017)
- Digital Aura (May 20-August 6, 2017)
- Taking Sides (June 10-October 15, 2017)
- Sonja Thomsen: in the space of elsewhere (June 17-December 17, 2017)
- Rashaad Newsome: Icon (August 11-December 3, 2017)
- Chele Isaac: the understory (September 2-November 12, 2017)
- BIG (November 4, 2017-May 6, 2018)
- Jaume Plensa: Talking Continents (December 2, 2017–April 15, 2018)
- Art/Word/Image (December 2, 2017-July 29, 2018)
2016
- William Kentridge: The Heart has Its Own Memory (January 22-April 24, 2016)
- Frank Stella Prints: A Retrospective (February 6-May 22, 2016)
- All-Licensed Fool: Animations by Allison Schulnik and Wong Ping (April 29-August 28,2016)
- Compassionate Eye: The Art of Frances Myers (May 14-November 6, 2016)
- Claire Stigliani: Half-Sick of Shadows (May 26-September 3, 2015)
- Our Good Earth (June 4-August 21, 2016)
- 2016 Wisconsin Triennial (September 24, 2016-January 8, 2017)
- Reconfigured Reality: Contemporary Photography from the Permanent Collection (December 2, 2016-November 12, 2017)
2015
- Eric and Heather ChanSchatz: 22nd Century (February 7-May 17, 2015)
- Young at Art 2015 (March 28-May 10, 2015)
- Wisconsin Pastorale: The Early Paintings of Lois Ireland (May 16-July 19, 2015)
- Coordinates (June 6-August 23, 2015)
- Death in Venice: Warrington Colescott and Thomas Mann (June 5, 2015-April 17, 2017)
- Natasha Nicholson: The Artist in Her Museum (August 22-November 8, 2015)
- Taking Their Place: Recent Acquisitions in Context (September 12, 2015-January 3, 2016)
- Kim Schoen: Have You Never Let Someone Else Be Strong? (September 19, 2015- January 10, 2016)
- Curious Worlds: The Art of Ellen Lanyon (December 5, 2015-April 17, 2016)
2014
- Real/Surreal (January 25-April 27, 2014)
- The Mystery Beneath (January 25-April 13, 2014)
- A Tumultuous Assembly (May 17-July 27, 2014)
- Turn Turn Turn (May 24-August 24, 2014)
- StoryBook: Narrative in Contemporary Art (August 16, 2014-May 31-2015)
- Jason S. Yi: A Fragile Permanence (August 23-November 9, 2014)
- From Here to There: Alec Soth’s America (September 14, 2014-January 4, 2015)
- Narayan Mahon: Lands in Limbo (December 6, 2014-March 15, 2015)
2013
- Ellsworth Kelly Prints (January 19-April 28, 2013)
- The Force of Color (January 19-March 30, 2013)
- Simon Payne: Color Field Videos (January 19-April 28, 2013)
- Young at Art 2013 (April 12-May 19, 2013)
- Focal Points: American Photography Since 1950 (May 18-September 1, 2013)
- Los Grandes del Arte Moderno Mexicano (June 7, 2013-August 10, 2014)
- I Dream Too Much: Leslie Smith III (June 8-September 1, 2013)
- 2013 Wisconsin Triennial (September 21, 2013-January 5, 2014)
2012
- ¡Tierra y Libertad! Revolution and the Modernist Mexican Print (January 14, 2012 to April 16, 2012)
- Houdini: Art and Magic (February 11-May 13, 2012)
- Seen/Unseen (May 11, 2012-May 26, 2013)
- Cecelia Condit: Within a Stone’s Throw (May 26-September 23, 2012)
- one must know the animals (June 2-August 19, 2012)
- Animal Cams (June 22-August 19, 2012)
- Leo Villareal (September 9-December 30, 2012)
- Structural Films (September 9-December 30, 2012)
- The Singing Bird Room of Robert Lostutter (October 5, 2012-January 6, 2013)
2011
- True Self: The Search for Identity in Modern and Contemporary Art (August 18, 2010- June 2011)
- Shinique Smith: Menagerie (January 22-May 28, 2011)
- Young at Art (March 20-May 15, 2011)
- Picturing Technology: Land and Machine (May 21-August 21, 2011)
- The Industrial Modern (May 28-September 4, 2011)
- Chicago School: Imagists in Context (September 11, 2011-January 9, 2012)
- Chicago Imagists at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (September 11, 2011- January 15, 2012)
2010
- Cage and Cunningham: Chance, Time, and Concept in the Visual Arts (October 24, 2009-May 9, 2010)
- Apple Pie: Symbols of Americana in MMoCA’s Permanent Collection (January 23-April 11, 2010)
- From Nature: Realist Works in MMoCA’s Permanent Collection (July 25, 2009-August 15, 2010)
- Then and Again: A Public Project by Nicolas Lampert (April 24-September 26, 2010)
- Wisconsin Triennial (May 22-August 15, 2010)
- Focus/Madison: Works from the Permanent Collection (August 28-November 14, 2010)
- Clayton Brothers: Inside Out (September 12, 2010-January 2, 2011)
- Shirin Neshat: Rapture (December 11, 2010-March 6, 2011)
2009
- Something Wicked This Way Comes (January 24-April 11, 2009)
- Young at Art (March 15-May 17, 2009)
- An Art of Inner Necessity: Expressionist Works from MMoCA’s Permanent Collection ( – July 19, 2009)
- Return to Function (May 2-August 23, 2009)
- Curators’ Choice: New Works in MMoCA’s Collection (June 6-Novemer 8, 2009)
- Signs of the Times: Robert Rauschenberg’s America (September 13, 2009-January 3, 2010)
2008
- Jasper Johns: The Prints (February 2-April 13, 2008)
- Altered Geometry: Contemporary Sculpture from MMoCA’s Collection (March 1-May 18, 2008)
- TL Solien: Myths & Monsters (May 17–August 17, 2008)
- Girls and Company: Feminist Works from MMoCA’s Permanent Collection (May 24-July 20, 2008)
- Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt: The Absent City (August 2-November 16, 2008)
- George Segal: Street Scenes (September 13-December 28, 2008)
- Barbara Probst: Exposures (December 6, 2008-March 8, 2009)
2007
- Making Visible the Invisible: Abstract Art from MMoCA’s Permanent Collection (July 2007-July 13, 2008)
- In Depth: A Closer Look at MMoCA’s Permanent Collection (February 2-April 15, 2007)
- Young at Art (March 3-April 15, 2007)
- Wisconsin Triennial (May 5-July 15, 2007)
- Jess: To and From the Printed Page (August 4-September 23, 2007)
- California Context (August 4-September 23, 2007)
- Tim Laun: Sunday, September 20th, 1992 (August 11-November 11, 2007)
- Karl Wirsum: Winsome Works(some) (October 14, 2007-January 6, 2008)
- Hairy Who (and some others) (October 14, 2007-January 6, 2008)
- Individual Experience: The Photographs of Ida Wyman (November 9, 2007-July 13, 2008)
- Stephen Hilyard: The Beautiful Lie (December 1, 2007-February 17, 2008)
2006
- Between the Lakes: Artists Respond to Madison (April 23-July 16, 2006)
- Animal Series (April 23-September 20, 2006)
- At Home: Recent Acquisitions (April 23-November 5, 2006)
- Chuck Close Prints: Process and Collaboration (July 30-October 8, 2006)
- Transvideo (October 10, 2006-January 7, 2007)
- LeWitt x 2 (November 5, 2006-January 14, 2007)
- Alyson Shotz: Topologies (December 9, 2006-February 11, 2007)
2005
- MACROPOLIS (Spring 2005)
- Starry Transit: An Installation by Martha Glowacki (August 27-November 6, 2005)
2004
- Art on Site: Madison Museum of Contemporary Art at Olbrich Botanical Gardens (June 2004-Spring 2005)
2003
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection
- Rodney Graham (March 9-May 25-2003)
- Layered, Stitched, & Assembled: Works from the Permanent Collection (June 7-August 17, 2003)
- Some Assemblage Required: Collage Culture in Post-War America (June 8-August 24, 2003)
- La Vida en Marcha: Mexican Prints from the Permanent Collection (September 7, 2003- January 4, 2004)
- Concrete Abstraction: Aaron Siskind Photographs (September 7, 2003-January 4, 2004)
2002
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection (January 26, 2002-June 1, 2003)
- Wisconsin Triennial (March 10-June 2, 2002)
- Social Context: Art from the Mid-Twentieth Century (June 23-September 1, 2002)
- Jane Hammond: The John Ashbery Collaboration, 1993-2001 (June 23-September 1, 2002)
- State Street Gallery Project: Curtis Whaley and Gregg Perkins (September 15- November 17, 2002)
- Louise Bourgeois: The Early Work (September 15-November 17, 2002)
- Young at Art (December 8, 2002-February 16, 2003)
- New York: Capital of Photography (December 8, 2002-February 16, 2003)
2001
- Illusions of Eden: Visions of the American Heartland (February 24-May 13, 2001)
- Selections from the Collection: Ed Paschke (June 3-August 19, 2001)
- Truman Lowe: Remembrance (June 3-August 19, 2001)
- Christina Ramberg Drawings (June 3-August 19, 2001)
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection (June 5, 2001-January 18, 2002)
- Recent Acquisitions for the Permanent Collection (September 9-November 11, 2001)
- red yellow blue I love you: Wall Paintings by Pat Steir (September 9-November 11, 2001)
- ExtraOrdinary: American Place in Recent Photography (December 2, 2001-February 24, 2002)
2000
- Work in Progress: The Madison Art Center Collects (February 27-May 14, 2000)
- Robert Fischer: In Site (June 11-August 20, 2000)
- Faith Ringgold: Dancing at the Louvre (June 11-August 20, 2000)
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection (August 20, 2000-February 5, 2001)
- Donald Lipski: A Brief History of Twine (September 10-November 12, 2000)
- Young at Art (December 3, 2000-February 11, 2001)
- Brad Kahlhamer: Almost American (December 3, 2000-February 11, 2001)
1999
- Young at Art (March 7-August 22, 1999)
- Tacita Dean (March 7-May 23, 1999)
- Peter Shelton’s sixtyslippers (June 6-August 22, 1999)
- Wendy Jacob: The Squeeze Chair Project (June 6-August 22, 1999)
- Selections from the Collection: John Buck (June 6-August 22, 1999)
- Decade by Decade: A Century of Art and Music (August 22, 1999-May 7, 2000)
- Wisconsin Triennial (September 12-November 14, 1999)
- Leonardo Drew (December 5, 1999-February 13, 2000)
- Erik Weisenburger (December 5, 1999-February 13, 2000)
1998
- Ursula von Rydingsvard: Sculpture (March 1-May 1, 1998)
- Modern American Realism: The Sara Roby Foundation Collection from the National Museum of American Art (May 31-August 9, 1998)
- Surreal Wisconsin: Surrealism and Its Legacy in Wisconsin Art (August 23-November 15, 1998)
- Ray Yoshida-A Retrospective, 1968-1998 (September 13-November 15, 1998)
- Joe Wilfer: Acquisitions for the Permanent Collection (December 6, 1998-February 21, 1999)
- Robert Frank – The Americans (December 6, 1998-February 21, 1999)
1997
- Young at Art (February 16-April 13, 1997)
- Dane County Collects (February 16-April 13, 1997)
- Claes Oldenburg: Printed Stuff (April 26-July 27, 1997)
- No Reasonable Offer Refused: An Installation by Simon Anderson and Donald McGhie (August 23-November 1. 16, 1997)
- Photographs by Manual Alvarez Bravo (August 23-November 16, 1997)
- Romare Bearden in Black-and-White: Photomontage Projections, 1964 (August 23- November 16, 1997)
- Commotion: Martin Kersels (December 7, 1997-February 15, 1998)
1996
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection
- View-Julia Fish: Selected Paintings and Drawings, 1985-1995 (March 3-May 12, 1996)
- Louisa Chase: Prints, 1981-1996 (March 3-May 12, 1996)
- Survoyeur: An Installation by Daniel Smajo-Ramirez (March 3-May, 12 1996)
- Critiques of Pure Abstraction (June 2-August 12, 1996)
- Wisconsin Triennial (September 8-November 17, 1996)
- “Sincerely, Cliff”: H.C. Westermann at the Madison Art Center (December 7, 1996- February 2, 1997)
1995
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection
- The American Indian Parfleche: A Tradition of Abstract Painting (March 4-May 7, 1995)
- Young at Art (April 4-May 7, 1995)
- Breaking Barriers: Recent American Craft (May 20-August 6, 1995)
- Wisconsin Artists in the Permanent Collection (May 27-August 20, 1995)
- David Nash: Voyages and Vessels (August 19-November 12, 1995)
- New Photography from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois (December 3, 1995-February 18, 1996)
1994
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection
- Deborah Butterfield: Sculpture 1980 to 1992 (February 19-May 1, 1994)
- Martha Glowacki: Curiosities of Earth and Sky (February 19-May 1, 1994)
- Linda James, Elaine Scheer & Edward Pope: TRANS/mit, port, spire (April 29-May 29, 1994)
- Donald Sultan: A Print Retrospective (May 26-July 24, 1994)
- Real Nature: Accomplishments of Man Installation by Jean Lowe (May 26-July 24, 1994)
- California Viewpoints: Culture and Climate (August 13-November 13, 1994)
- Southern California: The Conceptual Landscape (August 13-November 13, 1994)
- Bill Viola: Images and Spaces (December 10, 1994-February 12, 1995)
1993
- In Our Time: The World as Seen by Magnum Photographers (February 13-March 28, 1993)
- Jim Dine: Drawing from the Glyptothek (April 17-June 13, 1993)
- Young at Art (April 17-May 30, 1993)
- Erik Levine (June 26-August 22, 1993)
- New Feminist Video (June 26-August 22, 1993)
- The Green House Installation by Sandy Skoglund (June 26-August 22, 1993)
- John Wilde: Eros and Thanatos (June 26-August 22, 1993)
- Wisconsin Triennial (September 11-November 14, 1993)
- Anne Wilson: Body Into Culture (December 4, 1993-January 30, 1994)
- Fragile Ecologies: Artists’ Interpretations and Solutions (December 4, 1993-January 30, 1994)
1992
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection
- Interrogating Identity (March 14-May 10, 1992)
- Stephen Whisler (March 14-May 10, 1992)
- A Question of Culture (March 14-May 10, 1992)
- The Landscape in Twentieth-Century American Art: Selections from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (June 6-August 2, 1992)
- Painters on Press: Recent Abstract Prints (June 6-August 2, 1992)
- Fred Stonehouse (August 15-November 15, 1992)
- Self-Portraits from the Permanent Collection (August 15-September 27, 1992)
- Sculpture by Mark Lorenzi (October 3-November 15, 1992)
- Dinoesis Installation by Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel (December 5, 1992-January 31, 1993)
- Fluxus: A Conceptual Country (December 5, 1992-January 1993)
1991
- Phantom Cities Video installation by Rita Myers (February 9-April 7, 1991)
- Young at Art (February 9-April 7, 1991)
- Frank Lloyd Wright: In the Realm of Ideas (May 4-August 4, 1991)
- Jacobs House I (May 25-July 28, 1991)
- Access to Art: Bringing Folk Art Closer (August 17-October 20, 1991)
- Brooks Stevens: Designs in Motion (August 17-November 10, 1991)
- New Narrative Video (August 17-November 10, 1991)
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection (August 31-October 31, 1991)
- Nicholas Africano: Innocence and Experience (December 7-March 1, 1992)
- Strata: A New Installation by Jin Soo Kim (December 7-March 1, 1992)
1990
- Robert Russett: A Retrospective Survey (January 13-March 25, 1990)
- A Decade Downtown: Ten Years of Exhibitions at the Madison Art Center (February 10- March 11, 1990)
- Cecelia Condit (February 10-March 11, 1990)
- Museum Quality: Prints from Madison Area Collections (March 24-May 6, 1990)
- Approach/Avoidance Installation by Laurie Beth Clark (March 31-May 6, 1990)
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection
- The Art of Babar: Drawings and Watercolors by Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff (May 26-July 8, 1990)
- Contemporary Book Arts (June 7-21, 1990)
- Intimate Inventions/Gestural Abstractions (May 26-July 8, 1990)
- Sunrise-Sunset: New Work by Jim Pernotto (May 26-July 8, 1990)
- Meeting in the Garden: Paintings, Drawings and Prints by John Himmelfarb (July 28- September 9, 1990)
- David Genszler: Rosebud Revisited (July 28-September 9, 1990)
- Listening: A Video Novel in Three Parts (July 28-September 9, 1990)
- Wisconsin Triennial (September 22-November 9, 1990)
- A Different War: Vietnam in Art (December 1, 1990-January 27, 1991)
- Projections: Photographs by Lorie Novak, 1983-1990 (December 1, 1990-January 27, 1991)
- Highlights from the Permanent Collection (December 15, 1990-April 7, 1991)
1989
- Colleagues: New Paintings by David Giffey (January 14-March 12, 1989)
- Sports and Spectators (January 14-March 12, 1989)
- Figure as Subject: The Revival of Figuration Since 1975 (February 4-March 26, 1989)
- Richard Burkett (February 4-March 26, 1989)
- Young at Art (March 18-May 14, 1989)
- The Art Quilt (April 7-June 4, 1989)
- Arnold Mesches (April 7-June 4, 1989)
- The NAMES Project (April 7-June 4, 1989)
- Graphite Ground Installation by Liz Phillips (May 27-July 30, 1989)
- Deep Station Installation by Donna Dennis (June 14-August 7, 1989)
- Urban Images (June 14-August 7, 1989)
- Jeffrey Silverthorne (August 5-October 29, 1989)
- Coming of Age: Twenty-One Years of Collecting by the Madison Art Center (September 9-November 12, 1989)
- Video Scan: An Introduction to Video Art (September 9-November 12, 1989)
- The Contemporary Soviet Poster (November 25-December 30, 1989)
- Objects of Doubt: An Installation by Todd McGrain (December 2, 1989-January 28, 1990)
- Photographs by Karsh (December 2, 1989-January 28, 1990)
- From Impulse to Obsession: A Living Wisconsin Tradition (December 2, 1989-January 28, 1990)
1988
- In The American West: Photographs by Richard Avedon (February 20-May 1, 1988)
- Photographs from the Permanent Collection (May 7-July 3, 1988)
- Allan Rosenbaum (May 7-July 10, 1988)
- Art Since 1970 from the Milwaukee Art Museum (May 28-August 21, 1988)
- St. Nazianz Photographs by J. Shimon and J. Lindemann (May 28-July 24, 1988)
- Big Witness (Living in Wishes) (May 28-July 24, 1988)
- Recent Work from Dane County (July 16-August 14, 1988)
- The Chicago School in the Permanent Collection (August 20-November 6, 1988)
- William Kaeser: Madison’s Organic Architect (August 20-November 6, 1988)
- Force II: Paintings, Drawings and Objects by Dennis Nechvatal (September 4- November 13, 1988)
- Don Baum: Domus (September 4-November 13, 1988)
- Odd Nerdrum (September 4-November 13, 1988)
- Recent Acquisitions (November 12, 1988-January 8, 1989)
- A Hog’s Delight: The Coates Collection of Hog Oilers (November 12, 1988-January 8, 1989)
- Abstract Painting in Wisconsin (December 4, 1988-January 22, 1989)
- Carol Emmons: Mneme XII (December 4, 1988-January 22, 1989)
- Marcus Leatherdale: Photographs 1983-1988 (December 4, 1988-January 22, 1989)
1987
- African Masterpieces from Munich (January 23-March 22, 1987)
- Women Look at Women: Selections from the Permanent Collection (February 7-April 5, 1987)
- “Inter Lupum Et Canem”: New Color Work by Janica Yoder (February 7-April 5, 1987)
- Walter Hamady: Collages (April 3-May 24, 1987)
- The Highway as Habitat: A Roy Stryker Documentation, 1943-1955 (April 3-May 24, 1987)
- Young at Art (April 19-May 17, 1987)
- Selections from the Shirley Blum Collection (May 23-July 5, 1987)
- After Abstract Expressionism: The Next Generation (May 23-September 6, 1987)
- Lynn Hershman: Hero Sandwiches (May 23-July 5, 1987)
- Gary Lang: Installation (June 12-September 13, 1987)
- American Cameras: Photographs by Victor Landweber (June 12-July 26, 1987)
- American Realism: Twentieth-Century Drawings and Watercolors (June 12-September 13, 1987)
- Photographs Beget Photographs (July 18-September 6, 1987)
- Outer/Inner Sanctum: Paintings by Charles Munch (August 1-September 13, 1987)
- Wisconsin Triennial (September 25-November 15, 1987)
- Paul Vanderbilt (November 28, 1987-January 24, 1988)
- Sculpture from the Permanent Collection (November, 28, 1987-January 31, 1988)
- Wintergarden Installation by Mary Lucier (December 5, 1987-January 21, 1988)
- Sculptors on Paper: New Work (December 5, 1987-January 31, 1988)
- Natasha Nicholson (December 5, 1987-January 31, 1988)
1986
- George Segal: Gay Liberation, 1980 (Outdoor sculpture installed February 1986)
- American Abstract Expressionist Paintings Collection of the Sarah Campbell Blaffer Foundation (February 1-March 23, 1986)
- The Photography of Imogen Cunningham: A Centennial Selection (March 1-April 13, 1986)
- Robert Barnes 1956-1984 A Survey (April 6-May 25, 1986)
- Tom Bamberger: Portrait Photographs (April 6-May 25, 1986)
- Richard Ross: Museology (April 26-June 22, 1986)
- Joel Meyerowitz: A Summer’s Day (June 14, 1986-July 27, 1986)
- Arvind Garg: Photographs of India (June 28-August 10, 1986)
- William Eggleston: Jamaica Botanica (July 10-July 27, 1986)
- Mark Mulhern: Paintings and Works on Paper (August 9-September 21, 1986)
- Ancient Quest: Contemporary Visions (August 9-October 5, 1986)
- William Wiley: Sculpture from The Eiler Collection (August 9-September 21, 1986)
- Edward Weston and Clarence John Laughlin: An Introduction to the Third World of Photography (August 22-October 5, 1986)
- Madison Lights (September 18-September 21, 1986)
- Farm Families (October 1-November 30, 1986)
- Dane County Farm Families (October 1-November 30, 1986)
- A Fiber Environment by Claire Zeisler (October 11-November 30, 1986)
- Eileen Cowan and John Divola: Recent Work, No Fancy Titles (October 18-December 7, 1986)
- Another Country (October 18, 1986-February 1, 1987)
- Critical Decades (December 13, 1986-January 4, 1987)
- “Thus Speaks This Stone”: American Cemeteries Photographed by Robert Wright (December 13, 1986-February 1, 1987)
1985
- Harry Bowers (February 4-March 29, 1985)
- A Call to Color (February 4-March 29, 1985)
- Nathan Oliveira: A Survey Exhibition 1957-1983 (February 15-April 7, 1985)
- George Segal: Jacob and the Angels (February 17-April 7, 1985)
- Twentieth Century Prints from the Langer Collection (April 8-May 17, 1985)
- Ghost Trains: Photographs by O. Winston Link (April 21-May 21, 1985)
- Dale Chihuly: A Decade in Glass (April 21-June 9, 1985)
- Common Ground: Photographs by Gregory Conniff (May 11-June 23, 1985)
- Randall Berndt’s Wisconsin History Paintings (June 15-July 28, 1985)
- Cool: A Past Averted, A Present Observed Photographs by Larry Chatman (June 15- July 28, 1985)
- The Machine Sculptures of Alice Aycock (June 15-July 28, 1985)
- Going to Extremes: Selections from the Permanent Collection (August 10-September 22, 1985)
- Christopher Brown: The Painted Room (August 10-September 22, 1985)
- Michael Kenna: Photographs (August 10-September 22, 1985)
- Eikoh Hosoe: Photographs 1960-1980 (October 3-December 8, 1985)
- Christ-kin, A Biblical Allegory by Diredre Luzwick (October 5-November 10, 1985)
- Marsden Hartley 1909-1942 (October 5-November 10, 1985)
- Steve Feren: The Ringmaster’s Choice (October 5-November 10, 1985)
- Robots: History, Fantasy & Reality (December 1, 1985-January 19, 1986)
- Marylu Raushenbush: Reflections on the Changing Self-Mask (October 5-November 10, 1985)
- John Coplans: Photographer (December 14, 1985-February 16, 1986)
1984
- Regina Flanagan: Elysian Plain (January 28-March 25, 1984)
- Georgia O’Keeffe–At the Madison Art Center (March 2-April 29, 1984)
- Letter and Numbers/Two by Two (March 19-May 19, 1984)
- Young at Art (April 8-May 27, 1984)
- Fourth Wisconsin Triennial (May 12-July 15, 1984)
- Recent Acquisitions (May 29-August 10, 1984)
- Lee Friedlander: Factory Valleys (June 9-July 29, 1984)
- Edward Mayer: Stated View (July 29-September 9, 1984)
- Ways of Working: Selections for the Permanent Collection (July 29-September 9, 1984)
- Madison Collects Modern Prints (August 4-October 13, 1984)
- Styles in Still Life (August 20-November 11, 1984)
- Owen Morrel: Works 1976-1984 (September 23-November 25, 1984)
- Robert Schultz: Drawings (September 23-November 25, 1984)
- Joy and Terror: Photographs of Childhood and Adolescence by Arthur Tress (October 20-December 9, 1984)
- Bruce Connor: Engravings (October 20-December 9, 1984)
- Memorable Faces (November 19, 1984-January 25, 1985)
- The Season: American Impressionist Painting (December 8, 1984-February 3, 1985)
- Larry Clark: Photographs (December 22, 1984-February 17, 1985)
- Fluxus and Friends (December 22, 1984-February 17, 1985)
1983
- The Eiler Collection…Now: American Art of the 70’s: Formalism to Figuration (March 10-May 3, 1983)
- Lorenzo Pezzatini (May 2-May 20, 1983)
- New Contacts: Photographs by Nicholas Nixon (May 7-June 19, 1983)
- American Prints of Recent Vintage/Self Portraits (May 7-July 29, 1983)
- Ways of Seeing (May 21-July 17, 1983)
- De Wain Valentien: Double Pyramid (June 4-July 17, 1983)
- Paul Outerbridge: A Singular Aesthetic (July 23-September 11, 1983)
- New Image: Pattern and Decorations From the Morten G. Neumann Family Collection (July 31-September 19, 1983)
- Vernon Fisher (July 31-September 19, 1983)
- Jill Sebastian (July 31-September 19, 1983)
- Boating (August 8-September 30, 1983)
- Marsha Burns (August 9-September 30, 1983)
- Jones Road Print Shop: The First Decade (September 17-November 13, 1983)
- Chicago: Some Other Traditions (October 2-November 27, 1983)
- Simon Sparrow: Drawings and Assemblages (October 2-November 27, 1983)
- Sports and Recreation: Selections from the Permanent Collection (October 10- December 9, 1983)
- Jim Dow: Photographs (October 10-December 9, 1983)
- Site of Southern Wisconsin (November 19, 1983-January 18, 1984)
- Kaethe Kollwitz: The Themes (December 11, 1983-February 12, 1984)
- Susan Walsh: Recent Work (December 11, 1983-February 12, 1984)
- Bill Komoski: Wall Drawings (December 11, 1983-February 12, 1984)
- A Varied Landscape (December 19, 1983-February 3, 1984)
1982
- Washington Photography: Images of the Eighties (February 20-May 2, 1982)
- Familiar but Unique: The Monoprints of Joseph Goldyne (1982)
- Mexican Prints from the Permanent Collection (February 15-April 10, 1982)
- Photography by Danny Lyon (February 15-April 10, 1982)
- New American Graphics 2 (March 13-April 25, 1982)
- Sculpture by Robert Brady (March 20-May 9, 1982)
- Lucas Samaras: Pastels (March 20-May 9, 1982)
- Dennis Nechvatal: Paintings and Drawings (March 20-May 9, 1982)
- Wisconsin Biennial (May 21-July 18, 1982)
- The Decorative Arts in Dane County (June 5-September 19, 1982)
- Amos Zook: A Garden of Lights and Gravities (August 1-September 19, 1982)
- Egypt: Day and Night; Watercolors by Keith Achepohl (September 13-October 22, 1982)
- New Directions: Contemporary American Art; From the Commodities Corporation Collection (October 3-November 28, 1982)
- George Bellows: Lithographs (November 7-December 26, 1982)
- Sylvia Plimack Mangold Paintings 1965-1982 (December 11, 1982-February
1981
- Prairie: Photographs by Robert Adams (February 3-March 29, 1981)
- Peter Saul on Politics, Art, and Morality (February 3-March 29, 1981)
- The Legacy of Rudolph & Louise Langer (February 9-April 3, 1981)
- Photo Facts and Opinions (April 14-May 24, 1981)
- Madame Moustache & Other States of Mind: Watercolors by Judy Raffael (April 14-May 31, 1981)
- Frances Myers: Frank Lloyd Wright Aquatints (April 14-June 14, 1981)
- Prisons of Fantasy by Piranesi (April 14-June 14, 1981)
- Photographs by Carol Cameron (April 14-June 14, 1981)
- Fifty Works of Art That Shouldn’t Leave Madison (June 6-July 19, 1981)
- Downtown Madison: Photographs by Dennis Church (July 7-September 13, 1981)
- Selections from the Permanent Collection (July 7-September 13, 1981)
- Images of Summer: from the Permanent Collection (July 15-July 31, 1981)
- Joan Kahn: Environmental Sculpture (July 29-September 13, 1981)
- Music with Roots in the Aether (August 1-September 13, 1981)
- Contemporary British Printmakers (August 8-September 2, 1981)
- Between the Freeways: The Art of Downtown Los Angeles (October 2-November 29, 1981)
- The Crowd and the Lonely: from the Permanent Collection (October 12-November 27, 1981)
- Interiors: Selections from the Permanent Collection (December 2-February 5, 1982)
- Natasha’s Dollhouse (December 3-December 30, 1981)
- Christo: Running Fence, A Documentary Exhibition (December 17, 1981-February 28, 1982)
1980
- Selections from the Permanent Collection (February 22-March 28, 1980)
- Citizen, Photographs by Doug Edmunds (March 28-May 9, 1980)
- Wisconsin Biennial (May 9-July 13, 1980)
- Prints and Drawings by Robert Cottingham and William T. Wiley (July 26-August 31, 1980)
- Selections from the Permanent Collection (September 4-September 14, 1980)
- Aaron Bohrod: The Still Life Paintings 1965-1980 (September 21-November 9, 1980)
1979
- Four Centuries of French Printmaking (April 1-May 5, 1979)
- Portraits: William Kluba Paintings and Drawings (April 1-May 6, 1979)
- Alice Neel: A Retrospective Exhibition (April 22-June 10, 1979)
- Self Portraits (April 22-June 19, 1979)
- For the Sake of a Singe Verse: Lithographs by Ben Shahn (May 18-June 24, 1979)
- Photographs by Gregory Conniff (May 18-June 24, 1979)
- Platinum Prints by Steve Szabo (May 18-June 27, 1979)
- Fiber Miniatures (May 20-June 24, 1979)
- Warrington Colescott’s “History of Printmaking” (June 15-July 29, 1979)
- Three Landscape Painters (June 15-July 29, 1979)
- Vintage Paintings from the Permanent Collection (June 15-September 2, 1979)
- Photographs by Thom Harney (July 2-August 25, 1979)
- Sculpture by Ila Kamper (August 3-September 2, 1979)
- Prison Art from the Oxford Federal Penitentiary (August 5-September 2, 1979)
- Art Cart Art (August 17-September 9, 1979)
- Madison Area Paper Invitational (September 14-October 7, 1979)
- Color Field Paintings by John Sheean (September 14-October 14, 1979)
- Elizabeth Harris: A Retrospective Exhibition (September 14-October 14, 1979)
- Recent Work by Mel Butor (October 19-November 25, 1979)
- Photographs by John Divola (October 19-November 25, 1979)
- Late 20th Century Art from the Sydney & Frances Lewis Foundation (November 25, 1979-January 1980)