2026 Stephen Fleischman Lectureship with David R. Harper

David R. Harper
2026 Lecture

Thursday, April 23 • 6 PM • Lecture Hall • Free Admission

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is pleased to host Milwaukee-based artist David R. Harper as the speaker of the 2026 Fleischman Lecture.

Working between sculpture, textiles, ceramics, stained glass, and found imagery, Harper explores how memory takes shape in objects. Rather than telling a single story, Harper creates environments where meaning emerges through movement and attention. Looking becomes an active process, shaped by proximity, perspective, and the viewer’s own lived experience.

Harper’s lecture coincides with the opening of his solo exhibition, Good Morning Sweetheart, on view in the Museum’s State Street Gallery and Lobby April 22 – August 30, 2026.

Space is limited for this free lecture and advance registration is strongly encouraged.

6 PM • Public Lecture • Lecture Hall • Free Admission
Listen as David R. Harper shares insight and inspiration into his artistic practice.

7 PM • Reception • Rooftop Lounge • Free Admission
Following the lecture, you’re invited to the Rooftop Lounge for a public reception. Mingle with friends old and new and enjoy a beverage from the cash bar.

Space is limited for this free lecture and advance registration is strongly encouraged.

About David R. Harper

David R. Harper (b. Toronto, Canada), received his BFA from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Fiber and Material Studies. He currently teaches in the Painting and Drawing department at the Art Institute of Chicago and the New Studio Practice department at the Milwaukee institute of Art and Design. 

Harper’s work employs both traditional and non-traditional materials such as embroidery, ceramic, and casting materials such as salt and charcoal in a cross-disciplinary manner to create objects and installations that grapple with notions of loss, love, feelings of belonging and how we use objects to inform our notions of self.

About the Stephen Fleischman Lectureship

The Stephen Fleischman Lecture honors the 25th anniversary of Fleischman’s tenure as MMoCA’s director. An endowment provides for an annual lecture by individuals who have made exceptional contributions to art and culture. Talks organized for the Stephen Fleischman Lecture are held each year in the spring and have free admission, in recognition of the Museum’s dedication to providing access to opportunities for learning and enrichment.