Seen and Unseen | Adger Cowans

Exhibition Description
The artist is in his work. That is where you find him if you want to find him. Who he is, how he feels, what he thinks—and even that is limited. The artist is a living thing. He is always changing and growing older. - Adger Cowans

(Minneapolis, MN) — The Quarter Gallery at the University of Minnesota, in association with the University Libraries, is proud to present Adger Cowans: Seen and Unseen, a solo exhibition of photographs by the acclaimed American artist. Thirty gelatin silver prints, some of which have never been seen before, offer an archetypal span of the artist’s vision, talent, and spirit. From several thousands of negatives spanning sixty-eight years of photography by Cowans, 21^st Editions publisher (photography and fine arts press), Steven Albahari, made an initial selection of 1500 images. A final grouping of fifty images emerged from a collaboration between 21^st Editions and the curator, University of Minnesota Arts & Performing Arts Librarian, Deborah Ultan. This exhibition and related programming are made possible by support from the Department of Art, the University Libraries, Steven Albahari of 21st Editions, and an anonymous donor.

About the Artist
Adger Cowans, a fine arts photographer and abstract expressionist painter has experimented with a myriad of mediums over his artistic career. Adger attended Ohio University where he received a BFA in photography. He furthered his education at the School of Motion Picture Arts and School of Visual Arts in New York. While serving in the United States Navy, he worked as a photographer before moving to New York, where he later worked with Life magazine photographer, Gordon Parks and fashion photographer, Henri Clarke. His photographs have been shown and collected by the African American Historical and Cultural Museum in Washington D.C., The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney, The International Museum of Photography, The Museum of Modern Art, Studio Museum of Harlem, Cleveland Museum of Art, Harvard Fine Art Museum, Detroit Art Institute, James E. Lewis Museum, The Getty Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Arts. Numerous awards include the Lorenzo il Magnifico alla Carriera, in recognition of a Distinguished Career at the 2001 Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art, a John Hay Whitney Fellowship, and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Caesar Chavez, Rosa Parks Visiting Scholars Award from Wayne State University, and most recently, the Gordon Parks Choice of Weapons Award. Learn more at adgercowans.com.

Public Program and Reception
Tuesday, October 14, 6:00-8:00 pm, Quarter Gallery, Regis Center for Art

6:00-6:45 pm, Program

6:45-8:00 pm, Reception

Join us for a casual conversation with the artist shaped by conversations and questions from students at the University of Minnesota from 6:00-6:45 pm followed by a reception with light refreshments from 6:45-8:00 pm.

Planning Your Visit
Gallery hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Free and open to the public

Housed in the Regis Center for Art at the University of Minnesota, the Quarter Gallery is accessible by U-Card only. Call (612) 624-7530 upon arrival to gain access to the gallery through the building's main entrance located on 21st Avenue South. Parking is available nearby on the street, at the 21st Avenue South ramp, 5th Street South lot, and 19th Avenue South ramp. Hourly or event rates may apply.

Image: Adger Cowans, Untitled, 1961. Gelatin silver print. Courtesy the artist. ©Adger Cowans