The University of Wyoming Art Museum will host some special events to celebrate
the exhibition “Harold Garde at 100: The Unseen Works in Two Acts.” A reception is
planned Friday, June 7, from 5-7 p.m. Following the reception at 7 p.m., Laramie’s
Relative Theatrics will present a performance of “In the Rec Room.” A second performance
will be Saturday, June 8, at 2 p.m. (UW Art Museum Photo)
The University of Wyoming Art Museum will host some special events to celebrate the
exhibition “Harold Garde at 100: The Unseen Works in Two Acts.”
The exhibition features 100 never-before-exhibited works by the prolific painter and
printmaker and UW alumnus. Fifty works have been on display since Feb. 24, and another
50 works will be on view beginning Saturday, June 1.
To celebrate the second half of the exhibition, a reception is planned Friday, June
7, from 5-7 p.m. The reception will feature live music, food, drinks and gallery tours.
Following the reception at 7 p.m., Laramie’s Relative Theatrics will present a performance
of “In the Rec Room,” a comedic one-act play written by Garde. A second performance
will be Saturday, June 8, at 2 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.
“Harold Garde at 100: The Unseen Works in Two Acts” is nearly 80 years in the making,
as Garde’s relationship with UW began in the 1940s. After serving in the U.S. Army
Air Forces during World War II, he used the GI Bill to study visual arts. Garde learned
abstraction, expressionism and surrealism from UW faculty members Ilya Bolotowsky,
Leon Kelly and George McNeil. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1949.
Paintings and works on paper from Maine, New York and Florida were selected for the
exhibition to exemplify the late artist’s distinct vision and the iconographies he
returned to across decades. These recurring visuals include chairs, kimonos, puppets,
pinnacles, vessels and many examples of the “strappo” method that Garde developed.
Garde’s work has been exhibited globally and has earned numerous awards and accolades.
Throughout his seven-decade career, Garde remained committed to experimentation and
exploration, producing works that challenged the boundaries of traditional painting
and printmaking techniques. He died in October 2022 at the age of 99.
Last spring, Garde was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from UW.
For more information about the reception and performances, call Will Bowling, education
and public programs coordinator at the UW Art Museum, at (307) 766-3496 or email wbowling@uwyo.edu.
About the University of Wyoming Art Museum
The UW Art Museum exhibits, preserves and interprets visual culture from around the
world to engage academic, local, state, national and global communities. The museum
is located in the Centennial Complex at 2111 E. Willett Drive in Laramie. Hours are
Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is free.
For more information, call (307) 766-6622; visit the website at www.uwyo.edu/artmuseum; or follow the museum on Facebook and Instagram.
