Minneapolis Institute of Art Field Trip

November 15, 2024

On November 14th, over 100 students in Visual Arts, Media Arts, and Art History and Museum Studies classes went on a field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) to enjoy five exhibitions. The experience was organized by Craig Farmer, Art History Instructor. Students explored themes of Native Art, Impressionism, and Photography while at Mia. The exhibitions they visited were:

On November 14th, over 100 Perpich students went on a field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art

• O’Powa O’ Meng: The Art and Legacy of Jody Folwell exhibition
• Catch of the Day: Humans and Marine Animals in Japan exhibition
• Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room: The Alice S. Kandell Collection exhibition
• At the Moulin Rouge exhibition
• Joann Verburg: Aftershocks exhibitions

“Once again, Craig Farmer put his incredible energy and knowledge to work for us!” said Kathryn D’Elia, Visual Arts Instructor and Studio Arts Chair. “He not only organized the logistics of our Studio Arts and Art History field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, but prepared multiple lessons to help equip our students for the unique exhibitions they were to see. We are so lucky to have such a phenomenal (and free) museum right in our backyard, that has such a great range of work, cultural examples, and visiting exhibitions on display. For folks who have been before, there’s something really special about revisiting a work you’ve seen before to experience it again, potentially in a new arrangement in the gallery. For many students, this was their first visit to the MIA, and seeing them experience the works in person was a particular treat for me. Reproductions can’t come close to experiencing the actual brushstrokes, etching lines, and ceramic glazes with your own eyes.”

“Visiting the MIA was such a fun experience,” said Sarah Jane Babinski (Visual Arts 2025). Babinski is a new senior from Caledonia, MN. “As it was my first time going, I was not able to explore the whole museum and only made it through the third floor, which I highly recommend. The layout, lighting, and installation of all of the pieces is phenomenal. The beauty of the artwork sucked me in and I found myself admiring works for minutes at a time, making sure not to miss a single detail. My favorite piece—”Springtime of Life” by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot— sucked me in with the color pallet and expression. I am inspired to try oil painting after visiting and cannot wait to visit again. I hope everyone gets a change to visit the MIA, it is lovely.”

Emily Class (Visual Arts 2026), from Barnum, MN, was pleased to have the in-person experience. “It was so cool to see physical aspects of different cultures, because you can look at books and pictures all you want, but having the physical thing in front of you, it changes your view,” said Class.

Lindsey Schmitt, Visual Arts Instructor, loved watching the students experience the museum. “I also saw some students DIY their experience and take some worksheets that the museum provided and chairs and went around to do the museum activity,” said Schmitt.

“I know of two students who said that it was their first time in an art museum!” said Farmer. “That just warms my heart!”

The Mia is an arts museum located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Home to more than 90,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of world history, Mia is one of the largest art museums in the United States. Its permanent collection spans about 20,000 years and represents the world’s diverse cultures across six continents. The museum has seven curatorial areas: Arts of Africa & the Americas; Contemporary Art; Decorative Arts, Textiles & Sculpture; Asian Art; Paintings; Photography and New Media; and Prints and Drawings. Mia is also one of the largest arts educators in Minnesota. More than a half-million people visit the museum each year, and a hundred thousand more are reached through the museum’s Art Adventure program for elementary schoolchildren. The museum has a free general admission policy, as well as public programs, classes for children and adults, and interactive media programs.