Vesterheim will hold opening reception Thursday for Midjo Exhibit

Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Thursday will hold an opening reception for the exhibit "Christian Midjo: Choose Your Own Artventure."  The free event will run from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., with a gallery talk by Vesterheim Exhibitions Manager Zach Row-Heyveld at 5:00 p.m.
 
Christian Midjo has one of the most distinctive styles of all of the artists in Vesterheim's collection. His paintings include lush nature scenes and voluptuous physical forms. In this exhibit visitors get to choose their own "artventure" though several gallery "tours" that present different perspectives on Midjo's paintings.  The self-guided tours include: "Art for History Lovers," an exploration of the context and background of artist Midjo's life and work; "Art for Art Lovers," a dive into the technical aspects of Midjo's work and his place in art history; "How to Look at Art," an introduction to the basics of fine art; and "Midjo in His Own Words," a revealing look into Midjo's life and work through his own letters.
 
Born in Trondheim in 1880, Midjo began to draw at an early age. A scholarship from the Norwegian government allowed him to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen for five years. Midjo came to Chicago in 1906 and was hired to teach drawing and painting at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, a position he held from 1909 to 1947. He continued to paint until his death in 1973.
 
The exhibition includes 14 oil paintings from Vesterheim and five on loan from the Boys Town Hall of History in Omaha, Nebraska.