The Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum, stylized as the UMLAUF, is a museum and outdoor sculpture garden centered on the artistic works of American sculptor
Charles Umlauf
Charles Umlauf (July 17, 1911 – November 19, 1994) was an American sculptor and teacher who was born in South Haven, Michigan. His sculptures can be found in churches, numerous public institutions, outdoor locations, and museums, including the ...
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...
, the garden is adjacent to Austin's
Zilker Park
Zilker Metropolitan Park is a recreational area in south Austin, Texas at the juncture of Barton Creek and the Colorado River that comprises over of publicly owned land. It is named after its benefactor, Andrew Jackson Zilker, who donated the la ...
.
In 1985, Charles and Angeline Umlauf donated their home, studio, and 168 Umlauf sculptures to the City of Austin. Six years later, in 1991, the City built a museum to display the artwork on adjoining city property with private funds. Staff and volunteers maintain the museum with support of grants, donated funds, and contributions from the City of Austin, to maintain the museum and
xeriscape
Xeriscaping is the process of landscaping, or gardening, that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water and has gained acceptance in other ...
d garden. The Museum maintains a seasonal schedule including exhibitions of Charles Umlauf and his twentieth century peers and contemporary art exhibitions.
Charles Umlauf
Charles Umlauf was a notable American sculptor who taught as a professor in the
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...
Art Department for 40 years. He began sculpting at a young age and showed such innate talent that he began taking classes at the
Art Institute of Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago's Grant Park, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the world. Recognized for its curatorial efforts and popularity among visitors, the museum hosts approximately 1.5 mill ...
at age 11. Umlauf was employed by the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
Federal Art Project
The Federal Art Project (1935–1943) was a New Deal program to fund the visual arts in the United States. Under national director Holger Cahill, it was one of five Federal Project Number One projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administrati ...
during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
and he garnered recognition for his large public work sculptures, including ''War Mother'' (1939) which resulted in his job offer from the University of Texas. He is well known for his expressive sculptures regarding humanistic and religious themes, and his mastery of use of various materials, including exotic and difficult media such as rose quartz and Brazilian rosewood. In Texas, Umlauf has more sculptures on display in public locations than any other single sculptor.
Contemporary Art Exhibitions
The UMLAUF has a gallery space which seasonally exhibits contemporary artists from around the world but with a focus on Texan and Southern artists. Past exhibits have included work by artists:
James Surls
James Arthur Surls (born 1943) is an American modernist artist and educator, known for his large sculptures. He founded the Lawndale Alternative Arts Space at the University of Houston in the 1970s.
Biography
James Arthur Surls was born April ...
,
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Leni Fawcett (born Ferrah Leni Fawcett; February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009) was an American actress. A four-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee and six-time Golden Globe Award nominee, Fawcett rose to international fame when she playe ...
The Umlauf offers an annual prize to an emerging artist based in Austin. The award provides a stipend and a solo exhibition at the museum.
See also
*
List of single-artist museums
This is a list of single-artist museums, which are museums displaying the work of, or bearing the name of, a single visual artist.
* Basuki Abdullah – Basoeki Abdullah Museum, Jakarta, Indonesia
* Affandi – Affandi Museum, Yogyakarta, Indones ...