Unions' Public Art Blog

October brings crisp air, colorful fall foliage, and the spirit of tradition to Columbia as we celebrate Mizzou's annual homecoming with the Student Union! Steeped in the tradition that dates back to 1911, Mizzou celebrates homecoming each October with community events, service projects, campus decorations, and of course a football game. Since the inaugural celebration, homecoming has looked different accommodating for the Great Depression, wartime, protests, and social unrest. No matter the circumstances, Mizzou Tigers always find a way to celebrate their stripes during this special time. Celebrate Mizzou's annual homecoming on the second floor of the Student Union Mizzou's annual homecoming is one of Mizzou’s oldest and grandest traditions, a fact for which it is nationally recognized. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education named Mizzou’s Homecoming celebration the best in the nation. In fact, many often credit Mizzou with inventing homecoming. While it ...

Hello everyone, As we embark on our first-ever celebration of Disability Culture Month, we're excited to kick things off by delving into the inspiring story of Dunklin House. This historic campus housing location at Mizzou represents a pivotal milestone in a century-long journey toward accessibility for students with disabilities. Join us as we embark on a journey through time and explore the remarkable progress Mizzou has made in ensuring inclusivity and accessibility for all. Disability Culture Month on display is on the first floor of the MU Student Center. In Collaboration with MU Disability Center In celebration of Disability Culture Month Unless you attended the University of Missouri before the 2000s, chances are you haven’t heard of Dunklin House — the name of the bottom floor of Graham Hall. Although floors are no longer called “houses” and you can’t find Dunklin House on a university map, its legacy of accessibility is still being felt across campus decades later. In ...

Art is not confined by boundaries; it is a universal language that transcends cultures and speaks to the soul. Today, we are thrilled to introduce our new curator, Hongjue (Dorothy) Dai, a Ph.D. student in Art History of Visual Studies who brings a wealth of experiences and a global perspective to our public art space. Dorothy graduated from the University of Leicester in the UK, where she earned an MA degree in Art Museum and Gallery Studies. Her dissertation, "How an art museum destigmatizes sex workers in China," was groundbreaking, shedding light on the transformative power of art in addressing complex societal issues. Dorothy's academic pursuits exemplify her dedication to art as a force for positive change. In 2022, she was a project manager in curating an exhibition in the UK called Future Landscapes , which places the work of artist Rebecca Chesney in dialogue with a selection of pieces from the Arts Council Collection, inviting the audience to focus on the envi...

 Commercial Art: Travel Posters   In Collaboration with MU Special Collections Among the substantial Special Collections items are travel posters that used art to advertise unique landmarks and attract tourism. In a century of much social, political, and economic change, these posters functioned as a way to search for national identities and to promote tourism to countries in financial need pre- and post- World Wars. The aesthetics of these posters drew from many sources, including the styles of new movements such as Art Deco and Art Nouveau, ideas of tradition and national symbolism, and the personal visions of the artists who created them. Publishing bodies throughout Europe had to produce pleasing designs in tune with the art world. Art, however, was always shifting in response to societal tensions, and while some aspects of these posters’ designs remained popular symbols in their respective countries’ advertising, some were controversial, poorly received by the publi...