Workplace: Martha Poggioli
August 28–October 27, 2024
Rooted in a thorough research practice related to medical history, Martha Poggioli (Arts/Industry alumnus, Foundry 2020, 2024) shares her creative process in the exhibition Workplace. Her artwork is firmly situated at the intersection of arts and industry.
By probing a range of resources, from patents to episodes of The Magic School Bus, she encourages us to question sources of information related to our bodies and health. The designs of medical devices, such as prosthetics, are standardized—contrary to the diversity of bodies. By inviting creative professionals to collaborate, the medical industry can gain insight into how to design more inclusively.
Over the past decade, Poggioli has researched the history of medical inventions, creating an ongoing digital library of images and text. Workplace includes experiments, a series of drawings, and her digital library. These illustrate the evolution of medical devices and anatomical understandings.
Guided by Poggioli and museum educators, visitors can explore these ideas through discussion and art making. The hands-on activities, such as sewing and casting, utilize techniques and materials used by artists and medical professionals alike.
Poggioli’s installation in the Workplace gallery will change over time and will include contributions from visitors. She will be in the gallery 12:00–4:00 p.m. on August 29–31, September 1, 3–5, 11–15, and 17–18.
Workplace is supported by the Kohler Trust for Arts and Education, the Mellon Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, the Frederic Cornell Kohler Charitable Trust, Kohler Foundation, Inc., Acuity, and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
