Walker Art Center exhibit closes indefinitely to finish building repair

Rebricked Barnes wing of Walker Art Center; Star Tribune photo by Joel Koyama

Walker Art Center's "Midnight Party" exhibit features paintings, sculptures, films and installations drawn primarily from the museum's permanent collection. The title derives from a 1938 film by American surrealist Joseph Cornell in which "mystery trumps logic." In a similar vein, the often enchanting exhibit is a marvelous array of strange objects (a stairway to nowhere; mid-century modern abstractions, a bare white room reminiscent of an interrogation chamber).

The show opened in 2011, was reconfigured with new art in 2013, and is officially scheduled to close August 3. However, it has been closed since late March and the Walker has not set a reopening date.

The show is installed in Galleries 4, 5, 6 of the museum's 1971 brick-clad building designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes. The deteriorating brick skin of that building was removed and replaced last year but some finishing touches are still underway.

"Although the scaffolding was removed in December, the final states of the [rebricking] project are still underway including some interior work. . . . As with any project of this scope, the Walker occasionally will close galleries or public areas in order to make a safe work environment for the builders and pleasant experience for our patrons," emailed Walker spokesperson Meredith Kessler.