What’s lurking between the walls of the MIA?

Reflect on the ghosts of your past while wandering through this haunting visiting exhibit at the MIA

By: Srihita Raju

The Minneapolis Institute of Art is currently hosting "Supernatural America: The Paranormal in American Art," which has been touring for the past year, starting at the Toledo Museum of Art mid-last year and then the Speed Art Museum before taking its final stop here in Minneapolis. "Supernatural America" will be at the MIA until May 15th in their Target Gallery, and I definitely recommend making some time this spring to check it out. 

This exhibit focuses on the various ways American artists interpret the supernatural, death, and spirituality. There are six themes the exhibit is split into, with one section dedicated to art that was made with the help of spirits, and another has a variety of items used in spiritual practices, like stick figures representing goddesses and a vial of holy water. Throughout the exhibit, one common theme that comes up is how historical events can leave spirits behind in their wake. Art representing ghosts emerging from a gory battle, or ghosts whose human life was spent as a slave encapsulate the exhibit's heart; America, and our lives, if you choose to believe it, are full of hauntings from our past. 

As a lover of both the supernatural and art museums, this exhibit was definitely up my alley. The exhibit was far more emotional than I  expected it to be. Having so many physical manifestations of loss and grieving together in one room added to the inherent romanticism that is attached to the supernatural. I also recommend bringing a pair of earphones to listen to the audio guide, which can be accessed via the barcodes on the walls of the exhibit. The audio guide gives you an opportunity to dive deeper into the curation of the exhibit and the individual pieces. This exhibit, similar to supernatural lore, requires just two things of the viewer to be fully enjoyed; one, suspended skepticism, and two, a wish to discover what lies just beyond the horizon.