Art Museum Journal

Foot in the Door 4 at Minneapolis Institute of Arts
By STAN PARCHIN
February 25, 2010

Foot in the Door 4. Photograph courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

 
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program (MAEP) co-host Foot in the Door 4 (February 19-June 13, 2010). Organized by Christopher Atkins, MAEP coordinator, the largest special exhibition of art created by nearly 5,000 of the state's residents has occurred every decade since 1980.
 
All works on display are executed by Minnesotans and must fit within a specially designed one-foot cube for transport. They bear witness to the diverse creative genius of the Midwestern state's ever-growing visual arts community.
 
Origins of Foot in the Door
The first Foot in the Door show was developed by the MAEP's Artist Panel in 1979. The extremely successful inaugural exhibition in 1980 featured works by 740 people. 1990's Other Foot in the Door presentation grew to include some 900 objects. By 2000, the popular event received over 1,700 entries, many produced by return artists.
 
Foot in the Door 4
The influence of technology on artists in the last decade is undeniable. For those working in video, film and multi-media, an online gallery within the official Foot in the Door YouTube channel features submissions with a total running time of up to 1:20.

 

 
Christopher Atkins said, "Ten years ago, the MAEP galleries were packed with work by 1,700 artists. This year we're expecting even more people to participate. I'd like to remind people that with Foot in the Door, everyone's an artist."