Award-winning Photography Exhibition, THE STRING PROJECT®: We Are All Connected, Opens in Wausau on July 25th

WAUSAU, WI – In preparation for Welcoming Week in September, the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin and WAUSOME have recruited THE STRING PROJECT® to exhibit 49 photographs at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art. This free exhibition, presented by Rocket Industrial, will open at 11am on Thursday, July 25th at the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, 309 McClellan Street, and will run through October 12, 2024.

This exhibition features stunning photographs of everyday people from five continents and over thirty countries. Although a person is always at the center of each photograph, the observant viewer will notice that there is so much more to see; the photographs truly give you a snapshot of what daily life is like for people in other countries. While the subject matter encourages cultural awareness and understanding, the artists’ ingenious use of a rope, which spans the frame and is held by the subject of the photograph, implores the viewer to consider how we are all connected.

“The string that runs through each portrait underscores that our similarities are greater than our differences.”

– Jori Bennett, ArtPrize Executive Director

David Hummer, Executive Director of the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (WMOCA), is excited to host the award-winning exhibition and has created a hands-on, insta-worthy experience. Visitors will have the opportunity to take their own THE STRING PROJECT® photo by holding a rope just like the people in the photographs. The exhibition is open to the public starting Thursday, July 25 at 11am and runs through Saturday, October 12. WMOCA is open from 11am-3pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

About the Artists

THE STRING PROJECT® is the work of Chelsea Nix (from Indiana) & Mariano Cortez (from Argentina) a husband-and-wife travel photography team. Their work has been published in National Geographic and recognized in the International Photographer of the Year Photography Awards. In 2018, their exhibition THE STRING PROJECT®, won the Grand Prize Award, along with the Latino Award and the 2D Category Award at one of the largest and best attended international art competitions in the world, ArtPrize, which occurs annually in Grand Rapids, MI. In addition to their work as photographers, authors, and public speakers, Chelsea and Mariano are also philanthropists who created THE STRING PROJECT, INC. a 501(C)3 nonprofit that makes in impact in Guatemala and Kenya. Learn more about their work at thestringproject.org.

About the Venue

The Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (WMOCA) is a place where people from Northern Wisconsin can experience the work and ideas of artists – both living and deceased – to understand the historical, social and cultural context of the art of our time. WMOCA integrates exhibitions, performances, collections, and educational programs to excite, challenge, and enlighten visitors. Located in the historic Wausau Club at 309 McClellan Street in the very heart of Wausau’s vibrant downtown, WMOCA features works by nationally & internationally established artists.

WMOCA’s goal is to unleash the region’s creative energy and to engage a broad and diverse audience in conversation about how art connects us, allowing us to grow and thrive as a community. The Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art (wmoca.org) is open from 11am-3pm, Tuesday through Saturday.

About Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week was started by the organization Welcoming America in 2012 with the goal of helping everyone experience a sense of connection and belonging in their community. 2024 will be the first year that Welcoming Week will be celebrated by multiple organizations and across multiple days in the Wausau area. To learn more about Welcoming Week and the events that are taking place, visit:

https://wausome.com/experience/welcoming-week/

WAUSOME is a Component Fund of the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin, Inc.