MMoCA’s new Director, Paul Baker Prindle has Madison roots. He worked at the museum store 25 years ago and attended both Edgewood College and UW–Madison. Now, as he steps into his new role at MMoCA, he joins host Douglas Haynes to talk about how to find joy in the experience of contemporary art. 

During Baker Prindle’s first few weeks on the job, he’s been thinking about what it means “to museum.” He says that museums are buildings that have a community, and MMoCA has an important role to play in Madison’s vibrant downtown life. Baker Prindle and other museum staff believe it’s their responsibility to make sure that MMoCA is an inclusive, community oriented space and a resource for Wisconsin artists. 

For some folks, art museums are still rarified spaces. But Baker Prindle says that all are welcome at MMoCA. He advises that you don’t have to see all the art in one visit. Rather, take your time, look for patterns and repetitions, and trust your instincts on what you like and enjoy.

Currently on view at MMoCA is Entering the Unconscious, an exhibit curated by the eleven high school students that make up the Teen Forum. This program offers mentoring and training to young people so they can gain the professional skills to access museum work and the art world. Baker Prindle says he’s looking forward to this year’s Art Fair on the Square, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 13 and 14. Like MMoCA’s exhibits, the fair is free to attend. 

Paul Baker Prindle is the Gabriele Haberland Director of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Prior to starting this job, Baker Prindle was the Director of the Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum at California State University, Long Beach. Baker Prindle’s photography is even featured at MMoCA.

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is always admission-free. Its vision is to be an organization that fosters the exchange of ideas and creates experiences that will inspire a wide audience; be a nexus for the work of emerging and established regional, national, and international artists; serve as a catalyst for the continued development of a vigorous community of artists; and provide a forum that will encourage people to be challenged by, reflect on, and make connections between art and the world around them. 

Photo courtesy of Chali Pittman/WORT.

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