Out of the Vault

Xcel Energy Gallery

Step into the unsettling world of “Out of the Vault”, where objects from Plains Art Museum and the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County at the Hjemkomst Center reveal the intersection of art, history, and the macabre. Mysterious and unexplained phenomena have captivated the human imagination for centuries, stirring both fear and fascination. This exhibition showcases an eclectic mix of objects—ranging from a lantern dating to the mid-nineteenth century to contemporary photographic experiments—that provoke contemplation on mortality and the supernatural. These items are portals to the past linked to unsettling superstitions, mysteries of unexplained phenomena, and contact with the spiritual world.

This exhibit invites you to delve into the mysterious allure of early technologies, like cameras and radios, which were used by spiritual mediums to allegedly communicate with the dead. Discover postmortem photographs, poignant lithographs, and funerary attire that confront themes of grief and loss. Encounter cats, ghosts, and spirit photography that evoke deep-seated fears and fascinations with death and the supernatural. Experience the uncanny with unsettling dolls, wool carders, and medical instruments. As you engage with these eerie objects, allow the artifacts to awaken your imagination and incite reflection on the mysteries of the spirit world.

Plains Art Museum thanks our generous PlainsArt4All members, donors, and Organizational Partners for their support. Additional support provided by The McKnight Foundation; FM Area Foundation; The Arts Partnership with support from the cities of Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo; The FUNd at Plains Art Museum; and the North Dakota Council on the Arts, which receives funds from the North Dakota Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program. Plains Art Museum is supported in part by an American Rescue Plan Act grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support general operating expenses in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paul Allen Whitney, Hilne Experiment III, 1986, Silver geletin print, 14 x 11 3⁄4 in., Purchased from the Artist, Funded by Stan and Denise Thompson, Linden Associates Fund