Framing Nature: Animals through Art
January 24, 2026 – December 19, 2026
Spring Exhibitions Reception: Thursday, February 26, 5:30 - 7:00 P.M.
This exhibition examines the varied representations of animals in selections from the permanent collection of the Wichita Falls Museum of Art. Bringing together American and European art from the eighteenth century to the present, Framing Nature: Animals through Art invites us to consider different ways animals have historically been portrayed in the visual arts, what these images say about attitudes towards the natural world, and how art helps shape our ways of thinking about the beasts and creatures we study, hunt, admire, fear, and adore.
Encouraging explorations of the meaning and purpose of diverse animal portrayals, with styles ranging from the naturalistic to the abstract, Framing Nature presents collection highlights, works rarely exhibited, and some shown for the first time. These include works by American artists including Martin Johnson Heade, Albert Bierstadt, and Roy Lichtenstein, among others.
The exhibition also raises broader questions of our relationship to animals and the environment today. How do we conceive of our relationship to nature, and how do we treat our fellow inhabitants of the earth? How should we conceive of our relationship to nature? And how different are humans and non-human animals, after all?
This exhibition is co-curated by Dr. Kirsten Lodge, Professor of Humanities and English and the Coordinator of the Humanities Program.
Upcoming Exhibition Programming:
Dr. Kirsten Lodge Lecture
Connected to Framing Nature: Animals Through Art
Wednesday, February 11th, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Guest curator Dr. Kirsten Lodge will deliver a lecture on the cultural history of animals. Come and listen to her expertise and insight over the Western perception of animals ranging from antiquity to modern day.
Great Backyard Bird Count at Sikes Lake
Saturday, February 14th, 2-4 p.m.
Grab your binoculars, The Great Backyard Bird Count at Sikes Lake is officially here on February 14th. Whether you're a seasoned birder or just love the view from your window, we want you to help us document the birds that call MSU Texas home.
In conjunction with Taylor Majewski, Director of STEM Excellence at the McCoy College of Science, Mathematics & Engineering, you’ll have the chance to learn about local avian wildlife using the “Notice, Wonder, and Investigate” framework just like a real scientist!
Don't miss this chance to contribute to global research right here on campus.
Image:
Paul Pletka, Daybreak People, 1991, Lithograph; Museum purchase, 1992.