Mini Golf & Chairs

Where Design Meets Play

View & Play November 13, 2024 - May 4, 2025

Curated by Zoe Cinel

Members Only Mini Golf Day | Saturday, November 16

Welcome to the Rochester Art Center, where design meets play! This exhibition, curated by Zoe Cinel, features a fun mix of chairs created by world-renowned architects and a mini golf course designed by regional artists. Take this unique opportunity to learn about the history of modern chairs and share meaningful memories with others, while playing a one-of-a-kind miniature golf course. 

The chairs belong to the private collection of Southeast Minnesota residents Ruth and Dave Klawiter. Ruth and Dave have been collecting chairs designed by architects for years. Among the many wonderful pieces in the collection, we present twenty that were created between 1904 and the 2010s. These chairs exemplify a variety of aesthetic choices, innovative manufacturing techniques, a range of construction materials, and compelling references to history, culture and natural elements.

The renowned architects represented, deeply influenced our culture as they brought their innovative ideas to the design of chairs and iconic buildings all over the world. This exhibition demonstrates how creative thinking and innovative solutions can be applied to everyday objects, large spaces and - why not? - even mini golf! Several of the architects whose chairs are featured in our galleries also designed buildings and sites that can be visited in the region. Reminisce about your visit to Mini Golf & Chairs by visiting the hidden architectural gems that are referenced in the exhibition, including “Big Blue” Rochester Technology Campus by Finnish architect Euro Saarinen, right here in Rochester! 

To explore - with a fun twist - how structure and form are fundamental to the design process, we invited five artists to design mini golf holes inspired by the chairs in this show, in consultation with Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman, A Couple of Putts. The artists looked closely at the chairs, selected one that inspired them, and deeply researched the formal, material and aesthetic choice behind the design. While playing, notice how the design elements in the mini golf course are a direct reflection of shape, color and textures present in the corresponding chair.

The five artists were selected through an open call, juried by a panel of experts in the fields of art and mini golf. We hope you enjoy the show and have fun playing!

Featured artists: 

Amanda Langer, Maggie Panetta, Ruth Klawiter, Simon Huelsbeck, and Rachel Coyne in collaboration with Gerald and Cyrus Carlson

Mini Golf Rates

$5 for a Play Pass | Includes one round of mini golf

$45 for a Punch Card | Includes ten rounds of mini golf

Artist Bios

Amanda Langer Amanda Langer earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2017. She has worked variously in landscaping and ecological restoration, and serves with two nonprofits dedicated to ecology and sustainability. Her studio work is primarily 3D mixed media sculpture involving contrasting materials, like steel and yarn. These contrasts in materials create conversation about seeking harmony and balance and result in novel and effective solutions. Amanda resides on her family farm outside of Jefferson, WI and loves spending time with her large family, fishing with her partner, and starting every morning with a hot cup of tea.

Maggie Panetta is a graphic designer, muralist, and event producer from Rochester, MN working with small businesses, city organizations, and nonprofits to bring brands to life. Since studying studio art at Macalester College she has developed dozens of brands, events, and murals throughout Southeastern MN. She is a Co-owner of Treedome Creative Studio & Shop, and Pop’s Art Theater, an independent movie theater in Rochester. She is a recipient of numerous grants from the MN State Arts Board, Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Winona Fine Arts Commission, Rneighbors, and others. She recently completed artworks for the Down by the Riverside Concerts, a new community mural in front of the Boys and Girls Club, and one along the Downtown Rochester bike path under 3rd Street. Across many applications, her work is playfully unique, iconographic, and incorporates charismatic themes throughout the region.

Rachel Coyne, Gerald Carlson, Cyrus Carlson work as a family collective of artists. Working as public artists, their work expresses playfulness, community connection and joy. In their individual practices, Cyrus is an abstract artist, Gerald is a potter and Rachel is a multimedia visual storyteller. When working collaboratively, you can find them constructing giant chapstick sculptures, pedaling a glow-in-the-dark bicycle rainbow loom or assembling an on-ice banned book library.

Ruth Klawiter is a Registered Nurse at Mayo Clinic and a former nurse educator. She lives with her husband Dave in Owatonna, MN. They have collected chairs designed by architects for many years. They enjoy the design of the chairs and have wonderful stories of their adventures in the acquisition of many of the chairs.

Simon Huelsbeck received his BFA in Fine Art from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and his MFA in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia. He has had numerous solo exhibitions of his work throughout the region and the country. He received multiple Minnesota State Arts Board grants, Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council grants, a Pollock Krasner Foundation Grant, and was a finalist for the Jerome artist grant. Simon resides in Rochester, MN, with his wife and two kids. He teaches painting and drawing at Rochester Community and Technical College.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Thank you to Think Bank and Rochester Area Foundation for supporting this project.