We’re pleased to welcome Zak Foster to Madison Public Library on Thursday, September 11 from 6:00-8:00 PM at Central Library! This dynamic collaboration between Wisconsin Book Festival and The Bubbler at Madison Public Library will feature a free, two-part community event:
Exhibition Reception (6:00–7:00 pm): Join us for the opening of Southern White Amnesia and the chance to meet Zak Foster! Using textile, recycled quilts, old estate documents and AI-enhanced portraits of his ancestors, Zak’s exhibition explores how white American families, like his, remember (or choose to forget) their connections to slavery and its ongoing impact within society.
Author Talk (7:00–8:00 pm): Zak will then present insights from his book The World Needs Your Next Quilt, a guide offering flexible frameworks to bring intention, narrative, and depth to artistic research, community engagement, and creative expression. Book sales and signing to follow.
The event is free and open to everyone - no registration required! Feel free to attend either part of the evening, or stay for both. We hope to see you there! In the meantime, explore Zak’s process and research through his artwork descriptions and audio clips below.
----
**Exhibition Information: **Southern White Amnesia will be on display from Thursday, September 11, 2025 to Monday, October 27, 2025 in the Diane Endres-Ballweg Gallery, Central Library (3rd Floor). The exhibition is available for viewing during open library hours on the 3rd Floor of Madison Central Library. Please note that the 3rd floor occasionally closes for private events. Before visiting, call 1-608-266-6350 to confirm viewing hours.
This body of work invites meaningful dialogue around race, religion, regional identity, and memory. We look forward to further exploring ways to engage the public throughout the duration of the show. If you have a community group interested in visiting the exhibition, please reach out to Carlee Latimer via email at clatimer@madisonpubliclibrary.org.