150 Artists x 150 Years
150 Artists x 150 Years
150 x 150 celebrates Madison Public Library’s
150 years of service to the community.
Language is changing and evolving all the time, and every year, new words and terms are added to the dictionary or used for the first time. We revel in the ever-evolving nature of language and how it reflects our cultures, histories, technologies, pastimes, and style. It’s who we are!
We’ve invited 150 artists from the community and who have contributed to The Bubbler’s programming—through residencies, workshops, exhibitions, and more—to create a new piece of art for a system-wide exhibition opening in November 2025.
Each artist has been randomly assigned a year between 1875 and 2024. Each artist then selects one word, which inspires an artwork. Whether formally added to the dictionary or recorded in print for the first time during a certain year, a selection of words recognized as “new” through their adoption into the English language are available for artists to use as inspiration.
Bookmark this page! We’re updating regularly.
Artists, find FAQs.
Check out the library’s events and festivities marking the library’s 150th year in 2025:
Meet the featured artists!
Aaron Granat • Adam Villegas • Alanna Stapleton • Alice Traore • Alicia Rheal • Amy Mietzel • Andy Gricevich • Andy Rubin • Andy Villanueva • Angela Johnson • Ann Orlowski • Ariel Wood • Aris Georgiades • Ash Armenta • Ash Lusietto • Audifax • Baptiste Paul • Barb Mergen Alvarado • Barbara Landes • Barry Carlsen • bernie & zuzu • Bird Ross • Carlos Eduardo Gacharná • Chele Isaac • Chris Murphy • Christina Theobald • Christine Holm • Ciara Nash • Claire Kellesvig • Claudia Linnea Carlson • Corey Dean • Craig Auge • Deckard Salm • Derrick Buisch • Desere Mayo • Doug Fath • Ellie Braun • Elyza Parker • Emilee Taxman • Emily Balsley • Emily Hoyt-Weber • Emily Meredith Lewis • Emily Schroeder • Eric Adjetey Anang • Eric Baillies • Erika Koivunen • Frank Juárez • Gabrielle Javier-Cerulli • Gail Simpson • GG • Grace Olson • Hailey McLaughlin • Hannah O'Hare Bennett • Hannah Sandvold • Heath Matysek-Snyder • Heather Kohlmeier • Henry Obeng • J Myszka Lewis • Jack Whisenant • James Papadopoulos • Jason Levy • Jason Ruhl • Jen Falkowski • Jenie Gao • Jennifer Bastian • Jeremy Wineberg • Jerry Chapa • Jerry Jordan • Johanna Poole • John Hitchcock • Juliet King • Juliette Walker • Justin Bitner • Kate Mead • Katherine Steichen Rosing • Kathy Walter • Katie Hogan • Katrin Talbot • Kristin Redman • Lance Owens • Larry Stephens • Laura Damon-Moore • Laura Owens • Lauren Scanlon • Lexie Olson • Lillian Sizemore • Linda Farrelly • Linda Justmann • Lisa Shoshany-Anderson (in memoriam)• Lucija Drake • Luis Echavarria Uribe • Lydia Diemer • Lyra Evans • Mallory Stowe • Maria Amalia Wood • Maria Schirmer • Marianne Fairbanks • Marina Kelly • mars • Mary Bergs • Mayela Finol • Megan Scheffer • Michael Duffy • Michael Velliquette • Mickey Mestiza • Miryeong Hong • National Velvet • Niki Johnson • Paul Briskey • Philip Hassett • Poornima Moorthy • Quincy Millerjohn • Rachael Griffin • Rachel Hausmann Schall • Ray Mawst • Rebecca Millerjohn • Rebecca Vickers • Rodney Schreiner • Rodrigo Carapia • Romano Johnson • Ryan Sigg • Sachi + Laura Komai • Sam Christensen • Sara Meredith • Savannah Starlin • Scott Espeseth • Scott Pauli • Seth Klekamp • Shandra Bjyrd • Sharon Bjyrd • Sharon Tang • Sherri Shokler • Shlomit Kafri • Sophia Abrams • Spatula&Barcode • Stephen Kennedy • Stephen Perkins • Terri Messinides • Tess Stroh • TetraPAKMAN • Tobie DePauw • Toby Kaufmann-Buhler • Tom Loeser • Tom Zikuhr • Ty Springer • Vincent Mollica …and more!
See a list of all participating artists with their years and words to choose from:
Culminating a year-long celebration marking the 150th Anniversary of Madison Public Library, the 150x150 art exhibition is made possible with support from Beyond the Page, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Madison Community Foundation.