Women's Work: Lela Autio, Dana Boussard, And Nancy Erickson

In 1973, three pioneering artists, Lela Autio, Dana Boussard, and Nancy Erickson, proposed an exhibition of their soft sculpture at the University of Montana, and were denied because it was considered “women’s work.” Undeterred, they pivoted and held the exhibition in the empty Carnegie Library in 1974, paving the way for the founding of the Art Museum of Missoula in 1975.

Their daring set a precedent for exhibitions such as MAM is known for today—founded in equity, community-centered, of the moment, and adventurous, audacious, challenging work that is fun to look at. MAM champions women’s work equally. All three remained artists lifelong supporters of MAM. Thank you to the artists, their families, and Steve Adler, for making important gifts to the MAM Collection or loans to this exhibition.

While this is not a faithful recreation of that radical 1974 exhibition, the soft sculptures included provide us with a sense of how groundbreaking and exciting that exhibition was. The year 2025 marks MAM’s 50th Anniversary. As such, exhibitions highlighting important parts of the MAM Collection, such as this one, will be featured throughout the year.

This exhibition generously sponsored by the Wren.