Society for Contemporary Art

Name: Society for Contemporary Art
Address: 111 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60603, US
Telephone: +13124433630

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Society for Contemporary Art

The SCA was founded at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1940 to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the art of our time.

The Society for Contemporary Art (SCA) supports the Art Institute of Chicago by engaging the community in a dialogue about the art of our time and acquiring works that enrich the museum’s collection. Through its lectures and events, the Society has become one of the museum’s principle vehicles for exploring new and challenging art. Monthly SCA programs provide access to an exciting roster of leadi

ng national and international artists, dealers, critics, historians, and curators, as well as visits to distinguished private collections and major art centers within the United States and abroad. The Society has also made a tremendous impact on the museum’s collection of modern and contemporary art. On an annual basis, acquisition committee members review a carefully selected group of contemporary works and present them throughout the Art Institute’s galleries. The entire membership then votes to purchase one or more objects for the museum’s permanent collection. Over the years, the SCA has acquired more than 150 works of art by distinguished artists such as Emma Amos, Carl Andre, Lee Bontecou, Larry Clark, Tacita Dean, Nicole Eisenman, Leon Golub, Dan Graham, Maren Hassinger, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, Guillermo Kuitca, Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollock, Paul Sharits, Lorna Simpson, James Turrell, Martin Wong, and Christopher Wool.

06/03/2025

SCA Benefactors, Patrons and Sponsors were treated to a private tour of the Arts Club of Chicago's current exhibit, Huguette Caland: Bribes des Corps. Representing the first Caland show in Chicago and the largest exhibit of this series to date, Executive Director and Chief Curator Janine Mileaf shared insights into Caland's unique work coming out of her Lebanese Maronite heritage and the Avant Garde scene of Paris in the 70s.

A special thank you to Guy-Karim and Maria Christina Caland Puymartin for proposing and championing this event. Guy shared with us memories and anecdotes of Huguette, his grandmother, that brought these works to life and made this event truly special.

Watch this space for upcoming programming from the SCA! Preparation for our fall season '25 is in full swing and we look forward to sharing our next exciting events with you.

05/22/2025

We had the privilege of welcoming Veronica Ryan to Chicago yesterday, for her very first visit to our city! The Turner-Prize winning artist spoke to us about the meaning woven into her art, grown from her relationship with her Mother and her roots in the Caribbean, as well as the dialogue she feels with each individual piece. We were touched and inspired by the depth of feeling she was able to share with us, and hope to see her back in Chicago soon!

Veronica has concluded our Spring talks season here at the SCA. Thank you to PRADA for sponsoring our series, making it possible for these amazing artist to come and share themselves with us. Watch this space for the announcement of our Fall season lineup!

04/29/2025

Last Saturday, SCA members had the opportunity to tour EXPO CHICAGO with Aron Gent of DOCUMENT, our very own Membership Chair! Members visited eight different gallery booths, where they received short talks from the gallerists on their 2025 selections. They also heard about one of EXPO's amazing in-situ exhibitions, which was organized by DOCUMENT. Thank you to .gent for leading us on a wonderful tour!

Veronica Ryan's artist lecture is on May 21st; registration is open now!

04/21/2025

Last Friday, the SCA's Winter/Spring programming continued with a lecture from jazz pianist and multidisciplinary artist Jason Moran! Jason gave an incredibly meaningful talk, walking our audience through pivotal moments of his artistic career, including his collaborations with Joan Jonas and Adriana Piper that encouraged him to pursue visual art, and his exhibition at the Walker Art Center. Jason also spoke specifically about his performance last fall in Chicago, and how the musical environment in the city continues to touch him. We were touched by his answer to one of the students in the audience; that anyone can be a musician if they keep their ears open to the sounds around them.

Thank you to Maria Christina and Guy-Karim Caland Puymartin, as well as PRADA, for making this wonderful event possible.

We were so happy to host Jason, and look forward to Adriano Pedrosa's curator talk on April 28th, as well as Veronica Ryan's artist talk on May 21st. Find information on our upcoming events at the link in our bio or at scaaic.org!

04/10/2025

SCA members and their guests are invited to the 2025 Annual Meeting and Acquisition Vote! Join us for an evening celebrating our groundbreaking past and vibrant future, as we celebrate adding two more innovative works of art to the Modern and Contemporary permanent collection at the Art Institute of Chicago. Find more information at the link in our bio!

04/04/2025

Thank you to our amazing Benefactors, Patrons, and Sponsors, who were invited yesterday to tour Frida Kahlo's Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds, open now at the AIC. Curator Caitlin Haskell shared her insights on the way that Kahlo and Reynolds' work overlapped and influenced each other, illuminated through the museum's Mary Reynolds collection and personal artifacts of Kahlo's on display for the first time in the United States. It is always a joy to share these incredible experiences with our members!

Our next Benefactor and Patron tour is on June 2nd. Support contemporary art in Chicago and join us for a first of its kind exhibition of Huguette Caland's works from 1970s Paris!

03/17/2025

Last Saturday, SCA members spent an afternoon with Tony Lewis at his studio in Bridgeport. Tony spoke with our members about all the aspects of his creative process, from the space of the studio that he works in down to the details of drawing storage and day-to-day experimentation that drives his practice. Members were able to become part of his process, leaving marks on his work that will continue to layer and change the way his drawings are seen. Tony also gave our members the opportunity to experience his skills as a bartender and DJ in a new portion of the studio where he is curating a space for open and relaxed artistic conversations.

Thank you to all who came, and to Tony for being so generous with his time and energy! We would also like to thank our membership chair, Aron Gent, for introducing us to Tony and making this event possible. Keep your eye out for our future intimate opportunities, like our tour of the upcoming Frida Kahlo exhibit with Caitlin Haskell, and our dinner at Ema with Jason Moran.

02/12/2025

This Wednesday, SCA members began their morning with a fascinating tour of the Prints and Drawing Study Center, led by Mark Pascale, Janet and Craig Duchissois Curator. Mark gave SCA members an intimate look into the Contemporary Drawing gifts made by Irving Stenn, Jr. and his family, and shared his journey with Irving as a collector. Mark also gave members a behind-the-scenes look at the Prints and Drawing Study Center’s vault, where all works not on display are stored for conservation.

Thank you to all who came and to Mark for sharing his life, both professionally and personally, with our members. The Stenn gifts previewed in this tour will be presented in the department’s galleries from June 28-September 15 2025. Make sure to check it out while you can!

01/31/2025

Considering SCA membership but uncertain what membership tier is right for you? Visit our website at scaaic.org/membership to view all your options!

01/29/2025

This Monday, SCA members joined Associate Curator Giampaolo Bianconi for an after hours tour of the Pop Art galleries here at the Art Institute. Members walked through the ever evolving gallery rooms, exploring recent acquisitions and how they might work in conversation with the pre-existing collection and the museum at large. Some highlights include the impressive installation of career-spanning sculptures by Louise Bourgeois and the 2024 SCA acquisition of K.P. Brehmer’s Farbengeographie [Color geography] Nr. 4 chosen at last year’s Annual Meeting. Thank you to Giampaolo for your generosity with the SCA and to all those that joined us for the evening.

To stay updated on upcoming SCA events and become a member, visit scaaic.org.

01/24/2025

This Wednesday, the SCA kicked off our 2025 Winter/Spring programming season with artist Judith Geichman. Geichman took us on a journey through her expansive art practice challenging the boundaries of abstraction. She detailed her evolving inspirations, sharing her exploration of color, gesture, and form through everyday objects and patterns, as well as her beloved studio space. It was wonderful to hear Geichman speak so candidly about her inspirational career.

We’re happy to celebrate the Art Institute’s acquisition of Judith Geichman’s monumental piece Untitled (2024) seen at her 2024 solo exhibition at Regards, The Floor, The Wall, The Space in Between. Thank you to , , and to all that came to engage in dialogue about the art of our time.

Check out our website, scaaic.org, to stay up to date on our future programming!

Address

111 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL
60603

Telephone

+13124433630

Website

http://www.scaaic.org/

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