Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

05/01/2021

Show your love for every mom in your life with the gift of bold design! Now through May 9, members save 20% on everything. Shop online or in-person. Order by May 2 for delivery by Mother’s Day. Shop now: https://bit.ly/3v76Syy

04/30/2021

It's the final weekend to see "The Long Dream," featuring work by over 70 Chicago artists, inviting you to see the city of Chicago, the world, and yourself in new ways.
More info + tickets: https://bit.ly/35ECamT

04/29/2021

Curie HS Students Curate Virtual Art Exhibit to Explore Self-Love and Self-Care - Chicago Schools Blog

Find out what we're doing with Chicago Public Schools through our ongoing partnership.

As part of a partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 23 students worked together on a multitude of creative art projects.

04/28/2021

58 Chicago restaurants awarded Bib Gourmand designation by Michelin Guide, including 10 first-timers

For a third year, Marisol Chicago has been awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin Guide. While the restaurant is currently closed, it will reopen soon!

While late due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Michelin Guide has released its list of 58 Chicago Bib Gourmand recipients for 2021.

04/27/2021

EMERGE SELECTIONS 2021

Now on view: "Emerge Selections 2021" features three works selected by the Emerge group, one of which will join the MCA Collection after a vote by the group. On view for a limited time until May 13, learn more: https://bit.ly/3dJLhq0

04/26/2021

The weather is warming up this week just in time for the final week of "The Long Dream." Visit the museum to see the exhibition, or visit a @chicagoparks near you to experience "Invisible Museums of the Unseen," by @jeanetteandrewsmagic, an app-based audio artwork that's part of the exhibition but can only be accessed virtually. Download the @gesso.app to access the work and see the parks.

04/25/2021

The Long Dream

It's the final week to see "The Long Dream," which includes the work of over 70 Chicago artists. Can't make it into the galleries? There's plenty to explore online, including an online video gallery, a curator's tour, the Label Writing Project, and more: https://bit.ly/35ECamT

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and a renewed reckoning over racial justice and inequality, The Long Dream invites visitors to see the city of Chicago, the world, and themselves, through the eyes of more than 70 local artists whose work offers us ways to imagine a more equitable and interc...

04/24/2021

Treat all the mothers in your life to some pampering! Now through May 9, MCA Members enjoy 20% off at the MCA Store. Shop in-person or online and order by May 2 for delivery by May 9. Find more for Mom: https://bit.ly/2KAPKMx

04/23/2021

Puzzles and Promises

Take a deeper look into Tania Pérez Córdova's "breakthrough" 2017 exhibition "Smoke, nearby," with this Art in America feature.

Tania Pérez Córdova’s enigmatic sculptures are a response to the materials and circumstances of their own making.

04/22/2021

7 Celebrity Stylists Share Their Go-To Pieces For The Red Carpet

With the Academy Awards this weekend, we recently spotted Lorraine West Jewelry featured in Vogue's "7 Celebrity Stylists Share Their Go-To Pieces for The Red Carpet."
Add them to your red carpet look + sign-up to get a 15% off coupon: https://bit.ly/2Z9CdCY

With these picks from top stylists, you can add instant glamour to your own wardrobe, too

04/21/2021

If you're a fan of artist Henry Darger, a new short film inspired by Darger's art and set of podcasts with his neighbors has just been released.
Explore it all online: http://outsideronline.co/

If you're a fan of artist Henry Darger, a new short film inspired by Darger's art and set of podcasts with his neighbors has just been released.
Explore it all online: http://outsideronline.co/

04/20/2021

Chicago announces Arts 77, a huge increase in arts funding, with $60 million for artists, concerts and new public art at O’Hare

Today, the City of Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events announce Arts 77, named for Chicago's 77 neighborhoods, which will invest over $60 million in local artists and art organizations. Read about all the details.

Ambitious and "unprecedented," the new Arts 77 plan promises millions to fund arts recovery in Chicago.

04/19/2021

Intuit Summer Fellowship - Intuit

Our friends at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art are accepting applications for a paid summer fellowship, open to BIPOC college students or just recently graduated. See their website for details and to apply: https://www.art.org/intuit-summer-fellowship/

INTUIT SUMMER FELLOWSHIP Aiming to encourage greater diversity in the museum field, the Intuit Summer Fellowship Program is a summer work opportunity for students enrolled in state, city and community colleges in Chicago from backgrounds that have traditionally been underrepresented…

04/18/2021

Plant the planet! Celebrate Earth Day and go green with innovative ideas for indoor gardening, or grow your ambition with an urban vegetable patch. Shop the MCA Store for fun and earthy gifts: https://bit.ly/2QtXLcm

04/18/2021

#OTVTonight: The Art of TV - Front and Center - OTV | Open Television

#OTVTonight is streaming live on the OTV - Open Television app!

Head to bit.ly/otvtonight to watch live or download the app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, or Roku! Search OTV Open Television.

The intersectional Late Show #OTVTonight is back with another magical premiere to kick off OTV ‘s sixth cycle of programming. Hosted by our Founders, Elijah McKinnon and Dr. Aymar Jean Christian, tap in as they lead us on a journey exploring the ART OF TV through dynamic conversations, experiment....

04/17/2021

#OTVTONIGHT 2021 (OFFICIAL TRAILER)

Two great streaming events today:
At 1 pm CT on @MCAChicago's Instagram Live, join a Virtual Studio Visit with artist Nereida Patricia and Teen Creative Agency at MCA Chicago member Daniela Loza.
At 8 pm CT on Facebook Live, join OTV - Open Television for their new cycle of intentional and intersectional takes on late night tv in #OTVTonight: The ART OF TV.

The intersectional Late Show #OTVTonight is back with another magical premiere to kick off OTV ‘s sixth cycle of programming. Hosted by our Founders, Elijah…

04/16/2021

Virtual Studio Visit: Nereida Patricia

Tomorrow at 1 pm, join us on Instagram Live (we're @mcachicago there too) as artist Nereida Patricia speaks with Daniela Loza, a member of the Teen Creative Agency at MCA Chicago, about her work on view in The Long Dream exhibition, trans myth-making, performance, and world building. Learn more: https://mcachicago.org/Calendar/2021/04/Virtual-Studio-Visit-Nereida-Patricia

Artist Nereida Patricia speaks with Daniela Loza, first-year member of the MCA’s Teen Creative Agency, about her work on view in The Long Dream exhibition, trans myth-making, performance, and world building. Read the wall label Daniela wrote about Nereida's piece, Ms. Colombia, as a part of The Lo...

04/15/2021

Kid Cudi’s “Off-White” SNL appearance is another sign that dresses for men are becoming the norm

Did you catch Kid Cudi's Saturday Night Live performance last weekend with wearing both Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh and Takashi Murakami 村上隆, two of our most popular artists and exhibitions?

Virgil Abloh talks about collaborating with Cudi and dresses replacing suits as the universal, gender-neutral silhouette.

04/13/2021

#OTVTONIGHT 2021 (OFFICIAL TRAILER)

Get a sneak peek of the new cycle of intersectional programming from OTV - Open Television today at 1 pm CT on Instagram Live (we're @mcachicago there too.) Then join us on Saturday evening for #OTVTonight: The ART OF TV: http://bit.ly/otvtonight21

The intersectional Late Show #OTVTonight is back with another magical premiere to kick off OTV ‘s sixth cycle of programming. Hosted by our Founders, Elijah…

04/12/2021

Available now for pre-order, "KAWS What Party," takes you behind the scenes with this iconic artist, featuring sketches, preparatory drawings, and never-before-seen images. Order this limited-release colorway now at the MCA Store: https://bit.ly/2RbUQVR

04/11/2021

Column: MCA’s ‘The Long Dream’ intended to address inequity through art. But it has become about the museum itself.

“Perhaps, the MCA is proving its overriding point: that it is an institution trying to change and asking its communities to have faith in the sincerity of its effort.”
Read the Chicago Tribune's overview of "The Long Dream."

“How do we address what have been ongoing and long-term issues in this country?” The exhibit was, on paper, a savvy, almost ideal answer to the range of issues that confronted the MCA, just as those issues have confronted many other old-line cultural institutions across Chicago and the nation. S...

04/10/2021

19 Fun Things To Do In Chicago On A Cold Or Rainy Day

With rain in the forecast, Modern Luxury Chicago Social knows where to spend some time indoors.

Don't let the rain or cold ruin your perfect Chicago day. These options are fun—both with and without bad weather—and with the Windy City's unpredictable patterns, play it safe with these fabulous activities.

04/09/2021

Protecting the environment starts at home! Discover sustainable alternatives, like ethically-made beeswax wrap, reusable and pretty glass straws, and eco-friendly options for lunch on the go. Sign up to receive text messages from the MCA and receive a 15% off coupon on your next purchase: https://bit.ly/3u4uHGH

04/07/2021

Artist captures universal experience in body paintings- China.org.cn

On view now at the MCA, Christina Quarles also just opened her first solo exhibition in Asia. Read more about "Christina Quarles: Dance by tha Light of tha Moon," at the X Museum in Beijing.

In psychedelic colors, a couple of limbs and torsos collide and entwine with each other, refusing to be locked by the frame of the canvas.

04/05/2021

Christina Quarles Will Make You Question Everything You Know About Identity

“It got me thinking about using the materiality of painting to bring up questions of what is invisible and what is neutral.” —Christina Quarles.

Learn more about the artist and her exhibition, now on view.

The painter, whose work is currently on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, uses her multilayered canvases to challenge notions of identity.

04/04/2021

How a Secret Weapon Normally Used to Keep Precious Artworks Clean Is Helping Museums Fight the Coronavirus Pandemic

A good ventilation system is a key to a safer museum visit—and we have one. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/hvac-at-museums-1948244

Air filtration systems in US museums were already in good working order before the pandemic. Now, they're getting even better.

04/03/2021

The MCA Store loves Plan Toys! Charming toys made from sustainable rubberwood and colored with non-toxic water-based pigments help develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Truly next generation! Sign up to receive text messages from the MCA and receive a 15% off coupon on your next purchase: https://bit.ly/3sAimK8

04/02/2021

Stefan Edlis, Chicago’s Impresario Collector of Mischievous Art: ‘You Will Never See a B-Grade Piece by an A-Grade Artist’

How a chance encounter with Christo's artwork led collector Stefan Edlis to a lifelong relationship with the MCA.

Significant works from his holdings went to Chicago institutions, transforming them in the process.

04/01/2021

#OTVTonight: The ART OF TV

Alert the pod and plan your snacks: on April 17 at 8 pm CT OTV - Open Television is back to explore THE ART OF TV. Join an evening of experimental activations, intergalactic performances, and more.
RSVP: https://bit.ly/3cxANIn

The intersectional Late Show #OTVTonight you're obsessed with is back to kick off OTV ‘s sixth cycle of programming.

03/31/2021

WGN TV asked Gwen Perry Davis, our Senior Director of Development, what Women’s History Month means to her, and what it means to other women leaders in Chicago. https://wgntv.com/morning-news/chicago-scene/womens-history-month-chicago-female-business-leaders-blazing-the-trail-for-the-next-generation/

03/30/2021

Talk: Dan Peterman on Sulfur Cycle 2.0

Chicago artist Dan Peterman's latest exhibition at the MCA digs below the surface of the gallery walls to reveal parts of the museum itself built from fossil fuels. The exhibition traces specific materials across time while also considering the broader environmental and economic systems at play.

For this talk, Peterman is joined in conversation with exhibition curator Jack Schneider as they take us on a journey to discover the impact of fossil fuels in the daily environments we occupy. The discussion will trace the path of Peterman's work and thinking on this project from the original Sulfur Cycle presentation at the MCA in 1994 toward the current presentation 26 years later.

MCA Talks highlight cutting-edge thinking and contemporary art practices across disciplines. This presentation is organized by exhibition curator Jack Schneider, with the Performance and Public Practice team.

03/30/2021

Talk: Dan Peterman on Sulfur Cycle 2.0

Today at noon CT, join us on Facebook Live with artist Dan Peterman and curator Jack Schneider for a discussion on "Sulfur Cycle 2.0" and the impact of fossil fuels in the daily environments we occupy, including the museum. More info: https://mcachicago.org/Calendar/2021/03/Talk-Dan-Peterman-On-Sulfur-Cycle-20

Chicago artist Dan Peterman's latest exhibition at the MCA digs below the surface of the gallery walls to reveal parts of the museum itself built from fossil fuels. The exhibition traces specific materials across time while also considering the broader environmental and economic systems at play. For...

03/29/2021

Chicagoland Attractions Set Reopening Plans

While Virtual Family Day: April continues to be online, Chicago Parent takes note of our reopening and other options around the city. https://www.chicagoparent.com/things-to-do/chicagoland-attractions-reopening/

As Illinois reaches Tier 2 Mitigation of the reopening process, Chicagoland attractions such as zoos, museums and nature centers are releasing and updating their own reopening plans.

03/28/2021

How Gertrude Abercrombie Cultivated Her Own Surrealist Language

With four pieces in the MCA Collection and featured in our 2015-16 exhibition "Surrealism: The Conjured Life," learn more about Chicago surrealist Gertrude Abercrombie who is finally gaining wider recognition.

The artist’s oneiric paintings will be the subject of a 2021 exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art.