“Every day I discover more and more beautiful things. It’s enough to drive one mad.” — Claude Monet
After reopening in late July the Art Institute, like Chicago’s other museums and cultural centers, was forced to close again back in November of 2020 due to a second wave of the pandemic and consequential directives for the state of Illinois. Now, following Chicago’s deescalation of mitigation measures and Governor JB Pritzker’s recent announcement, Chicago’s renowned museum is once again preparing to welcome visitors back to the galleries and experience firsthand the transformative power of art.
The museum plans to open on February 11 and until that date will continue all virtual programming as planned. The best news of all, however, is that the Monet and Chicago AND the Bisa Butler: Portraits exhibitions have been extended through summer.
We're thrilled to announce that the museum is once again opening our doors on Thursday, February 11!
The exhibitions "Monet and Chicago" and "Bisa Butler: Portraits" are now extended. We look forward to safely welcoming you back to the galleries.
TICKETS—https://t.co/uqiaCkYJnv pic.twitter.com/LyMGwwFTWb
— The Art Institute of Chicago (@artinstitutechi) January 25, 2021
The Regenstein Hall will continue to host the Monet and Chicago exhibition that features 33 paintings and 13 drawings by the French impressionist. Chicago’s first taste of the artwork of Claude Monet was back in 1888, when a collection of his paintings were showcased in a gallery. Critics instantly fell for the impressionist’s work.
10 years later, the Art Institute of Chicago would host 20 Works by Claude Monet, the painter’s first solo exhibition in the United States. Thereafter, the Art Institute purchased a Monet painting, making them the first American museum to buy one of his works. With the contribution of a number of outside donors, the Art Institute has amassed an impressive Monet collection.
Tomorrow at 5:00—Join us for a free virtual lecture!@adamgopnik explores the American passion for Impressionism, sparked in part by Chicago patrons who began collecting Monet’s paintings in the 1890s.
Tune in to the livestream on our YouTube channel: https://t.co/JLBEaCJoct pic.twitter.com/Z2Vk6lFbvG
— The Art Institute of Chicago (@artinstitutechi) December 2, 2020
“Among the more than 70 paintings in the exhibition—from the Art Institute’s exemplary holdings and esteemed Chicago-based collections—are beloved major works as well as rarely seen still lifes, figural scenes, seascapes, and landscapes, spanning his long career from early caricatures made at Le Havre to the last splendid canvases inspired by his garden and water lily pond at Giverny,” the Art Institute wrote on their website.
“Monet and Chicago also benefits from new art-historical research and in-depth scientific study of his materials and techniques and offers an opportunity to look more closely at the artist’s oeuvre through our ever-advancing understanding of his creative process.”
The exhibition will now run from February 11, 2021, through June 14, 2021, instead of the original dates of September 5, 2020 – January 18, 2021. Tickets for Monet and Chicago cost $7 in addition to general admission.
Bisa Butler's intricately layered quilts often draw on vintage photographs to resurface and reimagine historical narratives of Black life.
Explore how she draws on source materials, pairing color and fabrics with scale and beautifully stitched detailing.https://t.co/9LVe1SvCSn
— The Art Institute of Chicago (@artinstitutechi) November 20, 2020
The Bisa Butler: Portraits exhibition will also continue to be on show at the Art Institute of Chicago now through September 6, 2021. Her portraits vividly capture personal and historical narratives of Black life evincing an expansive view of history through their engagement with themes such as family, community, and migration. The Art Institute of Chicago’s Bisa Butler: Portraits is the first solo museum exhibition of Butler’s work and will include over 20 of the artist’s portraits.
[Featured Image from Instagram / @artinstitutechi]