2009

Entropy featuring Bonnie Greer
June 12, 2009

The LAC hosted a discussion and booksigning for Entropy with author Bonnie Greer and Art Institute President and Director James Cuno. The event took place in the Millennium Park Room.

Modern View: An Evening Connecting Contemporary Artists and Community Leaders
May 16, 2009

At the center of the LAC’s Modern Wing opening event was a celebration of the installation of renowned artist Kerry James Marshall's Vignette Suite. Guests began the evening with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in Terzo Piano. They then toured the galleries with special guest curators and ended with coffee and dessert in the new Ryan Education Center.

Sixth Annual Handy Lindsey Jr. Lecture and Award Ceremony
February 17, 2009

The LAC partnered with the Chicago African Americans in Philanthropy to present the sixth annual Handy Lindsey Jr. Lecture and Award Ceremony honoring LAC member Amina Dickerson. The lecture was delivered in Fullerton Hall; the reception took place in the Board Trading Room.

Cutting a Figure: Fashioning Black Portraiture
February 6, 2009

Dr. Richard Powell and Dr. Kymberly Pinder discussed “Cutting a Figure: Fashioning Black Portraiture” in Fullerton Hall from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

2008

God’s Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570—1215
November 1, 2008

The LAC partnered with the Chicago Humanities Festival during “Think Big” to present a discussion of God’s Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570–1215 with author David Levering Lewis and CBS 60 Minutes interviewer Lesley Stahl. A booksigning and reception took place in the Board Trading Room from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Listen to a podcast of David Levering Lewis and Lesley Stahl’s discussion.

Edo Art and the Reconstruction of Memory
September 18, 2008

Dr. Adepeju Layiwola offered her lecture, “Edo Art and the Reconstruction of Memory” for this LAC-hosted event. Presented in connection with the exhibition Benin—Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria, the lecture focused on the various attempts of Edo artists to establish memories of the British Punitive expedition. Taking a look at a wide range of artistic expression such as paintings, sculptures, and textiles, this lecture discussed the way and manner in which historical memory is reconstructed.

Listen to a podcast of Dr. Layiwola’s lecture.

Reception for the Association of African American Museums Conference
August 29, 2008

The LAC hosted a reception for attendees to the Association of African American Museums Conference in the Millennium Park Room. Guests enjoyed an exhibition overview and a guided tour of Benin—Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria. All guests received a copy of Benin: Royal Arts of a West African Kingdom written by exhibition curator Kathleen Bickford Berzock.

A Royal Gala
July 8, 2008

A Royal Gala, the opening benefit for Benin—Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria began with a cocktail reception and private tour of the exhibition led by the curator of African art, Kathleen Bickford Berzock. An intimate dinner in the newly renovated Alsdorf Galleries was attended by international dignitaries including Princess Theresa Eridewa and Ambassador B. G. Wakil. Special guests included Mayor Richard Daley and Carol Mosley Braun. The event also featured a program in Rubloff Auditorium hosted by Leah Hope of ABC. The exhibition was open throughout the evening, and all guests received a copy of the catalogue, Benin: Royal Arts of a West African Kingdom.

2007

Whose Invisible Man?
September 7, 2007

Epic and luminous, the work of Jeff Wall has overturned nearly every convention of photography. Meticulously staged and theatrical in scale, Wall's images have more in common with the grandest history painting of the 18th century than with the fleeting documentary style of much of modern photography. With his composition After "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison, the Prologue (1999–2000), Wall attempts to give visual form to a scene from the celebrated author's 1947 novel Invisible Man. Wall's widely discussed work has stirred controversy in academic circles, much as Ellison's novel sparked debate in its day.

On September 7, 2007, following the world premiere of Congo Square Theatre Company's dramatic interpretation of Ellison's prologue, the Art Institute hosted a critical discussion of Wall's image in relation to contemporary understanding of Ellison's significance to American letters.

March 29, 2007
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Art Institute's acquisition of Two Disciples at the Tomb, a 1905 painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner's (1859–1937) and to honor Tanner's legacy, the Leadership Advisory Committee in collaboration with the Department of Museum Education hosted the lecture "Tanner: An American Legacy." Featuring noted scholars David Driskell, Tanner family historian Rae Alexander-Minter, and Kirsten P. Buick, the program offered the public an opportunity to learn more about this important work, Tanner's experiences in this country and abroad, and the artist's career.

2005

An Evening Honoring Elizabeth Catlett

Elizabeth Catlett Mora (b.1915)
On November 5. 2005, in celebration of the career of Elizabeth Catlett, the LAC honored the artist with its first Legends and Legacy Award. Catlett, an internationally recognized printmaker and sculptor, continues to have an irrefutable influence on the art world through her dedication to social justice, women's rights, and advocacy for literacy. The evening also celebrated the Art Institute's acquisition of five rare prints by Catlett. The prints are in the museum's collection of prints and drawings.

2004

Tribute to James VanDerZee

James VanDerZee (1886–1983)
Work by James VanDerZee from the Harlem Renaissance was on view in the photography galleries from January 24 to April 25, 2004. The exhibition, The James VanDerZee Studio, was accompanied by a panel discussion on the life and legacy of VanDerZee, an influential African American photographer who captured the spirit and people of Harlem during the 1920s through 1930s, a period known as Harlem Renaissance.

2003

Century of Collecting: African American Art in the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute has one of the finest collections of African American art in the country. The work on view in A Century of Collecting dated from the late 18 th century to late 20 th century. The LAC partnered with 50 African American member-based organizations to achieve its goal of attracting more than 50,000 visitors to the exhibition!

Aerospace Design/Tuskegee Airmen: Recognition Reception and Panel

The exhibition Aerospace Design: The Art of Engineering from NASA's Aeronautical Research explored the architecture and engineering of wind tunnels through approximately 90 objects from NASA's collection, including wind tunnel models and flight artifacts, past and present.

The LAC honored the Tuskegee Airmen, first squadron of elite African-American WWII fighter pilots, with a reception and panel discussion.

2000

To Conserve a Legacy: American Art from Historically Black Colleges and Universities

This unique exhibition surveyed more than 100 years of American art and was also the first nationally touring exhibition of its kind.   The purpose was to highlight invaluable treasures from the collections of six historically black colleges and universities. There were more than 150 works by celebrated 19 th - and 20 th -century artists on view.