February Guide: Pathways of Heritage
Africa's diverse cultures and rich artistic traditions are felt around the world. Follow the far-reaching pathways of the African diaspora with this month's self-guide.
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January Guide: New Year's Resolutions
There’s always room for improvement. As the New Year begins and we take stock of the months that have come to pass, we make resolutions that, kept or not, remind us of how we would like to live at our best.This self-guide peruses some typical resolutions as seen through several of the artworks housed in the museum.
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December Guide: Winter Traditions
The winter is no time for hibernation, especially when there are so many opportunities to indulge in parties, holiday festivities, and winter sports. Use this self-guide to travel through the world’s winter traditions.
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November Guide: Peace and War
War, like it or not, is a driving force in human history; its opposite, peace, is more elusive. This self-guide, picking up on this year’s Chicago Humanities Festival theme, takes a look at the ways in which war and peace have been represented through the ages. |
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October Guide: Chicago Artists
Ever wondered which art icons have called Chicago home? As we celebrate Chicago Artists Month, find out more about the artists, patrons, and buildings that have inhabited Chicago’s landscape. |
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August Guide: On Location
Inspired by the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival’s August 29 screening of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in Grant Park, a film in which the Art Institute and our fair city figure prominently, we’ve used titles of movies set or filmed in Chicago to make some surprising connections with works of art in the collection. |
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July Guide: Let the Games Begin
Has the summer heat got you too hot to trot?
Step inside where you can flex your mind and walk lively in
pursuit of works of art that celebrate the sporting life. Although just like fashion, specific sports fall in and out of favor, the basic urge to win, place, or show is timeless.
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June Guide: Dance Fever
There's no better time than summer to kick off your shoes, let your
hair down, and dance! Whether you like to shake your tail-feathers
on a crowded dance floor, elegantly glide beside a partner, or go solo,
you can draw inspiration from these works, each of which involves
dance in a slightly different way.
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May Guide: A Bloomin' Tour of the Museum
It’s bloomin’ springtime and time to start thinking beds, bulbs, and buds. Better than any seed catalogue, this self-guided tour leads you from one gorgeous blossom to another, while providing notes and tips by Tom Wolfe, the Art Institute’s preeminent gardener.
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April Guide: You Look Marvelous!
There are only two months until beach season, as every magazine seems to remind us this time of year. Whether you need to drop pounds or pack on muscle, you'll find inspiration among works of art that deal with the pursuit and glorification of bodily perfection.
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March Guide: Your Lucky Day
The Irish don’t have the market cornered on good luck. Maybe your rabbit’s foot or new penny has lost its luster. Rather than rely on good-luck charms, perhaps you need to be a bit more proactive at keeping bad luck at bay. Take a tour of six works of art to learn how different cultures attempt to conjure good fortune or repress ill will.
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February Guide: Loves Me, Loves Me Not
In this season of gooey chocolates and sentimental cards, this tour reminds you of what love is really made of: passion, devotion, treachery, tears. No wonder artists throughout time have depicted this rich and provocative subject. |
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