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Close-up view of a round basket lid woven in bright-orange and black. Behind it is the partial view of an ash basket made of blond, red, and black wood, the tight weaving pattern making small upside-down triangles out of the red. Close-up view of a round basket lid woven in bright-orange and black. Behind it is the partial view of an ash basket made of blond, red, and black wood, the tight weaving pattern making small upside-down triangles out of the red.

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There are two parts of my job as a curator at the Art Institute that I particularly love.

By <a href="https://www.artic.edu/authors/67/andrew-james-hamilton" rel="author">Andrew James Hamilton</a>

The first is the type of close encounter I get to have with extraordinary works of art. For me, there is a thrill in puzzling out how they were made and the skills and knowledge it took to make them. I also cherish getting to know contemporary artists—learning about their work directly from them and what it means within their communities. Jeremy Frey: Woven, an exhibition opening at the Art Institute this fall, is a project that has offered both perks in abundance. 

The first time I saw an ash basket by Jeremy Frey, a seventh-generation Passamaquoddy weaver, I remember staring at it a little dumbfounded. I’m usually adept at reading woven structures, but I couldn’t make sense of this one because it was so perfectly fashioned and meticulously finished. Over the course of developing this exhibition, I’ve learned so much from Jeremy about how he sculpts his vessels and the brilliant, busy way he’s reinventing this time-honored artistic tradition. It’s this journey of learning to look more closely at an object and appreciate both how it was created and the histories it holds that I hope each visitor to the exhibition will take the time to experience. 

Close looking and contemplation of an artwork’s contexts will also be rewarded across the other exhibitions we’re offering this fall. The first full-scale presentation of works by German artist Paula Modersohn-Becker highlights her expressive portraits of the female experience, while two exhibitions of French Neoclassical art offer a comprehensive look at a highly disciplined style that connects ancient Greek and Roman mythology to the upheavals of 18th-century France. And Jitish Kallat’s Public Notice 3 returns to the Woman’s Board Grand Staircase for the first time in over a decade, celebrating an important piece of Art Institute history—Swami Vivekenanda’s historic 1893 speech on this site calling for religious tolerance. This impactful piece leverages the power of place to prompt reflection on current world affairs and promote acceptance and unity.

When you visit this fall, I encourage you to bring a sense of curiosity to the objects you’ll encounter—to contemplate how their many influences and elements, woven together by artists of skill and vision, achieve new and even deeper meanings.

—Andrew James Hamilton, associate curator, Arts of the Americas

Photo of curator Andrew Hamilton standing at a railing before a white curtain, smiling broadly. He has fair skin and blond hair and wears a beige pinstripe blazer, taupe pants, and a beige tie.

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