Autumn, of course, means the joyful rush of students back into the galleries. I love to see them on guided tours, filling the halls with the hum of conversation and making meaningful connections to works of art through close looking, critical thinking, and discussion. It’s also always a thrill to watch the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Learning Center come alive with art making and creative play.
In addition to the buzz of students and families, dramatic physical changes are also reinvigorating our spaces. Our boldly reenvisioned Eloise W. Martin Galleries showcase over 300 European design objects created between 1600 and 1900, including an ornate 17th-century cabinet from Augsburg, Germany—highlighted in this issue—that has been meticulously restored thanks to discoveries made by our curators and conservators during its recent treatment. And the Alsdorf Galleries, featuring our historic collections of Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan art, have been transformed by the presence of contemporary artist Raqib Shaw’s immense and astonishingly intricate painting Paradise Lost; visitors have been awestruck by this sparkling meditation on identity, metamorphoses, and the redemptive power of beauty.
As always, we’re busy preparing for an influx of exciting new exhibitions: Opening next week, Elizabeth Catlett: “A Black Revolutionary Artist and All That It Implies” highlights the radical art, activism, and style of an international artist who spent a formative portion of her career here in the Midwest. A week later, On Loss and Absence: Textiles of Mourning and Survival takes a close look at how people use textiles as tools to process grief and foster remembrance. And beginning in October, Strange Realities: The Symbolist Imagination contemplates the mystery and beauty of Symbolism, the enigmatic late 19th-century art movement.
Ultimately it is you, our members, who keep the Art Institute vibrant and thriving through your deep engagement with our collections and exhibitions, lively participation in gallery tours and programs, and abiding commitment to making art accessible to all. I couldn’t be more grateful for the energy, enthusiasm, and support you bring to the museum and our city each and every season.
—Sarah Guernsey, deputy director and senior vice president for Curatorial Affairs
