Exploring the big three

In the first of a three-part series, we take a look at what Chicago’s three main museums (The Art Institute, Science and Industry and Field) have to offer the young professional set
First up: The Art Institute

By Paul M. Banks

If your most recent memory of the Art Institute is the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” it’s time for a visit.

“There’s something for everybody here,” states Chai Lee, associate director for the department of public affairs.

Art is many things to many people, inspiring many emotions. It’s a misconception to believe that all works of art have to be interpreted on some deep political, social, cultural or religious level. Art does not require over-interpretation. It may remind you of somewhere you’ve been and what you recall from that experience. Thomas Moran’s “Autumn on the Wissahickon” might stimulate memories of an October weekend trip to your alma mater and the colorful foliage on campus. Thomas Cole’s “Distant view of Niagara Falls” or Frederick Edwin Church’s “View of Cotopaxi” can simply remind you of how much you enjoy nature walks, mountains, waterfalls and forests. I’ve selected a few works with special appeal to the young professional demographic.

Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” (1930)
An instant sensation since 1930, this portrait of a farmer and his daughter has been featured and parodied everywhere from “Beavis and Butthead” to glam metal videos. The house’s windows signify the church, and the pitchfork: daily chores. Now the most famous icon of middle-America, “American Gothic” is fittingly housed here, not in a museum on either coast. Its two familiar figures are “American Gothic” because they represent a clinging to traditional beliefs and values.

On Kawara’s today series “Tuesday” (1978)
Starting in 1966, the Japanese-born American artist, On Kawara, created a series of acrylic “date paintings,” each presenting the sole image of a specific date. What significant event occurred on Halloween the year I was born and why should I care? It reminds me of “The Simpsons” episode when bartender Moe Syzlak defines postmodernism: “It’s po-mo … weird for the sake of being weird.”

Joseph Mallord William Turner’s “Fishing Boats with Huckster Bargaining for Fish”
J.M.W. Turner was a British landscape and seascape painter who greatly influenced Claude Monet and the impressionism movement. He himself was influenced by the Dutch, and the 17th century painter Van De Velde had a profound impact on this specific work. Turner was known to be eccentric, misanthropic and often depressed. This work accurately depicts his infamous mood swings. It also conveys why he was a genius, decades ahead of his time.

Gustave Caillebotte’s “Paris Street: Rainy Day” (1887)
This “City of Light” painting captures Paris on a gloomier day. It evokes a time when the name “Paris” was associated more with aesthetic expression than with a spoiled, supercilious celebutante. It is a perfect paradigm on the use of linear perspective and the centerpiece of the museum’s most popular room. Outside of Paris, the Art Institute has unquestionably the best collection of impressionist and postimpressionist works in the world.

“It’s what we’re known for; when you go up to the top of the stairs, it is what’s there,” says Lee.

George Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” (1887)
La Grande Jatte is one of the museum’s most well-known pieces and a must see — the textbook on the style of pointillism. It’s also a commentary on the posturing and artificiality of Parisian society; probably why I choose to conclude the article with it! What makes a great work of art so special is the positive way it influences you. This one elicits warm feelings of outdoor spring and summer get-togethers. It actually makes me look forward to my family’s Easter gathering!

Truly, the museum offers much more today than those memories of a junior high field trip. Upcoming summer exhibitions include Jasper Johns and Jeff Wall. Both cutting edge shows will appeal to young hipsters. The current special exhibition, “Cezanne to Picasso: Ambroise Villard- Patron of the Avant Garde,” is a stunning collection of works commissioned by one of the world’s most well-known patrons. Featured artists include Andre Derain, Paul Gaugin and Henri Matisse.

“We have a program called ‘Voices: what artists have to say’ Thursdays at noon,” Lee tells me before attending to his special duties that day. “We try to bring some culture into the lives of the lunch-hour crowd.”

After closing time on this day, the Institute was hosting a soiree to woo the 2016 Olympic Committee.

The Art Institute is located downtown at 111 S. Michigan Avenue and online at www.artic.edu

Hours:
Labor Day-Memorial Day: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. M-F (until 8 p.m. on Thu.); 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends
Memorial Day-Labor Day: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. M-W; 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu. and Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekends.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Admission:
Adults: $12; kids 12 and over, seniors and students: $7; 5-8 p.m. Thursdays are free (also 5-9 p.m. Thu-Fri. during summer); special exhibits often have additional fees. Audio guides: $6, for members $5

Click here for more Features