Hidden Gems

The Art Institute’s new modern wing, Second City’s new show, the Field Museum’s ‘Nature of Diamonds’ exhibit

The new modern wing at the Art Institute
Enter with an open mind, the Art Institute of Chicago's new modern wing that is home to over 1,000 works of art ranging from architecture and design to contemporary art, photography and European. Start outside, with easy access to the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, an ensemble might be performing on a lucky day. Take a stroll up the 620-foot bridge and arrive at the extension of the well-known, Art Institute of years past. However, this modern wing is different. New. Sophisticated. Fresh.

Natural light warms the interior, skylights and a flying carpet structure are used to save energy and provide quality lighting for the showcase of artwork.

“This is a three-hour building to really digest it” says Erin Hogan, director of public affairs. “But you can spend anywhere from a half hour to a full day here.”

Stop for a cup of coffee and a muffin between architecture and contemporary art — the rest stops along the way are designed to help you digest the gallery without feeling overwhelmed. Take it all in.

Cy Twombly, a contemporary favorite, is on display on the first floor. The pieces look oddly the same — acrylic, wax crayon, pencil and collage — nonetheless captivating. Cloud-like masses that drip strategically to the bottom of the canvas with his words scrawled across the mid-section, creating poetry in motion.

Venture upstairs to the contemporary European gallery that features well-known productions from 1900-1950. Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Henri Matisse, Wassily Kandinsky and many more. Find a miniature version of Picasso's welded steel sculpture that's perched on Daley Plaza in large monumental form.

This is just a glimpse of the peaceful and eye-opening experience the modern wing has to offer. Check out the rest of the gallery Mon.-Wed. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Thurs.-Fri. 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 10:30-a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday evenings have free admission to the public from 5-9 p.m.

— Kristen Prosise

Second City’s “Studs Terkel’s not working”
It’s fun to see the talented folks at Second City continue to cross the line of political correctness, but do so in a creatively disarming way that makes it so easy to laugh — and feel OK about it afterward.

The new show at Second City’s e.t.c. stage, “Studs Terkel’s not working” (a pun on the late author/activist’s most popular title “Working”) is one of the most consistently humorous shows to come out of the company in years.

The show, unlike many of late that are Obama-centered, focuses on the struggles and intricacies of ordinary people leading ordinary lives in Chicago.

From a blind date through Craigslist gone horribly wrong to white couples adopting “regular black babies,” Iowa accepting California’s “running of the gays” and a parking ticket tango, “Studs” delves deep into the comedy drawer and thrives with its superb writing and execution.

Arguably the best skit of the night is mostly improvisation, as Timothy Edward Mason plays the role of a narrating, old-time crime reporter at the typewriter, turning an audience member into a private dick in a film-noir adventure that leads through the entire room. As good as the writing is in “Studs,” it’s often opportunties like these, in which the cast has to think on its feet to fill in the gaps and keep you laughing, that make you realize you’re part of something special.

“Studs Terkel’s not working” is on an open run at Second City’s e.t.c. stage Thursdays at 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturday at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20-$25 and are available at SecondCity.com or 312-337-3992.

— Trent Modglin

“The Nature of Diamonds” exhibit at the Field Museum
It seems only natural to follow the grand pirate exhibit at the Chicago Field Museum with an illustrious display of the most remarkable diamonds and gems on Earth that would make Jack Sparrow himself shiver in his timbers.

Visitors to the Field Museum will be dazzled by the 7,000-square-foot space of “The Nature of Diamonds” exhibit. Seven sections of the exhibition allow visitors to explore what makes the diamond shine. Past the shiny exterior, the diamond’s history within the world of art, history, adornment and modern technology and research are explored as well, providing an opportunity to showcase beyond what meets the eye.

An in-depth history of a girl’s best friend can be learned before reaching the vaulted diamonds. Beyond the beauty of all the shine and the glitter lays a rich history of geological origins millions of years deep. Questions on where diamonds come from will be answered next when the exhibit explores their source here on Earth. Hint: Explosive volcanoes play a role. The four C’s of cut, carat, color and clarity are sectioned to help guide the visitor in how to judge a diamond.

The Historical Galleries takes a tour of the historical importance of the diamond, demonstrating how the jewel was used in the 15th-19th centuries. Ancient jewels and medieval pieces are found throughout this gallery.

The Piece de Resistance, better known as the vaulted collection of diamonds, includes designers such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron, Cartier and the eleven exclusive Tiffany pieces. The highlight of the vault, the “Incomparable Diamond,” is a 407-carat flawless diamond, the third-largest ever recorded. The stories of each diamond piece have such history attached; the dazzling gems staring back through the windows may seem slight in comparison.

For the celeb watcher, “The Nature of the Diamonds” does boast several pieces worn or donated by celebrities, as diamonds have always dazzled Hollywood starlets. One piece featured is a brooch designed by the late actress Joan Bennett.

Catch the diamonds’ exhibit at the Field Museum through March 28, and note that the completely renovated “Grainger Hall of Gems” is available for permanent preview with general admission. The Grainger Hall features many unique polished gems, such as pearl in its natural state, opal and quartz. Many date back to the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893.

Tickets to “The Nature of Diamonds” include basic admission to the Field Museum and are priced at $23 for adults, $20 for seniors and students with ID, and $13 for children 3-11. The museum is open every day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed on Christmas Day. For more info, visit www.fieldmuseum.org or call 866-FIELD-03.

— Casey Nunes