Entries from September 2011
September 28, 2011 | Details | Comments (1)
"Where do we, as humans, come from?" With such a broad question at the heart of Our Origins, it's no wonder the exhibition has gotten people talking. From art critics to bloggers, take a look at what people are saying about Our Origins, which is on display at the MoCP through October 16:
Jennifer Ray, Strangler Fig Embrace, 2009; Courtesy of the artist
"Inspired by everything from fossils to x-ray diffusion, this ambitious group show considers the unanswerable questions, all from a very self-conscious, often very funny point of view." -- Flavor Pill Chicago
"The chatter about where we come from seems inescapable. Which is what makes the relative silence of Our Origins refreshing." --Chicago Reader
"Plenty of thought-provoking works on view." --Time Out Chicago
"[Our Origins] reflects on natural history from a distinctly human point of view." -- The Beacon-News
"For all the wit, wisdom and insight here, Alison Ruttan steals the show...[While she] may not have revealed the mysteries of being; she has effectively portrayed us as too close to other primates for comfort, evoking a mixture of humor, absurdity, depression, truth and self-recognition." -- Newcity Art
In addition to the show, curator Allison Grant also gets a little love:
"It's refreshing to see a curator take aim at the largest human questions, and it's good for Grant's first exhibition ever. I admire that ambition and hope Grant will continue probing those deep questions, since for as many artists as there are investigating consumerism and commodity culture, there are just as many examining the hard philosophical and scientific question." --Art Slant
September 22, 2011 | Details | Comments (0)
Whether taking pictures of humans or animals, both Colleen Plumb and Kelli Connell's new photography books have a lot to say about how humans interact with other living things. And on Tuesday, Plumb and Connell will be interacting with people at the MoCP from 5 to 6:30pm to discuss their work and sign their new books.
Colleen Plumb, Animals are Outside Today, Published by Radius Books
Plumb's new book, Animals are Outside Today, explores the relationships humans form with animals. From beloved household pets to exotic circus animals, she explores the attachments people feel toward certain animals over others and how these emotions allow humans to grieve over the death of some animals but not others, such as road kill and animals slaughtered for meat.
Kelli Connell, Double Life, Published by Decode Books
Connell's new book, Double Life, scales back to examine the relationship between two identical individuals caught up in the complexity of everyday life. Seemingly benign scenarios, like having a picnic in the park, give way to more intimate interactions, like taking a bubble bath together. Magnifying the complexity of these emotions is the fact that these two women appear to be identical twins.
September 19, 2011 | Details | Comments (0)
If there's one thing you don't want to miss this fall, it's Crime Unseen.
The newest exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, which opens to the public on October 28, has already been touted by Art Info's resident blogger, Tyler Green, in his post "Fall Exhibitions You Won't Want to Miss."
By examining the role photography plays in capturing the evidence hidden within a crime scene, the show asks whether seeing truly is believing when it comes to the presentation of dramatic, dark and ultimately disturbing events.
Take a look at the photographs below for a sneak peek of what's in store!
Christian Patterson, Storm Cellar, 2008
Richard Barnes, Unabomber Exhibit A, 1999; Courtesy Clark Gallery
Angela Strassheim, Evidence No. 2 (BlueStar), 2009; Courtesy of the artist
For more updates on Crime Unseen as they come, check in at our website or visit our Facebook page.
September 15, 2011 | Details | Comments (0)
We'd like to thank everyone who came out to the opening reception for Our Origins last Thursday!
The event, which included a guided gallery tour from contributing artists Alison Ruttan, Ken Fandell, Alison Carey and Jennifer Ray, had an exceptional turnout, allowing artists, curators, college students and the general public to meet and discuss artistic representations to the age-old question, "Where do we, as humans, come from?"
In case you missed it, here are some photos from the event:
Jennifer Ray discusses the inspiration behind her series, Go Deep into the Woods.
Alison Carey discusses her series, Organic Remains of a Former World with visitors.
After giving a lecture on his video installation, The Most Important Picture Ever, Ken Fandell mingles during the reception.
Jennifer Ray fields questions on her work during the opening reception.
The crowd snacks and socializes, no doubt making plans to meet up at the next MoCP event.
Miss this event? Visit us for one of these upcoming events at the museum:
* Thursday, September 27 at 5 p.m. when Colleen Plumb and Kelli Connell visit the museum to sign their books, Animals are Outside Today and Double Life.
* Tuesday, October 2 when Our Origins artist Aspen Mays joins Kathryn Schaffer, postdoctoral fellow at the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, to talk about ways scientists and photographers can team up to help answer questions about the origins of the universe.
September 8, 2011 | Details | Comments (0)
Some of the earliest humans theorized about our origins by gazing up at the cosmos.
Tonight, we will continue this time-honored experience at the opening reception for the museum's current exhibition, Our Origins, which attempts to trace our shared human past beyond recorded history.
Join us for one (or all) of three opening events:
4pm: Sit in on a gallery discussion between exhibiting artists Alison Carey, Ken Fandell, Jennifer Ray and Alison Ruttan, which will be moderated by curator Allison Grant.
5 - 7pm: Mingle with exhibiting artists, enjoy free hors d'oeuvres and take in a public viewing of Our Origins.
8pm: Join us in Grant Park for stargazing with astronomer Joe Guzman.
Admission for each event is free and open to the public. No RSVP necessary. For more information, visit our website, check in with our Facebook page or give us a call at 312-369-7104.
September 6, 2011 | Details | Comments (0)
Andy Warhol, Desktop, Unknown; Gift of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
Scott Fortino, Jenner School, Alphabet, 1998; MoCP permanent collection
Jack Delano, Little Girl Under Portrait of G. Washington, P.R., 1947, printed 1978; Extended loan of the Baum Family Collection
No more pencils. No more books. Instead, the MoCP is celebrating the new semester with a back-to-school inspired collection of photographs from its online archives. And it's calling on you to do the same! The MoCP will award a prize to the top collection.
To curate your own online collection, go to the MoCP's Collections page and register to create an account. From there, use the advanced search feature to scroll through the museum's permanent collection - which includes many photographs that have not been publically displayed in years - and choose photos to include in your own, personally-curated, back-to-school "group."
To share a group, simply create and send a Share ID to your friends who are also logged onto the system, or enter into the MoCP's contest by posting either your Share ID or a link to your set in the comments section below!
Lacking inspiration? Use the Share ID 6cl5wiq3 to view the museum's sample collection, which assembles seemingly disparate artists like Andy Warhol, Scott Fortino and Jack Delano to examine the common threads in their photographs regarding education as an institution.
