Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech

Monday, Jun 10 – Sep 29, 2019

220 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611

Timed tickets are now available for all MCA Members. General admission tickets are on sale now.

Circle and DVC membership levels have unlimited access to the exhibition and do not need to reserve timed tickets. These levels will also be eligible for additional yet-to-be-announced benefits. Please contact the office of Individual Giving at 312-397-4044 for further information and exhibition sponsorship opportunities.

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Groups of 10 or more must call the MCA Box Office at 312-397-4010 for advance admission.

Please note: By purchasing tickets online, you are agreeing to pay the full, suggested admission price. For discounted tickets, or for pay-what-you-can admission, please purchase walk-up tickets at the admission desk or the MCA Box Office. Entry is not guaranteed more than 30 minutes after the specified entry time. You can also check out all of our other exhibitions at any time during your visit. 

Tables and tickets are still available for ArtEdge: Virgil Abloh: "Figures of Speech".

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The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents Virgil Abloh: "Figures of Speech," the first museum exhibition devoted to the work of the genre-bending artist and designer Virgil Abloh (American, b. 1980). Abloh pioneers a practice that cuts across media and connects visual artists, musicians, graphic designers, fashion designers, and architects.

Abloh cultivated an interest in design and music at an early age, finding inspiration in the urban culture of Chicago. While pursuing a master’s degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, he connected with Kanye West and joined West’s creative team to work on album covers, concert designs, and merchandising. In 2013, Abloh founded his stand-alone fashion brand Off-White™ in Milan, Italy, and in 2018 assumed the position of Men’s Artistic Director of Louis Vuitton.

Set in an immersive space designed by Samir Bantal, the Director of AMO, the research studio of Rem Koolhaas's renowned architectural firm OMA, the MCA exhibition will offer an in-depth look at defining highlights of Abloh's career including a program of cross-disciplinary offerings that will mirror the artist’s range of interests across music, fashion, architecture, and design.

The exhibition is organized by Michael Darling, James W. Alsdorf Chief Curator, with curatorial assistance from Chanon Kenji Praepipatmongkol, Marjorie Susman Curatorial Fellow. It is presented in the Griffin Galleries of Art on the museum’s fourth floor.

A dark-skinned model walks a fashion runway wearing narrow red sunglasses, a sheer white long-sleeved top and shorts set, and tall bright yellow boots.