News from Around the Art World: June 19, 2018
The Brilliant Artist That Chicago, and the World, Nearly Forgot
Edgar Miller was a virtuoso in any medium he chose: painting, sculpture, stained glass, architecture, interior design, printmaking, metalwork, cutlery, graphic design. He put those prodigious skills toward building a creative community on Chicago’s near-north side in the 1920s and beyond. Miller’s handful of architecture projects (a series of live-work lofts) stretched the boundaries of the city’s bohemian frontier, seeding a new hub for culture, art, and radical politics. This output never earned Miller a place in Chicago’s pantheon of culture. But now a non-profit, Edgar Miller Legacy, is celebrating his legacy and offering new ways for people to connect through Miller’s work.
By Zach Mortice, CityLab
The Mysterious New Wndr Museum Will Give Chicago Its First Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room
A mysterious new institution calling itself the wndr museum has announced plans to bring a Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room to Chicago, the first to ever go on view in the Windy City. The pop-up museum promises to feature educational and experiential installations that merge art and science to appeal to visitors of all ages.
By Sarah Cascone, artnet news
Historic Cook County Hospital restoration and redevelopment breaks ground in Chicago
Chicago’s beleaguered Cook County Hospital is slated for redevelopment after sitting idle for 16 years. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill will transform the Chicago landmark into a dual-branded Hyatt House/Hyatt Place hotel, accompanied by medical office space and retail. Leading the project is the Civic Health Development Group (CHDG) along with Chicago-based developer John T. Murphy. Walsh Construction is the general contractor with Koo Architecture as the interior designers. According to Cook County, the development plan is valued at over $1 billion dollars.
By Elizabeth Blasius, The Architects Newspaper
The Neuroscientist in the Art Museum
“The fact is, the culture is changing dramatically,” says Monroe. “When asked what people want out of cultural activities today, and this is across all age ranges, the number one priority people want is fun,” he says, in reference to findings from the 2017 Culture Track study, which listed fun as respondents’ “single greatest motivation” for attending cultural activities. “That’s not what we were all thinking about five or six or 10 years ago as the most important criterion for the success of a cultural event or activity, and what fun means is obviously an interesting question,” he allows, “but the whole definition of culture is changing, and the idea that cultural organizations are immune from the incredible changes that are occurring— at dramatically faster speed than ever before— would be incredibly dangerous and naive.”
By Jackie Mansky, Smithsonian Magazine
Linda Nochlin’s Lifetime Insights Continue to Amaze
Published after her death, this succinct volume draws important art historical connections pointing to longstanding struggles with depictions of misery.
By Olivia McEwan, Hyperallergic