Calling All Deep Thinkers: How the Museum of Contemporary Art Reflects Chicago's Place in the World
REGISTRATION
This event is for members of our Young Professionals Network. For further information, please reach out to msefami@globalaffairs.org.
About This Event
Chicago-born artist Rashid Johnson has built an international career on work that draws on Black history, literature, and philosophy, as well as his own roots in this city. This fall, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) welcomes him home with Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers, a major exhibition that cements his place as one of today’s greatest living artists.
Join us at the museum for a special tour of this new exhibition and an evening of conversation about creativity and collectivity in Chicago and beyond. The night begins with a dialogue between MCA Pritzker Director Madeleine Grynsztejn and Chicago-based artist Brendan Fernandes about the power of art to influence culture and communities. Born in Nairobi, Kenya, and raised in Toronto, Canada, Fernandes creates dance and visual art exploring race, queer culture, migration, protest, and other forms of collective movement. After the discussion, MCA curator Jack Schneider will guide guests through his exhibition Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers.
Both Johnson and Fernandes make work that carries Chicago wherever it is shown, creating poignant interactions between the local and global. As we take in their art, we'll ask what it means for Chicago artists to be read by international audiences and what Chicago gains when its institutions champion contemporary artists at home and abroad. We’ll also turn inward—asking ourselves how we understand our history, identity, and place in the world as Chicagoans.
Please RSVP as space is limited.