| THE WALKTHROUGH 05.22.09 1:13 PM |
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Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing Offers Conference Rooms and Italian-Mediterranean Restaurant
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 | The Art Institute of Chicago's modern wing
Photo: Charles G. Young, Interactive Design Architects |
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Open to the public since May 16—and the cause of 26 opening events—the Art Institute of Chicago's new modern wing devotes 264,000 square feet to modern European painting and sculpture, contemporary art, architecture, photography, film, and video. Events hosted within the space—which has a capacity of about 2,500—can involve open viewing of some or all the galleries, with additional fees for museum security.
Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the wing comprises two pavilions that surround the first-floor Griffin Court. The bilevel circulation space can host 1,800 for receptions or accommodate seated dinners for 350.
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Art Institute of Chicago, Renzo Piano |
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| EVENT REPORT 05.21.09 11:19 AM |
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Art Institute Opens Modern Wing With 26 Events Over 10 Days
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 | The Modern Wing Opening Gala
Photo: Troy Kuane |
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One of the most anticipated openings in recent Chicago history—and, it should be said, a pretty big deal in the art world at large—the Art Institute of Chicago's new modern wing, a 264,000-square-foot structure housing works from artists such as Pablo Picasso and Jeff Koons, opened to the public Saturday. At 9 a.m., a civic dedication drew masses to a closed-off section of Monroe Street, where the building's architect, Renzo Piano, spoke and guests got a free tour of the structure. For museum staffers, and for their production partners at TBA Global, managing the public opening was just one task of many surrounding the building's debut.
"We did about 26 events within 10 days," said Linsey Foster, the museum's director of constituent relations. Each event brought a distinct target audience to the new wing. During the events' 18-month planning process, "we had very much interest on the part of our trustees and [museum president and director] James Cuno to give all of our different constituencies a chance to celebrate this building," Foster said. Along with the museum's traditional visitors—teachers at the School of the Art Institute, donors, and members, for example—"we wanted to welcome people that were new to us," she said. "Because really, it is a building for the city of Chicago and for the citizens of the world, who come here and want to experience the collection that we have."
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Art Institute of Chicago, Renzo Piano |
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| EVENT REPORT 10.29.08 8:00 AM |
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Art Institute Gala Guests Get Sneak Peek at Modern Wing
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 | | The Griffin Court dining area in the modern wing |
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Chicago’s art and design communities have been eyeing the progress of the new Renzo Piano-designed modern wing at the Art Institute of Chicago since plans for the project came to light in 2005. On Saturday night, some 450 guests attended the first event to be held in the structure, which is still under construction and won’t open to the public for another six months. Dubbed the "Modern Ball in the Modern Wing," the event raised $200,000 for the Education and Acquisition Fund of the Architecture and Design Society of the Art Institute.
The unfinished state of the building presented a unique set of challenges for the ball's planners. From adhering to strict electrical codes to consulting with the fire department to determine capacities for the areas of the building that were ready to use, co-chairs Karen Hyatt, Carrie Lannon, and Victoria Lautman worked closely with Art Institute personnel and Turner Construction to monitor the constantly changing state of the venue. “We all had to be good sports,” said Lannon. “It was a very integrated process, because one change could mean that many other changes would have to take place accordingly.” For instance, because the new wood floors in the wing have yet to be sealed (and spills could spell disaster), the night featured an all-clear drink menu of white wine, gin, vodka, and white Cosmopolitans.
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Art Institute of Chicago, Renzo Piano, Architecture and Design Society of the Art Institute |
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