A Neighborhood Guide to Three Art Institutions in Chicago
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Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. Each street can seem like a microcosm: a surviving corner of the Old World, infused with different cultural traditions. This sense of diversity is further enhanced by Chicago’s architectural history: after the Great FireA Neighborhood Guide to Three Art Institutions in Chicago
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. Each street can seem like a microcosm: a surviving corner of the Old World, infused with different cultural traditions. This sense of diversity is further enhanced by Chicago’s architectural history: after the Great Fire of 1871, Chicago became a site for architectural experimentation, drawing many famous names, including Frank Lloyd Wright. Those who visited the annual Chicago EXPO in September would have got a taste of the Loop and Navy Pier, two iconic locations that make up Chicago’s beautiful, lakeside skyline. For those prepared to walk around the city, we outline three neighborhood visits centered around art institutions — the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Renaissance Society, and the National Museum of Mexican Art — complete with notable streets to explore, buildings to view, and places to eat and drink.Museum of Contemporary Art ChicagoLocated in River North, just one block from the Water Tower (perhaps the most iconic piece of architecture to survive the Great Fire), the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) is one of preeminent US institutions for contemporary art. Among several cutting-edge exhibitions on display this fall is “Picture Fiction,” an inventive exhibition featuring conceptual photography by the Chicago-based artist Kenneth Josephson, runs through December 30. Finally, the MCA brings together two iconic American artists — Alexander Calder and Jeff Koons — for “Heaven and Earth,” running through March 24.Set in the heart of River North, the MCA is surrounded by fine dining options. Highlights include Frontera Grill, Rick Bayless’s original “casual” restaurant, which takes inspiration from Oaxacan street food. Next door is Topolobampo, Bayless’s Michelin-starred restaurant, which features three tasting menus, ornate plating, and an explosion of flavors. In what is arguably the beef capital of America, it’s hard to go wrong with steak, and Bavette’s is among the best upscale steakhouses in Chicago. For lighter fare, try the new Pacific Standard Time which brings California-style dining to River North and offers lighter fare than Chicago’s traditional deep-dish pizza.There are a number of scenic walks nearby where you can enjoy spectacular views of the city. To get away from the downtown bustle, walk north up Dearborn Street to admire beautiful brownstones, or alongside of Lake Michigan: both paths lead to Lincoln Park, where one can enjoy an afternoon at the conservatory or the Lincoln Park Zoo, free of charge. If you want to take a closer look at the lovely riverfront architecture, walk west along the Chicago river or take a river-boat tour. If walking, be sure to stop at the French Market in the West Loop: a perfect stop for indecisive groups, with something delicious for everyone, from poke to Cajun to pastries. Lastly, take a moment to experience the heart of downtown Chicago by walking south along Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile of upscale, luxury stores. Continue across DuSable Bridge and into the Millennium Park, home to several famous public art installations.“The Bean” by Anish Kapoor (originally titled “Cloud Gate,” but renamed by locals) is the most photographed public art installation in Chicago: its reflective, stainless steel surface beautifully warps the city’s skyline and the reflections of people staring into it. Also notable is the undulating BP Bridge, a pedestrian boardwalk designed by Frank Gehry, clad in armored steel plates, that snakes through Grant Park. Meanwhile, the interactiveCrown Fountain, designed by Jaume Plensa, projects videos of the faces of Chicagoans onto towering blocks while water pours out of the blocks at the level of their parted lips.The Renaissance SocietyLocated in the heart of the University of Chicago’s campus, The Renaissance Society, a non-collecting contemporary art museum, was opened by faculty members in 1915. “The Ren,” as it is colloquially known, introduced Chicago to several world-class artists including Alexander Calder, Bruce Naumann, and Jenny Holzer. The current exhibition, “Put to Rights,” is a solo show by Shadi Habib Allah, a Palestinian artist based in New York and Miami, who works in film, sculpture, and installation. The display, showing through November 4, features two new pieces, including the installation “70 Days Behind Inventory,” which uses flooring from a Miami grocery store that, in recent years, has become a site for clandestine exchanges.Few campuses rival the grim beauty of the University of Chicago’s gothic architecture. Modeled after Oxford University, the collegiate buildings, covered in ivy, with ornately carved windows, and roofs the color of red clay, all serve to inspire a scholarly attitude. If you feel so inspired, visitors are allowed into Harper’s library, to enjoy the magisterial quiet as students revise under dim lamps, latticed windows, and a crowning chandelier. Later additions to the campus have a more modernist feel, notably the Regenstein and Mansueto libraries. “The Reg,” as it’s known among students, is a solid fortress of concrete blocks, perfectly suited to Chicago’s harsh winters. Mansueto, next door to the Reg, couldn’t be more different: the sleek glass building is shaped like an egg and looks ready to levitate off the ground and disappear into the heavens at any moment.Before leaving Hyde Park, treat yourself to a creative cocktail at The Promontory, whose inventive menu features hearth cooking — a nod to the longstanding tradition of fire-pit cooking along Lake Michigan and elsewhere in Chicago. For more casual fare, try Salonica, an old Greek diner with a neighborhood feel, which is located on 57th street, near several wonderful bookshops. Any bibliophile must visit the legendary Seminary Co-op near campus and Powell’s, just across the way from Salonica. The National Museum of Mexican ArtLocated in Pilsen, the National Museum of Mexican Art is a central hub of Latino, Chicano, and Mexican culture. Two powerful temporary exhibitions are currently on show: “Dia de Muertos: A Spiritual Legacy” and “No se olvida! Remembering the Tlatelolco Massacre.”“Dia de Muertos,” which runs through December 9, is an annual tradition for the museum and showcases altars and other Day of the Dead-related artworks by international and Chicago-based artists. This year’s display includes an installation — an “ofrenda” — from the Parkland, Florida, community who lost 17 lives this year through gun violence.The “No se Olvida!” exhibition, which runs through January 20, marks the 50th anniversary of the Tlatelolco Massacre. On October 2, 1968, just 10 days before the opening ceremony for the summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexican military and police killed around 325 students and civilians and arrested more than 1,300 protestors. The massacre was covered up and denied by officials for decades, taking its place as yet another episode in Latin America’s history of “los desaparecidos” (the disappeared). The exhibition features contemporary works that remember and explore this dark moment.The museum also offers an excellent permanent exhibition, “Nuestras Historias,” which presents a full and rich history of Mexico, as viewed through its artists and aesthetic traditions. Assembled from several different eras, it includes artifacts from Mesoamerica and colonial times, folk art, works relating to nationalist struggles, as well as pieces by contemporary artists tackling issues like U.S.-Mexico border relations.The Pilsen neighborhood is known, foremost, for its tacos: simply walk along 18th Street and you’re bound to encounter a number of restaurants serving up authentic fare. A few crowd favorites include Taqueria El Mezquite, Carnitas Uruapan, and Don Pedro Carnitas — all of which are located on 18th Street. For breakfast dining, Parkview Restaurant Grill is a quaint Mexican diner just blocks from the Museum. Everyone should try the sopa, especially on a chilly day. Otherwise the chilaquiles are tremendous and the agua pepino is perfectly refreshing.If you’re not in the mood for tacos, Osteria Langhe offers fine Italian dining while Dusek’s is renowned for its famous burger, the Juicy Lucy. In the basement below Dusek’s is the Punch House, a lively cocktail bar with plush booths and live DJs. Skylark is an excellent dive bar, adored by locals and frequented by students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.http://www.blouinartinfo.comFounder: Louise Blouin p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #d81e00} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #232323} span.s1 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none} p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'; min-height: 11.0px} span.s1 {vertical-align: 1.5px; letter-spacing: 0.1px} Read more