ACentury in Images

100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY // THE ARTS CLUB OF By Anastasia Karpova Tinari [ [THETHE SEEN SEEN] ] TheThe Arts Arts Club Club of of Chicago Chicago was was founded founded a hundred a hundred years years ago ago with with a missiona mission to to promote promote , Modernism, precedingpreceding like-minded like-minded institutions institutions such such as as the the Société Société Anonyme, Anonyme, Inc., Inc., Barnes Barnes Collection Collection and and Museum Museum ofof Modern Art in in New New York, York, and and was was the the first first in inChicago Chicago to to exhibit exhibit works works by by Brancusi, Brancusi, Alexander ,Calder, Jackson , Pollock, and and Robert Robert Rauschenberg, Rauschenberg, among among many many others. others. ———————————— ———————————— —————————————————— The The Club’s Club’s interdiscipli interdisciplinarynary member member programming programming has has featured featured an an incredible incredible arrayarray of of the the avant-garde: avant-garde: literary literary figures figures Margaret Margaret Anderson Anderson and and Harriet Harriet Monroe, Monroe, Gertrude , Stein, Carl Carl Sandburg;Sandburg; musicians musicians Igor Stravinsky Prokofiev, Prokofiev, Leonard , Bernstein, John ; Cage; and and dancers dancers Adolph Adolph Bohm,Bohm, Ruth Ruth Page, Page, and and Merce Merce Cunningham. Cunningham. Yet Yet through through the the years years the the visual arts exhibition exhibition program program hashas remained remained at at the the institution’s institution’s core. core. Its Its original original missi missionon expanded expanded as asModernism Modernism gained gained acceptance, acceptance, andand Chicago’s Chicago’s museums museums embraced embraced contemporary , art, but but The The Arts Arts Club Club has has always always remained remained forward-lookingforward-looking and and interdisciplinary interdisciplinary in in its its approach. approach. Since Since 2000 2000 alone, alone, the the Club’s Club’s galleries galleries have have hostedhosted impressive impressive installations installations by by internationally internationally renowned renowned artists artists including including Pedro Pedro Cabrita Cabrita Reis, Reis, JosiahJosiah McElheny, McElheny, Marcel Marcel Broodthaers, Broodthaers, Marlene Marlene Dumas, Dumas, and and many many more. more.

NOVEMBERNOVEMBER 3, 3,1915 1915 19181918 1922–19271922–1927 19231923 TheThe 1913 1913 Armory Show in Chicagoin Chicago RueRue Winterbotham Winterbotham Carpenter Carpenter and and TheThe Arts Arts Club Club occupies occupies a gallery a gallery of of AmongAmong the the most most important important of theof the highlightshighlights the the divisive divisive nature nature of of AliceAlice Roullier Roullier take take the the helm helm as as ArtArt Institute Institute of Chicago. of Chicago. Exhibitions Exhibitions exhibitionsexhibitions arranged arranged at theat the Art Art avant-gardeavant-garde art art in the in theUnited United States. States. PresidentPresident and and Chair Chair of Exhibiof Exhibitionstions ChairChair Alice Alice Roullier Roullier works works with with InstituteInstitute was was North North America’s America’s first first EvenEven as Modernas Modern Art Art becomes becomes Committee,Committee, respectively. respectively. The The Arts Arts dealers,dealers, institutions, institutions, and and private private showshow to focusto focus solely solely on onPablo Pablo institutionalizedinstitutionalized with with the the first first ClubClub moves moves in toin newto new galleries galleries at at collectorscollectors to bringto bring exhibitionsby exhibitionsby Picasso’sPicasso’s drawings. drawings. The The Arts Arts Club Club PicassoPicasso hung hung in ain U.S. a U.S. museum, museum, 610610 S. MichiganS. Michigan Ave., Ave., designed designed by by Picasso,Picasso, Matisse, Matisse, Braques, Braques, startsstarts a Purchase a Purchase Fund Fund and and acquires acquires publicpublic outrage outrage at theat the affront affront on on ClubClub member member and and architect architect Arthur Arthur Laurencin,Laurencin, Chagall, Chagall, Rodin, Rodin, and and Picasso’sPicasso’sTêteTêtedeFemme de Femme as theas the classicalclassical ideals ideals culminates culminates in art in art Heun.Heun. more.more. Because Because The The Arts Arts Club Club inauguralinaugural work work in itsin itscollection. collection. studentsstudents burning burning Matisse’s Matisse’sBlueBlue exhibitionsexhibitions feature feature works works for for sale, sale, NudeNudein effigy.in effigy. In theIn the wake wake of thatof that theythey also also become become an an important important historichistoric moment, moment, Chicago’s Chicago’s cultural cultural sourcesource for for important important Chicago Chicago eliteelite meets meets at the at the Art Art Institute Institute of of collections.collections. ChicagoChicago to form to form a club a club devoted devoted to to avant-garde,avant-garde, international international art. art. The The ArtsArts Club Club opens opens in Thein The Fine Fine Arts Arts Building,Building, 410 410 S. Michigan S. Michigan Ave., Ave., in in 1916.1916. Founding Founding members members included included Mrs.Mrs. Potter Potter Palmer, Palmer, Mrs. Mrs. McGann, McGann, Mrs.Mrs. John John Winterbotham, Winterbotham, Mrs. Mrs. ArthurArthur Ryerson, Ryerson, Mrs. Mrs. Ray Ray Atherton, Atherton, andand others. others. FALLFALL 1917 1917 RenownedRenowned architect architect Frank Frank Lloyd Lloyd Wright,Wright, who who also also had had an an office office in thein the FineFine Arts Arts Building, Building, exhibits exhibits his his collectioncollection of Japaneseof Japaneseprints,prints, screens,screens, and and baskets, baskets, accompanied accompanied OneOne of Theof The Arts Arts Club’s Club’s galleries, galleries, 610 610 S. S. by bya catalogue a catalogue and and related related lecture. lecture. MichiganMichigan Ave., Ave., Chicago, Chicago, 1918/23. 1918/23. PabloPablo Picasso, Picasso,HeadHead of a of a TheThe Chicago Chicago Sunday Sunday Tribune’s Tribune’s DesignedDesigned by Arthur by Arthur Heun, Heun, William William WomanWoman (Tête (Tête de Femme) de Femme), 1922., 1922. LouiseLouise James James Bargelt Bargelt writes writes “The “The ErnestErnest Walke, Walke, and and Rue Rue Winterbotham Winterbotham RedRed and and black black chalk chalk with with chalk chalk collectioncollection of Japaneseof Japanese color color prints… prints… Carpenter.Carpenter. Photo: Photo: Frederick Frederick O. Bemm. O. Bemm. washwash on tan on tan laid laid paper, paper, laid laid is provingis proving to be to bequite quite as muchas much of a of a ArtsArts Club Club Papers, Papers, Newberry . Library. downdown on lightweight on lightweight Japanese Japanese charmercharmer as evenas even the themost most fervid fervid CoverCover of Original of Original paper;paper; 24 7⁄16 24 7⁄16 × 19 × in. 19 Collection in. Collection enthusiastenthusiast of thisof this uniquely uniquely oriental oriental DrawingsDrawings by Pablo by Pablo of Theof The Arts Arts Club Club of Chicago. of Chicago. branchbranch of artof artcould could possibly possibly desire. desire. PicassoPicassoexhibitionexhibition AgainstAgainst the the pastel pastel gold gold of theof the gallery gallery catalogue,catalogue, March March 1923. 1923. wallswalls these these prints prints stand stand out out in daringin daring ArtsArts Club Club Files. Files. colorcolor combinati combinations,ons, effecting effecting a a fairylikefairylike brightness brightness of hueof hue which which is is amazinglyamazingly different different from from any any exhibitionexhibition of westernof western art art ever ever seen.” seen.” NotableNotable exhibitions exhibitions from from this this early early periodperiod included included Post-, Post-Impressionism, PaintingsPaintings by by Joseph Joseph Stella, Stella, Oscar Oscar Bluemner,Bluemner, and and Jennings Jennings Tofel, Tofel, and and SculptureSculpture by byGaston Gaston Lachaise Lachaise and and StanislawStanislaw Szukalski. Szukalski.

[ [A CENTURYA CENTURY IN IMAGES:IN IMAGES: 100 100 YEAR YEAR ANNIVERSARY ANNIVERSARY // THE // THE ARTS ARTS CLUB CLUB OF OF CHICAGO CHICAGO|41|41] ] [ 42 | THE SEEN ]

1927 1930 1933 1936 organizes an The Arts Club hosts an exhibition of Alongside the “Century of Progress The Arts Club moves into its exhibition of work by Romanian portrait sculptures and drawings by Exposition” world’s fair held in quarters, opening artist Constantin Brancusi, the , initiating a long- Chicago 1933–34, The Arts Club with an exhibition of abstract art by artist’s first in the United States. lasting, important relationship hosts Special exhibition of Modern Naum Gabo, Antoine Pevsner, Piet From the exhibition, The Arts Club between the artist and The Arts Sculpture, featuring Archipenko, Mondrian, and Cesar Domela three acquires Golden Bird for $1,200. Club. 50 years later in 1981, Brancusi, Coubine, Degas, months before Alfred Barr, Jr.’s The sculpture becomes central to the Noguchi would deliver a Rue Shaw Duchamp-Villon, Epstein, Gargallo, Cubism and Abstract Art at MoMA. collection and later saves the Arts Memorial Lecture. Gerard, Kolbe, Lachaise, Laurent, Club from ruin when its sale to the Laurens, Lehmbruck, Loutchansky, 1939 Art Institute allows the Club to MARCH 1931 Maillol, Matisse, Modigliani, As part of the Spanish refugee purchase land for its current Bauhaus, Dessau, Germany, Noguchi, Picasso, Popelet, Rodin, campaign, the Arts Club exhibits headquarters. organized by Harvard Society of Zorach, and more. Picasso’s Guernica (1937, Contemporary Art is one of few Collection Reina Sofia, Madrid). Bauhaus exhibitions while the 1934 school is running. The exhibition Taking her first ever airplane trip, connected Chicago to the Bauhaus Gertrude Stein arrives in Chicago to and raised the Arts Club’s reputation promote her 1933 Autobiography of as “unparalleled in its progressive Alice B. Toklas. Gertrude tours the and intrepid attitude.” city with her partner Alice Toklas, signs books, and gives a lecture titled “The History of English Literature as I See It.”

The Arts Club’s main gallery, designed by Arthur Heun, Gilmer V. Black, and Elizabeth “Bobsy” Goodspeed, South Tower, Wrigley Building, 400 North Constantin Brancusi smoking a Michigan Avenue, 1937 cigarette, 1933. Inscribed “to Alice Roullier with much love, C. Brancusi.” Arts Club Papers, Newberry Library.

Cover of 1933 Century of Progress Exposition

Cover of Sculpture by Isamu Noguchi exhibition catalogue, 1930. Arts Club Papers, Newberry Library

Constantin Brancusi, Golden Bird, 1919/20. Bronze, stone, and wood; 86 x 11 3/4 x113/4 inches. Installation view at The Arts Club, c.1951. Arts Club Papers, Series 10, Newberry Library. [ A CENTURY IN IMAGES: 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY // THE ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO |43 ]

1941 1942 1945 1951 Rue Winterbotham Shaw, Alice John Cage directs a percussion Peggy Guggenheim organizes a The Arts Club opens a new building Roullier, and Arts Club member orchestra of eight musicians playing Jackson Pollock exhibition, marking at 109 E. Ontario St., designed by William Eisendrath commission “on kitchen utensils and washtubs.” the first exhibition of Pollock’s work Mies Van der Rohe. ’s Alexander Calder to create a stabile Among those attending is architect at The Club. Art Brut, his first exhibition in a for Arts Club’s octagonal sculpture . non-commercial space, opens this gallery. Red Petals remains on view historic space. Dubuffet begins an at the center of the Arts Club today. important relationship with Chicago and delivers his influential lecture “Anticultural Positions,” which gave indispensable validation to Monster Roster artists like Leon Golub, who was sitting in the audience. The talk articulated Dubuffet’s preference towards the “primitive” or unconscious mind over “Western” humanism or “Occidental culture.” “Painting now can illuminate the world with wonderful discoveries, can endow man with new myths and new mystics, and reveal, in infinite number, unsuspected aspects of things, and new values not yet perceived.” —Dubuffet From the left: unidentified, John Cage, Peggy Guggenheim and Jackson Pollock Rue Winterbotham Shaw, unidentified, in front of Pollock’s Mural, 1943. Xenia Cage, c. 1942. Arts Club Papers, 1958 © Photo: George Kargar. Newberry Library Chicago collector Joseph Randall Shapiro organizes the exhibition Surrealism Then and Now, thereby strengthening a foundation for the Monster Roster and Hairy Who. Shapiro became the Museum of Contemporary Art’s first president in Alexander Calder, Red Petals, 1942, 1967. photographed June 10, 1943. Plate steel, steel wire, sheet aluminum, 1960s soft-iron bolts, and aluminum paint, During the 1960s, as “Modern” h: 102 in. Collection of The Arts Club of Chicago. Photographed June 10, 1943. became the establishment, the Arts Club expands its mission. Exceptional music performances and lectures continue; notable exhibitions include the first Chicago shows of Balthus (1964), Marisol (1965), Robert Rauschenberg (1966), a MoMA-organized Victor Vasarely exhibition (1967) and Jean Dubuffet with his oil painting exhibition of sculptures by Louise Supervielle, Large Banner Portrait Nevelson (1968). at the Art Institute, December 1951, © Archives Foundation Dubuffet, Paris 1971 Second Talent exhibition by 19th and 20th century writers, including works by Goethe, Victor Hugo, Wyndham Lewis, and others. [ 44 | THE SEEN ]

1982 1993 1995 Exhibition Mies van der Rohe: Interior Spaces, “Fluxus Vivus” festival is organized by a group of The Arts Club is forced to move, as the 109 E. 1982, highlights the design work of the architect Chicagoans for the 30th anniversary of Fluxus. Ontario St. space designed by Mies van der Rohe so central to The Arts Club’s history. The Arts Club partnered with University of is demolished. “I well remember the 1995 at Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary exhibition of Richard Pettibone at the… space on 1989 Art, the Mary & Leigh Block Museum of Art, and Ontario Street, its final presentation in that Mies The Objects of Sculpture curated by the Art the School of the to designed interior. This selection perfectly Institute of Chicago’s Neal Benezra features celebrate the movement’s living, experimental concluded that chapter by this important, works by Vito Acconci, Joseph Beuys, Jeff spirit. “As far as I know, nothing like it has ever prescient Appropriation artist, whose work Koons, and Tony Tasset. been tried elsewhere. It was fantastic.” —Hannah consistently offers intelligence, invention and Higgins, Professor of Art History at UIC and grace. In that exhibition, Pettibone revisited the 1992 daughter of Fluxus artists Dick Higgins and modernism of art and design, integrating Brancusi John Cage returns to The Arts Club to direct a Alison Knowles (numerous smallish Endless Columns), Ezra public concert for the 75th anniversary. Pound (portraits and text) and Shaker designed furniture.” - Richard Rezac, Chicago artist and Arts Club member. 1998 With funds from selling Brancusi’s Golden Bird to the Art Institute, the Arts Club moves into new quarters at 201 E Ontario. designed by John Vinci to incorporate the salvaged Mies stair case without changing its proportions. Vinci later reflected on the design, “Several people have commented how the staircase becomes an art object within the space, like it’s an exhibition within a case.”

Installation view of Mies van der Rohe: Interior Spaces, 1982. Photo: Michael Tropea. Arts Club Papers, Newberry Library

Poster for “Fluxus Vivus,” 1993. Design: Thirst. Designers: Rick Valicenti and Mark Rattin. Arts Club Files.

Gallery area on the second floor of The Arts Club’s quarters, 109 E. Ontario St., designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Showing the floating staircase connecting to the entrance vestibule below on Ontario Street, 1959. Arts Club [ A CENTURY IN IMAGES: 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY // THE ARTS CLUB OF CHICAGO |45 ]

1990s and 2000s 2006 2011 Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the Club The Arts Club returns to its roots with an Andy Warhol brings to Chicago a large number of continues to exhibit internationally-renowned exhibition of Picabia’s drawings, held over 75 panels from Shadows, a work typically on view at artists and bring new artists to Chicago. As Anne years after Marcel Duchamp arranged the Club’s Dia:Beacon. Famed painter Kerry James Marshall Rorimer points out in her essay for the Centennial first Picabia exhibition and 70 years exactly after delivers a lecture to commemorate the occasion. catalogue, exhibitions by Yayoi Kusama (1997), another exhibition organized by Gertrude Stein. Wolfgang Laib (1998), James Lee Byars (1998), Another highlight from 2006 is Daniel Buren’s Mario Merz (2008), and others pushed the solo exhibition, in which he completely material and spatial definition of sculpture. transformed the quarters and infused color with Experimental installations continue with “in situ” Plexiglas panels in four colors. exhibitions like Daniel Buren (2006), Marcel Broodthaers’ Décor: A Conquest (XXth Century Room) (2008), Richard Deacon (2009), and Pedro Cabrita Reis (2015).

Installation view of Andy Warhol: Shadows, 2011. Photo: Michael Tropea.

Francis Picabia, This Thing is Made to Perpetuate my Installation view of Wolfgang Laib: You Will Go Memory, 1915, Collection of The Arts Club of Chicago Somewhere Else, January 21–April 4, 1998. Photo by Michael Tropea. Arts Club Papers, Newberry Library.

Installation view of Daniel Buren: Crossing Through the Colors, a work in situ, April 25–July 21, 2006. Photo by Michael Tropea.

Artist Yayoi Kusama with her exhibition Yayoi Kusama: Obsessional Vision, June 11–July 30, 1997. Photo: Michael Tropea, Arts Club files. [ 46 | THE SEEN ]

2011–12 2013 2015 Bertrand Goldberg: Reflections, installed and Josiah McElheny’s Two Clubs presents a glass Claire Pentecost presents “the force that through designed by John Vinci and Geoffrey Goldberg, box (built by John Vinci), with time periods the fossil drives utopia drives my greased age,”a intermixes the famed architect’s building, amalgamated by performers dressed in vintage 17-foot motor boat crashing into the frame of a furniture, fabrication, and jewelry designs attire in decades from the 1920s–70s. The geodesic dome, an example of the artist’s ongoing alongside his personal collection. installation creates hybrids of High Modernist investigation into climate change, natural resource periods and private vs. public space, reflecting use, and ecology. Pentecost’s project is part of a McElheny’s view of The Arts Club itself. new outdoor sculpture series, “Garden Projects,” To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Fluxus, which started“ to activate the corner with dynamic Alison Knowles hosts a night of performances installations… to further our mission to make art using sound and paper,. accessible to the city.” – Director Janine Mileaf 2016 As The Club celebrates its 100th anniversary, and President Helyn Goldenberg and Executive Director Janine Mileaf show no plans of slowing down. A new bar is under construction to reinvigorate cultural conversation exchange, and an extensive book with commissioned essays will be published this fall. Mileaf reflects: “The Arts Club centennial encompasses everything that we have stood for over the past 100 years— supporting the creation of new work; working across the disciplines of music, art, and performance; and, bringing challenging ideas both to our members and to the public.” On October 22, the Centennial will culminate with a day of artists’ talks and performance.

Installation view of Josiah McElheny: Two Clubs at The Arts Club of Chicago, September 17 – December 14. 2013. Photo by Michael Tropea.

Installation view of Bertrand Goldberg: Reflections, December 17, 2011 – February 8, 2012. Photo by Michael Tropea.

Installation view of Claire Pentecost: the force that through the fossil drives utopia drives my greased age. September 4–November 7, 2015.