Let’s be honest: When people think of museums, they picture silent galleries filled with paintings and artifacts where you could probably hear a pin drop. The most common visitors are most likely tour groups, the art-enthused and the occasional college student – not exactly the ideal place for a family with young children to visit on a Saturday afternoon.
While The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., usually does fall under the category of your typical museum, their not-so-typical exhibit “Faces, Places and Inner Spaces” offers an interactive and innovative way to view art that anyone, regardless of age, can enjoy.
Made up of 11 works of art from various cultures and regions, this unique exhibition provides audio and visual aspects as well as games and learning. Information also comes via computers that allow visitors several new perspectives on art and reveal the meaning behind each piece.
The title of the exhibit can be broken down into three separate explanations.
“Faces” displays how artists from around the world portray themselves and others and is an avenue to help promote understanding of their cultures.
“Places” represents the domestic environment and scenes of nature and society which are used to make people more aware of everyday life.
“Inner Spaces” pertains to thoughts and imagination, spiritual subjects in art and even the creative process itself. Combined, the three definitions create a fun, original way of learning about various kinds of art.
“Not only can you look, but you can also participate,” says Leslie Baum, class coordinator for the Art Institute. “It’s a great thing for families. The whole point is for kids to have fun and be engaged while parents learn as well.”
Before entering the family-friendly exhibit, visitors are greeted by the sight of Richard Snyder’s Cabinet of Four Wishes, a piece of furniture art whose shape is reminiscent of a genie bottle. This isn’t a coincidence; Snyder based this work on a story that suggests the cabinet is magical and grants wishes with powers found within each of its four drawers. The barrier surrounding the cabinet provides information and asks, “What would you wish for?”
Upon entering the brightly-colored room, one of the first things visitors see is a 3-D re-creation, plastic turkey and all, of Thanksgiving, a canvas painting by Doris Lee. The original painting is brought to life through tangible pieces that mirror the scene in the actual painting.
Another interactive part of the exhibit is based on a color woodblock print by Katsukawa Shunsho that portrays Kabuki, a form of Japanese theater. The area is complete with a small stage, Kabuki masks, and kimonos for children to try on and pieces of factual information about the ancient form of acting.
Chicago native Ayesha Karim, along with her daughter Camilla, says the latter part of the exhibit was one of their favorites.
“It’s very interesting how they try to connect different cultures through activities for the children to do,” Karim says.
While some parts of the exhibit are geared to entertain children, others provide more educational information about the art that adults can appreciate and contemplate. The wild and bright art of Karl Wirsum, which is inspired by the blues music of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, is surrounded by multiple questions that provoke the viewer to think about the artist’s interpretation of sound in its physical representation.
A self-portrait of painter Archibald J. Motley, Jr. is also on display, with computers that allow visitors to find out more about the artist and explore Motley’s color choices and their affects on the mood of the painting. Motley’s work makes connections to the African-based art in the exhibit: His family moved to Chicago from New Orleans in the 1890s, when the Great Migration brought hundreds of African families to the area.
“There is a lot more information than I expected,” says Mamerta Marin, a visitor from Iowa. “Some is not meant for the children, but for adults. I like how they’ve tied together different portraits and images in different ways.”
Yet there are several parts of the exhibition that are meant for any age, such as a sandstone carving of the Hindu Elephant God, Ganesha. A Peruvian ceramic vessel – created by a Nazca artist 2,000 years ago and decorated with a fish, feline and human figure – is surrounded by interactive pieces and flash cards that are used to help break down the art to make it more understandable to both children and adults.
“The educational areas work well in connecting the art,” Marin says. “Anyone can enjoy this exhibit.”
The Art Institute of Chicago is open 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The suggested admission fee is $12 for adults and $7 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is free on Tuesdays. “Faces, Places, and Inner Spaces” is an open-end exhibition.
Medill sophomore Dani Garcia is a PLAY writer. She can be reached at [email protected].
