Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

Join us for music, free snacks, free zines, free buttons, free admission (for 18 and under), and more! December 17, 2PM - 4PM! The Teen Creative Agency at the MCA is celebrating 11 years (and counting) of DIY publications by teens! This event showcases the original artwork, activism, and social practice of Chicago-area youth, as captured in zine form. Members come together at the MCA from all over the Chicagoland area to meet and engage with contemporary artists and their work. TCA collaboratively creates public responses to relevant contemporary issues and highlights teen ideas and perspectives in the museum space. In doing so, TCA builds relationships alongside other cultural institutions, organizations, and professionals in Chicago’s vibrant art scene. For this year’s Zine Fest, we are excited to welcome our community partners to our celebration. Special thanks to the following: @chuquimarca.projects @broadwayyouthcenter @zinemercado (@oscararriola & More! This event is curated and produced by members of the Teen Creative Agency—a group of young people ages 15 to 19 from all over the Chicagoland area who meet weekly at the museum to view and engage with contemporary artists and their work, guided by Lead Artists Olive Stefanski and Miguel Limon. TCA is assisted by Ahmad Bracey, Manager of School, Youth, and Communities.

"Forecast Form: Art in the Caribbean Diaspora, 1990s–Today" opens in just one week on November 19! Come view an exhibition that uses the concept of weather and its constantly changing forms as a metaphor to analyze artistic practices connected to the Caribbean, understanding the region as a bellwether for our rapidly shifting times. "Black Bullets," by Jeannette Ehlers (@jeannetteehlers ), features a procession of Black figures who are reflected across the horizon line of a silvery sky as if mirrored by water. As these figures waft across the screen in a trancelike ritual, they gradually merge with their reflections, morphing into black bullets before eventually dissolving. The video envisions the mobilization of Black bodies as weapons of resistance, honoring the spirit of revolt that characterizes the roots of Haitian history. View "Black Bullets" in person at the opening of "Forecast Form: Art in the Caribbean Diaspora, 1990s–Today" on November 19. Become an MCA Member and see it one day early on November 18 at the Member's Preview. Jeannette Ehlers (@jeannetteehlers ) Black Bullets, 2012 Single-channel projection 4 minutes, 33 seconds Sound: Trevor Mathison; Technical Assistance: Markus von Platen; Camera: Jette Ellgaard & Jeannette Ehlers Private collection

"I'm thinking about how in the performance the Electric Slide as a shared choreography becomes a microcosm to explore all of the pieces of being in community." On September 16, Bimbola Akinbola @bimbolamakes presents a seven-hour Electric Slide marathon as part of #ChicagoPerforms . Get to know Akinbola and more about the participatory "You Gotta Know It: a durational moving meditation on (Black) collectivity, labor, and joy." Tap the link in our bio for more info and tickets.

"I make performance because I feel like it's a way to be seen . . . I think it's important to be witnessed in who you are." Covering what performance in Chicago is, and how she goes about constructing a performance, learn more about artist Erin Kilmurray @e__kilmurray who presents "the Function" as part of #ChicagoPerforms on September 15 & 16. Tap the link in our bio to get tickets and see the full schedule. Video: @sovereignstaterecordings Motion: @andrewkwittler Design: @jonathan_sangster

#ChicagoPerforms arrives at the MCA September 15 and 16! Get to know the 3 artists behind this two-day event, Bimbola Akinbola @bimbolamakes , Erin Kilmurray @e__kilmurray , and Derek Lee McPhatter @dmacpnumber1 . We'll be sharing more about the artists and their work in the coming weeks, but don't miss out on getting tickets to #ChicagoPerforms now, tap the link in our bio to get book tickets. Video: @sovereignstaterecordings Motion: @andrewkwittler Design: @jonathan_sangster

There’s still time to enjoy summer at the MCA! Two Tuesdays on the Terrace concerts remain, tomorrow enjoy @blackdiamondchi and on August 30 @juniuspaulmusic closes out our 2022 season. Walk-up tickets are always available day-of performance; tap the link in our bio to learn more.

Exploring fact, fiction, and the gray area between, "Based on a True Story . . ." closes this weekend after August 14. Former TCA apprentice Ángelina Cofer had the opportunity to sit down with artist Wendy Red Star to discuss her work in the exhibition "The Last Thanks," (shown in this video, and a detail as this video cover image) that was recently acquired by the MCA.

Drop by the @soarfarmersmarket today whether it’s a quick errand or a leisurely stroll—market goes until 2 pm. The MCA is open until 9 pm tonight, and free for IL residents. Stay for the free live jazz during Tuesdays on the Terrace, walk-up tickets are available later today.

Nick Cave's mesmerizing installation “Spinner Forest” is made from thousands of metallic garden ornaments, commonly seen in yards across the United States. The colorful forest of spinning discs might at first appear celebratory, with some spinners embellished with images of peace signs and smiley faces. However, like much of Cave's work, the jubilant scene contains darker truths. Some of the custom spinners feature imagery referencing violence such as guns, bullets, and teardrops. Cave's use of these images serves as both a call for increased awareness of ongoing issues that affect an entire city as well as for greater empathy across neighborhoods and imagined borders

Joshua takes us for a visit around his Southern California Studio . Shows us a look into the MCA collection consisting of Fine Art Prints , His Cone Sculptures , Converse Chuck Taylors , Puzzles and more !

Multidisciplinary artist Hebru Brantley provides a peek into his creative process in this virtual event moderated by Gibran Villalobos, MCA Assistant Curator.

A member of the Hairy Who with an iconic style all his own, and an influence on generations of artists, we remember the life and legacy of Karl Wirsum today, who just passed away at age 81. We hope you'll enjoy this 1983 interview with Wirsum from the MCA archives, filmed in his studio.