Mission & Values 101
The Art Institute of Chicago aims to share its unique collections not just locally, but on this broader scale.
What is "with our city and the world"?
This popular celebration involves building altars and remembering loved ones who have passed away.
What is Día de los Muertos?
From Chinese bronzes to intricate Indian miniatures, this AIC collection showcasing thousands of years of cultural evolution across the world's largest continent.
What is "The Arts of Asia"?
This primary medium for painting, made by suspending pigment in oil, dries slowly allowing artists to blend colors on the canvas.
What is oil paint?
Accompanied by guitars, handclaps, and castanets, this Spanish dance is known for its rapid footwork and dramatic poses.
What is Flamenco?
The Art Institute is more than a place for art; it is a place for this, where ideas are exchanged.
What is "a place of gathering"?
She's a Supreme Court Justice, the first Latina to hold the position, appointed in 2009.
Who is "Sonia Sotomayor"?
Among the treasures of the Art Institute, you can find pieces inspired by this golden age of African American music, literature, and art, named after a district in Manhattan.
What is the Harlem Renaissance?
Derived from the Latin word for "lime," this hard, white material was commonly used in ancient Greek and Roman sculptures.
What is marble?
This ancient Chinese practice, which involves arranging living spaces harmoniously, has influenced modern interior design.
What is Feng Shui?
One of the values states that the arts are not just for pleasure, but also pivotal for this kind of society.
What is "an inspired and just society"?
This muralist, married to Frida Kahlo, depicted Mexican history and society in large frescoes on public buildings in Mexico and the United States.
Who is "Diego Rivera"?
The Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute encapsulate diverse interior designs from various regions, including this country known for its Edo period.
What is Japan?
This fragile material, made from silkworm threads and often painted with intricate designs, has been a significant part of Chinese and Japanese art.
What is silk?
Bridging the gap between ancient oral traditions and modern urban expression, this form of poetry is not just written but also passionately performed.
What is Slam Poetry or Spoken Word?
Visitors, supporters, and staff at the Art Institute should feel a culture of these three emotions, ranging from understanding to thankfulness.
What are "hospitality, empathy, and gratitude"?
This Spanish artist is known for his cubist style and works like "Guernica".
Who is Pablo Picasso?
This powerful Mesoamerican empire, highlighted in the Arts of the Americas collection, ruled much of present-day Mexico in the 14th to 16th centuries.
Who are the Aztecs?
Before paper became widely available in Europe, many illuminated manuscripts were written on this thin material made from animal skin.
What is parchment or vellum?
This intricate decorative art, traditionally from South Asia, uses a paste made from powdered leaves and is often applied to the hands and feet of brides.
What is Mehndi or Henna?
In its mission, the Art Institute doesn't just passively exhibit art but engages in these three active processes, from acquisition to elucidation.
What are "collect, care for, and interpret"?
A form of traditional Hispanic folk art, this type of carved and painted wood creature has been part of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection.
What are "alebrijes"?
This artist, whose work "Boxer" is a featured at the Art Institute, played a significant role in 20th-century African American art with his bronze sculptures.
Richmond Barthé
This fiber art technique involves tying areas of cloth to create patterns when dyeing, and has roots in several ancient civilizations including India, Japan, and Africa.
What is tie-dye or shibori?
The evolution of this cultural cloth, which originated among the Akan people of Ghana, can now be seen in the stoles worn during African-American graduation ceremonies.
What is Kente cloth?