Between the record-breaking attendance at its Takashi Murakami exhibit and the opening of its new in-house restaurant Marisol, 2017 has already been a banner year for the Museum of Contemporary Art. The MCA will continue to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a free, weekend-long event on October 21 and 22, dubbed MCA Hearts Chicago.
In addition to celebrating the museum’s anniversary, MCA Hearts Chicago will also mark the opening of a newly revamped space called the Commons, which will provide a place for visitors to relax, read and engage in other forms of art. Local artist Edra Soto will activate the space with a site-specific project called Open 24 Hours, encouraging visitors to increase their civic engagement with interactive writing stations and workshops.
The weekend will also mark the opening of a new anniversary exhibition called “You Are Here,” collecting works from contemporary artists such as Pierre Huyghe, Jasper Johns, Ana Mendieta, Shirin Neshat, Huang Yong Ping, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, and Jeff Koons.
Numerous special guests will be stopping by the MCA on Saturday, October 21 to pay tribute to its influence, including Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, Chicago Tribune theater critic Chris Jones, fashion boutique owner Ikram Goldman, theater actor and director Cheryl Lynn Bruce and local musician Jamila Woods. Saturday evening will culminate with a museum-wide event presented in collaboration with Slo ’Mo organizers No Small Plans Productions, featuring craft beer and food in the museum’s sculpture garden; DJ sets by CumbiaSazo!; and live performances by Kaycee Ortiz, theMIND and Lupe Fiasco. (You’ll be able to reserve a free ticket for the evening party on Wednesday, October 18 at noon via the MCA box office.)
On Sunday, October 22, MCA curators will look back on the museum’s past through a series of exhibits, talks and activations. Chicago artist Alberto Aguilar is organizing an exhibition of furniture that has been used in past MCA exhibitions while artist Brendan Fernandes presents a dance-based performance piece called Art by Snapchat throughout the museum.
As if free museum days didn’t already showcase how much the MCA loves Chicago, this free weekend-long event demonstrates how big the institution’s heart truly is.