Two New Exhibitions Explore Chicago's Comics Legacy
WDCB’s Gary Zidek visits the Chicago Cultural Center’s and the Museum of Contemporary Art’s new comics exhibitions.
LISTEN
“There’s a lot of DNA in the comics of today that comes directly from Chicago, and it can take you back into the 1880s, although you wouldn’t think it goes back that far. But Chicago’s got its finger in the pie with the comics in a lot of different ways.” - Tim Samuelson, Cultural Historian Emeritus for the City of Chicago
(left) Tim Samuelson, Cultural Historian Emeritus for the City of Chicago & (right) world renowned comic artist & exhibition curator Chris Ware
Chicago’s connection to the world of comics is getting front page treatment in not one, but two exhibitions this summer.
The city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events is presenting CHICAGO: WHERE COMICS CAME TO LIFE (1880 – 1960) at the Cultural Center. And CHICAGO COMICS: 1960 TO NOW is currently on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
CHICAGO: WHERE COMICS CAME TO LIFE (1880 – 1960) is at the Chicago Cultural Center, located on the fourth floor in the Sidney Yates gallery. The maze-like exhibit isn’t organized chronologically, instead inviting visitors to start their journeys at one of a number of entry points. The exhibit offers a great introduction to the city’s early relationship with comics, which was fueled in large part by Chicago’s newspaper publishers.
After making their way though CHICAGO: WHERE COMICS CAME TO LIFE, visitors can head a mile north to continue their journey learning about the evolution of comics by visiting the Museum of Contemporary Art’s CHICAGO COMICS: 1960s TO NOW.
CHICAGO COMICS: 1960s TO NOW sheds light on the local evolution of the artform. It also celebrates some of the world’s most well known Chicago-connected cartoonists, work from over 40 artists is on display, including a selection of pieces created specifically for the exhibit. While we think of comics as two-dimensional, laying flat on a page, the exhibit creates aesthetic depth, comic panel-like windows on the gallery walls allow visitors to see what lies ahead and there’s a variety of three-dimensional works on display.
The Chris Ware designed gallery space in CHICAGO COMICS: 1960s TO NOW
“I also hope that people come away with the thought that comics are part of contemporary art, that it can really hold its own in a contemporary art context. And that it deserves the same kind of respect, corresponding infrastructure and scholarship as contemporary art.” - CHICAGO COMICS: 1960s TO NOW curator Dan Nadel talking about changing perceptions of comics.
CHICAGO COMICS: 1960s TO NOW is on display now through October 3 at the MCA. You can find more information here. And CHICAGO: WHERE COMICS CAME TO LIFE (1880 – 1960) will be up at the Cultural Center through October 3. Go here for more details.
Chris Ware sculpture on display as part of CHICAGO COMICS: 1960s TO NOW at MCA
