Chicago as Catalyst: Immigrant Communities Nourish Self-Taught Artists

Immigration and the immigrant experience had a profound effect on artists who began or expanded self-taught practices upon arriving in Chicago. The first to open in Intuit’s newly-renovated museum, this exhibition includes lesser-known and reexamines better-known self-taught artists through the lens of immigrant experience. Artists include Carlos Barberena (Nicaragua), María Enríquez de Allen (Mexico), Tae Kwon “Thomas” Kong (North Korea/South Korea), Aldobrando “Aldo” Piacenza (Italy), Pauline Simon (Russia), Genya “Jennie” Siporin (Poland), Drossos Skyllas (Greece), Bronislaw “Bruno” Sowa (Poland), Stanisław “Stanley” Szwarc (Poland), Charles Warner (Poland/then Prussia), Derek Webster (Honduras/Belize) and Badaskhan Zakoian (Armenia), among others. 

Identity and artistic practice are explored in the context of the many cultures of Chicago and the city’s sites for exhibition and community exchange. The wide range of subjects and artistic styles reflects how artists were processing their distinct cultural traditions and memories, and how those traditions and memories intersect with the everyday experiences of living far from their homelands. Themes include longing for homeland, labor and individual expression, and tendencies toward assimilation—subjects examined through the lens of the aftermath of immigration and the power of art to humanize and bear witness to historical events. While spotlighting more than ten artists (rather than a chronological survey), the narrative centers on recognition of their work for some of these artists in the second half of the 20th century, investigates the opportunities for artists leading up to this time, and concludes by highlighting the importance of immigration issues today. 

Please note: Exhibition dates are tentative and subject to change.