Surrealist Art at the Art Institute of Chicago
Museum Overview
The Art Institute of Chicago is located in South
Michigan Avenue, Chicago. It was founded in 1879 as both a school and a museum.
At the Institute one can see works of art of the highest quality. There are works
of art representing the world's diverse artistic traditions and cultures spreading
across a time-span of 5000 years. Over the years the Institute has grown and expanded
as more and more art collections arrived at the museum to be shared with the general
public. The school's graduate program is considered to be one of the best art programs
in the country.
There is something at the Institute for everyone including children who can discover,
explore and enjoy art through art-making activities, exhibitions, self-guides and
more.
There is a self-service café available on the lower level near the Columbus Drive
entrance which is open daily between 11.00 am and 4.00 pm.
Plan Your Visit
The Art Institute of Chicago is open from Monday to Wednesday from 10.30am to 5.00
pm, on Thursday and Friday from 10.30 am till 8.00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday
from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. Admission for adults costs $14. There are some concessions
available for students and seniors (from age 65) and children under 14 years get
free admission to the Institute.
Hotel Rooms in Chicago can be booked at
ChicagoHotels.org. Recommended hotels near the museum are the
Renaissance Hotel Chicago or the
Burnham Hotel Chicago. If you are on a lower budget,
try the
Congress Plaza Chicago.
Surrealist Art at the Art Institute of Chicago
This famous collection of surrealist art was assembled by Chicago philanthropists
Lindy and Edwin A. Bergman. The collection includes 118 works, some of which are
drawings, some paintings and some sculptures. The Art Institute of Chicago is very
proud of its surrealist collection. There are many surrealist art lovers in Chicago.
Surrealist art is art that is produced as a result of artistic creativity which
has been influenced by the unconscious mind.
Thirty-two artists are represented in this collection including Salvador Dali, Pablo
Picasso, Leonora Carrington and Jean Arp. A highlight of the collection is a group
of thirty-eight boxes and collages by Joseph Cornell. Other highlights are Magritte's
"Banquet", Picabia's "Women with Matchsticks", Ernst's "The Garden Airplane Trap"
and Claude Cahun's incredibly rare and inventive "Object" (1936) which the Art Institute
of Chicago was extremely pleased to acquire in 2007. The "Object" focuses on the
typical surrealist fascination with sight and touch featuring a fully exposed eye
mounted next to a grasping hand. A cloud-shaped piece of wood lies on the eye and
dark hair gathers loosely on the orb in sharp contrast to the stiff eyelashes. The
entire sculpture is attached to a piece of wood with a reference from the French
national anthem. The new acquisition was deliberately and very effectively placed
amongst other outstanding surrealist works of art which focus on the same theme
of sight and touch.
The other works include a painting of a woman's blue eye by Magritte and there is
also a very similar grasping hand called "Puericulture" by Man Ray. Through the
different styles and materials used the collection allows the public to see how
similar yet distinctive surrealist art can be.