SAIC Kicks Off Its 146th Year of Visiting Artists

Chicago, IL—The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), one of the nation’s leading art and design schools, announced its fall line-up of renowned visiting artists and scholars, a diverse group of makers and thinkers who will lead discussions on contemporary art and culture through public lectures, symposia, performances, and screenings. The visiting artists series, produced by SAIC’s Visiting Artists Program and Conversations at the Edge, respectively, kicks off on September 2 with a lecture by internationally recognized social practice artist and innovator, Theaster Gates.

Through the Visiting Artists Program lecture series and Conversations at the Edge screenings, students receive direct access to and engagement with leading artists and scholars working across a number of disciplines.

Visiting Artists Program

The Visiting Artists Program, founded in 1868, is one of the oldest public programs in Chicago. In addition to bringing some of the leading artistic voices to SAIC, the program plays a critical role in informing the curriculum by arranging studio critiques and roundtable discussions with students, providing them with direct access to world-renowned speakers working across disciplines.

Launching on September 2, the fall season is led by Gates, SAIC’s Bill and Stephanie Sick Visiting Artist and a full professor in the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Chicago. He is known for his innovative social projects on the South Side of Chicago, including Dorchester Projects and the Black Cinema House.

“Learning outside of the classroom and through real-world examples is critically important to the development of our students and equally as important as the theories taught within our walls,” said Andrea Green, Director of SAIC’s Visiting Artists Program. “SAIC’s visiting artists, designers, and scholars are some of the most influential voices of their time and the education and mentorship they bring to our students and the public is invaluable.”

Additional artists include prolific Swedish artist, Henrik Håkansson who uses methods of observation, collection, and categorization to create work that examines our relation to nature; award-winning designer, entrepreneur, and TED Fellow, Anab Jain; curator Irene Hofmann; critic Claire Bishop and curator Claire Doherty; post-conceptual digital artist Wade Guyton with art historian Susan Tallman; and Lewis Hyde, acclaimed poet, essayist, and cultural critic who will deliver the keynote at SAIC’s A Lived Practice Symposium.

Conversations at the Edge

Conversations at the Edge is organized by the Department of Film, Video, New Media and Animation in collaboration with SAIC’s Gene Siskel Film Center and Video Data Bank. Started in 2001, the weekly program offers attendees the opportunity to engage one-on-one with some of the most compelling contemporary media artists.

The fall season kicks off on September 18 with artist and animator Jonathan Monaghan’s presentation of his latest works on video, including the science fiction inspired shorts Mothership, 2013, and Alien Fanfare, 2014. Through glossy animated videos, virtual environments, and 3D printing, Monaghan seamlessly melds imagery from art history, mainstream video games, and contemporary advertising.

“Media art is the contemporary art of our time and through Conversations at the Edge, we are proud to bring in influential media artists to share their work as we host active discussions on dynamic and deep understandings of how and why media art gets made, and its impact beyond the screen,” said Jon Cates, Chair of the Department of Film, Video, New Media and Animation at SAIC. “Our students and public audiences are able to engage with the artists and the art works directly in a very unique, intimate setting at Chicago’s premier venue, the Gene Siskel Film Center.”

Additional artists and programs include noted Chinese artist Cao Fei who uses documentary and virtual reality to explore Chinese culture today; filmmaker Mati Diop, whose film A Thousand Suns (Mille soleils) continues to travel the international film festival circuit; award-winning Chicago pop-noir filmmaker, Jennifer Reeder; 2013 Jarman Award winner, John Smith who presents a selection from his 40-year career; multi-disciplinary artist and queer activist Carlos Motta; Andrew Lampert, a filmmaker and performance artist whose works have been featured in film festivals and museums around the world; a retrospective program on the late Chicago video pioneer Anda Korsts; and a program of films by Tom Rubnitz, David Wojnarowicz, and Tommy Turner who scathingly satirized mainstream American iconography during the Culture Wars of the 1980s.

Program Schedule: Visiting Artists Program

All presentations are free and open to the public and begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.

Program Schedule: Conversations at the Edge

All presentations are ticketed and open to the public. All presentations take place at SAIC’s Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State Street and begin promptly at 6:00 p.m.

About the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

A leader in educating artists, designers, and scholars since 1866, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) offers nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees and post-baccalaureate programs to more than 3,200 students from around the globe. SAIC also provides adults, high school students, and children with the opportunity to flourish in a variety of courses, workshops, certificate programs, and camps through its Continuing Studies program. Located in the heart of Chicago, SAIC has an educational philosophy built upon an interdisciplinary approach to art and design, giving students unparalleled opportunities to develop their creative and critical abilities, while working with renowned faculty who include many of the leading practitioners in their fields. SAIC’s resources include the Art Institute of Chicago and its new Modern Wing; numerous special collections and programming venues provide students with exceptional exhibitions, screenings, lectures, and performances. For more information, please visit saic.edu.

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