MCA: Commons Artist Project

The Commons Table. Nov 12, 219 – Mar 1, 2020

In this Commons Artist Project at the Museum of Contemporary Art, myself and collaborator in blkHaUS studios, Norman Teague, asked if understanding the stories of personal collections can transform the priorities of museums in forming their collections.

Over the course of the exhibition, we brought together Chicago community members and local museums. Through thoughtfully constructed interactive experiences we collated and assessed patterns of collecting, inviting audiences to share their personal objects and narratives around the modular artwork the Petal Table, focusing on key questions regarding collecting, archives, and museum practice. The Commons Table was structured as an open research model including four rotating exhibitions and five dinner discussions on topics related to collecting, community, and institutional practice. Each exhibition of The Commons Collection was preceded by a conversation that focused on a question we posed. Events took place at sites throughout Chicago and were facilitated by community members whose work is related to these topics. At the end of the project, we shared our findings with representatives from the MCA and other local museums to provide tools for museums to better reflect the communities with which they share space.

Organized by: MCA Curator January Parkos Arnall and former Assistant Curator Christy LeMaster.

Exhibition link | Brochure link