Materialities Exhibition

The Richard H. Driehaus Musseum

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum is currently hosting “A Tale of Today: Materialities,” an expansive contemporary art exhibition running through April 27, 2025. This exhibition invites fourteen Midwest-based artists and collectives to select materials from the museum’s historic Samuel M. Nickerson Mansion, research their histories, and create site-specific installations. These works aim to uncover hidden cultural, historical, and ecological networks, connecting the mansion’s fabric to distant shores, traditions, and ideologies.

Rebecca Beachy

Curated by Dr. Giovanni Aloi, the exhibition features artists such as Rebecca Beachy, Jonas Becker, Olivia Block, Barbara Cooper, Richard Hunt, Industry of the Ordinary, Beth Lipman, Luftwerk, Dakota Mace, Bobbie Meier, Laleh Motlagh, Ebony G. Patterson, Jefferson Pinder, and Edra Soto. Their works utilize natural materials like glass, wood, and paper, linking these elements with the historical context of each gallery within the Nickerson Mansion.

Ebony G. Patterson

The Driehaus Museum, located at 50 East Erie Street in Chicago, is renowned for exploring the art, architecture, and design of the late 19th century, with a focus on the Gilded Age. The “Materialities” exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience the mansion’s architectural richness through contemporary art that bridges the past and present.