Rewind: 1970s to 1990s Works from the MCA Collection

About

During its 40-year history, the MCA has distinguished itself with groundbreaking exhibitions that have contributed substantially to the evolving history of contemporary art. These exhibitions have, in turn, stimulated the museum and its supporters to acquire important and often numerous pieces by these artists. A resulting hallmark of the MCA Collection is the presence of significant, in-depth bodies of work by artists. By displaying several examples of an artist’s work, visitors can gain a better understanding of their working process and development of ideas over the span of several years.

Rewind presents concentrations of work by artists whom the MCA has collected in depth, or whose pieces in the collection are definitive examples of their singular aesthetic. Showcasing key artists of the last 40 years whose work has been and continues to be defining to international contemporary art underscores the MCA's role as a leader in and incubator of artistic innovation.

Rewind focuses on works from these particular decades to show how the groundbreaking work from the recent past is only now becoming historicized for its critical take on art institutions, identity politics, and new approaches to video and photography in the late-20th century. It includes works by Vito Acconci, Richard Artschwager, Matthew Barney, Alfredo Jaar, Mike Kelley, Sharon Lockhart, Richard Long, Richard Prince, Lorna Simpson, Tony Tasset, and Gillian Wearing.

Featured prominently in this exhibition, Chicago Mud Circle by British sculptor Richard Long is on view to the public for the first time in 10 years. This work exemplifies Long's use of local materials in his paintings and sculptures as a way to bring elements of nature into the gallery. Created in 1996, Chicago Mud Circle has been concealed behind a temporary wall in one of our fourth-floor galleries for the past decade.

This exhibition is organized by Julie Rodrigues Widholm, Pamela Alper Associate Curator.