Last week we had to say farewell to our valued colleague Julie Rodrigues-Widholm, who ended her 16-year tenure with the MCA to become the director of the DePaul Art Museum. Before Julie moved on to her new role, we ask her to share some her most memorable moments working at the MCA.

I.

In 2007, Pablo Helguera’s musical performance at the opening of Escultura Social and presentation of the “Panamerican Address of the People of Chicago,” Los Super Elegantes’ Dance Painting, and riding Pedro Reyes’s Leverage (a giant red see-saw in the galleries)

II.

In October 2005, live parrots in the galleries and dancing to samba music at the Tropicalia opening one week before having my first child

III.

Almost riding the elevator with Brad Pitt when he was here to see Lee Bontecou’s exhibition

IV.

Rashid Johnson throwing the first pitch at a Cubs Game and seeing “Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago” on the scoreboard

V.

The South Shore Drill Team performing as Cauleen Smith’s Solar Flare Arkestral Marching Band in the museum’s atrium with the TCA wearing her custom capes

VI.

Rudolf Stingel’s orange carpet painting covering the 4th-floor lobby as part of Francesco Bonami’s Universal Experience exhibition and Stingel covering up the walls of the atrium in foil during his solo exhibition

VII.

Jana Sterbak’s meat chair

VIII.

Meeting Ed Ruscha after his lecture with Dave Hickey

IX.

Watching Richard Tuttle install his exhibition in his magic way

X.

Visiting Doris Salcedo’s studio in Bogotá