Mere steps inside the Steve McQueen exhibition you'll realize this is a completely different sort of show for the Art Institute of Chicago.
For one, the exhibition space is mainly dark - and vast. The first work is Static, McQueen's 2009 film which consists of a swirling shot of the Statute of Liberty. You can imitate the circling movements of the film by moving around the large two-sided rectangular screen.
Further in you'll pass a close-up of an eye bathed in red light, called Charlotte, after the British actress Charlotte Rampling. In another room three of McQueen's better known installations come together in a wide triangular structure: Bear (1993), Five Easy Pieces (1995) and Just Above My Head (1996).
In fact the entire space has been sculpted to present McQueen's work, including the construction of a series of small dark screening rooms that are accessed long passages with padded walls.
Every fall has its trends, and Chicago is no exception. In fashion, nail art, fur hats and fancy denim are all the rage. In pop culture, people are talking about the return of two beloved icons, Big Bird and MySpace. And in art? It’s all about the sculpture.
She's currently on a public speaking tour called "A State of the Union Conversation," which comes to Chicago's Harris Theatre this Tuesday night. In our brief interview, she discussed the state of Fashion Week, her penchant for elitism and view of American politics.
