ART INSTITUTE — In an effort to retreat into deep contemplation about goals and the future, the Art Institute of Chicago is closing through the end of 2020 in order to think up a really awesome New Year’s Resolution.
The museum, which has been open in a limited capacity since this summer, is taking its shutdown seriously. “This is a historic decision, based on historic times in our city,” said curator Anne Marcus, 45. “If anyone is disappointed, know that we did not make this choice lightly. This is the result of many talks with many experts, all of whom said the same thing: you need to shut down and get cracking on your resolution brainstorming.”
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The museum’s resolution last year, a weak “exercise more,” fizzled out in only a week. Other years have involved goals centered around cooking more or getting off social media, with mixed results. “Getting the Buddha statues off social was, randomly, super difficult,” added Marcus. “You think they’d be above it, but wow, those Instagram algorithms really work!”
“We haven’t taken this as seriously as we could have in past years, but 2020’s been a wake-up call that this should be a priority,” Marcus went on. “If we’re not focusing on how we can be a better museum come January first, why be open to the public at all?”
Shutting their doors doesn’t mean a lack of activity within the historic building, however. “We’re doing all-staff meetings daily to come up with resolutions,” said gift shop associate Carlie Jeong, 23. “Everyone has to meet under Nighthawks at noon with thirty idea outlines, and then we hash it out from there. It’s like, wow. What can’t art do! I’m learning a lot about how to push all the paintings and sculptures and textile hangings to be their best selves, individually and as a collective.”
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“It’s hard to motivate the whole museum to come together under just one resolution,” said Marcus, in the midst of trying to illuminate an O’Keefe on the benefits of intermittent fasting. “Everyone has different tastes, so it can be quite the balancing act.” The rare unified front came from the lower level Thorne miniature rooms, which all shared the common aspiration to get larger, an unpopular choice elsewhere. Still, everyone in the museum remains confident that the extra time put into this process will result in a resolution everyone can benefit from.
Despite their rigorous preparations for the end of December 2020, incoming missives confirmed other institutions such as the Shedd are also shutting down to focus on their resolutions. “Other places on the museum campus are doing the same thing,” noted Marcus. “I guess they’re following our lead. I hope they don’t copy my resolution idea of the Art Institute doing 50 push-ups a day, though.”
