The Elmhurst Ar t Museum - i4design visits this suburban “gem.”

TAKE A RARE Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed home, move it a few blocks over to a lovely public park in suburban Elmhurst, Illinois. Add on gallery spaces and fill them with mid- to late- 20th Century art, and what do you get? “A gem,” says Stephanie Grow, acting executive director of the Elmhurst Art Museum.

The EAM, which opened its doors in 1997, draws about 35,000 to 40,000 visitors a year – mostly from near, some from far. Yes, many come to see the Mies’ house, originally designed as a suburban retreat for Chicago real estate developer, Robert H. McCormick. But visitors also can view an eclectic array of changing art and architecture shows, spotlighting everything from the works of the Zhou Brothers and Cat Chow to the museum’s recent Glass and Steel exhibit, which featured vintage Knoll furniture, Higgins Glass mobiles, Haeger pottery and more. We recently talked with Grow about this west suburban cultural haven.

i4: What is the EAM’s mission?

SG: Our mission is to present art with a local or regional focus. And we want to create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere in which to view that art. Due to the [Mies] house and the museum’s architecture, our focus tends to be on mid-century modern art.

i4: How has the museum, which started as local foundation, grown/changed over the years?

SG: There’s always been a focus on bringing quality art to the community. Now we’re able to do more significant shows. [Grow cites the 2004 Zhou Brothers show as one example.] Our partnerships, which have included the Chicago Cultural Center and the National Portrait Gallery, have grown stronger and better. The size and caliber of the shows are always increasing and moving forward. In 2004, we had three new acquisitions. Here we have two pages worth [pointing to a recent annual report].

i4: What is the museum’s reputation?

SG: It’s considered a unique, cool space that people don’t expect to find here.

i4: Who is your typical museumgoer?

SG: Our exhibits are always changing, so every exhibit brings a new visitor to our museum. We’ve had people come from as far as Japan and Germany. But most are local from DuPage and Cook Counties.

i4: Does the EAM face any challenges?

SG: Yes. Not everyone is used to looking at the work we display. Someone may ask “Why is that significant? It looks like something my kid can paint.” We want people to feel comfortable asking those questions. As a museum, you always want to educate, and that should be your first priority.

i4: Describe your (current/upcoming) exhibit? [Note: the new Cleve Carney show starts 10/4]

SG: The show is “Contemporary Works from the Cleve Carney Collection.” [Carney is an EAM board member]. First, it will tell the story of how he became a collector. The exhibit also will show how somebody actually lives with his collection.The third part will feature recent acquisitions. There will be works by Ed Paschke, Jim Nutt, Tony Fitzpatrick and others.

i4: The EAM is about 16 miles west of downtown Chicago. Why should people make the trek to Elmhurst?

SG: I think people will find exhibits normally not found elsewhere. We’re easy to get to and not insanely crowded. You can really look, think and respond to the work you are seeing.

The EAM is located at 150 Cottage Hill Ave., 630-834-0202.
For hours, admission fees and directions go to
www.elmhurstartmuseum.org

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