Renzo Piano's Modern Wing Opens at Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago inaugurated its new Modern Wing, designed by Renzo Piano, adding nearly 25,000 square meters and increasing the museum's size by about a third. The wing faces Millennium Park and is connected via a pedestrian bridge. Piano's design features a floating canopy called the 'flying carpet' and a glass-roofed entrance hall named Griffin Court. The wing houses reorganized modern and contemporary collections curated by Douglas Druick and James Rondeau, respectively. Druick's installation follows a traditional narrative from Parisian avant-gardes to New York, while Rondeau's includes works by Joan Mitchell, Gerhard Richter, and Kerry James Marshall. The expansion cost $412 million, with $294 million for construction. Critics have noted that only 6,000 of the 25,000 square meters are dedicated to exhibitions, with the rest for education, dining, and retail. Admission rose from $12 to $18. The museum's endowment reportedly dropped 27% before the financial crisis, raising questions about sustainability.