Virgil Abloh's 'Figures of Speech' at MCA Chicago Blurs Art and Commerce
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is showcasing 'Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech', a retrospective celebrating the work of Virgil Abloh, the founder of Off-White and creative director for Louis Vuitton menswear. This exhibition also extends to satellite venues, including a Nike store that features shredded sneakers and the Louis Vuitton flagship, which showcases garments inspired by Africa and Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech. Inside the MCA, visitors can purchase Off-White items at the 'Pro Shop'. The display includes works in collaboration with artists such as Jenny Holzer, Arthur Jafa, and John Baldessari, along with a triptych by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin. The exhibition will be open until September 29, 2019.
Key facts
- Virgil Abloh's 'Figures of Speech' is at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago until September 29, 2019.
- Abloh studied architecture and worked with Kanye West before founding Off-White and directing Louis Vuitton menswear.
- Satellite locations include a Nike store on Michigan Avenue with shredded sneakers and a Louis Vuitton flagship with Africa-embroidered garments.
- The 'Pro Shop' inside the MCA, called 'Church & State', sells Off-White merchandise and furniture.
- Abloh designed custom blue Nike Air Force 1s for museum security.
- The exhibition features collaborations with Jenny Holzer, Arthur Jafa, and John Baldessari.
- A triptych by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin shows a Black child with Louis Vuitton objects.
- 16 yellow markers on the floor reference the 16 shots that killed Laquan McDonald in 2014.
- A UN letter reprimands Abloh for using its logo on DJ flyers.
- Designer Raf Simons criticized Off-White as 'nothing', prompting Abloh's 'Nothing New' collection.
- IKEA collaborations are displayed in a tornado-like assemblage.
Entities
Artists
- Virgil Abloh
- Kanye West
- Jenny Holzer
- Arthur Jafa
- John Baldessari
- Inez Van Lamsweerde
- Vinoodh Matadin
- Devon Turnbull
- Juergen Teller
- Raf Simons
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Laquan McDonald
Institutions
- Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- Nike
- Louis Vuitton
- Off-White
- IKEA
- Supreme
- Rimowa
- United Nations
- Ortigia Sound System
- Pioneer
Locations
- Chicago
- Rockford
- Michigan Avenue
- London
- Siracusa
- United States