Carmen Neely Lecture | School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Tuesday, September 17

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. CDT

Fullerton Hall, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave

Carmen Neely, l'esprit de l'escalier, 2023, oil on linen, 84 x 144 inches. © Carmen Neely. Courtesy of Mariane Ibrahim (Chicago, Paris, Mexico City) Carmen Neely, l'esprit de l'escalier, 2023, oil on linen, 84 x 144 inches. © Carmen Neely. Courtesy of Mariane Ibrahim (Chicago, Paris, Mexico City)

Join us for a lecture by artist Carmen Neely followed by an audience Q & A.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m. Free and open to the public. Registration is not required. Explore the Visiting Artists Program homepage for visitor information, recordings of past events, and more.

Carmen Neely delves into semantics through her art. Rather than mere formal inquiries confined to the canvas, Neely sees the distinction between lines as a means of grappling with personal and inherited histories. Her paintings, characterized by vibrant strokes against soft backdrops, evoke catharsis. They reflect a continual process of renegotiation and reiteration, suggesting a journey toward inner peace. Each brushstroke embodies layers of identity, values, and memories spanning generations. Neely's expressive use of color and gesture speaks to the fluidity of these elements across time and place. Through her work, she navigates the complexities of interpretation, offering a vulnerable exploration of selfhood.

Neely holds a master in fine arts from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is included in the collections of the University of North Carolina in Charlotte and Plattsburgh State Museum of Art in New York. In September of 2023, Neely participated in a panel hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris with prominent artists Carrie Mae Weems and Glenn Ligon and Thelma Golden, director of the Studio Museum in Harlem. Most recently, Neely was included in the 50 Paintings exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Museum, curated by SAIC Crown Family Professor in Painting and Drawing Michelle Grabner. Her forthcoming solo exhibition at Mariane Ibrahim will open in Paris this Fall.

This event will be live captioned by Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services. The auditorium is wheelchair accessible and hearing assisted devices are available. For additional access requests, visit saic.edu/access.