Legacies: Selections from the Elmhurst Art Museum's Permanent Collection

Over time, the Museum has acquired a unique assortment of paintings, prints, sculptures and drawings with a concentration of late 20th Century American Art and Mid-Century Design. The exhibition delves into the connections between the artworks and the people who once owned them to present Legacies. Much of EAM’s collection is the result of personal relationships between artist, artwork, collector, and Museum. This exhibition draws these relationships into focus, inviting visitors to understand the artwork not just as an isolated piece, but as part of a larger, ongoing narrative that includes culture, history, and personal legacy.

Small installations presented across the galleries will feature a colorful array of artworks from the EAM collection while addressing the nature of collecting. How do collectors choose the works they put in their collection? Visitors can gain insight into what might have drawn certain collectors to types of works or specific artists.

Legacies will bring new focus to the collected works from the Broido Family, Greg Cameron, Cleve Carney, Stephen and Lola French, Eleanor King Hookham, and Casmir Sliwa, among others. The corresponding public program aims to address collecting practices in various disciplines and access to private collections, while inspiring agency for people to build collections. A unifying message present throughout the exhibition is: It takes a village to make an art museum collection.