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The urgency of our mission—to celebrate the power of outsider art—has heightened. Intuit reaffirms our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We pivoted from creating intimate, on-site experiences to opening our virtual doors to the country and world with new, online programs. Now, for the first time, Intuit will host a virtual Visionary Ball gala!
INSTRUCTIONS TO PARTICIPATE: Before Thursday, October 1, donate to the fundraiser and bid on silent auction items at bidpal.net/intuit. Donations received before the livestream event will be recognized during the livestream event on October 1. At 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET; 5 p.m. PT) on Thursday, October 1, attend the virtual program by clicking on the livestream event link you’ll receive in an email that week. Continue to donate as you feel inspired! Participate in your personal After-Party Breakout Room via Zoom when the livestream event concludes around 7:45 p.m. Click on the Zoom link invitation in your event link email to join your assigned host.
LETTER FROM OUR CHAIRS Dear Intuit Friends, Welcome to Visionary Ball 2020! We are honored to co-chair this year’s gala, celebrating Intuit’s 29th and most resilient year. This was a year of unprecedented times for Intuit. In March, COVID-19 forced the museum to temporarily close its physical space. We had to rethink how we’d deliver Intuit’s signature intimate, personalized art experiences. It was unclear if and how the IntuiTeens Summer Youth Program participants would learn about outsider art and make their mark on the city. And Intuit’s significant exhibition of the year, Outsider Art: The Collection of Victor F. Keen had only been experienced by audiences for a few short weeks. However, Intuit proved its reputation as one of the country’s strongest and mightiest “small” museums. Outsider art virtual learning events successfully transitioned to the web, engaging audiences around the country and the world in this special genre. (Outsider art is defined by Intuit as art created by artists motivated by their personal vision and demonstrating little influence from the mainstream art world).
Fifteen young IntuiTeens (three more than is typical!) were mentored over five weeks virtually. 100% of Intuit’s staff remained employed. And Victor Keen kindly granted his exhibition an extension at Intuit through January 3, 2021, with additional support from Janet and Craig Duchossois, so all who want to experience it have an opportunity. Visionary Ball 2020 is also dedicated to celebrating this year’s Visionary Awardee, Lonnie Holley. Mr. Holley demonstrates a lifetime of outstanding work in the field of outsider art through his incredible contributions to the fields of art and music. Please consider making a donation and bidding on silent auction items. All proceeds directly benefit the exhibitions, virtual learning events and educational outreach that champion outsider art and the voices of these artists. Thank you for your commitment to incredible and inspiring outsider art programming!
Stacy Wells, Co-Chair
Michelle Woods, Co-Chair
MOBILE BIDDING Making a donation is easy right from your smartphone or computer. • • • •
Go to bidpal.net/intuit. Click on the Donate Now button. Choose your amount or enter a custom amount. Confirm your donation. You may be prompted to enter a credit card at this time, if you did not provide one at registration.
Your generosity supports transformational in-person and virtual programs and events that celebrate the power of outsider art for audiences of all backgrounds. Thank you! How to use OneCause mobile bidding: Use your smartphone to start bidding on items now. How do I find items? Go to bidpal.net/intuit. You can find items by pressing any one of the buttons on the main menu or by using the search bar to find a specific item or category. How do I bid on an item? Find an item Select it
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Can OneCause automatically bid for me? After submitting a bid, you will be prompted to set a Max Bid. When you’ve been outbid, OneCause will automatically bid on your behalf up to the Max Bid amount you set using the bid increments provided. Was I outbid? You’ll receive a text message when you’ve been outbid. Or navigate to Your Activity to check the status of your bids. Questions? Contact 312.624.9487 or claire@art.org Bid often and high!
SPONSORS Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Angie Mills
Debra Kerr and Steve Thompson
Gold Sponsors Ashley and Mike Joyce Victor F. Keen
Jan Petry Robert A. Roth JoAnn Seagren and Scott H. Lang
CURRENT EXHIBITIONS
Martín Ramírez. Untitled (Trains and Tunnels), c. 1960, 17×78 in. Copyright Estate of Martín Ramírez. Collection of Victor F. Keen.
OUTSIDER ART: THE COLLECTION OF VICTOR F. KEEN On view through January 3, 2021 Victor F. Keen’s premier collection of outsider art is comprised of the works of more than 41 artists, including Martin Ramirez, James Castle, Lee Godie, Bill Traylor, George Widener and William Hawkins. This exhibition showcases the genre’s masters and offers an accompanying catalog, Outsider & Vernacular Art. Organized by Victor F. Keen and Bethany Mission Gallery in partnership with Sangre de Cristo Arts Center (Pueblo, Colo.) and Intuit. Additional support for this exhibition was provided by Janet and Craig Duchossois. Schedule your timed-ticket entry to Intuit today at www.art.org
INTUIT OUTSIDER ART MEMBER TRAVEL TOUR: AMSTERDAM The Netherlands and Belgium, Spring 2021 Assuming COVID has receded, Intuit plans an April 2021 visit to the tulips of the Netherlands and Intuit’s exhibition, Chicago Calling: Art Against the Flow, at the Outsider Art Museum, Amsterdam, part of the Hermitage. As usual on these expeditions, Intuit will be welcomed into behind-the-scenes museum spaces, visit outsider environments, and meet with knowledgeable scholars and curators with insight on the field—as well as free time to explore new cities. Museums, studios and environments planned include the Dolhuys Museum of the Mind, KrollerMüller Museum, Museum Dr. Guislain, Art et Marge, James Ensor Museum, CEC La Hesse, Tower of Eben-Ezer and much more, with options for the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank’s House and others. Our hubs will be Amsterdam and Ghent, with day trips to nearby sites.
Joseph Yoakum. The Mounds of Pleasure/on JA Brimms Farm Near Walnut Grove…, 1970. 15.7 × 11.75 in. Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection.
CHICAGO CALLING: ART AGAINST THE FLOW Currently touring in Lausanne, Switzerland Chicago Calling: Art Against the Flow explores Chicago’s history of robust recognition and acceptance of self-taught art and artists through the works of 10 Chicago artists: Henry Darger, William Dawson, Lee Godie, Mr. Imagination, Aldo Piacenza, Pauline Simon, Drossos Skyllas, Dr. Charles Smith, Wesley Willis and Joseph Yoakum. Chicago Calling: Art Against the Flow is part of Art Design Chicago, an exploration of Chicago’s art and design legacy, an initiative of the Terra Foundation for American Art with presenting partner The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Chicago Calling: Art Against the Flow is funded by the Terra Foundation for American Art and The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
FEATURED AUCTION ITEMS Visit bidpal.net/intuit to bid!
SANDRO MILLER FRAMED PRINT AND BOOKS This incredible package includes a framed print Irving Penn/ Pablo Picasso, Cannes, France (1957), 2014, from the series, Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich: Homage to Photographic Masters, by internationally-acclaimed photographer Sandro Miller, and two beautiful photo books. Sandro Miller (American, b. 1958) is a Chicago-based photographer with 30-plus years’ experience. Having photographed in Chicago since he was 16, he is one of today’s most respected commercial and fine art photographers. Gift of Sandro Miller.
EUGENE VON BRUENCHENHEIN, UNTITLED Undated. Gelatin silver print, 2.75 × 4.5 in. Gift of Lewis and Jean Greenblatt in memory of Caelan Mys.
A bakery worker by day, Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (American, 1910-1983) created thousands of art works, including photographs, sculptures made from poultry bones, concrete masks, musical instruments, ceramics and paintings. In 1939, Von Bruenchenhein met Eveline Kalke at the Wisconsin State Fair, and they married in 1943. “Marie,” the name with which he anointed her, became his constant muse, collaborating with him in staging hundreds of passionate and provocative, yet, frequently playful, pinup-like photographs. Gift of Lewis Greenblatt.
DWIGHT MACKINTOSH, UNTITLED
1989. Mixed media on paper, 22 × 14 in.
Dwight Mackintosh (American, 1906-1999), like many outsider artists, didn’t begin his artistic career until later in life, when, in his case, the decision was made in 1978 to move him out of institutional life into the care of his brother. Remembering Dwight’s early interest in art, Earl Mackintosh took Dwight to the Creative Growth Art Center in Oakland. There, a new life opened up for Dwight Mackintosh, where drawing became a compulsion, and he concentrated on his work for hours and hours. People were his primary subject, and he created works combining images and writing. Gift of Carl Hammer Gallery.
ABOUT INTUIT
Founded in 1991, Intuit is one of the world’s premier museums of outsider art, made by artists who are self-taught with little influence from the mainstream art world. Each year, the museum’s exhibitions, outreach, events, publications, website and social media impact more than 80,000 people. Intuit’s vital programs include our exhibitions, the Teacher Fellowship Program and the IntuiTeens Summer Youth Internships. Furthermore, Intuit continues to engage outsider art audiences with our publication The Outsider and various programs aimed at youth and adults like Art After Work, which feature artists, scholars, authors, filmmakers, storytelling, poetry, music, dance and collaborations with service organizations.
2019-2020 Teacher Fellows participated in five learning sessions with Intuit education staff (seen in Intuit’s recent exhibition, Jerry’s Map).
Programs are built around each year’s exhibitions, typically 3-5 significant exhibits featuring work by outsider and self-taught artists. This year, Intuit offers Outsider Art: The Collection of Victor F. Keen, showcasing a rich variety of artworks from 37 artists.
The IntuiTeens Summer Youth Program takes place at Intuit June-August each summer and is intended to sustain long-term arts and civic engagement of teenagers, particularly those in underserved communities.
ABOUT THE SPECIAL GUESTS Lonnie Holley
Visionary Awardee
Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, “born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity” (lonnieholley.com), has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, performance and sound. Holley’s sculptures are constructed from found materials in the oldest tradition of African American sculpture. Objects, already imbued with cultural and artistic metaphor, are combined into narrative sculptures that commemorate places, people and events. In 2007, Holley was Intuit’s first artist in residence, and he is the second artist (the other was Mr. Imagination, 2009) to be named for this award. Intuit is pleased to honor Lonnie Holley at this year’s Visionary Ball with the Visionary Award, given to those who have made outstanding contributions to the field of outsider art.
Michelle Woods
Visionary Ball C0-Chair Michelle Woods is a lifelong Chicago resident who graduated from DePaul University with a degree in Urban Studies and French. She began a career in public service with the City of Chicago more than 25 years ago. She has been the project manager for the popular Chicago Riverwalk since 2002 and continues to develop this public amenity, creating opportunities for small, minority- and womenowned businesses reflective of the cultural diversity of the City of Chicago. Michelle serves on Intuit’s board.
Stacy Wells
Visionary Ball C0-Chair Stacy Wells works at the World Wildlife Fund. Previously, she worked in the banking industry for many years, including, most recently, as a senior vice president regional manager for Wells Fargo in the not-for-profit healthcare industry sector. She serves on Intuit’s board and has served on the board for Spark Ventures, which works to lift communities out of poverty. Stacy’s husband is sculptor Rick Farrell.
Leisa Rundquist
Guest Speaker
Leisa Rundquist is an art historian, professor and curator who specializes in the fields of modern, contemporary and selftaught art. She holds a Ph.D. in art history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently serves as a professor and university curator of art at UNC Asheville. Leisa’s research speaks to the intersections of childhood, religious piety, gender and race in the art of Henry Darger. New directions in her scholarship explore curatorial strategies that construct the representation of marginalized artists and their artistic practices, specifically those categorized as self-taught and “outsider.” Photo credit: Perry Hebard
Gary Metzner
Auctioneer
Gary Metzner is a senior vice president of Sotheby’s and its head of office for the Midwest. He joined Sotheby’s in 1997 after working as the director of fine art for Leslie Hindman Auctioneers since 1993. Previous to that, he was director of Hokin Kaufman Gallery in Chicago. Gary is a generalist in paintings, prints and sculptures from Old Masters to Contemporary painting. He can be seen on Chubb’s Antique Roadshow on PBS and appeared weekly on the Home and Garden Television programs At the Auction and The Appraisal Fair and participates in Heirloom Discovery Days across the country.
Debra Kerr
President and CEO Deb comes to Intuit from a 17-year career at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, where she held progressively responsible positions, including executive vice president from 1999-2010. She is a past board member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and past chair and instructor for its Professional Development Committee and management courses. She is a frequent guest speaker on issues related to museum relevance, teen empowerment and activating the public for social good.
FOUNDATION SPONSORS Intuit thanks the following for their generous operations and program support:
THE CROWN FAMILY
LEADERSHIP Ball Chairs Stacy Wells Michelle Woods Board of Directors Tracy Holmes, President Patrick Blackburn Rich Bowen Tim Bruce Robert Burnier Cheri Eisenberg Marjorie Freed Rob Grossett Ashley Joyce Scott Lang Rob Lentz Deiken Maloney Bonnie McGrath Elizabeth Nelson Benedicta Badia Nordenstahl Jan Petry Tynnetta Qaiyim Phyllis Rabineau Twisha Shah-Brandenburg Jerry Stefl Michael Sullivan Bill Swislow David Syrek David Walega Stacy Wells Cleo Wilson Michelle Woods Zachary Wirsum Dana Boutin, ex-officio representing Intuit’s Young Professionals Board Adam Blake Wolford, Board Fellow, Northwestern Kellogg School of Management
Host Committee Ralph Concepcion Susann Craig Tracy Holmes Ashley Joyce Elizabeth Nelson Twisha Shah-Brandenburg Steve Thompson Cleo Wilson Vivian Society Kevin Cole Ralph Concepcion Susann Craig Harriet Finkelstein Carl Hammer Eugenie Johnson Ann Nathan Robert A. Roth Judy Saslow Lisa Stone Strategic Advisory Council Scott Lang, Chair Susan Baerwald Michelle Boone Russell Bowman Janet Duchossois Josh Feldstein John Jerit Victor Keen Ashley Smither Langley John Maizels Frank Maresca Douglas Robson Leslie Umberger
Staff Debra Kerr, President and CEO Alison Amick Julie Blake Teddy Braziunas Christophe Delaunay Claire Fassnacht Colin Jesse Paula Santos Christina Stavros Lindsey Wurz Interns Anna Ferguson, Administration and Development Nura Husseini, Design Noah Manalo, Videography Joshua Willis, Administration Program Music: Alex Yoffe Design: Nura Husseini
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Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art 756 N Milwaukee Ave. Chicago, IL 60642 www.art.org
Lonnie Holley (American, b. 1950). Working on Milwaukee Ave., 2007. Mixed media, 28 x 14 x 14 in. Collection of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, gift of the artist, 2007.7.2. Photo © John Faier