Annual Report, 2009 - Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

MCA is up to (and when). As 2009 folded into 2010, we ceased thinking about
the internet in terms of having a “web presence”—a static and quickly outdated
mode of thinking—and began integrating technology into everything we do to
enable people to stay current—and thoughtful—through contemporary art.
Helping us to make everything happen, from the development of new, fruitful
partnerships and the implementation of big ideas to fresh paint and cleaner
limestone, was our ever-dedicated Board of Trustees. I’m delighted to report
that Mary Ittelson has joined our new leadership team as Chair of the Board of
Trustees. Mary’s relationship to the MCA is deep and ongoing, from her work
as Associate Director in the late 1980s through her involvement as a consultant
and then a trustee, to her role today. She knows the art world and the MCA well,
and her regard for both is so clear and true, that I am fortunate to have her as
my partner.
An artist creates, and in the instant the viewer sees, the creative process does not
close a loop; but rather breaks open into a new process of interpretation, consideration,
and appreciation.
Enticing a citizenry of artists and art appreciators, a new work of art evolves
through every experience it engenders, into new thoughts, new actions, and new
ways of being in the world. In this sense the MCA is a center for the new that
will become the lasting, and a place for both immersion and interaction. While
the artworks and performances on view may fluctuate in materials, mood, and
meaning, we consistently present them as catalysts for better understanding
each other, our times, and ourselves. But alongside this steadfast commitment,
exciting changes are coming to the MCA. I thank our wonderful trustees and
sta¤ for their intelligence, energy, and dedication as we make our vision real.
Madeleine Grynsztejn
Pritzker Director
letter from the pritzker director 9