About
Born in Chicago in 1940, Gladys Nilsson is celebrated for her exuberant, intricately detailed paintings and watercolors populated by long-limbed figures caught in humorous, surreal, and deeply human moments. A founding member of Chicago’s legendary Hairy Who in the 1960s, Nilsson helped redefine contemporary figurative art with a distinctive visual language that embraces wit, fantasy, and extraordinary technical skill. Although early critics often characterized her work as the most “feminine” of the group’s output, Nilsson has consistently challenged and subverted those assumptions through an inventive practice that spans watercolor, painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, and mixed media.
Organized by Francesca Wilmott, Ph.D., Curator at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California, this major exhibition brings together significant works from across Nilsson’s remarkable career. Enriched by major loans from MMoCA’s unparalleled collection of Chicago Imagism, the exhibition offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to experience the breadth of Nilsson’s artistic practice while gaining a deeper understanding of her central role in the movement that made Chicago one of the most vital centers of postwar American art.
Support
This exhibition is made possible through the generous lead support of Mark and Judy Bednar, with additional support from Garth Greenan Gallery and MMoCA members.