This summer, the Art Institute of Chicago will present Contemporary Drawings from the Stenn
Family Collection, an ambitious exhibition that brings together five decades of groundbreaking
modern and contemporary works on paper. The show runs from June 28 to September 15,
2025, and represents one of the most comprehensive displays of 20th-century drawings recently
donated to the museum.
The exhibition, curated by Mark Pascale, the Janet and Craig Duchossois Curator of Prints and
Drawings, in collaboration with Felipe Villada Ruiz, senior research associate, features
approximately 80 drawings. These works reflect a wide range of artistic movements, including
Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism, Post-Minimalism, and global avant-garde
practices.
Among the notable artists represented are Joseph Albers, Sol LeWitt, Barry Le Va, and
Kazmir Malevich, alongside works by Lyubov Popova, Leon Ferrari, and Hélio Oiticica—
marking the exhibition as not only diverse in style but international in scope.
“The show, highlighting this expansive gift, offers visitors a window into 20th-century art and
gives them an opportunity to experience the work of pioneering artists in the primary act of
drawing,” Pascale said.
The story of this collection begins in 1971, when Irving Stenn Jr., a Chicago-based lawyer, and
his wife began collecting art to complement their renovated Lincoln Park home. With no formal
background in the arts, the couple’s shared passion soon turned into a lifelong commitment to
collecting, particularly focused on post-WWII works. Following his wife’s passing in 1999,
Stenn deepened his engagement with drawings—guided by curators from the Art Institute—and
expanded his holdings to over 200 works on paper.
The current exhibition celebrates the Stenn family’s landmark 2023 donation of 100 prints
and drawings, considered one of the most significant gifts in the Art Institute’s recent history. In
total, the Stenns have contributed more than 200 works, including paintings and sculptures,
over the past 20 years.
“A true labor of love,” said Sarah Stenn, reflecting on her father’s passion for 20th-century
drawing and his close relationship with the museum’s curatorial team. “Our family is especially
thrilled that this gift will provide visitors with the opportunity to see and experience the Stenn
Family Collection for the first time.”
The exhibit stands not only as a tribute to a passionate collector but also as a vital resource for
anyone interested in the evolution of drawing as a powerful mode of artistic expression. The Art
Institute invites the public to explore this exceptional body of work—and the history behind it—
this summer.
