Renaissance Society
The Renaissance Society, founded in 1915, is a leading independent contemporary art museum located on the campus of the University of Chicago, with a focus on the commissioning and production of new works by international artists. The kunsthalle-style institution typically presents four exhibitions each year, along with concerts, performances, screenings, readings, and lectures—all of which are free and open to the public. "The Ren" also produces publications in conjunction with many of its exhibitions.
For the Philadelphia-based Academic Society, see The Renaissance Society of America.Established
1915
5811 S. Ellis Ave. Chicago, IL 60637
Myriam Ben Salah
History[edit]
Early years[edit]
The Renaissance Society was founded in the wake of the Armory Show of 1913 at the Art Institute, which had travelled to Chicago after its contentious time in New York. Then called the International Exhibition of Modern Art, the show was met with outrage and incomprehension in New York, leading to a similarly fervent uproar when it traveled to Chicago. In the aftermath, it was clear that the city, and the American populace as a whole, were generally opposed to the post-impressionist, cubist, and futurist art that was presented.
The Society was founded shortly after in 1915. Member and secretary of the University of Chicago Board of Trustees, James Spencer Dickerson, felt it would be a nice to have particular portrait of poet Robert Browning in Harper Library, but there was no fund for such an acquisition. Consequently, he proposed an organization called “Friends of Art of the University of Chicago” which could provide said funding.[1] On April 20, 1915, ten professors of the university convened at the Quadrangle Club in an exploratory meeting; and subsequently, a larger meeting was held on June 3 in Harper Assembly Hall of Cobb Hall to garner broader support for this organization.[1] There, “a committee of five […] chaired by J. Laurence Laughlin, professor and head of the Department of Political Economy, was appointed to consider the organization of the art society and draft a constitution.”[1] The president of the University approved and worked to assist in the establishment of the society. However, it was not until April 24, 1916, that the next formal meeting was held in the Classics Building.[1] Twelve women and fourteen men voted to accept the constitution that was drafted by the committee. They then elected a president and an all-male executive committee. A further three women were added as vice presidents to rectify the gender imbalance.
The constitution ensured that the society would not become a collecting museum by stipulating that "all acquisitions of The Society, except money, shall become the property of the University of Chicago."[1] The document stated the mission:
Separation from the University[edit]
Having been established by professors as a part of the University of Chicago community, the Renaissance Society has always had its roots in the academic community. Formally, the institution is The Renaissance Society ‘at’ the University of Chicago, highlighting its unique autonomy as a separate entity. In 1974, after operating under deficit debts financed by the University, the Renaissance Society was cut off financially. The University erased its debt and let the Society remain in the space rent-free; however, all financial help and benefits were rescinded. As a result, the Society became an independent non-collecting museum located on the campus.