The Long Dream

Artists help us see our world more clearly. What aspects, which might have gone ignored in the past, can they help us see now?

Against the backdrop of a global pandemic and a renewed reckoning over racial justice and inequality, The Long Dream invites visitors to see the city of Chicago, the world, and themselves, through the eyes of more than 70 local artists whose work offers us ways to imagine a more equitable and interconnected world.

Named after the 1958 novel by socially committed author Richard Wright, The Long Dream brings together work by both emerging and established Chicago artists, and includes painting, performance, sculpture, video, and sound art. The exhibition extends beyond the gallery walls into the digital space, culminating in a live arts event in January where artists from across the exhibition will share their work.

The Long Dream is organized collectively by the Artistic Division, which includes the museum's curatorial, learning, and content teams. It is presented in the Griffin Galleries of Contemporary Art on the museum's fourth floor.