Still from RenBen 2022, Conceived by Piero Golia. Photograph by Adriana Glaviano.
The Renaissance Society is currently closed to the public. We will reopen on Saturday, September 12th with a solo exhibition by Karimah Ashadu.
In the meantime, view recent artist talks, lectures, and performances available online, and explore recent books, editions, and merch.
We look forward to welcoming visitors when our 2026-27 season commences this September. Thank you.
Pan Daijing, Performance still, Dead Time Blue at Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, Germany, 2020. Commissioned by Martin-Gropius-Bau. Photo by Dzhovani Gospodinov.
New York, NY – Foundation for Contemporary Arts (FCA) is pleased to announce the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago (the “Ren”) is the 2026 recipient of the Ellsworth Kelly Award, a $45,000 annual grant from FCA to support a solo exhibition for a contemporary artist. The award will support the 2027 exhibition of the work of Berlin-based multidisciplinary artist Pan Daijing (b....
Palomar (Part 2), 2026, installation view. Photo by Robert Chase Heishman for Bob.
The Renaissance Society will be closed Saturday, July 4th, in observation of Independence Day. Regular gallery hours resume Sunday, July 5th.
Palomar (Part 2) is on view until July 12th.
The Renaissance Society is honored to have been selected to receive an award through the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, a grantmaking program established by the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation in collaboration with Environment & Culture Partners to catalyze climate action in the visual arts.
The grant supports A Sustainable Future for the Renaissance Society: Assessing Energy and Building...
The Obama Presidential Center will host its grand opening weekend from June 19–21, 2026, following a private dedication ceremony on June 18.
The Renaissance Society will remain open during regular hours (with the exception of June 19), but road closures will be ongoing throughout Hyde Park during this time. Please find detailed maps and information regarding closures here.
Palomar (Part 2)...
Leah Ke Yi Zheng, Change, I Ching (64 Paintings), 2026, installation view. Photo by Robert Chase Heishman for Bob.
The Renaissance Society will be closed Friday, January 23rd due to extreme cold.
Leah Ke Yi Zheng: Change, I Ching (64 Paintings) is on view until April 12th.
Maurizio Cattelan, photo by Alberto Zanetti.
The Renaissance Society is thrilled to announce that artist Maurizio Cattelan will conceive and orchestrate RenBen 2026, taking place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during Chicago’s EXPO Art Week.
Known for his provocative and darkly humorous approach to contemporary art, Cattelan has spent four decades creating works that spark conversation, to say the least. From his infamous solid gold...
The Renaissance Society is pleased to announce that Executive Director and Chief Curator, Myriam Ben Salah, has been selected by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (TIFF) to serve as curator of the 66th edition’s special tribute program, titled Plot Twist Beyond Sixth Sense, set to take place October 30 through November 9, 2025.
The Ren’s Student Committee is an active group of both undergraduate and graduate students who are enthusiastic about contemporary art and excited to engage closely with the Ren and its program. Students in all fields of study, from any academic institution in the Chicago area, are encouraged to apply.
Committee activities begin with a kick-off event on Thursday, October 16 and extend through...
CHICAGO, IL - We are thrilled to announce that the Renaissance Society has received a Teiger Foundation grant supporting three years of programming. We are among 85 curators and 54 institutions across the United States to receive a grant as part of the Foundation’s Call for Proposals.
The grant program advances innovative curatorial practice in contemporary art, supporting projects beyond...
