Mr. Imagination exhibit at Intuit named one of 10 best in the United States

Photo courtesy Intuit.

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art's Welcome to the World of Mr. Imagination exhibit was recognized as one of the 10 best exhibits in the United States in 2015 by Hyperallergic, an online art forum with global reach.

In the article awarding Intuit the eighth spot on the list, Hyperallergic contributor Benjamin Sutton captures the spirit of the exhibit with the line: "Amid all the staffs, thrones, busts, talismans, and religious figures, one felt truly immersed in an alternate universe of boundless optimism and constant celebration-yet not without its share of hardship and pain." 

Welcome to the World of Mr. Imagination was originally scheduled to be on view at Intuit Jan. 9-April 25, 2015, and then extended through May 24, 2015, due to the exhibit's popularity. Curated by Martha Henry, this exhibition was the first Chicago retrospective since the death of the artist known as Mr. Imagination (Gregory Warmack, 1948-2012), whose career spanned more than 30 years. Chicago was Mr. Imagination's hometown and where he developed and matured as an artist. The diverse collection surveyed the nationally-recognized artist's career, incorporating sculptures, furniture, accessories and his signature bottle cap pieces.

"Mr. Imagination was a messenger who preached that the power of art can transform lives and transcend adversity," notes Henry. "I am gratified that Intuit supported my vision of bringing to life Mr. Imagination's extraordinary world where art and artist were inseparable." 

Photo of Mr. Imagination by Kelly Ludwig.

Established in 1991, Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art is the only nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated solely to presenting self-taught and outsider art-with world class exhibitions; resources for scholars and students; a collection of more than 1,100 works of art; the Henry Darger Room Collection; the Robert A. Roth Study Center, a non-circulating collection with a primary focus in the fields of outsider and contemporary self-taught art; and educational programming for people of all interest levels and backgrounds.

SPACES readers can view images of work by Mr. Imagination by photographer Kelly Ludwig in our Online Collection HERE. If you are interested in contributing your own images, ephemera, or writing to SPACES Archives regarding this artist and his site, you may submit them HERE.