The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Presents Ann Toebbe's Latest Collages & Paintings

Written by Catherine Irvine Saturday, 08 October 2011 00:34

Chicago, IL.- The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is pleased to present the last in the series of UBS 12 x 12 exhibitions, "New Artists/New Works: Ann Toebbe", on view from October 8th through October 30th. Toebbe's meticulously detailed paintings, collages, and drawings comprise a fascinating world of domestic interiors reconstructed from memory and depicted from multiple viewpoints. Her three new large-scale works made of painted paper—The Doctor's Wife, The Grocer's Wife, and The Photo Engraver's Wife—are based on conversations with her mother, mother-in-law, and step-mother-in-law that centered on fond memories of their childhood kitchens and the difficulties of being a wife and mother in the 1940s and 50s. With these works, the artist considers the role of women as homemakers and the ongoing centrality of the kitchen within domestic life.

Chicago artist Ann Toebbe’s latest collage paintings were inspired by her husband's grandmother, Mary Bard's 1949 book 'The Doctor Wears Three Faces' about the expectations and isolation of being a doctor's wife, which was made into the movie 'Mother Didn’t Tell Me'. Herself a mother of two, Toebbe began thinking about the role of women within the home, then and now, and the ongoing centrality of the kitchen within domestic life. Comprised of three large-scale collage paintings made of individually cut and painted pieces of paper - The Doctor’s Wife (7 x 10 ft), The Grocer’s Wife (6 x 8 ft) and the Photo-Engraver's Wife (6 x 8 ft) - Toebbe's exhibit is based on conversations she had with her mother, mother-in-law and step-mother-in law centered on fond memories of their childhood kitchens, and the difficulties of being married and a mother in the 1940s and 50s. They each wrote a short text and made a drawing describing their mother’s kitchen, which Toebbe uses as the basis of her paintings. Her vivid visions of domestic spaces bring to life often overlooked details of the environments of  daily life, which become the cornerstone of memories. They also reflect issues of class difference and a shared material culture. The disorienting, flattened perspective derives from her study of Russian icon painting, Cubism, and folk art. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Toebbe received a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and her MFA from Yale University, and now resides in Chicago. Toebbe’s work has been shown in solo and group exhibitions in Chicago, New York, Boston, Cincinnati, and San Francisco, among others.


One of the nation's largest facilities devoted to the art of our time, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) offers exhibitions of the most thought-provoking art created since 1945. The MCA documents contemporary visual culture through painting, sculpture, photography, video and film, and performance. Located in the heart of downtown Chicago, the MCA boasts a gift store, bookstore, restaurant, 300-seat theater, and a terraced sculpture garden with a great view of Lake Michigan. The mission of the MCA is to be an innovative and compelling center of contemporary art where the public can directly experience the work and ideas of living artists, and understand the historical, social, and cultural context of the art of our time. The Museum boldly interweaves exhibitions, performances, collections, and educational programs to excite, challenge, and illuminate our visitors and to provide insight into the creative process. The MCA aspires to engage a broad and diverse audience, create a sense of community and be a place for contemplation, stimulation, and discussion about contemporary art and culture. The Museum of Contemporary Art Collection has outstanding examples of visual art from 1945 to the present with a strong focus on surrealism, minimalism, conceptual photography, and work by Chicago-based artists. At the time of its opening, the Museum claimed 7,000 objects, including works by Marcel Duchamp, Bruce Nauman, and Alfredo Jaar. Today, the museum's collection consists of 2,345 objects, as well as about 2,500 artist's books. The collection features visual art from 1945 to the present, including work by artists from Lee Bontecou to Robert Smithson. Notable works in the museum's collection include, "Polychrome and Horizontal Bluebird" by Alexander Calder, "Cindy" by Chuck Close, "In Memory of My Feelings - Frank O'Hara" by Jasper Johns, "Study for a Portrait" by Francis Bacon and "Campbell's Soup Cans II" by Andy Warhol. During the 2008 fiscal year the MCA Celebrated its 40th anniversary, which inspired gifts of works from artists such as Dan Flavin, Alfredo Jaar, and Thomas Ruff. Additionally, the museum expanded its collection by acquiring the work of some of the artists it presented during its anniversary celebration such as Carlos Amorales, Tony Oursler, and Adam Pendleton. Visit the museum's website at ... http://www.mcachicago.org

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