Two New Exhibitions to Debut at Illinois State Museum Oct. 25

Sub-Title: Museum After Hours Event Spotlights Art, Celebrates Halloween

ISM Location: Springfield

For Immediate Release:

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois State Museum in Springfield is celebrating Halloween and the opening of two new art exhibitions in one great event on Friday, October 25. The “Rockin’ Halloween” event – part of the popular “Museum After Hours” series – will serve as an opportunity for the public to get a first look at both exhibitions while enjoying live music, food and drink, and Halloween activities.

The first new exhibition – Rocked & Rolled – playfully pairs music-inspired art and specimens from the Museum’s geology collections. The exhibition is inspired by the music that we love from the last 50 years and features painting, photography, sculpture, rock memorabilia, installation art and illustrations. The art is paired with rocks, minerals, fossils and meteorites from the world-renowned Geology Collection at the Illinois State Museum. Rocked & Rolled is a multidisciplinary feast for the eyes.

Rocked and Rolled features the artwork of Daniel McAdam, Judy and Bill Anderson, Yams, Christine Duray, Warren Linn, Larry Brogan, Dylan Fish, Plastic Crimewave, John Spear, Mac Blackout, Princess Etch-A-Sketch, Donna Castellanos, Ian Sherwin, Lee Grantham, Kelly Eddington, Melina Ausikaitis, Matthew Hong, Erika Simmons, Robin Powers and Ian Sherwin. Photography by Patty Ratzel, Doug Carr, Chris Young, and Jim Stark is also featured. The SPIN-IT record installation is organized by Robin Monique-Rios and the exhibition is curated by Illinois State Museum’s Lockport Director John Lustig.

The second exhibition – Eleanor Spiess-Ferris: Daphne’s Sister – traces 40 years of engaging paintings and drawings by Chicago artist Eleanor Spiess-Ferris, tracing the development of her distinctive figures across her career and comparing studies and sketches with final works. Spiess-Ferris’s fantastic figures are narrative bodies, telling stories of personal, spiritual, and environmental crises.

“Her women are divas; larger than life, central to the story, and, like all good heroines, beset by adversaries and circumstance,” said exhibition curator Doug Stapleton, Associate Curator of Art at the Illinois State Museum. “Spiess-Ferris's work digs deep into Baroque, Symbolist and Surrealist history, through the contemporary lens of Feminist thought.” 

“Museum After Hours: Rockin’ Halloween” is the perfect opportunity for the public to get a first glimpse of these great exhibitions before they open formally the next day on Saturday, October 26. On October 25 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., adults 21 and up are invited to come in costume (no weapons please) to enjoy Halloween activities, live music by Rock of Ages, wine from West of Wise Winery, beer from Obed and Isaac’s, and food from Fast Break Food Truck.Tickets are $10 for ISM Society members and $15 for non-members and include one beverage. Additional beverages and food will be available for purchase. Visit bit.ly/mahoct2019 for tickets or purchase at the door.  

The Illinois State Museum is located at 502 S. Spring Street in Springfield.  It is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 noon to 4:30 p.m.  Admission is $5 for adults ages 19-64.

Contact Person: Elizabeth Bazan

Contact Email: Elizabeth.Bazan@illinois.gov

Contact Phone: 217-558-6696

Release File (pdf): ism-afterhoursexhibitions-oct2019.pdf

Release File (doc): ism-afterhoursexhibitions-oct2019.docx