Under the leadership of James Rondeau, the Art Institute of Chicago has markedly expanded its contemporary art holdings, deepening strengths in Pop Art, Minimalism, Conceptual art, and photography while broadening the geographic and demographic scope of artists represented. James Rondeau’s tenure as president and director has been defined by a series of transformative gifts and strategic acquisitions that reshaped the museum’s modern and contemporary profile.
A pivotal moment occurred in 2015, when collectors Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson pledged 44 works valued at approximately 500 million dollars, the largest gift in the museum’s history. The Edlis-Neeson Collection includes major names such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Jasper Johns, Cy Twombly, Gerhard Richter, and Cindy Sherman, and must remain on public view for 50 years, ensuring long-term access for Chicago audiences.
Rondeau also oversaw significant strengthening of works on paper and conceptual art. The Stenn family made a promised gift in 2022 of 97 post-1960 works on paper plus a 3 million dollar endowment, followed in 2023 by 100 additional drawings and prints. These gifts, showcased in the 2025 exhibition Contemporary Drawings from the Stenn Family Collection, reinforced holdings by Josef Albers, Eva Hesse, Donald Judd, Sol LeWitt and others.
Photography has expanded notably as well. In 2021 the museum acquired 30 works by Francesca Woodman from the Woodman Family Foundation, and a 25 million dollar donation from the Bucksbaum family established the Bucksbaum Photography Center, slated to open in 2024. This funding will enlarge gallery space and support a collection that includes Diane Arbus, Dawoud Bey, Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, and Alfred Stieglitz.
Looking ahead, a 75 million dollar gift announced in 2024 will fund the Aaron I. Fleischman and Lin Lougheed Building, intended to display more of the museum’s modern and contemporary holdings. Museum leadership has noted that only about 16 percent of the modern and contemporary collection is currently on view, underscoring the intent behind these major investments. See related link for additional information.
Find more information about James Rondeau on https://www.artic.edu/about-us/leadership/president-and-director