The DePaul Art Museum (DPAM) is hosting a career-spanning retrospective for New York-based artist Barbara Nessim titled "My Compass Is the Line" before the institution permanently closes in June. The exhibition marks Nessim’s first solo show in Chicago, featuring works from the 1960s to the present that span painting, computer art, and her iconic 1982 Time magazine cover. The show highlights Nessim’s exploration of femininity and sexuality, drawing stylistic parallels to the Chicago Imagists while showcasing her technical versatility.
The closure of DPAM represents a significant loss to the Chicago art community, as the museum has been a vital hub for provocative curation and diverse acquisitions over the last fifteen years. The exhibition also features works acquired through the Barbara Nessim Acquisition Prize at Expo Chicago, underscoring the artist's commitment to evolving museum archives. The loss of this institution signals a narrowing of the city's cultural landscape and the end of a platform known for its curatorial courage.