“One of the first things Brendan Fernandes does when he walks into the Murphy Auditorium is look up.

“‘It’s always a moment of spectacle when you walk into this space,’ he says.

“The first time he saw it, Fernandes noticed the circular oculus crowning the auditorium of this richly appointed Beaux Arts building in the Gold Coast. It provided the initial spark for ‘In the Round,’ a dynamic dance, sound and visual art installation spanning April and May, then returning in the fall for five performances in total.

“In the Round’ is part of the Driehaus Museum’s ‘A Tale of Today’ series, which brings contemporary art and ideas into conversation with the museum’s Gilded Age aesthetic. And it cuts the ribbon on a new era for the Driehaus, with Fernandes as the museum’s first-ever artist-in-residence.

“Guest curator Stephanie Cristello, who for seven years was the artistic director of Expo Chicago, is similarly unfazed by this unconventional gallery. She’s worked with Fernandes a handful of times and compiled the Driehaus Museum’s first contemporary art exhibition tucked among the museum’s vast collection of decorative arts in the 1883 Nickerson Mansion at 40 E. Erie Street — plus a few after that.

“So many people, even who live in Chicago, had never been inside or knew that they could come inside,’ Cristello says. ‘It was an opportunity to develop an audience that wasn’t necessarily coming for decorative arts of the Gilded Age. But because they were able to come in through an exhibition, they ended up coming for every exhibition in the future.”

“‘It was always Richard Driehaus’ dream to bring these buildings back together,’ says museum spokesperson Julie Treumann.

“The 1926 auditorium, designed by Chicago architects Benjamin Marshall and Charles Fox (whose resumes also include the Drake and Blackstone Hotels), once housed surgical conferences.

“‘Basically, it was empty,’ Treumann says, apart from the occasional wedding. ‘It’s the first time it’s been open to the public in a hundred years.’

“Visiting the Murphy Auditorium is free. Museum patrons now enter the Nickerson Mansion by first traveling through it.

“‘This space has really changed our profile as a museum, and it has, more importantly, allowed us to, as we say, open our doors much wider to the community,’ Treumann says. ‘I think Brendan’s residency here is taking that to a whole new level. I really do think this is the apotheosis of this moment for all of us.’ (Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 4/1/26)

“‘Brendan Fernandes: In the Round’ runs from April 9 to Nov. 14 in the Murphy Auditorium at the Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie St.; 312-482-8933 and driehausmuseum.org

“The Driehaus Museum engages and inspires the global community through exploration and ongoing conversations in art, architecture, and design of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions are presented in an immersive experience within the restored Nickerson Mansion, completed in 1883, at the height of the Gilded Age, and the Murphy Auditorium, built in 1926. The Museum’s collection reflects and is inspired by the collecting interests, vision, and focus of its founder, the late Richard H. Driehaus. For more information, visit driehausmuseum.org and connect with the Museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.” (Driehaus Museum press release, 5/23/24)

“Each of these magnificent structures remind us of Chicago’s incredible architectural legacy and the city’s world-renowned built environment.’ said Ward Miller, executive director of Preservation Chicago. ‘These buildings also give us insight into the past, offering a sense of human scale and attention to detail, while displaying incredible craftsmanship. They are a visual reflection of the community’s historical development over time. The preservation of these buildings is a priceless legacy to Chicago.” (Driehaus Museum press release, 6/30/21)

Read the full story at Chicago Tribune

• ‘Brendan Fernandes: In the Round’ at Driehaus Museum thinks outside the gilded box, Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 4/1/26 
• Driehaus Museum unveils $8 million renovation of ornate Murphy Auditorium, Dennis Rodkin, Crain’s Chicago Business, 6/21/24
• Driehaus Museum Reopens John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium, A new City of Chicago Landmark, Driehaus Museum press release, 6/30/21
• More is more, The Driehaus Museum adds a building, Deanna Isaacs, Chicago Readers, 6/26/24
• Driehaus Museum celebrates major milestone in expansion with beam installation, Anthony Ponce, FOX 32 Chicago, 11/1/23
• Richard H. Driehaus Museum Acquires Chicago’s Historic Murphy Memorial Auditorium, Driehaus Museum press release, 6/31/21