In spring 2000, Intuit took possession of the contents of artist Henry Darger’s living and working space, which was located at 851 Webster Street in Chicago. Intuit’s Henry Darger Room Collection includes tracings, clippings from newspapers, magazines, comic books, cartoons, children’s books, coloring books, personal documents, and architectural elements, fixtures, and furnishings from Darger’s original room.

Darger lived in a one-room apartment in Chicago’s Lincoln Park until 1973 when he retired to a nursing facility. In his small room—which doubled as his studio and home for close to 40 years—he worked on a large number of painted and collaged drawings that illustrated the story of the Vivian Girls, created volumes of writings, and collected hundreds of objects (shoes, eyeglasses, balls of string, etc.). The contrast between the intimate scale of the room and the staggering volume of drawings, illustrations, writings, and collections, conveys vital information about Darger’s existence and the work he created.

Opened in 2008, the goal of this permanent exhibit is to create an environment that provides a window onto Darger’s world. The installation will symbolize the stark contrasts that are so vividly portrayed in Darger’s vast and complex oeuvre. Experiencing Darger’s personal environment through the installation will provide an important link to the man who struggled relentlessly throughout his life to give expression to the polarized spectrum of humanity. The archive and material represents a vital resource and the installation will enhance the understanding and appreciation of the art of Henry Darger by providing artists, scholars, and the public access to a unique and innovative archive of study materials.

If you have questions about Intuit’s Henry Darger Room Collection or about the artist, please contact us at henrydarger@art.org.

View Darger’s Writing
Intuit’s Robert A. Roth Study Center contains a large collection of Darger’s writing on microfilm

From 851 West Webster to Intuit
Read essays by co-curators Jessica Moss and Lisa Stone

Learn more about Henry Darger and Intuit
Watch Chicago Tonight’s Artbeat: Henry Darger
f News Magazine: Henry Darger Room Collection

Many thanks: to the late Nathan Lerner for discovering the genius of Henry Darger and to Kiyoko Lerner for her generous gift of the contents of Henry Darger’s room to Intuit. Sincere thanks to all donors and contributors: Robert A. Roth, for his critical financial support and for acquiring and loaning the Vivian Girl portraits, and Kohler Foundation, Inc., John MacGregor, Patrick King/Midwest Freeze Dry, Kavi Gupta, Jim Zanzi, Barbara and Kent Manning, The Roads Scholarship for Research and Travel/The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and contributors to the Darger’s Army fund. This project is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Sincere thanks to all who contributed to the process of creating the Henry Darger Room Collection. Measured drawings: Larry Harris, Kent Manning. Interior architecture: Angie Mills. Packing/moving Darger room contents: Stuart Grannan/Architectural Artifacts staff, Mike and Jim Hinchsliff, Tim and Katie Tuten and the Hideout staff, Judy Saslow, Randy Vick, Jamie Young, and all volunteers. Darger Room collection catalog: Juliana Driever, Jessica Moss, Farris Wahbeh. Conservation consultation and treatment: David Chandler, Dan Cochrane Conservation, Margo McFarland. Production, construction, room preparation: Sherry Diaz, for expert carpentry, design, and preparation, and Matthew DuPont, James Connolly, David Olfasen, Jan Petry. Photography: William Bengtson, John Faier. Print Art Direction: David Syrek and Joe Darrow.