Building a Legacy
Gifts from Susann Craig
Chicago-based collector Susann Craig (1936–2021) assembled a vast collection of folk and outsider art. Excursions to find unique treasures took her all over the world, where she met interesting people, made enduring friendships, acquired art and experienced eccentric adventures. On a street corner in New Orleans, she met a woman singing spirituals who sold colorful paintings “the Lord had called upon her to make.” Returning to Chicago with a trove of Sister Gertrude Morgan’s paintings, Craig spread the word about Morgan to her fellow collectors. On a road trip through the Manistee Woods in Michigan, she came upon the polka dot-painted house of Kid Mertz, eventually filling the walls of her homes with his creations. She was an early proponent of William Dawson, whose wooden carvings became internationally renowned during the Corcoran Gallery’s 1982 traveling exhibition, Black Folk Art in America, 1930-1980.
In 1991, Craig joined a handful of Chicago art enthusiasts who came together to found Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. She served on the board of directors for 29 years before being elevated to life trustee status in 2020. Craig received the museum’s highest award, the Visionary Award, in 2018. This exhibition celebrates Craig’s gifts to Intuit over the years.
Get a closer look
Take a tour with Susann
Craig shared stories about her collection of outsider and contemporary art, including works by artists Emery Blagdon and Roger Brown, while leading a tour through her home in 2020.
Take a virtual tour
Tour Building a Legacy: Gifts from Susann Craig from your device! To navigate the space, you can use the arrows on your keyboard or click the circles on the floor and drag your cursor to reposition. To read labels and see a work of art up close, click on the blue and teal pins; click the URL in the pop-up to open the file in another window.
Photos
View photos from Building a Legacy: Gifts from Susann Craig on Flickr.
Programs
Art After Work: Joseph Yoakum
Thursday, November 11, 2021, 5–6 p.m. central, Zoom Video Conference
One Night Stand: Howard Finster
Wednesday, November 17, 2021, 6:30–7 p.m. central, Zoom Video Conference
Press coverage
- The Mix: Things to do in Chicago Oct. 21-27, 2021, Chicago Sun-Times
- ‘Building A Legacy’ Spotlights Chicago Collector’s Outsider Art, NBC Chicago