Culture | Mar. 2026
ON EXHIBIT: MARCH 2026
By Contributor
CRAFTING CHARACTER: THE COSTUMES OF PAUL TAZEWELL
GRIFFIN MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
5700 South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
Through September 7
Behind every unforgettable character stands an equally un-forgettable costume. Tony-winning designer Paul Tazewell invites audiences backstage to discover the artistry, technique, and vision that bring iconic looks to life. From the emerald grandeur of Wicked to the vibrant streets of Spielberg’s West Side Story, alongside Janelle Monáe’s show-stopping Met Gala ensembles, the exhibition traces each garment’s journey from initial sketch to stage-ready masterpiece. !rough revealing videos, detailed drawings, and Tazewell’s own commentary, witness the alchemy of imagination becoming wearable art. griffnmsi.org
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MATISSE’S JAZZ: RHYTHMS IN COLOR
THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago
March 7 to June 1
When illness confined Henri Matisse to his bed in the 1940s, the master painter discovered liberation through scissors and paper. The twenty vivid maquettes on view capture the artist’s memories—circus performers, distant travels, folklore, and the intoxicating energy of Parisian music halls—transformed into exuberant compositions of color and form. Published in 1947 as the unbound artist’s book Jazz, complete with Matisse’s own reflections rendered through delicate pochoir stenciling, this landmark work returns to the Art Institute for the first time in its entirety since the museum acquired it in 1948. artic.edu
