Virgil Abloh: Figures of Speech (Special Edition)

Product Information

In the archives section, more than 1,800 never-before-seen images pulled from the artist's personal files reveal the remarkable breadth of his influences and collaborations. And the index cross references the catalogue plates--Abloh's works--with his projects and process, using a vocabulary of themes developed by Abloh. It comes in a cloth slipcase with "Personal Copy" silkscreened on the book fore edge, a measuring tape ribbon marker, and a flexi disc printed with a Juergen Teller photo that includes a recording of Virgil Abloh discussing his inspirations. For me, ‘Figures of Speech’ is an art exhibition rooted in advertising and ‘the projected image.’ Any time an idea takes shape on a particular surface—a photo print, a screen, a billboard, or canvas—it becomes real,” Abloh said in a statement. When Abloh met Kanye West, the rapper and producer was fixated on design. Abloh came to prominence working with West, handling creative direction for everything from album covers to concert-related design and merchandising. Both Abloh and West, a Chicago native and fellow multi-hyphenate creative, were fashion fans who sought to disrupt and reinvent the European-dominated industry. They frequented the fashion shows in Paris, interned at Fendi, and made it their business to study the craft and business in anticipation of establishing their own brands. Though the exhibition is divided conceptually between Abloh's work in design, fashion and architecture, many of the objects are arrayed together. BadBadNotGood “Untitled” recorded live in Paris France opening song of Virgil Abloh Louis Vuitton show 2018

Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and set in an immersive space designed by Rem Koolhaas’s renowned architecture firm OMA*AMO, the exhibition will offer an in-depth look at defining highlights of Abloh’s career, including signature clothing collections, video documentation of iconic fashion shows, distinctive furniture and graphic design work, and collaborative projects with contemporary artists. A program of cross-disciplinary offerings will mirror the artist’s range of interests across music and design.

When I was talking to Ben from Braun about the wall mount sound system, he mentioned that Virgil had rule of adding just 3% to something — to show off the beauty of the original design and letting it be celebrated as is. Off-White™ c/o Virgil Abloh, Spring/Summer 2017, Look 12; courtesy of Off-White™ c/o Virgil Abloh Photo: Fabien Montique About the Exhibition Virgil Abloh has made a career out of questioning assumptions and defying expectations. Born in 1980 and raised in the Chicago area, Abloh trained as an architect but found his calling as a fashion designer. Since then, he has continued to work across disciplines, collaborating with graphic and furniture designers, musicians and contemporary artists as well as others in the fashion industry. In undertaking projects in new fields, he not only influences the conversations within them but also expands their traditional audiences, reaching millions through social media.

Lead individual sponsorship for Virgil Abloh:“Figures of Speech” is generously contributed by Kenneth C. Griffin. LEE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: MIND, MYTHOS, MUSE DELMONICO BOOKS/LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART ISBN: 9781636810188 Generous hotel partner for Virgil Abloh: "Figures of Speech" is Aloft Mag Mile. Additional Links event The exhibition also showcases many of Abloh's collaborations, including work with sportswear brand Nike, furniture brand Ikea and celebrities such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Kanye West. The exhibition will be the last stop for Figures of Speech

Church & State” features pieces from the brand Pyrex Vision, Abloh’s first foray into fashion, along with a limited number of signature Off-Whitepieces, furniture from his studio Alaska Alaska, and special-edition gear created for the show . Near these tables is a model of Chicago – Abloh's hometown – with a proposed skyscraper based on Abloh's master's thesis in Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2003. VIRGIL ABLOH: FIGURES OF SPEECH DELMONICO BOOKS/MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART CHICAGO ISBN: 9781636810744 Because Figures of Speech was in the works for years, Sargent said: "It is, in fact, not at all in that way a memorial, right? It really is a show by a living artist."

Abloh’s practice is similarly multidisciplinary, bridging music, street culture, and media with fashion, art, and design. In addition to his many other talents, Abloh is a DJ. In the past year, he’s performed all over Europe, at Oasis Festival in Marrakech, Potato Head Beach Club in Bali, and closer to home in Chicago, Detroit, Brooklyn, and at Coachella in the California desert. He’s also done sets at Art Basel Miami Beach. This element of his resume made it into the exhibition, too. K. Frimpong & His Cubano Fiestas – Adam Nana”Extract of David Shrigley interview “Advice to the Young [White Label] The exhibition is organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.The exhibition tour is made possible by Kenneth C. Griffin. Virgil Abloh: ‘Figures of Speech,’” MCA Chicago, accessed October 4, 2019, https://mcachicago.org/Exhibitions/2019/Virgil-Abloh.Writing for The New York Times, Jon Caramanica calls the display “one of the show’s most convincing arrangements.” He continues: “On the left is Mr. Abloh’s D.J. setup—austerely beautiful wooden speakers (by Devon Turnbull), glimmering CD turntables (by Pioneer DJ)—presented as a shrine. And hanging on the wall to the right is a cease and desist letter from the United Nations chiding Mr. Abloh for using its logo on fliers for D.J. gigs.” In the Phillips conversation, Darling said other museums were initially hesitant to get on board. “…They had a really hard time understanding what this would be, didn’t know exactly who he was,” he said. The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents Virgil Abloh: "Figures of Speech," the first museum exhibition devoted to the work of the genre-bending artist and designer Virgil Abloh (American, b. 1980). Abloh pioneers a practice that cuts across media and connects visual artists, musicians, graphic designers, fashion designers, and architects. From street fashion to high culture, the work of Virgil Abloh, a celebrated multihyphenate artist, is showcased in this book.