Chicago City Wire

The Art Institute of Chicago will present "Bruce Goff: Material Worlds," a major exhibition dedicated to architect Bruce Goff, from December 20, 2025, through March 29, 2026. This is the first large-scale show focusing on Goff’s work in three decades and will display more than 200 pieces primarily drawn from the museum’s own collection and archives. The exhibition will include architectural drawings, models, personal collections, and some of Goff's lesser-known abstract paintings.

Goff gained recognition for his distinctive residential designs throughout the United States, especially in the Midwest and Great Plains. His homes were known for blending local materials with various midcentury consumer products. This method offered a different perspective on organic architecture beyond that of Frank Lloyd Wright, who was Goff’s mentor.

Rejecting modernist minimalism and urban-centric thinking, Goff used unique forms such as domes and spirals as well as unconventional materials ranging from coal and goose feathers to AstroTurf and sequins. The exhibition will feature items from his personal collections—such as seashells, crystals, magazines, clothing, and Japanese crafts—which reflect his diverse influences including Native American art, queer modernisms, science fiction, and East/Southeast Asian art.

“We hope visitors will be inspired by Goff’s expansive worldview and his radical, interdisciplinary practice,” said Alison Fisher, the Harold and Margot Schiff Curator of Architecture and Design. “From monumental churches to avant-garde paintings, this exhibition demonstrates Goff’s singular position within 20th-century American architecture.”

A customized player piano playing one of Goff's compositions will allow visitors to experience his interest in music. The exhibit design is by New Affiliates architects Ivi Diamantopoulou and Jaffer Kolb.

“As the holder of Bruce Goff’s comprehensive archive, the Art Institute is uniquely positioned to present his daring and eclectic body of work to the public,” said James Rondeau, Eloise W. Martin President and Director of the Art Institute of Chicago. “The museum is proud to introduce this influential architect to a new generation of museumgoers and highlight new research on Goff’s important career.”

Additional programming includes a rotation of Japanese prints from the Goff estate in the Japanese Art galleries; photographs by Janna Ireland documenting one of Goff's California houses in the Modern Wing; and newly acquired drawings by New Affiliates responding to key Goff projects.

The exhibition is curated by Alison Fisher along with assistant curator Craig Lee. A catalogue featuring essays on themes from Goff's life—including gender studies and musicology—will accompany the show.

Major support comes from Jack Butler & John VanderLinden; Margot Levin Schiff & the Harold Schiff Foundation; Kathleen Nagle & Ralph Johnson; with additional support provided by others including the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in Fine Arts.