All that talk about making shadow boxes immediately reminds me of Joseph Cornell. Sigh, Joseph Cornell and his heartbreaking, beautiful boxes. They have quite a collection of them at the Art Institute. The first time I ever went to the Art Institute was with Ted--we were dating--I came to Chicago for a week to visit. I would have been around 26 years old. Anyhow, I was rather overwhelmed by all the over-the-top Super Famous Paintings in the museum but when we entered the little room with the Joseph Cornell boxes, might heart opened up in a very specific manner and I stayed there gazing at them for a very long time. And for years, whenever I would go to the Art Institute, I always made a point to go to the little room up on the second floor and say hullo to his magical boxes. I haven't been to see them in ages. And now with the Modern Wing open and things moved every which way, it might be tricky to find them. But I think I owe them a visit.
Here are a few of my favorites.
p.s. . . . here's a nice bio on Joseph Cornell and this is a pretty great book to introduce kids to his art as well as inspire them to create their own boxes.










