Art patron allows others to say, ‘Wow!’

Anne Kaplan of Highland Park

Updated: May 23, 2013 4:56PM

HIGHLAND PARK — Anne Kaplan makes things happen.

As a key supporter of exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, the Highland Park resident makes it possible for throngs of museum visitors to view the works of world-reknowned artists.

The interior designer also is on the museum’s board of trustees and is a co-chair of this year’s artEdge fund raiser set for Saturday, Feb. 2.

Q. Your first exposure to the Museum of Contemporary Art was as a Highland Park parent exposing your children to what the City of Chicago has to offer. What was particularly exciting about the Museum of Contemporary Art?

A. The MCA was always a breath of fresh air for our family. If you recall, it was in a building on East Ohio Street. But like the museum’s current home, it projected an easy invitation to come into a space filled with light. The open plan of our museum is stimulating and seems to deliver the option of short or long visits. It also pays homage to energetic children with shorter attention spans. That, in itself, conveyed the message that we were there to see something and discover something, without having to commit an entire afternoon.

Q. How, and why, did you choose to become more involved as a trustee and art patron?

A. Our interest in the MCA grew as we grew; as our schedules allowed more free time, we were drawn closer to what was going on there. My husband Burt and I went to some events, we viewed more exhibitions, we saw some private collections, and we even offered to host some programs at our house. Eventually, we traveled with a group from the MCA to the Venice Biennale, and loved the excitement and the involvement of everyone we met.

Q. You’ve supported a number of recent exhibitions. Was there any one that was particularly gratifying and why?

A. It is very hard to single out one. Supporting exhibitions is a thrill. One often gets to meet the artist(s), curators, other patrons, directors and collectors. When the exhibition opening occurs, you realize again how much the public can benefit from what a museum presents. Because I helped support “Skyscraper: Art and Architecture Against Gravity,” a fantastic exhibition last summer, I had the privilege of welcoming one of the featured artists, Monika Sosnowska, into my home and getting to know her more as a friend who happens to make art — big, strong art, I might add. 

Q. Why is the artEdge fund raiser Feb. 2 an important annual event for the museum?

A. ArtEdge allows us to further develop and present outstanding exhibitions, performances and educational components. But artEdge is also a way to tell the MCA’s story. We use the same name every year. The party, in a way, tells an ongoing story about the creativity and energy of the museum.

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