Hales is delighted to announce that Chicago-based artist Gladys Nilsson (b. 1940) has been commissioned for the seventh installment of the Menil Drawing Institute's ephemeral Wall Drawing Series. Celebrated for her densely layered, meticulously constructed watercolors and collages, Nilsson first gained prominence in 1966 as a member of the Hairy Who, a group of six recent Art Institute graduates who presented a groundbreaking series of provocative exhibitions.
Hales also invites audiences to join Gladys Nilsson on Thursday, 4 September 2025, from 7–8 pm for a conversation about her new wall drawing at the Menil Drawing Institute. Nilsson will discuss the creation of this large-scale, site-specific work and its connection to her long engagement with drawing, figuration, and narrative. The talk will be followed by a public reception.
This program takes place at the Menil Drawing Institute, located at 1412 W. Main St. Free and open to the public. Find out more here.
Wall Drawing Series: Gladys Nilsson will be on view 5 September, 2025 — 16 August, 2026.
Click here for The Menil Collection website.
