January 29—May 29, 2011 Since 1990, Jim Nutt has focused exclusively on female heads in spare line drawings and rich, detailed paintings. This exhibition is a retrospective of Jim Nutt’s work that emphasizes the development of these important paintings through their precedents in his own work. Acknowledging the groundswell in interest in this unique American artist's work, this is the first major presentation of Nutt in over a decade. Nutt's history as an important artist dates to the mid-1960s where in Chicago he was a chief instigator of the irreverent "Hairy Who" group, now better known as the imagists. While it was undoubtedly inspired by mid-twentieth century pop culture, especially comic books, advertisements, jukebox and pinball machine art, and street signs, Nutt's art also explores the formal devices and techniques of historical painting. Northern European portraiture of the 15th and 16th century; Colonial American painting; the color and line explorations of Henri Matisse and Joan Miró; the quirky individualism of such artists as John Graham, Max Ernst, Arshile Gorky, and HC Westermann all offered lessons as Nutt has matured over four decades of artistic development. This exhibition is organized by MCA Curator Lynne Warren. For more information, please visit www.mcachicago.org