The first Chicago retrospective for Mr. Imagination (Gregory Warmack, 1948-2012), a celebrated artist whose career spanned more than thirty years, is coming to Intuit. 

As the third of nine children growing up on Chicago’s Southside, Warmack spent his free time making small works from found objects for spending money. Following a 1978 mugging when he was shot and left to die, he had an out of body experience during his recovery that led him to dedicate himself to a new regenerative art for the people. 

Mr. Imagination is well-known in Chicago, especially in folk and outsider art circles. His own image is hard to forget, especially in his signature self-styled bottle-cap art hats. While his art was popular, the man himself attracted attention from other artists, particularly photographers. Intuit’s Study Gallery will feature an exhibition of photographs of Mr. Imagination taken by Ron Gordon, dimitre, Link Harper, Cheri Eisenberg, Mark Hauser and others, as well as a virtual tour of the artist’s last studio in Atlanta by dimitre.

Welcome to the World of Mr. Imagination

January 9 - April 25, 2015
Free Opening Reception: January 9, 5-8pm 

Curated by Martha Henry. On view at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art