Self, Made: Fourteen Modern Artists from the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection

Self, Made: Fourteen Modern Artists from the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection

The Art Institute of Chicago is set to present a significant exhibition drawn from one of the city's most distinguished private holdings. From June 25 to November 9, 2026, Self, Made: Fourteen Modern Artists from the Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Collection will offer a focused exploration into the theme of self-invention through nearly 40 works of photography, painting, drawing, and sculpture. The exhibition provides a rare public viewing of a curated selection from a collection known for its depth, quality, and insightful focus.

At the heart of the exhibition are the collectors themselves, Richard and Ellen Sandor. Recognized multiple times by Art & Antiques magazine as among America's top 100 private collectors, the Sandors have amassed a formidable collection of over 1,800 objects dating from the 1840s to the present. Their collecting interests are broad, encompassing Surrealism, Paris between the wars, and early photography. Ellen Sandor, an artist and graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), and her husband, economist Richard L. Sandor, began their collecting journey with a shared passion for the work of photographer André Kertész. This foundation in photography remains a core strength of their holdings and a prominent feature of the upcoming exhibition.

According to Yale University Press, which is publishing the accompanying catalogue, the exhibition delves into the complexities of identity, selfhood, and self-presentation in the modern era. Self, Made places a distinct emphasis on photography and works often categorized as "outsider art," creating a dialogue between celebrated figures and artists who operated beyond the traditional art-world establishment. This curatorial approach reflects what the exhibition catalogue describes as the Sandors’ "democratic collecting philosophy," a perspective that values artistic vision regardless of an artist's formal training or market status.

For professionals in the art and antiques market, the Sandor Family Collection is a noteworthy one. Its importance is underscored by its extensive history of loans to major international institutions. Works from the collection have been featured in exhibitions at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Tate Modern in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, among others. This record speaks to the museum-quality caliber of the pieces the Sandors have acquired over decades, making any exhibition of their holdings a significant event. The artists featured in these loans include canonical figures like Dora Maar, Pablo Picasso, and Adrian Piper, as well as Chicago-based artists such as Lee Godie.

The Art Institute of Chicago's connection to the Sandors is deep and institutional. The exhibition is curated by Matthew Witkovsky, who holds the title of Richard and Ellen Sandor Chair and Curator of Photography and Media. This endowed position signifies a long-term, supportive relationship between the collectors and the museum. This synergy is further explored in the exhibition catalogue, which features an interview with the couple by Witkovsky, alongside new photography of the works and views of the Sandors' art-filled Chicago residence.

Self, Made is more than a display of a private collection; it is an intimate look at a cohesive vision built over a lifetime. It offers a compelling narrative about how modern artists have constructed and deconstructed identity, while also telling the story of two collectors whose personal engagement and scholarly approach have produced a collection of national importance. For curators, dealers, and collectors, the exhibition presents a valuable opportunity to study a thoughtfully assembled body of work and consider the enduring power of art focused on the self.