Midwinter - Pitchfork and The Art Institute of Chicago

Slowdive, Panda Bear, Tortoise & more playing Midwinter at the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute of Chicago and Pitchfork have announced a new three-night festival, Midwinter, happening at the Art Institute of Chicago on February 15-17, 2019. Performances from over 30 artists will take place throughout the museum, along with original ambient installations “inspired by and responding to the iconic works at the Art Institute.” The event will also feature artist interviews, conversations, and DJ sets, broadcast live by Pitchfork Radio from a theater in the Art Institute, and a pre-event dinner at Tony Mantuano’s Terzo Piano in the Modern Wing.

Performers at Midwinter include Slowdive, Kamasi Washington, Panda Bear, Oneohtrix Point Never, William Basinski (performing The Disintegration Loops with The Chicago Philharmonic on Friday 2/15, and On Time Out of Time on Saturday 2/16), Laurie Anderson, Perfume Genius, Tortoise (performing their 1998 album TNT for its 21st anniversary), DJ Koze, Deerhunter, Grouper, serpentwithfeet, Jlin, Mykki Blanco, Mount Eerie, Yves Tumor, Sudan Archives, Baba Stiltz, Zola Jesus, Joey Purp, Weyes Blood, Hiss Golden Messenger, JPEGMAFIA, Smerz, Madison McFerrin, Mary Lattimore, Daniel Bachman, Haley Fohr (of Circuit Des Yeux), and Marisa Anderson, plus a special guest to be announced for Thursday.

Nico Muhly, Tashi Wadi & Julia Holter, Stars of the Lid, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Midori Takada, Visible Cloaks, Helado Negro, and Ilyes Ahmed will all have original soundscape installations on display in the museum.

Pitchfork festival director Adam Krefman said about the new festival, “Midwinter is an ambitious new concept, and with it we’re intentionally trying to push the boundaries of live music. Placing forward-thinking musicians in the context of the Art Institute, we’re opening a dialogue between mediums, and creating a unique cultural event. This February, you’ll be able to look at a Monet while listening to original music from Nico Muhly; Laurie Anderson will occupy the same space as Georgia O’Keeffe, while the glitch-rap of JPEGMAFIA is playing in another wing of the museum. I can’t think of another event quite like it and we are excited to bring it to life in Chicago.”

Tickets go on sale Friday (11/16) at 10 AM Central. Along with the base ticket, some performances, in various venues throughout the museum, require add-on tickets.

See the lineup by date for Midwinter below.

Performing Nightly
Madison McFerrin
Mary Lattimore
Daniel Bachman
Haley Fohr of Circuit des Yeux
Marisa Anderson

Friday, February 15
Slowdive
DJ Koze with opener Baba Stiltz
William Basinski – The Disintegration Loops with the Chicago Philharmonic
Mount Eerie
Mykki Blanco
Yves Tumor
Sudan Archives

Saturday, February 16
Kamasi Washington
Panda Bear
Tortoise – TNT 21st Anniversary Performance
Deerhunter
Grouper
Jlin
serpentwithfeet
William Basinski – On Time Out Of Time

Sunday, February 17
Oneohtrix Point Never
Laurie Anderson
Perfume Genius
Zola Jesus with opener Smerz
Joey Purp
Hiss Golden Messenger
Weyes Blood
JPEGMAFIA