Presented by MCA Chicago, Paul Pfeiffer: Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom spans two and a half decades of the artist’s pioneering practice, exploring ideas of spectacle and mass culture. By repurposing the tools and systems of media production, Pfeiffer recontextualises global celebrities such as pop stars, actors, and professional athletes to reveal relationships between audiences and icons, interrogating the consumption of images and culture.

The exhibition features works by Pfeiffer from the MCA Chicago Collection, including Fragments of a Crucifixion (After Francis Bacon) (1999), Study for Morning After the Deluge (2001), and Self-Portrait as a Fountain (2000). This exhibition is the museum's fourth to centrally feature Pfeiffer’s work, including his career-defining solo show in 2003.

Paul Pfeiffer: Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom is organised by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and curated by Clara Kim, Chief Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Paula Kroll, Curatorial Assistant. The MCA Chicago presentation is curated by Bana Kattan, former Pamela Alper Associate Curator, with Iris Colburn, Curatorial Associate.

Paul Pfeiffer: Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom

3 May–31 August 2025

Members’ Preview
Friday 2 May 2025, 7–9pm

Talk: Paul Pfeiffer, Iyko Day, and Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa

Saturday 3 May 2025, 2–3.30pm

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
220 E Chicago Ave
Chicago
IL 60611