Renowned Chicago painter and educator Ed Paschke (1939–2004) often began his classes with the assignment to “break a rule.” A bold innovator who enjoyed disrupting conventions, Paschke mentored students for over two and a half decades at Northwestern University, continually coaching them to think outside the box. His work and his teaching were devoted to experimentation, playful exploration of the human experience, and capturing “every manner of humanity.”

Join us to celebrate the opening of the exhibition Break a Rule: Ed Paschke’s Art and Teaching (September 18 - December 9, 2018). Explore Paschke’s art and teaching through the lenses of his former colleagues and students— including insights into Paschke’s work, his circle (the Hairy Who and Chicago Imagists), his reputation in Chicago and beyond. Artists Zach Buchner, Bill Conger, Antonia Contro and Anna Kunz will discuss their personal experiences with Paschke as an innovative educator in a conversation moderated by Block Museum Fellow and exhibition curator Beth Derderian, a doctoral candidate in anthropology.

This program is co-presented by Northwestern's Block Museum of Art and Department of Art Theory and Practice and presented in conjunction with Art Design Chicago.