Each year, the Art Institute of Chicago hosts University PartnerFest, an open day of programming and networking opportunities for university students interested in museum careers. As part of PartnerFest programming, students are invited to give gallery talks about chosen works of art on view at the Art Institute. On February 15, 2025, Block Student Associates Roy Zhu and Tori Montinola represented Northwestern with their gallery talks.
Tori Montinola (English and Legal Studies, 2027) took a moment to reflect on touring Salvador Dalí’s Venus De Milo with Drawers.
The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the cultural highlights that draws millions of tourists every year. Your trip to Chicago would simply not be complete without a day-trip to the AIC. Imagine our excitement and gratitude at the opportunity to present in this world-renowned museum of art. Alongside Roy Zhu, I was chosen to represent Northwestern as part of the annual University Partner Fest, a yearly event wherein 30 passionate college students from several universities led educational talks on an object of their choice within the museum’s expansive collection of 30,000 works for the public. Salvador Dalí’s Venus de Milo with Drawers immediately caught my attention. Arguably a pivotal work in its own right, I knew this was going to be the object of my choice.
Salvador Dalí has always been a curious figure to me. Apart from his seemingly bizarre and unsettling themes, the explanations he offers of his works confuse you all the more. A trailblazer of the Surrealist movement, Dalí sought to unlock the unconscious mind through dream-like imagery and striking symbolism. Using Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic concepts of unconscious and subconscious as inspiration, Dalí explores the hidden desires encapsulated within the human mind. This can be seen most clearly with his sculpture Venus de Milo with Drawers, an imitation of the world-famous Venus de Milo, but altered with pom-pom drawers cut into her head, breasts, abdomen, and knee. Dalí has explained that the drawers are meant to unlock the hidden desires of the body, but there was something more that I wanted to touch upon the longer I looked. Venus is often referred to as the most beautiful woman in the world; the quintessential epitome of female beauty. Dalí’s installation of the drawers quite literally turns her into an object, even referring to her as an “anthropomorphic cabinet.” What role does beauty function in our society? Must it serve us a purpose, or can we appreciate it for simply its aesthetic beauty? Is the commodification of beauty inherent or can it exist without utility? The Venus de Milo with Drawers forces us to reevaluate the ways that we compartmentalize beauty and utilize it for our own personal satisfaction, whether intentionally or not.
It was simultaneously the longest and shortest hour of my life, some whizzing by at a glance and many stopping to listen and ask questions about the striking Dalí sculpture. Armed with only a lanyard around my neck and a laminated sign with the printed words “Ask Me!” I had the opportunity to share my research, insights, and speculations of Venus to curious visitors passing through. I realized very quickly that many people would not only ask about my object, but the wider historical milieu and cultural landscape surrounding the work. From the Surrealist movement as a whole to the adjacent works by the same artist like A Chemist Lifting with Extreme Precaution the Cuticle of a Grand Piano situated right across from Venus, I received many questions that I had initially not expected. In moments like these, I felt myself becoming increasingly anxious, but I had to have faith and trust the hours I had put into my research and interpretations. I felt this come to a head as an official tour passed through, the guide encouraging the brunt of the Dalí gallery into my hands in front of the group. Despite my initial nerves, I quickly found myself speaking with ease, drawing on my research to weave connections and offer insights that kept the group engaged. True enough, my time with Dalí’s Venus was short and sweet— the hour passed as soon as it had begun.
My experience at the Art Institute of Chicago allowed me to engage in various skills that our very own Block Museum prizes and encourages. I was initially worried presenting at such a large institution, but the BMSA program provided me with the necessary tools of interpretation and close looking to tackle this with excellence and conviction. The opportunity to connect with many dedicated students and faculty was incredibly invaluable, sharing our love and passion for the art world. My experience was truly priceless and I’ll continue to carry this with me throughout my academic journey and beyond.
