One Two Pru Transforms The Lobby into an Interactive Art Exhibition as Chicago Opens the City Through Art

We’re thrilled to announce that One Two Pru has transformed The Lobby of our landmark two-tower office and retail building into an interactive public art gallery. This thoughtfully reimagined space will provide tenants, tourists and guests a community-focused cultural experience aligned with Chicago’s efforts to open the city through the arts. 

For the inaugural exhibition, Sterling Bay — the pioneering developer behind One Two Pru — is partnering with Gallery Guichard, a Bronzeville fine arts gallery that showcases multicultural artists specializing in the African Diaspora and communities and cultures descended from native Africans. 

Titled African Diaspora: Chicago, the One Two Pru exhibition curated by Gallery Guichard will feature an array of thought-provoking, mixed media art by Chicago-based artists of African descent, narrating a visual story of the city’s rich multicultural tapestry  — from its long history of jazz and blues to themes of isolation and introspection as a result of the pandemic, as well as finding opportunity amid adversity. The exhibition at The Lobby at One Two Pru opens to the public on May 28, 2021, and will remain through November 25, 2021. 

“We are excited to partner with Gallery Guichard and to transform One Two Pru’s lobby into an engaging cultural experience for tenants and visitors as we all begin to emerge from the pandemic,” said Andy Gloor, CEO of Sterling Bay. “Sterling Bay is a proud supporter of the arts and incorporates works from local and global artists in a creative and meaningful manner across our commercial spaces. Through our collaboration with Gallery Guichard, we are hoping to expand representation and exposure for Black artists and celebrate the diverse, dynamic cultures that define our city.”

The collection at One Two Pru will feature 19 collage and acrylic mixed media pieces created by artists including Chicago native Adam Guichard and Nigerian artist Stephen ‘Sayo’ Olalekan as well as Gallery Guichard co-owners Andre Guichard and Frances ‘Marlene Campbell’ Guichard. 

“The installation at One Two Pru provides a new and exciting space for us to display pieces from our collection and expose Chicagoans from around the city to the incredible talent of some of today’s leading Black artists,” said Gallery Guichard Co-Owner, Andre Guichard. “We appreciate Sterling Bay’s partnership with us on this project and look forward to showcasing this installation to tenants, neighbors and visitors throughout the summer.”

A self-taught painter, Andre Guichard has been an artist for over 25 years. His visionary works can be found in more than 2,500 corporate and private collections globally, and in 2011, six of his original paintings were featured on canvas totes in 7,000 stores nationwide as part of the Walgreens Community Corner initiative. Andre has also commissioned paintings for the Chicago Urban League and late music legend Prince.

Frances Guichard began painting in 2004 under the pseudonym Marlene Campbell. Her works include her Great Migration series paintings, “The Sun Will Rise Again” and “The City That Never Sleeps,” among others featured at Gallery Guichard. In addition to painting, Frances serves as the business manager of Gallery Guichard where she works alongside co-owner Stephen Mitchell to showcase a wide range of emerging and mid-career multicultural artists specializing in the African Diaspora.

“The African diaspora has a rich and flourishing culture that is too often underrepresented in the fine arts scene,” said Frances Guichard. “We are excited to give One Two Pru’s tenants a chance to experience art they may not have been exposed to before, and a new appreciation of African and Black culture.”