Working with Kevin Consey and Mike Danoff

1980s 1990s Community Directors Staff

Nancy DeDakis describes former director Kevin Consey, who oversaw the construction of the MCA's new building. 

Kevin, so I worked with Mike Danoff for about a year. Mike Danoff went on to the Des Moines Art Center, and Kevin arrived from the Newport Harbor Art Museum. He was hired because they wanted somebody who had expertise and experience with new museum projects, because at that time they decided there was going to be a new museum, we were going to expand. And Kevin had worked on new museum projects at the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Newport Harbor Art Museum he had worked with Renzo Piano on a new design there, which actually they never used, but there was that. So Kevin arrived and he was just – he has a really dry sense of humor, really fun. He was very encouraging to the staff and welcoming and everybody had a great time working with Kevin. I think everybody would agree. He had this persona of being this big gruff, grumpy guy, but he was just great. He was just fun to work with. Very appreciative, which was wonderful.

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Video still, Behind the Scenes at an Art Museum. © MCA Chicago.

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1990s Community Education Staff