39 / 40
Tell us about the importance of your
work as the President of
The Board
Genie
.
The Board Genie
was founded with the
goal of helping small arts non-profits
reach their leadership, community
involvement, and financial goals. I have
been privileged to be part of over 15
wonderful non-profits, and saw this as
a way to help other organizations grow
and flourish. So far, I have not charged
anyone for my participation or advice!
You volunteer extensively; why is it so
important to you?
Giving back is in my DNA, I have
been a volunteer my entire adult life.
It helped me discover my talent in
tourism, which was instrumental in
starting my own business 40 years ago.
It continues to enrich my personal and
professional life each and every day.
You’ve traveled all over the world.
What are some of your favorite cities
and why?
Paris is a perennial favorite as I was
fortunate enough to represent the city
of Chicago to the city of Paris for five
years under Mayor Daley; I call it my
other Second City. I am also fascinated
by South Africa and Southeast Asia
for their unique cultural differences
and their amazing art forms. I found
Machu Pichu in Peru to be the most
spiritual and mystical journey I have
ever taken.
What’s your favorite thing to do in
Chicago?
Visit museums, see some great art,
and finish the day with a great meal—
hopefully French!
What types of art do you most enjoy
collecting?
Michal and I have always been inspired
by the surrealist movement; much
of our collection is informed by that
super-reality artists experimented with
and achieved in the 1920s and beyond.
We are fortunate to have many of those
artists in our home.
What is your favorite work of art?
Picasso’s ceramic
Woman with
Chignon
—the very first piece in our
collection!
What are you reading right now?
America’s Medicis: The Rockefellers
and Their Astonishing Cultural Legacy
by Suzanne Loebl, the story of the
largesse and extraordinary vision of
the Rockefellers in creating some of
American’s most treasured institutions.
Their generosity and patronage inspire
me.
Name the person (dead or alive) you’d
most like to meet.
Thomas Jefferson for his views on
democracy and Salvador Dali for the
fun of it!
Which LUMA exhibition have you
most enjoyed?
Ten Thousand Ripples
moved me
with its community involvement and
figures of Buddha, which have always
symbolized peace and hope to me.
What do you love about LUMA?
Each time I visit it feels like it’s my
own personal museum. The intimacy
of both the exhibitions and the
space always provides a unique and
wonderful experience.
LUMA Spotlight
Marsha Goldstein
37
Marsha Goldstein joined the LUMA Board
of Advisors in 2014, inspired by LUMA’s
unique mission and ongoing commitment
to faith and spirituality in art. For Marsha,
this presented a new and exciting
perspective on art and exhibitions.