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December 20, 1967

Mr. Burroughs
3806 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago 53, Illinois

Dear Mr. Burroughs:

Charles spoke to me regarding your desire to have a show of his at the South Side Community Art Center.  Charles also told me of your desire to help wherever possible.

I know, from discussing the situation with Charles, that you understand Charles' desire to crack the Chicago Art Institute with a show of his.  We have been working toward that for some time.  We feel that we will be able to finally establish Charles as a national artist by having a major museum in the country give him a show.  The Chicago Art Institute, where he has studied in his youth and to which he has received a number of fellowships, seems to be the best place to attempt to get a major show of his mounted by a museum.  With that in mind we contacted Mr. Irwin A. Salk of the mortgage bank firm of Salk, Salk & Salk, who headquarter in Chicago.  Mr. Salk knows Charles' work and said he would do whatever possible to attempt to influence the Chicago Art Institute Board in giving Charles a show there.

Whatever you can do would be greatly appreciated as well.  Perhaps Herbert Nipson might contact Mr. Salk with yourself and see if the museum can be approached unofficially before we make an official request for a show.  The dates of a show at the Chicago Art Institute are immaterial to Charles.  It might be 1968 or '69 or '70.  The point is to be able to get a 1-man show at the Chicago Art Institute if it is at all possible.

I do understand your feeling regarding the South Side Community Art Center, and I think that it would be a fine gesture on Charles' part to have a show at the West Side Art Center.  I do feel that Charles should have a show there at some time.  Whether it should be in 1968 or at some later year, depends completely, it seems to me, on whether or not we can get a show at the Chicago Art Institute.  This would in no case preclude a possible show at the Community Art Center.  I think that I don't have to belabor the point and that you understand.

Charles flies over Chicago but his mother will fly back to him.  She is expected to come in on Christmas Day and we are planning to take her around to see the sights.  It might interest you to