Dana Louie, a new member of the Museum Council, discusses the mind-bending design of her favorite object in the collection.

Why did you initially decide to join the Council?

I've always wanted to be more engaged with the art community in Boston. I was previously a member of the MFA, but I decided to join the Council to engage with others who share my interests and learn from their artistic ingenuity. I've loved the opportunity the Council has given me to tap into the depth and richness of the Museum community more broadly.

What event are you most looking forward to this season?

I'm most excited for the opening reception for “Cecilia Vicuña: Disappeared Quipu.” I actually wrote a paper about the significance of the quipu in Incan culture, so I'm looking forward to experiencing an understanding of the quipu from an artistic perspective. I also really enjoy attending exhibition openings, listening to the artists behind the work, and sharing thoughts with other Council members as we explore the exhibition.

If you could design a new Council event, what would it look like?

I'd love to have an event where high-profile or up-and-coming artists tell their journeys of becoming artists in a panel format. I want to understand more about the motivations behind their work and how they've navigated the difficult landscape of pursuing art professionally.

What is your favorite object in the collection and why?

It has to be Josiah McElheny’s Endlessly Repeating Twentieth Century Modernism (2007). It's near the entrance by the Fens, and I probably walked by this work 20 times before stopping to fully appreciate it; once I did, I was completely lost in it. The piece is built with mirrors that make every view an endless gaze into infinity. It's not only an incredible feat from an engineering perspective, but an intellectual, mind-bending design. For me, it evokes a sense of boundlessness—every single angle is a different universe unto itself.