<h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://northwestern.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=904f932038284b4d9eea69636&amp;id=57c1ba708f&amp;e=64540e863b" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1770657197/g25z1yzqref2qpw1zwiv.gif"></a></h4>Video: Lacey Fekishazy, Draftsperson/Lead Installer for the Estate of Sol LeWitt, Theo Boggs, Preparator, Willem Siersma, Preparator, Camera: Bob. -&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://ournameisbob.com/" target="_blank">ournameisbob.com</a>, Edit: Cody Schlabaugh -&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://codyschlabaugh.com/" target="_blank">codyschlabaugh.com</a>&nbsp; By CGN Staff The Block has mounted its first on-site installation of Wall Drawing #215 (1972) by Sol LeWitt, bringing a landmark work of conceptual art into direct conversation with the museum’s gallery space. The drawing, part of The Block’s permanent collection, is on view through June 14. Wall Drawing #215 is what LeWitt described as a “location drawing”—a work designed to be executed directly on the wall and adapted to the specific dimensions of each site. Rather than existing as a fixed object, the drawing is realized anew for every installation using the artist’s original written instructions. The work currently on view was plotted, drafted, and executed by trained installers, following the precise parameters laid out by LeWitt more than 50 years ago. Although LeWitt died in 2007, his wall drawings continue to be made today through this instruction-based system, a practice that has become central to his legacy. For LeWitt, the concept behind the work was as important as its physical manifestation—an approach that challenged traditional ideas of authorship, originality, and permanence in art. Each installation is both a faithful realization of the artist’s intent and a unique response to the space in which it appears. The Block’s installation offers visitors insight into the careful process and collaborative labor behind the work. A newly released behind-the-scenes video documents the installation of Wall Drawing #215, featuring lead installer and draftsperson Lacey Fekishazy, who reflects on learning the practice from first-generation drafters who worked closely with LeWitt. Her commentary underscores the continuity of knowledge and care required to carry out the artist’s instructions decades later. By presenting Wall Drawing #215 as a site-specific installation rather than a static artifact, The Block highlights how LeWitt’s work remains an active, living practice—one that continues to evolve through precision, interpretation, and collaboration. More information at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/" target="_blank">blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://northwestern.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=904f932038284b4d9eea69636&amp;id=8bc2f8966b&amp;e=64540e863b" target="_blank">WATCH NOW</a> # The Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University thanked Steven P. Henry (Block Board of Advisors) and Philip Shneidman for their gift of&nbsp;Wall Drawing 215 as well as The Paula Cooper Gallery and&nbsp;The Estate of Sol Lewitt for their partnership in the installation of the work.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Block's Site-Specific Sol LeWitt Wall Drawing

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1770308595/guuokfgqufsqfs1xiodo.jpg"> By Ginny Van Alyea Last week <a style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPO CHICAGO</a> announced the first details of its 2026 edition, scheduled for April 9–12, 2026 at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, with Northern Trust returning as Presenting Sponsor. Under the leadership of newly appointed Director Kate Sierzputowski and Curator Essence Harden, the fair enters a new chapter with what leadership says is a more focused, intentionally scaled format. The 2026 edition will present more than 130 galleries from around the world in a refined floorplan designed to prioritize clarity, discovery, and sustained engagement. The updated approach emphasizes curatorial coherence and accessibility while reinforcing EXPO CHICAGO’s role as a central convening point for the Midwest and international art communities. Sections of the fair also have new names - in addition to the 'galleries' list, there is also Focus, Profile, Embodiment, and Evolution. Curatorial programming plays an expanded role in the fair’s reimagined structure. A new partnership with the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center introduces two initiatives curated by Dr. Louise Bernard, Director of the Obama Presidential Center Museum. Embodiment draws inspiration from the Center’s architecture and commissioned artists, while Evolution presents archival materials connected to the Center’s art commissions. Together, the projects foreground themes of history, identity, and cultural memory rooted in Chicago and shaped by global contexts. Additional curated sections continue this emphasis on depth and intentionality. Focus (formerly Exposure), curated by Kate A. Pfohl of the Detroit Institute of Arts, highlights emerging galleries and artistic practices, offering an accessible entry point into the fair. Profile, curated by Essence Harden, features solo booths and tightly conceived presentations by established international galleries, encouraging sustained engagement with individual artists and projects. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1770308595/muqum8nq6u50i1lkvwaq.jpg">Kate Sierzputowski and Essence Harden. Photo by Kevin Serna. “As we build toward EXPO CHICAGO 2026, our priority has been to refocus the fair on what has always defined it: rigorous curation, civic collaboration, and a deep commitment to artists,” said Sierzputowski. Harden added that the fair is uniquely positioned to connect artists with museums and collections, noting that the 2026 presentations reflect “focused, conceptually rigorous practices that resonate with institutional priorities.” The fair continues several key initiatives, including its collaboration with the Galleries Association of Korea, which will bring 12 Korean galleries to the 2026 edition, building on relationships established between Kiaf SEOUL and Frieze Seoul. Thursday is noted at the invitation-only VIP Preview for the fair, but a representative shared that there will be opportunities to purchase tickets for Opening Night on that day. Continuing from last year, the invitation-only early hours will be a collaborative "Vernissage Champagne Brunch” earlier in the day that is a celebration of EXPO CHICAGO hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s Women’s Board. Long-time fair goers will notice that the popular Editions and Books is no longer a section at EXPO CHICAGO. This may be in part due to the IFPDA Print Fair running simultaneously in New York this year, with Midwestern spaces like Manneken Press, F.L. Braswell Fine Art, Tandem Press and Dublin's Stoney Road Press participating. However, EXPO leadership noted that the MCA Chicago Store will return to the main entrance of the fair this year.&nbsp;&nbsp;In March details surrounding the highlights of the fair will be announced. VIP Preview Thursday, April 9, 2026 (by invitation only) General Admission Friday, April 10, 11:00am–7:00pm Saturday, April 11, 11:00am–7:00pm Sunday, April 12, 11:00am–6:00pm __ 2026 EXHIBITORS*GAoK exhibitor GALLERIES 021 Gallery* – DaeguGallery 41* – SeoulAicon Contemporary – New YorkA Lighthouse called Kanata – TokyoAllouche Gallery – New YorkArcadia Contemporary – New YorkGalería Artizar – Tenerife, MadridAvant Gallery – MiamiRichard Beavers Gallery – BrooklynBockley Gallery – MinneapolisBOGENA GALERIE – Saint Paul De Vence, PhoenixCasterline|Goodman Gallery – Aspen, Santa FeEthan Cohen Gallery – New York, BeaconOliver Cole Gallery – MiamiCynthia Corbett Gallery – LondonGallery Dasun* – Gwacheon-siDOCUMENT – Chicago, LisbonEbony/Curated – Cape Town, FranschhoekLes Enluminures – Chicago, New York, ParisGallery Fine* – BusanFriedrichs Pontone – New YorkGBS Fine Art – London, SomersetGefen Gallery – San FranciscoGPG Gallery – New YorkGalleryGrimson* – SeoulRichard Heller Gallery – Los AngelesHexton Gallery – AspenNancy Hoffman Gallery – New YorkRebecca Hossack Art Gallery – London, Miami, SingaporeKarma – New York, Los AngelesKeumsan Gallery* – Seoul, GyeongjuLEE &amp; BAE* – BusanDavid Lusk Gallery – Memphis, NashvilleMcCormick Gallery – ChicagoMiles McEnery Gallery – New Yorkmoniquemeloche – ChicagoGalerie Myrtis – BaltimoreOpa Projects – MiamiNight Gallery – Los AngelesPATRON – ChicagoGalerie Pici* – Seoul, New YorkPontone Gallery – LondonNara Roesler – São Paulo, New York, Rio De JaneiroMichael Rosenfeld Gallery – New YorkSecrist | Beach – ChicagoMarc Straus Gallery – New YorkSun Gallery* – SeoulSuppoment Gallery* – SeoulSundaram Tagore Gallery – New York, London, SingaporeTAI Modern – Santa FeTing Ting Art Space – TaipeiUpsilon Gallery – New York, London, Milan EMBODIMENT GRAY – Chicago, New YorkSean Kelly – New YorkAnton Kern – New YorkGallery Wendi Norris – San FranciscoRegen Projects – Los Angeles PROFILE 47 Canal – New YorkAdegbola Gallery – LagosAffinity Gallery – LagosBabst Gallery – Los AngelesCorbett vs. Dempsey – ChicagoDuru Artspace* – SeoulFort Gansevoort – New YorkGeary Contemporary – Salisburyhalf gallery – New York, Los AngelesILY2 – Portland, New YorkCharlie James Gallery – Los AngelesKevin Kavanagh – DublinVielmetter Los Angeles – Los AngelesTanya Weddemire Gallery – BrooklynWeinstein Hammons Gallery – MinneapolisWizard Gallery – MilanPaik Hae Young Gallery* – SeoulZemack Contemporary Art – Tel AvivZidoun-Bossuyt Gallery – Luxembourg, Dubai, ParisMatéria – DetroitANDREW RAFACZ – ChicagoJessica Silverman – San FranciscoGary Snyder Fine Art MT – WhitehallMindy Solomon Gallery – MiamiSoto Gallery – LagosTHIRD BORN – Mexico CityYenwa Gallery – Lagos FOCUS 56 HENRY – New Yorkapril april – PittsburghArtemin Gallery – TaipeiBertrand Productions – PhiladelphiaBienvenu Steinberg &amp; C – New YorkBianca Boeckel – São Paulo, SalvadorBrandt Gallery – AmsterdamBuffalo Prescott – DetroitJonathan Carver Moore – San FranciscoCircle Art Gallery – NairobiContour Art Gallery – VilniusCOTT – Buenos AiresDM Incubator – New YorkDon't Look Projects – Los AngelesEMBAJADA – San JuanEnari – AmsterdamGood Weather – ChicagoGOCA by Garde – New York, JapanHesse Flatow – New York, AmagansettHigh Noon – New YorkGillian Jason – Gallery LondonK:art Studio – LondonLatinou – Mexico CityLobster Club – Los AngelesM. LeBlanc – ChicagoMAĀT Gallery – ParisMagenta Plains – New YorkMarinaro – New YorkMegan Mulrooney – Los AngelesTHE MISSION PROJECTS – ChicagoMitochondria Gallery – HoustonMitre Galeria – Belo Horizonte, São PauloNature of Things – DallasOSMOS – New YorkPatel Brown – Toronto, MontréalPublic – LondonRed Arrow – Nashvillere.riddle – San FranciscoRivalry Projects – BuffaloSARAI Gallery – Los Angeles, DubaiChris Sharp Gallery – Los AngelesSibyl Gallery – New OrleansSituations – New YorkSPACE 776 GALLERY – New York, SeoulSuperposition Gallery – Los AngelesTERN Gallery – NassauTIAN Contemporain – MontréalVERVE – São PauloWhat Pipeline – DetroitYehudi Hollander Pappi – São Paulo Details at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">expochicago.com</a>

EXPO CHICAGO Announces First Details of 2026 Edition

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1770099683/y8lens5gjifceqmg6yrp.jpg">The Exterior of Metropolitan Capital Bank &amp; Trust in Chicago By CGN Staff On January 30, 2026 MetCap Bank, formally known as Metropolitan Capital Bank &amp; Trust, was ordered shut down by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation According to a statement on the bank's <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.metcapbank.com/" target="_blank">website</a>, following the order from the Illinois body, subsequently, "the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was named Receiver. No advance notice is given to the public when a financial institution is closed. All deposit accounts, excluding certain brokered deposits, have been transferred to First Independence Bank, Detroit, MI." The bank was found to be in an untenable financial position. It is the first bank in the country to be shut down this year and the second in Chicago in the past two years. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1770099684/yzvaddapatj8qftlw4eg.png">Works from a recent exhibition. Photo courtesy Corporate Art Advisory. Locally MetCap, which was housed in the historic Tree Studios, which were once artist studios, built a reputation among the art community as a champion of local artists. An exhibition program was titled Art Works Chicago, and dozens of local artists–from William Conger to Michiko Itatani–were exhibited in the bank's space over the years in collaboration with area galleries and art advisors. In 2025 the bank celebrated 20 years of its exhibition program with an exhibition that looked back on the artists it showcased. MetCap's website described the purpose of the program, "Several shows each year feature artists in the Chicago nexus, enriching an already unique space with fine artwork. This initiative creates a platform for team members&nbsp;and visitors to meet artists, better understand the art making process, and engage in thoughtful dialogue. The art and unique space gives the bank a very non-traditional feel. This non-traditional approach is at the core of what we do – developing creative solutions to complex financial situations for our clients and partners." There is no word yet what will happen to any art currently exhibited at the bank, if any, or if there are works that are part of a permanent collection that will be sold as part of any liquidation. <a style="color: rgb(254, 254, 254);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.fdic.gov/bank-failures/failed-bank-list/metropolitan-capital-bank-trust" target="_blank">FDIC Bank Closing Information for Metropolitan Capital Bank &amp; Trust</a>

Metropolitan Capital Bank - Known for Hosting Exhibitions with Chicago Artists - Shut Down by Regulators

By CGN Staff On Friday, January 30 many Chicago galleries will be closed as they join a call for a nationwide shutdown. Participating galleries as of this posting time are listed below. The movement calls for a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping as organizers of the general strike have asked people not to purchase anything on January 30 in order to create an economic blackout as well as a chance for people join the day's local protests against ICE. As this is an evolving event, the list of galleries that will be closed Friday may change, so please check with individual businesses to see if they are open or not. Most plan to re-open Saturday, January 31, 2026. moniquemelocheMariane IbrahimCorbett vs. DempseyGRAYAndrew RafaczDOCUMENTPATRONTalaElise SeigenthalerBodenraderWestern ExhibitionsSecrist | BeachRegardsM. LeBlanc ﻿

Many Chicago Galleries are Closed January 30, 2026 as Part of Nationwide Shutdown

<h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1769449481/lpiqyqfz4xv5h0pqukdf.jpg"></h2>A rare period tintype of Abraham Lincoln: The "Beardstown Portrait," ca 1860. | Estimate $15,000 – 20,000 <h2>By CGN Staff</h2>As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Freeman’s is preparing a major 2026 slate of auctions and public programming that brings America’s past to the auction block—one document, portrait, and artifact at a time. The Philadelphia-founded auction house will present sales and events throughout the year in Philadelphia, New York City, and Chicago. The Semiquincentennial program opens with Printed and Manuscript Americana on January 29, 2026 (Philadelphia), featuring rare primary-source material tied to the country’s early political and diplomatic history. Highlights include an autograph letter signed by George Washington, written in March 1789 just weeks before his inauguration, along with a 1776 Continental Congress document signed by John Hancock appointing Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Thomas Jefferson as commissioners to France. In spring, Freeman’s heads to Chicago for The Fathers and Saviors of Our Country: A Presidential Sale on March 26, 2026, centered on presidential leadership and legacy. The sale includes important material relating to Abraham Lincoln, including a rare early photographic portrait as well as a notable oil painting by Charles Alfred Barry. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1769449482/ovc7nhyl2m6xmvcdhxzx.jpg">Lot 29: Letter of credence appointing Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Thomas Jefferson commissioners to the court of France to negotiate a treaty of alliance, September 30, 1776"&nbsp;|&nbsp;Estimate $150,000 – 250,000 Summer brings How History Unfolds on Paper: Important Americana from the Eric C. Caren Collection, Part X on June 30, 2026 (Philadelphia), showcasing historical documents from one of the most expansive private collections of Americana. The sale will include a signed letter from Thomas Jefferson written in 1783, along with a War of 1812-era ship’s log containing a firsthand account of the Battle of Baltimore and the bombardment that inspired “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Freeman’s will also host previews and programming in New York during Americana Week (January 23–28, 2026) at its Upper East Side gallery (32 East 67th Street), including a panel discussion on January 27. Additional auctions focused on American art and decorative arts will be announced in the coming months.

Freeman’s Marks America’s 250th with a Landmark Auction Year

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1769103437/q1qv4pweqqq5trrj2h4y.jpg"> By CGN Staff<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mcachicago.org/" target="_blank">The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago</a> (MCA) has announced the appointment of&nbsp;Ionit Behar, PhD, as&nbsp;Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator, a position endowed in 2012 by philanthropists Marilyn and Larry Fields. Dr. Behar will join the museum on&nbsp;February 9, 2026.Grounded in Latin American and Latinx art, understood as an expansive and continually shifting field, Dr. Behar’s curatorial practice centers artists, practices, and forms of labor that have been historically excluded from dominant narratives. Her work is shaped by research-driven exhibition making and long-term collaboration with artists, moving across cultural, linguistic, and disciplinary contexts.“Ionit brings a remarkable combination of intellectual rigor, curatorial insight, and an unwavering commitment to community,” said&nbsp;Dr. Joey Orr, Deputy Director and Chief of Curatorial Affairs at the MCA. “Her appointment will further strengthen the museum’s legacy as a home for artists, audiences, and communities.”“It has been a dream of mine to work at the MCA since I arrived in Chicago more than fourteen years ago,” said Dr. Behar. “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to join the museum at this moment and look forward to collaborating across departments while continuing my commitment to supporting Chicago-based artists alongside artists working internationally.”Dr. Behar most recently served as&nbsp;Curator at DePaul Art Museum, where she organized exhibitions including&nbsp;Alice Tippit: Rose Obsolete&nbsp;(2026),&nbsp;Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle: A Want for Nothing&nbsp;(2025),&nbsp;Selva Aparicio: In Memory Of&nbsp;(2024), and&nbsp;LatinXAmerican&nbsp;(2021), among others. Recent independent projects include&nbsp;Del Otro Lado&nbsp;(2023) at O’Hare International Airport;&nbsp;50 años&nbsp;(2023) at SUBTE, Montevideo; and&nbsp;Nelly Agassi: No Limestone, Nor Marble&nbsp;(2022) at the Chicago Cultural Center.Previously, she served as Curator of Collections and Exhibitions at the&nbsp;Spertus Institute&nbsp;and as a research assistant for&nbsp;Hélio Oiticica: To Organize Delirium&nbsp;(2017) at the Art Institute of Chicago.Dr. Behar holds a&nbsp;PhD in Art History from the University of Illinois at Chicago, an&nbsp;MA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a&nbsp;BA from Tel Aviv University.﻿Newly appointed Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator Dr. Ionit Behar. Photo by Maria Ponce Berre.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Appoints Dr. Ionit Behar as Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768236483/eyp9nkvjejiy6iqwmcoy.jpg"> Via PR Chicago - Mariah Keller&nbsp;will become the new Executive Director of Wrightwood 659, an arts space in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando. Founded in 2018, Wrightwood 659&nbsp;hosts exhibitions on socially engaged art and architecture, on issues facing LGBTQ+ communities, and on Asian art and architecture.“We are thrilled to welcome Mariah Keller as the new Executive Director of Wrightwood 659,” says&nbsp;Fred Eychaner, Co-Founder, Wrightwood 659. “Mariah brings a wealth of experience from respected cultural institutions, and her leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our goals. We are confident her expertise will guide Wrightwood 659 into an exciting new chapter.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768236484/x2xdd35siw7sn1kpurnl.jpg"> Keller notes, “I am delighted to be joining this extraordinary gem in Chicago. The museum’s commitment to socially engaged art and architecture, its leadership in presenting exhibitions addressing issues facing LGBTQ+ communities, and its deep engagement with Asian art and architecture make it a truly singular place. I look forward to working alongside the dedicated and deeply committed staff as we continue to expand its impact and reach.”Prior to her appointment, Keller held several leadership roles at the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University Bloomington, a 112,000-square-foot museum designed by I.M. Pei. She was most recently interim director where she led the museum’s academic research and teaching collaborations, day-to-day operations, and the execution of a robust exhibition program and acquisitions strategy. During her tenure there since 2016, Keller oversaw publishing, marketing and communications, graphic design, photography and museum technology and also served as a member of the museum’s senior leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and management of the operating budget. Keller also served as Head of Publications and Digital Media at the Saint Louis Art Museum, and, as founder of Keller Editing, successfully shepherded more than 50 books to completion from concept to print. Earlier in her career, Keller was senior editor at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, editor at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and a program assistant at the National Gallery of Art.&nbsp;Keller succeeds&nbsp;Jan Kallish, who has led Wrightwood 659 since 2021, and who is retiring and returning to entrepreneurial projects in theatre and the performing arts. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Jan for her four years of dedicated leadership,” says Eychaner. “Jan joined us full time while the world was still emerging from COVID&nbsp;and did a remarkable job stabilizing and expanding our footprint, leading our talented staff to mount 20 successful exhibitions. Her energy and enthusiasm will never be forgotten, and she has promised she will remain&nbsp;engaged with Wrightwood 659 as she returns to her first love—the theatre.” In addition to her work on critically acclaimed exhibitions, Kallish expanded Wrightwood 659’s industry-leading Educator program, which trains early-career participants to serve as gallery guides and conversation partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;Next at Wrightwood 659 will be two exhibitions on view April 17 – July 18, 2026:&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org/exhibitions/martin-wong-chinatown-usa/" target="_blank">Martin Wong: Chinatown USA</a>, the first U.S. monographic museum exhibition since 2017 of Chinese American artist Martin Wong (1946–1999), and&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org/exhibitions/dispossessions-in-the-americas/" target="_blank">Dispossessions in the Americas: The Extraction of Bodies, Land, and Heritage from La Conquista to the Present</a>, bringing together over 40 works by 36 contemporary artists from across Latin America whose work broadly seeks to critique and unsettle the long-standing politics of dispossession. For more information, please visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___http:/www.wrightwood659.org___.YzJ1OmFscGhhd29vZGZvdW5kYXRpb246YzpvOjhkYzMwMzk1YjYyMWI0Njc1NmM3YWNjOWQxMDc5NTdmOjc6NjVmYTozOTJmNGE3ZjY4OGFlMDkyMTY5MGVjZTg5NGMxZDJmNmFjZTBjZDlkZDc2NThlYWI0MjE3ZjZmM2Q5MzdmZThlOnA6VDpG" target="_blank">www.wrightwood659.org</a>.

Mariah Keller Named New Executive Director of Wrightwood 659

We received the following message from Justin Witte, Dir. at Cleve Carney Museum of Art and are sharing this news in case some of you would like to help artist Andi Crist following a fire at her home on January 1, 2026.– GV <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768413311/wq32loxgx6hiinca9ezb.jpg">Andi Crist, Installation view of Live, Laugh, Labor, 2025 at CCMA From Justin WitteDirector and Curator<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-cleve-carney-museum-of-art-ccma" target="_blank">Cleve Carney Museum of Art</a> Last week at the very start of 2026, our current featured artist,&nbsp;Andi Crist, and her family experienced an unimaginable loss. On New Year’s Day, their Chicago home was destroyed by fire.Beyond the loss of a house, Andi and her family lost the artworks, personal objects, and everyday items that made it a home. Like so many artists, her work and her living space were intertwined, making this loss both personal and professional. As Andi and her family begin the long process of rebuilding and moving forward, they are facing enormous challenges. A GoFundMe has been created to help cover immediate needs and support their recovery during this difficult time. If you are able, we encourage you to consider donating. Any contribution, large or small, makes a real difference, and sharing the campaign helps extend that support even further.Thank you for being part of a community that shows up for artists not only in moments of celebration, but also in moments of need. <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://q8w2.engage.squarespace-mail.com/r?m=695ea4685353385de97e8b7e&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gofundme.com%2Ff%2Fhelp-jp-andi-and-ollie-rebuild-after-house-fire&amp;w=610a97870a7b92681378bfb2&amp;c=b_695e9fef5353385de97dca75&amp;l=en-US&amp;s=7O-3GCWFcX_lvMueSavv97UGz_8%3D" target="_blank">Donate to Andi Crist’s GoFundMe</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768413312/tsd4h2xtt3uwel1fsoqu.jpg"> Image of Andi Crist’s home after the January 1, 2026 fire

Call to Support Artist Andi Crist After Fire Loss

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819548/asw1lj8aylcz9zibgxmw.jpg"></h3><h3> </h3><h3>MoCP's DARKROOM Tickets are on Sale</h3> Celebrate MoCP and the museum's 50th anniversary at their annual benefit auction party next month, DARKROOM taking place February 26, 2026. DARKROOM brings together hundreds of photography enthusiasts, artists, and arts patrons for an evening to support the museum. This year, MoCP honors photographer Joel Sternfeld with the Silver Camera Award while showcasing nearly 50 artists in the auction and offering one-of-a-kind live arts experiences on-site at DARKROOM. Purchase DARKROOM Tickets <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/events/darkroom2026/?mc_cid=040406e83c&amp;mc_eid=d76e1da35a" target="_blank">here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819549/q2tigiuca0di5arhbmnl.png"> <h3>Chicago Museum Member Swap Coming Up Jan 29–Feb 1</h3> A perk of being a member at many of Chicago's smaller museums and institutions is that you can explore Chicago’s incredible collection of museums with the new Chicago Museum Member Swap weekend event!&nbsp;&nbsp;From January 29-February 1, present your participating membership card at any of the participating Chicago museums, and enjoy free admission!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Participating museums are&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90PRQKYH8MKR1nVKKK4TFStE4Le6scGH7vmAnZMI547Ea-ZFruVXAarmQwxkCwm9ydST3f9fW2dDVDVPPGrJC45xa5B8Cdt1yBjjyanMS-NDAH6KuZzwhT6beUQszoeceHFvjv5KtqcKXnp4esrCvvJP-W5NGBb8EsRGrt2gIU0uDd0KK-m-LQ4E7c0_ZPxXVQ&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">American Writers Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90JV23JouDolcchK7epsZbK7Y58l8hL0NBwfi-je6-nTnRmMyDZLdjcNXgZXIkj22PEALIOm2mWCnu22eCZOtvsXT0y6jG4J3t&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Driehaus Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90RLwrpxePtgodJ9Yi___mHtex1PbJwJbCRuurf9D1975mQ9Y9CHnWLIriwx7pNBDjxgwYHqT4GElm8ZoxrEwmrD4L8zPIsA9R&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Glessner House</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90-2XXo0eC_e497mtys7lSsrfB9ZzIh_eVgNzGP7wHJQIjfla0W8ChVdJJ0aEcMkFVcugxeLS8VKGJumJ_EvQLDOyMNxPEFKTEKdk76muypu_hv6aucogvTB2nPgvXIODReCYJJTDtW4U=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Illinois Holocaust Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90ON2EETql2hW9_WS9yE2lTBDCybjqdZedbkOCjV1p7xg3oGRRPpBQr8CQuKI4afwbkrWxCxJxXvaEIOVkiFDOUg==&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Art</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90GpgNKW4CLsf0SgrFeYh7VZtvEIpl3bIkdvmW5KMKi02f9lkJkyQU2SkFBgP44rBzpQD7WMMbQno=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Museum of Surgical Science</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90YlGcjYUhEQJL8ghDjNfWek0lhl3oLdwZIsXiYVfHdD-Svp92EtQhO03djnBSCuBqPNoqgLEgwKxoTSsUnNtUkT6G0tT9cVlNSeCkLZQ9qt0=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">National Museum of Mexican Art</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90O0LZvpTGGRitgl7XhCDpnGE3jTw6AsICDqeoU5p9s6BK4NwFc6540iucMW2xbsG5WPAprQIiI6U=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">National Public Housing Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90iohySwS5gvaNy2fZjrPuqx6oI4pch8DHOLd6S6nyIPTu3qrt4lD3t46trpEmT2W64U65AxhyqU34Dux1xA_A_ACIosVVBzIjKVmGSWR3SuQ=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">National Hellenic Museum</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbj8-81TJC5nR3Jjl_sxAka_fb4in2O5JIFKOow65jcnrDJiYEth-WvFWAlkDP92umQbM_B1IZ4kqfRJsxiqLY2ERumVQfv5skQ==&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art</a> and the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://art.org/" target="_blank">Intuit Museum of Art</a>&nbsp;The offer extends to the cardholding member plus one guest and any children 16 years old and younger.&nbsp;Check participating&nbsp;museums’&nbsp;websites&nbsp;for expectations around&nbsp;advance registration&nbsp;or walk-in visits. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819550/mzgpdqies3xgrvoslt8y.jpg"> <h3>Les Enluminures Closing New York Location but Keeping Chicago and Paris</h3> Founder Sandra Hindman shared: As of February 1, we will be closing the New York gallery of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lesenluminures.com/" target="_blank">Les Enluminures</a>. Since we opened there 14 years ago, we have met so many wonderful people and hosted many exhibitions and special events, With the opening of our new space on the Palais Royal in Paris, we have decided it’s time to narrow our focus to our two “home” spaces – Paris where the business began and Chicago where I am based and which is increasingly active.&nbsp; Please be assured that we will still have a presence in New York. We will continue to participate in the Winter Show in January and the New York Antiquarian Book Fair in the Spring, as well as other ad hoc events. And -- New York is a mere 1 ½ hours away from Chicago by air! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819551/ju5nghk2ozct2u3jvnpr.jpg"> <h3>Newberry Library Announces Winter NewberryFest January 24</h3> The Newberry will hold an event on Saturday, January 24, 12-3pm designed to help both new and returning visitors learn more about the independent research library in Chicago’s Gold Coast.&nbsp; “Winter NewberryFest”&nbsp;is an open house-style event that will lean into the library’s extensive collection of maps, dating from the 1500s through present. NewberryFest arrives as a current exhibition,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/mapping-outside-the-lines" target="_blank">Mapping Outside the Lines</a>, takes visitors through a vast array of maps from mundane textbooks to avant garde art. Winter NewberryFest&nbsp;will take place on the first floor of the library (60 West Walton Place, Chicago) with a wide variety of activities that are free and open to all, including: <ul><li>Coming face-to-face with extraordinary maps and related items&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/collection" target="_blank">from our collections</a> and having questions answered by our expert librarians and curators.</li><li>Learning from our map curator about how to find and enjoy materials in our collection in a half-hour session, 12-12:30pm.</li><li>Making map-inspired art through collage and papermaking from 1-3pm.</li><li>Shopping a used book sale, which promises to offer literary treasures at low prices.</li><li>Visiting our latest exhibitions,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/mapping-outside-the-lines" target="_blank">Mapping Outside the Lines</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/from-page-to-pixel" target="_blank">From Page to Pixel: Discovering the Digital Newberry</a>.</li><li>Joining a docent-led building tour to learn about the library's nearly 140-year history.&nbsp;</li><li>Visiting the&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.bookshop.newberry.org/" target="_blank">Newberry Bookshop</a>, which includes much more than just books. All attendees receive 10% off their purchase.</li><li> </li></ul><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/newberryfest" target="_blank">Registration is encouraged to receive updates and reminders about the event.</a>

CGN Art World Recap: 1.7.26

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765944744/k521rkf5yvcjm7twtp3z.jpg">Theaster Gates, Photo by Akilah Townsend, Courtesy of The Obama Foundation. By CGN Staff The Obama Foundation has announced a major new commission by GRAY artist Theaster Gates for the Hadiya Pendleton Atrium at the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center, slated to open in 2026. The new installation will draw from photographic material housed in the Johnson Publishing Company image archive and the personal collection of photographer Howard Simmons. Continuing Gates’s longstanding artistic practice, the work elevates and preserves Black cultural legacies through the care of archives and everyday materials, bringing renewed attention to the stories, creativity, and collective memory that have shaped American life. “I’ve known Theaster since his days as the first transit arts planner for the Chicago Transit Authority 25 years ago, and he is the ideal artist for this marquee space,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. “His boundless creativity, commitment to public art, passion for educating and sharing art with others, and gift for translating history into the present make him a singular talent. People from around the world will be awestruck by his work—but just as importantly, those of us from the South Side will see our community continue to be elevated to the world-class status it has always deserved.” Gates expressed deep personal and professional resonance with the commission. “I am deeply honored to be commissioned to create a new artwork for the Obama Presidential Center, a beacon of democracy, just a couple of blocks from where my nonprofit, Rebuild Foundation, has invested in land and cultural assets as tools for creative self-determination for over two decades,” he said. “This opportunity moves me to bring forward the photographic legacies that capture moments of great strength and elegance from the Johnson Publishing Company archive—images by Moneta Sleet, Jr. and Isaac Sutton—as well as the personal archive of photographer Howard Simmons.” “My hope,” Gates continued, “is to ground the power of these visual histories in a new context, reminding us of the collective resolve that shapes our communities. At a time when artists are increasingly playing a critical role in protecting memory and contributing to the democratic ideals that shape who we are and what we strive to become, it is deeply meaningful to contribute to this historic space.” The Hadiya Pendleton Atrium is located within the Forum Building, a public gathering space named in honor of Hadiya Pendleton, the 15-year-old Chicago student who marched in President Obama’s second inauguration parade and was tragically killed a week later as a result of gun violence. The atrium stands as a powerful symbol of community, strength, and civic action. Gates’s installation reflects on collective resilience while honoring the everyday individuals whose lives and practices sustain movements for justice and social change.Built into the landscape of Jackson Park, the Forum Building will serve as a welcoming hub for the local community. In addition to the atrium, it will house the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, a restaurant, a Media Suite, Democracy in Action Lab (DIAL) Program Rooms, and staff offices. Drawing on imagery from the Johnson Publishing Company Archives—an archive Gates has engaged with and honored through his artistic practice for more than a decade—and the personal archive of Howard Simmons, a former staff photographer at Johnson Publishing Company, the installation celebrates the power and intimacy of Black life as seen in the pages of Ebony and Jet. These publications helped define the visual and cultural language of the 20th century. Rendered on industrial aluminum and extending more than 175 feet, the installation foregrounds images of crowds and Black women, honoring the collective labor, energy, care, and collaboration that continue to propel movements forward. In 2016, Gates began archiving and working with approximately 20,000 photographs from the Johnson Publishing Company Archives, ensuring that this vital visual record of Black cultural heritage could continue to generate new value and remain a source of creative and entrepreneurial inspiration for Chicago’s South Side. His stewardship of these materials reflects a broader mission to preserve and reimagine historical records through art, architecture, and civic space—an approach that closely aligns with the Obama Presidential Center’s commitment to empowerment and community building.

The Obama Foundation Commissions Major New Installation by Theaster Gates

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916387/ddvytipt342stkisuj5i.jpg"> By CGN StaffHyde Park Art Center has announced the sixth round of its Artists Run Chicago Fund, awarding $104,000 in unrestricted grants to 13 independent artist-run platforms across Chicago. Each recipient receives $8,000 to support operations, programming, and artist-led initiatives.Launched in 2021, the regranting initiative has now distributed more than $1.2 million to over 100 artist-run platforms, prioritizing organizations led by BIPOC artists and those providing critical infrastructure for Chicago’s contemporary art community. <h3>2025 Grant Recipients</h3>This year’s grantees include performance venues, exhibition programs, festivals, publications, and a podcast:Tangential Unspace Art Lab; Arts at First; Blanc Gallery; Chuquimarca; Fourtunehouse Art Center; Inga; Jupiter Magazine; Little Village Arts Festival; LMRM; Mayfield; noseyAF podcast; Tala; and Terrain Exhibitions. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916388/nldtovwzcspimn4evmhh.jpg"> <h3>Impact of the Fund</h3>Artists Run Chicago Fund provides flexible, unrestricted support to artist-run platforms—spaces operated by artists to create opportunities for other artists through exhibitions, public programs, and experimental projects. The fund strengthens artist-to-artist networks and helps sustain work that might not fit within traditional institutional models.Several recipients shared how the grant will support upcoming work. Little Village Arts Festival noted the funding brings the organization closer to securing a permanent gallery space ahead of its 20th anniversary. Terrain Exhibitions plans to use the grant to support its Artist-in-Residence program and future public programming, while LMRM cited the funding as essential to rebuilding capacity following a period of organizational growth and transition. noseyAF podcast will use the support to expand its archive of artist interviews and conversations. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916389/odgpxsvivo48spia1zwo.jpg"> <h3>Funders and Jury</h3>The 2025 Artists Run Chicago Fund is supported by the Good Chaos Foundation and the Local South Foundation. This year’s jury included Jada-Amina, Max Li, and Kitty Rauth, all affiliated with longstanding artist-run initiatives in Chicago.Since its launch during the COVID-19 pandemic, Artists Run Chicago Fund has provided critical financial relief to artist-run platforms, reinforcing Hyde Park Art Center’s long-term commitment to Chicago’s independent art ecosystem. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916390/z21nf9rmj82mqkyx0sn0.jpg"> Top: Photo: LMRMPatric McCoy's Exhibition at Blanc Gallery, Photo by Danielle Austin.jpgMisael Jose Oquendo Opening&nbsp;at Tala, photo by Steven Piper (@prezpipe).jpg

 Hyde Park Art Center Awards $104K to Artist-Run Spaces

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764896819/bhqfmpot52ptyydix03e.png"> Via PR In its 15th year, the residency program offers support to artists, curators and scholars from Poland, Ireland, Taiwan, California, Minnesota, and Chicago, whose work addresses a wide range of social issues&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a>, the renowned organization for contemporary art located on Chicago’s vibrant South Side, proudly announces the 2026 cohort of resident artists and curators on the fifteenth anniversary of its Jackman Goldwasser Residency. The program offers supportive residencies of varying lengths to local, national, and international artists and curators who work across disciplines to address a wide range of social issues. A new initiative in partnership with 3Arts, Beyond Bodies of Work, is added to the program, offering six-month studio residencies at the Art Center for Deaf and disabled artists.Developed in partnership with 3Arts, the “Beyond Bodies of Work: A 3Arts + Hyde Park Art Center Residency” builds on the existing 3Arts/Bodies of Work Residency, which provides three-month residencies and monthly stipends tailored to Deaf and disabled artists, and is open to alumni of that program. The first resident artist will be Pooja Pittie, a self-taught painter and fiber artist based in Chicago who will have a studio space at the Art Center from June 1 to December 1, 2026. Living with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy, Pittie’s work draws on the dynamics of a slowing body and an active, curious mind.&nbsp;Gabriel Chalfin-Piney-González, Art Center Exhibitions and Residency Manager, shares: “In putting together the cohort, I was thrilled by the clear intersections between the expansive practices of our incoming residents. Each artist and curator is at a pivotal point in their career. Artists are working across expansive mediums from craft and papermaking to performance and installation. Their practices explore bodily and environmental ecologies, integrating tactile and interactive methodologies, as well as deep commitments to the impact of art, history and justice across their communities. I feel privileged to support, engage, and learn from the community of artists with disabilities through our new partnership with 3Arts. ”For over a decade, the Jackman Goldwasser Residency at Hyde Park Art Center has connected artists deeply with their own practice in the context of Chicago’s vibrant, multifaceted community. Each year, the Residency invites international, national, and local artists and curators to complement their mode of production with increased attention towards reflection, connection, and research to spark new ideas and considerations of local and global art practices. The Residency offers high-quality, free studio space where artists make work, research new projects, access the Art Center’s broad international network of artists and resources, and connect with a dynamic public.&nbsp;&nbsp;The participants in the 2026 cohort of the Jackman Goldwasser Residency program are: <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764896821/tl50mexvae3p3q8txemt.png"> Chicago Artists&nbsp;ebere agwuncha (yearlong resident) is an Igbo-American craftsperson and educator. Their work embodies the histories of various Igbo (an ethnic group of Nigeria) sites, objects, and architectures, paying homage to the traditional collective crafting practice of Nigerian women.&nbsp;Carlos Flores (yearlong resident) is an interdisciplinary artist and cultural worker whose practice bridges collective construction, performance, and environmental organizing. His work is rooted in the city’s Southwest neighborhoods and explores how public art and community action can counter environmental harm and displacement.&nbsp;Cydney M. Lewis (yearlong resident) is a multimedia artist working in collage, assemblage, and installation. Her practice transforms everyday materials into explorations of adaptation, spirituality, and the possibility of balance between the natural and human-made worlds. Yoonshin Park (January 15-May 25) is a Chicago-based artist, educator, and curator whose work reflects on the transience and hybridity of identity through everyday gestures and the experience of in-betweenness across language and place. Rooted in the tactile processes of papermaking and bookbinding, her practice merges material experimentation with quiet meditations on space and self.&nbsp;Beyond Bodies of Work Resident: Pooja Pittie (June 1-December 1) is a self-taught painter and fiber artist based in Chicago. Living with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy, Pittie’s work draws on the dynamics of a slowing body and an active, curious mind. Through abstract painting and fiber art, she weaves together personal memories, cultural heritage, motherhood, and her experiences of disability, creating intricate compositions that speak to resilience and identity.&nbsp;A public program introducing some of the Chicago artists will take place at the Art Center on February 27th at 6 p.m., with agwuncha, Flores, Lewis, and Park. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764896822/ieyx9mw56afv1djhykhp.png">&nbsp; National &amp; International Artists&nbsp;Fidencio Fifield-Perez (August 1-31) is based in Northern California, where he is an Assistant Professor of Painting at the University of California Davis. Through his work, he examines borders, edges, and the people who must traverse them, centering the materiality of paper ephemera.&nbsp;Sam Gould (July 16-27) is a Minneapolis, Minnesota based artist and publisher whose work sits at the intersection of co-education, the social, and the movement of power in day-to-day life. He is the director and co-founder of “Confluence: An East Lake Studio for Community Design,” a vehicle to research, examine and celebrate the material and social structure of Minneapolis’ 9th Ward and beyond. Fidencio Fifield-Perez and Sam Gould’s residencies are made possible through the generous support of the McKnight Foundation and Artist Communities Alliance. Aleksandra Kędziorek (September 14-28) is a Poland-based art historian, curator and researcher working at the intersection of architecture, design, and visual arts. Kędziorek&nbsp;historically-conditioned curation seeks inspiration and creative responses in the past for the challenges of the present. Two residency exchange programs will be announced in the coming months with Askeaton Contemporary Art (Ireland) and Grand View Art Village (Taiwan). In both exchanges, in addition to the Art Center hosting international residents, alumni of the Jackman Goldwasser Residency will travel abroad to participate in the Art Center’s partners’ residency programs.For more information on the Jackman Goldwasser Residency, please visit<a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank"> </a><a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">www.hydeparkart.org</a> or email Gabriel Chalfin-Piney-González at ggonzalez@hydeparkart.orgThe Jackman Goldwasser Residency is funded by: Abakanowicz Arts and Culture Charitable Foundation Research and Production Fund, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Artist Communities Alliance, The David C. &amp; Sarajean Ruttenberg Art Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Joyce Foundation.&nbsp;About Hyde Park Art CenterHyde Park Art Center, at 5020 South Cornell Avenue on Chicago’s vibrant South Side, is a hub for contemporary arts in Chicago, serving as a gathering, production, and exhibition space for artists and the broader community to cultivate ideas, impact social change, and connect with new networks. Since its inception in 1939, Hyde Park Art Center has grown from a small collective of artists to establishing a strong legacy of risk-taking and experimentation, emerging as a unique Chicago arts institution with social impact. Today, the Art Center offers a diverse suite of programs for artists and art lovers of all backgrounds, ages, and stages in their careers including: contemporary art exhibitions in six galleries; an open-access community-based school with 2,000 annual enrollments; weekly arts education to 1,000 elementary school students in public schools; weekly and summer teen programs for 100 teen artists; professional-advancement programs for artists; a local and international artist residency; and public programs that connect residents with Chicago art and artists. The Art Center’s Oakman Clinton School + Studio is the nation’s first fully contribute-what-you-can visual art school for all ages. The Art Center functions as an amplifier for creative voices of today and tomorrow, providing the space to cultivate new work and connections. For more information about Hyde Park Art Center, please visit <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">www.hydeparkart.org</a>.

Hyde Park Art Center announces 2026 resident artists and a new partnership with 3Arts for disabled artists

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763423364/mh4aljxkmuutz2xjjjlu.jpg">Maurizio Cattelan, photo by Alberto Zanetti. Via PR The Renaissance Society is thrilled to announce that artist Maurizio Cattelan will conceive and orchestrate RenBen 2026, taking place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during Chicago's EXPO Art Week.&nbsp; Known for his provocative and darkly humorous approach to contemporary art, Cattelan has spent four decades creating works that spark conversation, to say the least. From his infamous solid gold toilet America to his hyperrealistic sculptures, Cattelan's work consistently captivates audiences while questioning authority, religion, celebrity, and the art world itself.&nbsp; RenBen is the Renaissance Society’s annual artist-centered gala and the institution’s most important fundraising event, vital to sustaining its experimental exhibitions and programs throughout the year. Each edition invites a single artist to design every aspect of the evening, from the space and performances to the food and choreography. Past editions have been conceived by Meriem Bennani (2025), Kevin Beasley (2024), Adam Linder (2023), and Piero Golia (2022), each expanding what an artist-driven benefit can be.&nbsp; For RenBen 2026, Cattelan will draw on his established signature forms of playful inversion, surprise, and surrealist elegance. Guests can expect his subversive wit and theatrical sensibility. “BEING AN ARTIST IS NOT A JOB, IT'S A MALFUNCTION,” he shared.&nbsp; Maurizio Cattelan's work has been featured in major museums and exhibitions worldwide, including solo shows at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and the Beyeler Foundation in Basel. His collaborations through Toiletpaper magazine and with brands including Kenzo, Berluti, Longchamp, and Seletti—demonstrate his ability to merge high art with popular culture, making him an ideal artist to reimagine RenBen.&nbsp; All proceeds from RenBen 2026 support the Renaissance Society's program of exhibitions, Intermissions, concerts, public programs, and publications—all free and open to the public.&nbsp; RenBen 2026 takes place during Chicago's EXPO Art Week, in alignment with EXPO CHICAGO contemporary art fair, attracting cultural figures from around the globe.&nbsp;﻿Additional details will be announced in early 2026.&nbsp; Corporate sponsorships and in-kind gift opportunities are available. Please contact Polina Kasian at pkasian@renaissancesociety.org for more information.&nbsp; Underwriter and Benefactor sponsorships and individual tickets are now available <a style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/TqGCpLmdPWCEh8kci33nKQ" target="_blank">here</a>.

Maurizio Cattelan will Conceive and Orchestrate RenBen 2026 in April 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762461786/ne9jdgmjmoickseuvhph.jpg">Kate Sierzputowski Portrait. Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius By CGN Staff Frieze has announced the appointment of Kate Sierzputowski as Director and Essence Harden as Curator of EXPO CHICAGO, marking the next phase of the fair’s development under Frieze’s leadership. Both appointments take effect immediately. Longtime followers of Chicago’s art scene will recognize Sierzputowski’s name — she has been a central figure in EXPO CHICAGO’s curatorial and programming initiatives since 2020, most recently serving as Artistic Director. Harden, a Los Angeles–based curator with an extensive exhibition history at institutions, including the Hammer Museum and the California African American Museum, brings a national perspective and a strong record of collaboration with artists and cultural organizations. As Director, Sierzputowski will guide the fair’s overall strategy and programming, continuing to cultivate relationships with galleries and collectors. Harden will help define EXPO CHICAGO’s evolving curatorial voice and expand its institutional partnerships. Tony Karman, EXPO's founder who <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/expo-founder-tony-karman-to-step-down-as-director" target="_blank">stepped down earlier this year as Director</a>, will continue as President of EXPO CHICAGO in an advisory role. The appointments come as the fair prepares for its 2026 edition at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall (April 9–12), presented by Northern Trust. Alongside changes in leadership, the upcoming edition will introduce a more focused fair with a smaller floorplan, designed to highlight the strongest work and ideas. This refined format reflects EXPO CHICAGO’s evolution emphasizing quality, connection and programming, bringing fresh perspectives to its strategic development. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762461787/sodeuo4ngzwmiqznripj.jpg">Essence Harden Portrait. Photo Credit: Barrington Darius <blockquote>“Kate and Essence embody the collaborative and forward-thinking spirit that defines Chicago’s art world,” said Kristell Chadé, Executive Director of Fairs at Frieze. “Their leadership marks an exciting moment of renewal for EXPO CHICAGO.”</blockquote> Sierzputowski has most recently served as Artistic Director of EXPO CHICAGO, where she has been instrumental in championing the next generation of galleries, curators and collectors. Since joining in 2020, she has developed the fair’s curatorial and public programming in which she has brought major curators and institutional leaders to the fair, offering meaningful moments for engagement. In addition, she has led in developing the fair’s EXPOSURE section and managed key gallery relationships that have helpedstrengthen the fair. A long-time contributor to Chicago’s arts landscape, she was previously co-director of artist-run space Julius Caesar and was also the Senior Editor at Colossal. She has collaborated on projects with the Tremaine Foundation, Terra Foundation, Hyde Park Art Center, as well as local and national galleries. Kate graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and is frequently featured as a guest lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “It’s an honor to build on EXPO CHICAGO’s deep connection to the city that inspires it,” said Sierzputowski. “Chicago thrives on experimentation and generosity – I’m excited to expand how the fair reflects that creative energy and risk taking, while continuing to position it as a site for bold dialogue and exchange.” Frieze acquired <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPO CHICAGO</a> in 2023, expanding its global network of art fairs to include Chicago alongside London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul. CGN has covered EXPO since its founding in 2012 and will continue to follow its evolution as it enters this new chapter under Frieze. #

Frieze Names New Fair Director and Lead Curator for EXPO CHICAGO

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762460434/slocalu9y6asa3nljehi.jpg">ROGER BROWN (1941–1997)Couple Progressing Toward Mount Rincon, 1997Oil on canvas48 × 72 inches121.9 × 182.9 cm By CGN Staff GRAY has announced global representation of the Estate of Roger Brown (1941–1997), a seminal artist whose distinctive vision helped define the Chicago Imagists movement and left a lasting impact on contemporary American art.A leading figure among the Imagists, Brown was known for merging social commentary with a bold, stylized visual language that reflected both wit and critique. His works from the 1960s through the 1990s examine the intersections of popular culture, politics, and the built environment, forming a deeply personal yet incisive portrait of American life. <blockquote>“Roger Brown dared to confront the complex politics of an America he cared deeply for with a sharply critical eye, but also with a grace, wit, and style that distinguishes his contribution to twentieth-century painting,” said Valerie Carberry, CEO and President of GRAY. “His powerful critique continues to resonate in our present time, and GRAY looks forward to expanding the audience for his work in new contexts and dialogues.”</blockquote> Currently, Brown’s work is featured in two major museum exhibitions:<ul><li>Sixties Surreal at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (through January 19, 2026)</li><li>City in a Garden at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (through May 31, 2026)</li></ul> GRAY will also highlight Brown’s work in the Kabinett sector at Art Basel Miami Beach this December and present a monographic exhibition titled Weathervane at GRAY Chicago in April 2026, focusing on Brown’s engagement with environmental themes and his fascination with weather systems. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762460434/nepfghhjkparcdxahweh.jpg"> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762460435/owgzsf1cg6qdwn73sawd.jpg">ROGER BROWN (1941–1997)Cattails and Cardinal Flowers, 1980Oil on canvas44 × 66 1⁄2 inches111.8 × 168.9 cm <h3>About Roger Brown</h3> Roger Brown (1941–1997) was a pioneering painter, sculptor, and collector whose work bridged the personal and political. Born in rural Alabama, Brown moved to Chicago to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (BFA 1968, MFA 1970), where he became a central figure among the Chicago Imagists under the mentorship of Ray Yoshida and Whitney Halstead. Drawing from influences as diverse as folk art, Surrealism, Modernist architecture, and self-taught traditions, Brown created a visual vocabulary that explored themes of urban isolation, natural disasters, and social satire, often with dark humor and empathy. His art reflects a keen awareness of contemporary contradictions and a unique perspective shaped by his identity as a queer Southern artist. Brown’s works are held in major museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York; the Art Institute of Chicago and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; and international institutions such as Fondazione Prada (Milan), Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid), and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Edinburgh). For more information, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.richardgraygallery.com/" target="_blank">GRAY</a>. Images Courtesy of GRAY Chicago/New York. © The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Brown Family.

GRAY Announces Representation of the Estate of Roger Brown

The evening celebrated Rhona Hoffman’s lasting influence and raised vital funds to bring more professional artists into Chicago Public Schools. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271556/rxbfvbqermu5vcgbfcnt.jpg">Artists in Public Schools Founder Suzette Bross speaks at the Arts Club By GINNY VAN ALYEA On October 23 a gala at The Arts Club of Chicago was a night to remember — raising the highest amount in Artists in Public Schools’ history. A packed and engaged crowd of art collectors, gallerists, curators, museum leaders, and longtime friends of honoree Rhona Hoffman came together to celebrate creativity, community, and the power of art in education. Executive Director Suzette Bross reflected on the organization’s growth and the artists who helped shape its vision. “When I first shared this idea with my mentor and friend, photographer Jay Wolke, he thought I was a little nuts,” she recalled with a smile. “But then he said, Let’s do it. Jay became one of our first artists-in-residence, creating extraordinary work that continues today. He believed in this vision from the very beginning.” Bross shared stories of the program’s impact across Chicago Public Schools, from schools like Namaste Elementary Charter School, where community pride and enrollment flourished after a residency, to students like Nicole, who discovered her creative voice and went on to earn a Daniel Murphy Scholarship for high school. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271557/cseydwjo8duahiv7l6l5.jpg">Honoree Rhona Hoffman and APS Founder Suzette Bross “By cultivating artist residencies inside schools, we create space for art that’s authentic, student-centered, and community-driven,” Bross said. “It’s not pre-programmed — it’s created with the community, not for it.” Since its founding, Artists in Public Schools has partnered with more than 90 artists, working in 93 schools across 61 neighborhoods, and reaching over 57,000 students citywide. The evening paid tribute to Hoffman, a trailblazing leader in the art world whose impact on Chicago’s cultural landscape and arts education is profound. Her belief that art belongs to everyone continues to shape how art is created, shared and experienced. Lisa Key, Director of The Richard H. Driehaus Museum, and Gary Metzner of Sotheby’s introduced Hoffman to the audience, highlighting her enduring influence and commitment to the arts. Hoffman shared that she immediately accepted Bross's award honor because of the organization's mission of paying artists to teach in the public schools, which serve 634 schools and 325,00 students. Hoffman said she grew up knowing that music, dance and art were an integral part of the lives of lucky children with financial means, but she believes it seems possible and is hopeful that the rest of the children will be able to enjoy the arts in the public school system because of programs like this. "Many people still do not understand the value and necessity," Hoffman emphasized, "of having art taught by an artist. Art provides a powerful outlet for self expression and teaches creativity and problem solving. Art is part of the whole learning process." Funds raised from the event will directly support programs that bring professional artists into Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Through these collaborations, students gain access to the arts, amplify their voices, and engage in creative projects that strengthen their school communities. The initiative also inspires CPS students to envision futures in the arts — helping to shape Chicago’s next generation of creators. “Your support fuels every residency, every student story, and every piece of art that brings our mission to life,” Suzette told attendees. As Hoffman shared, "I hope you understand how important this project could be for many hundreds of thousands of kids without money [to enjoy art education] and I hope you give freely!" After the event Bross said that the organization is close to reaching its fundraising goal and aims to connect 1,000 more students with artist residencies next year. Donations can still be made at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artistsinpublicschools.org/donate" target="_blank">artistsinpublicschools.org/donate</a>. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271558/ehhsz9mjdh8wyghewqag.jpg"> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271559/cnfk0zdjfjbv6ltmdqxa.jpg">Guests browsed the extensive silent auction at the event

 Community, Creativity, and Impact: Artists in Public Schools Gala Honors Rhona Hoffman

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760641331/u74rqm5lleb1hbyp4dlx.jpg">Judy Ledgerwood, Flowers for the Blue Line Racine Station, 2025. Artwork © Judy Ledgerwood / Chicago Transit Authority. By CGN Staff If you ride the CTA's Blue Line, your commute just got a lot brighter. Artist Judy Ledgerwood has unveiled a stunning new ceramic installation at the Racine Station, part of the CTA’s multi-year effort to make the Forest Park Branch fully accessible. Titled Flowers for the Blue Line Racine Station, the work stretches across 40 feet of wall space, wrapping the station’s north and west walls in 704 hand-made tiles. This joyful burst of color and pattern transforms a daily commute into something worth slowing down for and also offers a chance to engage with art daily. Ledgerwood developed the project in partnership with Ingrid Harding, Chief of Production at Munich’s historic Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, a renowned producer of fine ceramics since 1747. Each tile was individually shaped in red terracotta and finished with vibrant glazes, so no two pieces are alike. Sixteen distinct tile designs repeat and recombine into quatrefoils — four-petaled flower forms — that shimmer and shift as you move through the space. The design echoes the white tile grid used throughout the station, blending seamlessly with the architecture while infusing it with Ledgerwood’s signature painterly energy. <blockquote>“The installation reflects the rhythm of daily transit,” Ledgerwood says. “It’s familiar and routine, yet always changing.”</blockquote> For more than four decades, Judy Ledgerwood has pushed the boundaries of abstract painting — challenging its supposed neutrality and reimagining it through color, pattern, and light. Known for her bold use of pinks, fluorescents, and pastels, Ledgerwood has long drawn inspiration from textiles, quilting, and the Pattern &amp; Decoration movement. This new installation marks her first permanent ceramic project of this scale, merging her painter’s eye with the tactile, enduring qualities of clay.<h3> </h3>With Flowers for the Blue Line Racine Station, Ledgerwood joins an impressive lineup of artists — including Theaster Gates and Nick Cave — whose work brings Chicago’s public transit to life. Today, the CTA’s art collection features more than 80 installations across its system, each helping turn ordinary travel into a shared cultural experience.

Judy Ledgerwood Brings Color and Craft to CTA’s Blue Line Racine Station

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579360/ymo2lem4hwifpcvhvcg2.jpg">Guests at DMoC's annual fundraiser on October 9, 2025 By GINNY VAN ALYEA During a lively and art-filled week in Chicago, the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.designchicago.org/" target="_blank">Design Museum of Chicago</a> hosted Interwoven City, a spirited evening that brought together artists, designers, collectors and supporters for a night of connection and creativity. The benefit took place in the expansive Secrist | Beach space in West Town, where guests gathered among Jacqueline Surdell’s dynamic textile-based works, currently on view in the gallery. The festive night was filled with art, food, signature cocktails, a DJ, silent-auction and conversation—all in support of DMoC’s mission to make design accessible to everyone. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the event raised an impressive $163,901, helping the museum stay free every day and continue to present thoughtful exhibitions and programs. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579362/msrviyolcpsguloxoemz.jpg">Tanner Woodford, founder and executive director of the Design Museum of Chicago, welcomes guests to the event. Recently, DMoC also highlighted community collaboration through a special exhibition in its downtown gallery featuring work by artists from Arts of Life, a Chicago-area organization supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The show underscored the museum’s ongoing commitment to showcasing inclusive and diverse creative voices. Up next, DMoC is tapping into Chicago’s love of craft beer with Design on Draft: Breweries &amp; Beyond, opening Thursday, October 23, 5–9 pm at 72 E Randolph St. The exhibition celebrates the artistry behind beer branding and how design shapes the way we experience what’s on tap. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579363/hzot6ndhyvw9rfwz0176.jpg">Guests mingle with the backdrop of Jacqueline Surdell's monumental art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760579363/ya28ufuw1ycf77maugoh.jpg">An immersive environment by interior designer Andee Hess / OSMOSE was on view at Secrist | Beach in their salon

 Design Museum of Chicago Weaves Together Art, Design, and Community at “Interwoven City"

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Tony Fitzpatrick was the kind of friend I never imagined in a million years I would have. I met him within a year or so of taking over as publisher of CGN, when I stopped into his studio on Damen Ave. because I was picking up a framed work by one of his studio assistants, KS Rives. My parents had bought the collage for me and it was really the first work of art I had fallen in love with. KS had said she would be away so it would be ready at Tony's studio. I had no idea what walking in would be like. He had a lot of questions. He wanted to know who I was. How I had met KS. I felt like I a high-schooler meeting the parents before a first date. I said I published CGN, and he said he always liked Natalie [van Straaten, CGN's founding publisher.] Then he said something to the effect of "Too bad her ex-husband was such an asshole." After that I was disarmed. We talked for an hour. I left with my new collage, three books Tony had written, and a promise he wanted to support CGN and buy a full page ad, as he said, "To show all those other fuckers they should be advertising too." Tony gave me confidence when I was getting my bearings as publisher, and he showed me what it meant to double-down on Chicago and love it no matter what. It's not easy to do, but Tony did it. He always seemed to try to give back to the city what it gave to him and to his art. I really think he also made me deeply appreciate living an urban life where you will never run out of things to see or do or think about, complain about and also appreciate. Tony found birds and heard their music in the noisiest places. I hope he's listening to all the songs of his beautiful birds among the moths and butterflies now. * I told someone a couple of weeks ago, who used to be one of his many assistants, that I count myself very lucky that after 17 years, Tony and I hadn't fallen out – yet. She nodded knowingly. Tony's love was fierce and he wore his big heart on both of his fully tattooed sleeves. You always knew where you stood with Tony. Sometimes it was out, but if you hadn't done something really wrong, he'd welcome prodigal friends back in and admit to others if he thought he'd been wrong. No one could bullshit Tony. However, if you cheated, lied, thought you were better than someone else, that was it. His rules were simple and iron-clad. He was a curious and generous person, and he would tell you when he'd been burned and he'd tell you who'd done it, but then he'd move on. Tony had a lot of thoughts on just about very topic, and he was so well known, in part, because the man could talk, and talk and talk. He loved to ramble, but he also loved to spar. He could be cool, well-read, interested in whatever came next. He collected people and their stories - inviting dogs into his open studio and making sure to stock their favorite treats. He'd buy 200 copies of a poetry book and give them all away to friends. He changed gallery models regularly, all in the name of making sure artists got visibility, and their money. He would be on his computer, on the phone and on Facebook all at the same time. And he'd be directing an assistant to cut this fragment of paper a little more or place a piece of ephemera just over there. It was magic to watch. On a visit to his studio one weekend last fall my 8 year old son brought him a drawing of a football player, and Tony gave him some advice about using colored pencils because they're so much better than markers. A couple weeks later he asked how his drawing was going. Tony's artistic resume is well known - artist, writer, playwright, actor, former boxer. He designed album covers - the Neville Brothers, Steve Earle, Big Head Todd and the Monsters. He made art all over town, in restaurants (Yuzu) and tattoo parlors. He has murals from the Old Town School of Folk Music, to Steppenwolf Theater to the town of Glen Ellyn. Tony will always be everywhere in Chicago, even though the man himself is actually gone. At 66 he is gone too soon, but he lived a lot of lives –&nbsp;many more than most. Michele, Max and Gaby - my heart breaks for the three of you. Thank you for sharing your remarkable husband and father with so many of us who were so lucky to have him in our city and in our life.

Artist Tony Fitzpatrick Has Died at 66

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760048898/romowui6o23wdjjraqh0.jpg"> By CGN Staff 3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit that supports artists in the performing, teaching, and visual arts, has announced 17 recipients of its annual 3Arts Awards. The organization will distribute more than $1 million in grants this year, a $400,000 increase from previous years, in direct response to widespread national cuts in arts funding. <blockquote>“A thriving city depends on a thriving arts community,” said Cat Tager, Executive Director of 3Arts. “Right now, our arts community faces mounting challenges with each new day, each news cycle, and each trip to the grocery store. Recognizing this critical moment, so similar to the onset of the pandemic, 3Arts will dramatically increase our support for artists this year.”</blockquote><h3> </h3><h3>Honoring Artists Across Disciplines</h3>Now in its 18th year, the 3Arts Awards recognize Chicago-area artists working in dance, music, teaching, theater, and visual art. Each awardee receives $30,000 in unrestricted support, part of the organization’s mission to sustain creative practice through direct and flexible funding.The 2025 honorees include dance artists Wendy Clinard, Chih-Jou Cheng (程之柔), and Torrence “Tea Buggz” Griffin; musicians Tommy Carroll, Ariella Granados, Kara Jackson, and Maxwell Senteney; teaching artists ebere agwuncha, Victoria Boateng, and Tom Lee; theater artists Rammel Chan, Nina Castillo-D’Angier, and Kristin Idaszak; and visual artists Jess Atieno, Leasho Johnson, Fern Logan, and Odette Stout. The 2025 3Arts Awards Celebration will take place Monday, November 10 at 5:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E. Randolph St.), featuring performances by past awardees including The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra, D-Composed, and an aerial collaboration by Michel Rodriguez and Jacinda Ratcliffe. Tickets ($150–$300) include a reception, ceremony, and after-party, and are available at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.3arts.org/tickets" target="_blank">3arts.org/tickets</a>. Proceeds benefit both 3Arts and the Center for Native Futures. <h3>Expanding Reach and Emergency Support</h3>This year’s program introduces two new awards in Music and Visual Arts for artists in downstate Illinois, presented in partnership with Artspace Southern Illinois, expanding 3Arts’ geographic reach.In total, the organization will increase the number of awards and emergency funds available:<ul><li>17 artists will receive $30,000 awards (up from 10 in 2024).</li><li>Six Next Level Awardees will each receive $50,000.</li><li>The Make a Wave microgrant program grows from 10 to 40 artists, each receiving $2,000.</li><li>More than $150,000 in emergency funding will be distributed to artists facing financial hardship.</li></ul><h3>Visual Arts Awardees</h3>Among this year’s visual arts honorees:<ul><li>Jess Atieno explores diasporic histories and identity through printmaking and research between Nairobi and Chicago.</li><li>Leasho Johnson, a Jamaican-born artist, investigates Black queer identity through painting, installation, and sculpture.</li><li>Fern Logan, a photographer and professor emerita, is celebrated for her Artist Portrait Series documenting prominent Black artists.</li><li>Odette Stout, a Chicago-based artist and drag performer, creates multimedia performances examining technology, transformation, and community.</li></ul><h3>Investing in the Future of the Arts</h3>Founded in 1912 and relaunched in 2007 with its current awards program, 3Arts has distributed more than $8.2 million to over 2,500 artists across the region. Its support prioritizes women artists (66%), artists of color (74%), and Deaf or disabled artists (17%).At a time when public and private arts funding has declined nationally, 3Arts’ expansion underscores its belief that investing in artists is investing in community resilience. Read about all the 3Arts Awardee Bios <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.3arts.org/awards/3arts/2025/" target="_blank">here</a>.

3Arts Increases Artist Support in Response to National Funding Cuts

By CGN Staff Today after months of turmoil and press attention about the state of the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), it was announced at the Chicago Cultural Council meeting that Clinee Hedspeth has resigned as as DCASE Commissioner. A new local arts advocacy group,&nbsp;Artists for Chicago,&nbsp;was created in April of this year with a mission to collectively share a voice on behalf of the city's artistic community because of concerns about DCASE and its leadership. In the following months the group worked to raise awareness about what it saw as dysfunction in one of the city's key departments that has offered vital support to artists and cultural organizations. In April the group's public letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson said, "We write to share our deep concern about the dysfunction in the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE). Our sector depends on DCASE to be a partner in local government that is available and responsive to the community's needs and a strong advocate for the economic and civic power of the arts. Last month marked the first anniversary of Clinée Hedspeth's&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/culture-the-arts/2024/03/18/chicago-names-clinee-hedspeth-cultural-commissioner" target="_blank">appointment</a>&nbsp;as the City of Chicago’s Commissioner of DCASE. Over the last year, through revelations in the media, reports from DCASE staff, and statements from the community, it has become evident that the urgent needs of the arts and cultural sector are not currently being met." The letter outlined the problems facing the artistic community and the tangible solutions and leadership it sought. Artists for Chicago shared an updated message to their community today: Dear Artists for Chicago and Others: At today's meeting of the Chicago Cultural Council, Clinee Hedspeth's&nbsp;resignation as Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events was announced by the committee's co-chairs. You can read more about it in this piece by the Chicago&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2025/10/07/chicago-cultural-commissioner-dcase-clinee-hedspeth-resigns-city-hall" target="_blank">Sun Times</a>. Many months ago, we asked you to trust us by signing onto a Letter of Concern to Mayor Brandon Johnson. Because of that letter, the staff at DCASE felt seen and heard, substantive changes occurred, and real accountability happened.&nbsp; Some individuals have faced retaliation for signing the letter or speaking out in the media. They lost opportunities, grants, and roles. This is not acceptable and should not be tolerated.&nbsp; Artists for Chicago hopes to continue its work holding elected officials accountable to the creative sector and fighting for what we need in the upcoming elections. Thank you for being part of this work with us. The Artists for Chicago Team # Key image credit:&nbsp;DCASE Chicago YouTube

Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Clinee Hedspeth Resigns

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761594498/qmiff4m4grungnhz5djx.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA Chicago’s own Vertical Gallery is setting off on an exciting new path. Though gallery owner Patrick Hull's decision means he is leaving the West Town space after the current show closes, he emphasizes that he is also adapting to the current art market to meet collectors where they are. And he's also not done with Chicago. Ultimately, after more than a decade of shaping the city’s urban-contemporary art scene, owner and curator Hull is leaving his physical space in order to expand his gallery’s reach to collectors around the globe. Vertical’s current group show, The Scenic Route—on view through September 27—will be the final exhibition in its West Town space. From here, the gallery will focus on art fairs, pop-ups, and destination events across the U.S. and abroad. The new approach begins this winter at Aqua Art Miami (December 3–7) and builds on Vertical’s successful presentations in Paris and New York. Chicago will remain part of the journey. In March 2026, Vertical will celebrate its 13-year anniversary in partnership with Jackson Junge Gallery, and in July the gallery will present acclaimed Dutch painter Collin van der Sluijs in collaboration with Joy Machine Gallery. Additional exhibitions are planned. As Patrick Hull describes it, “Vertical 3.0 brings our artists and our aesthetic to the world at large, and better serves the needs of a global collector audience demanding new, more interactive experiences.” Though the format is evolving, the gallery’s mission is unwavering: showing the best in contemporary art and giving artists fresh ways to connect with collectors.It’s a bold new chapter for Vertical—one that keeps Chicago close to its heart while embracing a worldwide audience. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://verticalgallery.com/" target="_blank">verticalgallery.com</a> Read CGN's spring 2020 interview with Hull <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/vertical-gallery-s-digital-embrace-how-patrick-hull-sees-art-online-long-term" target="_blank">here</a>.

Patrick Hull Announces He's Leaving West Town Location and taking Vertical Gallery Virtual 

Vertical Gallery Prepares to Take Its Vision Worldwide

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761594473/s3c56hxvpbgdl0esqtae.jpg">Ching Wei-Wang, performance documentation of&nbsp;Maintain Status Quo Indefinitely, 2024 Via PR CHICAGO&nbsp;–&nbsp;Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago (MoCP) announces the 2025 Snider Prize award recipient and honorable mentions. This year, the Snider Prize has been awarded to Ching-Wei Wang with honorable mentions awarded to Annelise Duque and Selena Kearney. The Snider Prize is a purchase award given to emerging artists in their final year of graduate study. The winner receives $3,000, and two honorable mentions each receive $500 towards the purchase of work to be added to MoCP’s permanent collection. Ching-Wei Wang (Way)&nbsp;holds a BA in Foreign Languages and Literatures from National Taiwan University (2021) and an MFA in Photography from Parsons School of Design (2024). Her work in performance and photography explores Taiwan’s political histories and what she calls “the layered identities shaped by colonial histories, geopolitical tension, and ideological frameworks.” Way has a background in writing and dance, which is evident in her use of text and the movement of the body. <h3>Snider Prize Honorable Mention: Annelise Duque</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761594474/von5fpzt0ychfpkazlj3.jpg">Annelise Duque,&nbsp;After Image, 2024 Annelise Duque&nbsp;earned her MFA from Ohio State University. Working across photography, performance, video, and collage, she examines issues of time and memory, particularly in relation to her Filipino heritage and ancestry. In her own words, she “is forever entranced by the camera’s ability to reveal both truth and lies, currently using the photograph as a method of time-travel.”&nbsp; <h3>Snider Prize Honorable Mention: Selena Kearney</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761594475/lm999zg7orr20luwsrkd.jpg"> Selena Kearney,&nbsp;Suspended Dust 1, from the series&nbsp;Shadowy Evidence,&nbsp;2025 Selena Kearney&nbsp;holds an MFA in Photography from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Evergreen State College, and a Certificate of Fine Art Photography from the Photographic Center Northwest. A member of the Coast Salish tribe, Kearney’s practice is deeply rooted in her heritage. Her work, as she describes, “centers Indigenous presence, cultural continuity, and visual sovereignty.” Working across disciplines including drawing, photography, and performance, she investigates colonial US histories while honoring and elevating the stories of the people who lived before her.&nbsp;About the Snider Prize Award <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761594477/l1rl6tznytmdkujf0utw.jpg">Lawrence K. and Maxine Snider, MoCP DARKROOM, 2022 Through the generosity of Lawrence K. and Maxine Snider, the Snider Prize was established as a prestigious endowed purchase award supporting emerging artists completing their graduate studies. Since its inception in 2013, the prize has recognized twelve artists and awarded twenty-four honorable mentions, integrating their works into the museum’s permanent collection. This initiative reflects MoCP’s enduring commitment to nurturing new talent and advancing the field of contemporary photography. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/about-museum-of-contemporary-photography/opportunities/the-snider-prize/?mc_cid=1ea25cf0f2&amp;mc_eid=58cea278c7" target="_blank">Learn more about the Snider Prize Award</a> #

Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) announces 2025 Snider Prize

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757613430/ryayornrgseh1r6ul713.jpg">A rendering of the Obama Presidential Center By CGN Staff The Obama Foundation has revealed ten new artist commissions for the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center, slated to open in spring 2026 in Jackson Park. The expansive 19.3-acre campus will include a museum, public library, gardens, and community spaces—and will feature over 25 site-specific works of art, most free and open to the public. <h3>Diverse, Global Voices with Chicago Roots</h3> The newly announced artists bring a dynamic cross-section of contemporary art: <ul><li>Nick Cave &amp; Marie Watt – This Land, Shared Sky, a monumental textile installation combining Indigenous and Black traditions (Museum Main Lobby).</li><li>Nekisha Durrett – Hem of Heaven, a freestanding sculpture of thousands of ceramic tiles reimagining Harriet Tubman’s shawl (Forum Courtyard).</li><li>Jenny Holzer – Text-based painting memorializing the Civil Rights–era Freedom Riders (Museum Skyroom Vista).</li><li>Jules Julien – A digital mural of eleven illustrations on democratic participation (Museum Level 5 &amp; Civics Gallery).</li><li>Idris Khan – Sky of Hope, an immersive ceiling painting of thousands of words from President Obama’s Selma speech (Museum Skyroom).</li><li>Aliza Nisenbaum – Reading Circles/ Weaving Dreams/ Seeding Futures, a sweeping mural celebrating libraries as civic spaces (Library Main Reading Room).</li><li>Jack Pierson – A found-letter word sculpture spelling HOPE, echoing Obama’s signature campaign message (Museum Entry Pavilion).</li><li>Alison Saar – Torch Song, a towering bronze figure inspired by the Statue of Liberty and Chicago blues (Women’s Garden).</li><li>Kiki Smith – Receive, a celestial bronze celebrating our shared connection to the cosmos (Museum Hope &amp; Change Lobby).</li></ul> These artists join a distinguished roster already announced—Lindsay Adams, Spencer Finch, Richard Hunt, Maya Lin, and Julie Mehretu—with more to come. <h3>Art as Civic Catalyst</h3> “Art has the power to reflect who we are and to shape who we aspire to become,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. “These extraordinary commissions will invite every visitor to feel inspired, respected, and connected.” Dr. Louise Bernard, founding director of the Center’s Museum, added that each commission is “a meditation on civic life…speaking to resilience, memory, identity, and hope.”Curated by Virginia Shore (Shore Art Advisory), the program underscores the Obamas’ belief in the arts as central to democracy—an extension of their White House legacy of welcoming diverse voices and creative practices. The Obama Presidential Center is planned to open in spring 2026 and is envisioned as a vibrant cultural hub and gathering space. Alongside the museum and library, the site will feature a fruit and vegetable garden, athletic center, and sweeping public grounds designed for both neighborhood and global visitors. Through art installations, performances, workshops, and conversations, the Center aims to inspire creativity and civic engagement across generations. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://obama.org/presidential-center/" target="_blank">obama.org</a>

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