<h3>St. Louis has long been a hub for the visual arts, with a deep bench of contemporary galleries and museums, as well as thriving grassroots art communities. For those planning a road trip from Chicago or elsewhere in the Midwest, a few days in St. Louis this fall can yield a surprisingly rich art itinerary that blends institutional heavyweights with independent spaces.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>There is even a road trip-themed photography exhibition to enjoy on your road trip! “In Search of America” is on view at the St. Louis Art Museum through October 19, so get on the road!&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>&nbsp;– CGN</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474819/vus8dwehdkkg8smmvdex.jpg">Anselm Kiefer, German, born 1945; Anselm fuit hic (Anselm Was Here), 2024; emulsion, oil, acrylic, shellac, gold leaf and sediment of electrolysis on canvas; 30 feet 10 1/16 inches x 27 feet 6 11/16 inches; Collection of the artist and courtesy Gagosian 2025.309; © Anselm Kiefer, Photo: Nina Slavcheva <h3>Where to Start</h3> Start your art wandering in the Grand Center Arts&nbsp;District, a walkable cluster of art institutions. • Pulitzer Arts Foundation: Housed in a&nbsp;Tadao Ando-designed building, the Pulitzer offers&nbsp;rigorously curated exhibitions. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pulitzerarts.org/art/jennie-c-jones-a-line-when-broken-begins-again/" target="_blank">Jennie C. Jones: A Line When Broken Begins Again</a> runs Sept 5–Feb 1, 2026.&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://pulitzerarts.org/" target="_blank">pulitzerarts.org</a> • Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM): Next door, CAM champions emerging and mid-career artists with an international lens. Haegue Yang: Quasi-Heartland runs Sep 5–Feb 8, 2026. The exhibition marks Yang’s first solo museum presentation with a comprehensive selection of works in the midwest since 2009. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://camstl.org/" target="_blank">camstl.org</a> • The Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) houses an encyclopedic collection. Don’t miss the 20th-century and contemporary wings, and plan for a stroll outside—the museum’s monumental front steps offer a panoramic view of the park’s autumn foliage. Anselm Kiefer: Becoming the Sea opens October 18 (pictured above). <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.slam.org/" target="_blank">slam.org&nbsp;</a> • The St. Louis University Museum of Art, founded in 2002, is housed in a stunning Beaux Arts style building from the turn of the 20th century. The permanent&nbsp;collection includes artists such as Chuck Close,&nbsp;Robert Motherwell, Jasper Johns, Kiki Smith, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.&nbsp; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.slu.edu/sluma/" target="_blank">slu.edu/sluma</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474821/nojzqt0y7rhvlqpnfmcy.jpg">Jennie C. Jones has an exhibition at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation <h3>The Grove &amp; Cherokee Street</h3> From the Grand Center Arts District you can take a short drive south to explore revitalized areas like The Grove and Cherokee Street, both known for their vivid murals, vintage shops, and artist-run spaces. Local initiatives nearby like Paint Louis have turned highway underpasses and brick buildings into open-air canvases. The Luminary is just one space that features forward-thinking programming, from installation, conceptual work, to socially engaged projects. The Luminary also supports residencies and has an on-site publishing initiative. <h3>Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum</h3> Part of the Sam Fox School of Design &amp; Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, this is one of the nation’s leading university art museums. A teaching museum, it serves as a center of cultural and intellectual life on campus and in St. Louis. The museum dates to 1881 and holds more than 8,700 works in its collection.&nbsp; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu//" target="_blank">kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474823/rlk9q08sjcuv56ugilas.jpg">Stan Strembicki: Art History Revisited features work by the&nbsp;St. Louis-based photographer and is just one of four exhibitions on view at Bruno David Gallery Sept 13–Oct 25, 2025 <h3>Friday Nights and Gallery Hopping</h3> If you time your trip around First Friday, many galleries and museums in Grand Center stay open late, hosting free events. First Friday also extends into the Central West End, which was recently damaged during devastating May 2025 tornadoes. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.duanereedgallery.com/" target="_blank">Duane Reed Gallery</a>, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.houskagallery.com/" target="_blank">Houska Gallery</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.squareonegallery.com/" target="_blank">Square One</a> stay open late each month and are within a 5 minute walk of each other. 15 or so minutes away is <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.brunodavidgallery.com/" target="_blank">Bruno David Gallery</a> which has been showing art since 1984 and hosts openings on some Friday nights. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.shearburngallery.com/" target="_blank">William Shearburn Gallery</a>, a Midwestern mainstay, is also nearby. The co-op <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.soulardartgallery.com/" target="_blank">Soulard Art Gallery</a>, east by the river in the city’s oldest residential neighborhood also participates in First Friday, and it’s close to award-winning <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tuckersplace.com/" target="_blank">Tucker’s Place</a> steakhouse and the famous Soulard pre-lenten Mardi Gras celebration, which usually runs from mid-winter into spring. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474824/omkhftl0h09wnsp3uijs.jpg">Tony Tasset, Deer, 2015, fiberglass, steel, paint, 12 x 20 x 8 feet.&nbsp;On view at the Laumier Sculpture Garden. <h3>Where to Stay and Get Outside</h3> Art lovers will appreciate the funky, historic atmosphere of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hotelsaintlouis.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Saint Louis,</a> a boutique property in a restored 1893 building. A stay at the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.angadartshotel.com/" target="_blank">Angard Arts Hotel</a>, keeps your art experience running 24/7. Their rooftop <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.angadartshotel.com/restaurants-bars/art-bar/" target="_blank">ART Bar</a> offers great views of the city and the Mississipi River. If you have kids in tow (and even if not), get outside to the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/" target="_blank">Laumier Sculpture Garden</a> where everyone can marvel at 60 large-scale sculptures while enjoying fresh air and space to stretch in a 105-acre park in the heart of St. Louis. Free and open daily.&nbsp; Other creative ideas? <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.jbtelmuseum.org/" target="_blank">The Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum</a> is an off-beat space featuring phones from the late 1800s to 2012. There is also the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.neonmuseumstl.com/" target="_blank">Neon Museum of St. Louis</a>, open certain dates each month.

Art Road Trip: St. Louis

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760116783/j3hab4piabgmqmw0k401.jpg"></h4>Pigment magazine on site at EXPO CHICAGO 2024 pictured in front of an IN/SITU installation<h4> </h4><h4>By JACQUELINE LEWIS</h4><h4> </h4><h4>This fall, Chicago will host the inaugural year of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.pigmentintl.com/pigmentedblackfineartfaire" target="_blank">Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire</a>. Held at Zhou B Art Center October 30–November 2, the fair is the latest creation of Patricia Andrews-Keenan of Pigment International, a media and arts publication. Drawing on decades of storytelling and a deep love for the Black arts tradition, Andrews-Keenan has built a platform that amplifies artists and Black-owned galleries alike. In this conversation, she shares what inspired the fair, what visitors can expect, and why Chicago was always the right city to bring it to life.</h4><h4> </h4><h4>With the inaugural exhibition Andrews-Keenan isn’t just hosting an event, she hopes to build a legacy rooted in storytelling, community, and cultural preservation. As she looks to the future, her vision is clear: to create a platform that lasts well beyond her, amplifying Black art for generations to come.</h4> CGN: Can you tell me how your experiences led you to found Pigment International and now Pigmented: Black Fine Art Faire? Patricia Andrews-Keenan: It started with reading and writing in elementary school, and then I became a journalism major in school. I segued from there into corporate communications. The whole time I was there it was about doing articles, doing speeches, communications, annual reports, those kinds of things. From there I started doing media and PR on my own, but the thread that has always run through that has been my love of things surrounding Black art. When I was young, I would buy posters, really anything that had images of people of color on them. I would buy sheet music, go to thrift stores, go to the flea markets and look for things to hang on my wall. And as my career progressed and I was able to buy art, I began to buy prints and more. And then as I began to travel, I would buy even more art. That was always kind of the simultaneous thread. CGN: So how did that thread evolve into Pigment International? PAK: After I left corporate America around 2008, I found myself doing media and PR for events in Chicago. One of the first ones I did work for was the African Festival of the Arts, which has been happening here for at least 35 years. Through this experience, I started to meet the artists themselves. It was just very cool, because what I realized was that each of these artists had a story to tell. And in my mind artists don’t become famous unless people write about them. If no one wrote about Rembrandt or Picasso or any of those art history big shots, no one would know their name. Someone had to tell their stories and begin to cement them in history. So [in Chicago] I could see where there was a need for these [contemporary] artists to have their stories told, and it is within the Black art community. That’s when I began to fully realize the need to put together a platform for Black art and Black voices. I remember sitting in the office at home trying to come up with the name. I started looking up art terms and all these things. When I came across the word “pigment” which is what paint is created out of and thought about how it also represents the pigment in our skin, I just knew. That was it. It was perfect. And that’s what we’ve done for the last seven years. We’ve taken that platform and continued to build it with the printed publication, the digital publication, the events, the exhibitions, all of that. CGN: How did Pigmented: Black Fine Art Fair come about? PAK: One of my other great passions, in addition to art and writing, is travel. Since 2017, we’ve gone to see shows in Miami, Venice, New York, Morocco you name it. We’ve seen how shows are done. We’ve met the people running them. But what I found was, when we talk about shows that are run by people from the diaspora–Black people, whether they’re in Africa, the Caribbean, or the U.S.–there are very few. There’s PRIZM out of Miami, the Harlem Fine Art Show out of New York, Black Pony in the Caribbean. That’s about it. And people in Chicago were telling me there hadn’t been a show here organized by people of color in more than 40 years. [Artist} Nick Cave said nothing since the 2000 Colors show organized by Oprah and her partner Stedman, and the two traveling exhibitions by the Harlem Fine Art Show. CGN: Why did you choose Chicago to be the home base for this new fine art fair? PAK: Well, I’m from Louisiana, but a lot of my influence comes from people who were made by Chicago, Dr. Margaret Burroughs, for one. I’ve learned so much from the South Side Community Art Center and the arts organizations here. There’s so much history- from Archibald Motley to Charles White, from the Black Arts Movement to AFRICOBRA. And right now, there are two big anniversaries: the 85th of the South Side Community Art Center, and the anniversary of the American Negro Exposition, which happened here in 1940 to commemorate the end of slavery. When I realized that, I wanted to marry that history with a show that reflects where we are now. I also knew other galleries wanted to come here. Folks from Atlanta, Detroit, Memphis—they were saying, “If there was a show in Chicago, we’d do it.” So that’s where it came from. It’s the confluence of history, need, and willingness. CGN: And this year’s fair is being held in Bridgeport at the Zhou B Art Center? PAK: Yes, October 30 through November 2. We expect to have 10 different galleries, 10 different artists, and all kinds of programming. We’re doing things that reflect both the history of this city and the future of Black art here. We’re going to open with a reception that nods to the Black Renaissance. We’re going to have fun with that. I also found an image from the American Negro Exhibition that’s in the public domain, so we can reproduce it for merchandise. We want this to be a tourist destination. This is a perfect time to come to Chicago. CGN: What kinds of artists and galleries will be&nbsp;showing? PAK: We’re putting a big emphasis on Black-owned galleries and how they’ve contributed to Black artists’ careers. September Gray Fine Art Gallery out of Atlanta, Blackbird Gallery from Detroit, Waterkolours from Memphis. GangGang, the creator’s of Indianapolis’s successful Butter Art Show, will be curating an event during the show. &nbsp;&nbsp; We also have local galleries including Connect Gallery in Hyde Park, Faie Afrikan Art in Bronzeville and The Daniel Texidor Parker Gallery. Dan Parker’s been collecting art for 60 years. He came up under Dr. Burroughs in Chicago, and now has his own gallery.&nbsp; We’ve also confirmed artists including Dr. Thomas Lockhart out of Denver who is just finishing a residency in Martha’s Vineyard. Eric January, a local artist who was awarded the Derrick Adams Residency will be joining us, as well D. Lammie Hanson, whose work was featured during the 2024 Venice Biennale. Many of the artists who have been involved with us since 2018 will be showcased. The caliber of the creativity is exciting. CGN: What would be your ideal outcome after this first fair? PAK: I want people to say it was a wonderful event. I want it to be financially successful–for the galleries and for us. Our Pigmented Store will be fun and revenue generating, something we’ve learned from the shows we’ve attended. &nbsp;&nbsp; But really, we want to do it again. That’s the dream. CGN: And longer term? Where do you hope the fair goes in the next 5–10 years? PAK: The Harlem Fine Art Show has been going on for 17 years. PRIZM has been around about 10. I’d love for this to become that. But personally I also want to be able to go on vacation. I want this to be something the next generation can take on. We’re already working with organizations including&nbsp;the Flourish Fine Arts Accelerator, I Love Art (ILA), and Englewood Arts Collective, and these young people are doing amazing work in the arts. I’m honored to be associated with them. I hope they see this as something they can take further, and I’ll be there to help, but from the sidelines. It’s a passion for me. I think it’s something that needs to be done. And I hope people see that it’s something that needs to continue, even when I’m not doing it. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760116784/ebly1h9gehmul0lxa67b.jpg"> <h4>The Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire</h4>October 30–November 2, 2025Zhou B Art Center&nbsp;1029 W. 35 th St. Chicago, IL 60609<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.pigmentintl.com/pigmentedblackfineartfaire" target="_blank">pigmentintl.com/pigmentedblackfineartfaire</a>

Launching Legacy: The Inaugural Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758343910/makvftgw1lltogyaz3jt.jpg">Theaster Gates. Concrete slabs from Lorado Taft Midway Studios as installed at Listening House. Photo: Sara Pooley By ALISON REILLY Theaster Gates: Unto Thee opens September 23 at the Smart Museum of Art, marking the artist’s first solo exhibition at a museum in Chicago. This overdue presentation of his work will feature installations of materials that Gates acquired through two decades of involvement with the University of Chicago, first as a staff member and then as faculty. The materials include the Department of Art History’s glass lantern slide collection, concrete floors salvaged from the Department of Visual Arts’ Midway Studios, slate from Rockefeller Chapel, and hand-carved wooden pews from Bond Chapel.&nbsp; “Unto Thee,” Gates explains, “offers a reckoning with the ways in which true collaboration between the ‘local’ and the ‘institutional’ could result in deep transformation of both. Unto Thee allows me to return every material artifact given to me by the University in a new state of recognition by a larger, cultural context outside of the institution and the city of Chicago, thereby redeeming these discarded materials beyond their state of inheritance.” A series of public programs, tours, and film screenings at the university and Gates’s cultural centers will accompany the exhibition, including an opening celebration from October 4-5, 2025. Gates will participate in a panel off campus, followed by a performance at Bond Chapel by The Black Monks, Gates’s music project that merges Black musical traditions and Eastern monastic practice.&nbsp; Galina Mardilovich, curator at the Smart Museum, said, “The Black Monks are really one facet of Theaster’s practice that we’re so excited to feature. They originally formed as a response to an invitation by Charles Esche to respond to the Smart’s exhibition, Heartland, which connected Chicago-based- musicians with musicians in the Netherlands around the topic “music of the Mississippi.” It’ll be interesting to bring them back here, bring them back home, so to speak.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758343912/jfwwjwn4jniflarvijrw.jpg">Glass lantern slides from the University of Chicago’s Department of Art History, now in the care of Theaster Gates. Courtesy of the Rebuild Foundation. &nbsp;For Gates, collecting these pieces of the university’s history is not transactional. He said, “My access to the glass lantern slides depended completely upon my relationship with the facilities team at the University of Chicago. The vitrines from the Oriental Institute arrived at my step, because people were willing to build a bridge from their institution to an art studio. These objects represent stories, relationships, trust, and goodwill.” The concrete floors from Midway Studios, which are covered in layers of paint, showcase over a hundred years of artistic history. They tell the story of the early twentieth-century sculptor Loredo Taft, who moved his studio from downtown Chicago to the Midway Plaisance. Eventually, as Mardilovich explained, “It became a de facto art space, a studio space for faculty at the University of Chicago before there was an official space for them. Taft created this really interesting community of artists and is credited for supporting women sculptors. He was elevating unconventional and untraditional art makers at the time and supporting them as well as giving them space to create.” In the early 2010s, when the Logan Center for the Arts was being built, there was demand at the university to renovate Midway Studios. Gates, who was instrumental in the creation of the center, received parts of the studios’ concrete floors that were given away. At some point, he also collected surplus granite from the Logan Center construction site. Vanja Malloy, Dana Feitler Director of the Smart Museum and co-curator of the exhibition, said, “I think that it’s beautiful–the juxtaposition of the granite for a new chapter of the arts at the university that Theaster helped found, with the concrete, the foundational beginnings.” Gates’s art practice focuses on recontextualizing these architectural elements as sculptures and deriving meaning from the new relationships they create. “These objects are redeemed, and their redemption value is a demonstration of the work that I was invested in outside of the University,” Gates said. “I was trying to amplify the materials that sat in front of me. The amplification was not for my glory; it was simply to demonstrate that everyday things, even when unruly, excessive, inconvenient and without practical use, can be reimagined as intelligible, substantial, and absolutely necessary.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758343913/eh8yregpfttpctrtglix.jpg">Theaster Gates. Granite from the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts as installed at Listening House. Photo: Sara Pooley Along with the exhibition, Gates will be teaching a class called Unto Thee, giving students an opportunity to learn more about the material history of the university and its broader context on the South Side. “From what I’ve observed, Theaster is a beloved colleague to many but also a really inspirational professor,” Malloy said. “He’s really excited about sharing his knowledge and fostering the next generation.” The Smart Museum also commissioned Gates to create a new work, which will be on display in the museum’s lobby as part of their Threshold series until July 2026. The installation will feature an expansive shelving system showcasing a collection of African masks that Gates recently acquired and conserved, along with his personal record collection. Music will be playing in the lobby, and the museum will invite DJs to activate the space. While plans have not been confirmed, Malloy and Mardilovich are discussing community workshops focused on archiving and collection practices.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758343913/nqyvkjcyxodfbypvbkxd.jpg">Glass lantern slide from the University of Chicago’s Department of Art History,&nbsp;now in the care of Theaster Gates. Courtesy of the Rebuild Foundation. Unto Thee provides an opportunity to celebrate the richness of Gates’s generative art practice over the past 20 years and the connections that he has cultivated along the way. “The exhibition demonstrates something evident in the first book of the New Testament, Matthew 25:14-30, the Parable of Talents,” Gates explained. “The ambition that I had at the University of Chicago was to find ways to use its resources and multiply those resources for the impact of the community that I lived in. In addition, I use these materials, transfiguring them from waste products to culturally productive works of art, with the intention of amplifying the University’s deep belief in the arts. In a moment when that belief seems in peril, this exhibition seems even more timely. It is a reminder that art is not a waste, and great art requires great administration, aesthetic execution, and an unwavering belief in artists.” Theaster Gates: Unto Thee is on view at the Smart Museum of Art&nbsp;at the University of Chicago&nbsp;September 23, 2025–February 22, 2026<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/" target="_blank">smartmuseum.uchicago.edu</a> #

Theaster Gates's first solo exhibition in his home town of Chicago takes place at the Smart Museum of Art

A Homecoming at the Smart Museum of Art: Theaster Gates

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758304689/lymltafc6dhgcru6jlst.jpg">2024 By CGN Staff This fall, downtown Chicago will light up as the 11th Annual Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade takes over State Street on Saturday, October 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Presented by LUMA8 and the City of Chicago, the free, family-friendly parade features music, dance, giant puppets, glowing floats, and dazzling performances. A project first dreamed up and co-founded by one of the City's previous Commissioners of Cultural Affairs, Mark Kelly, along with Sharene Shariatzadeh, the annual art-themed gathering downtown has proved it has staying power. Named one of the world’s best Halloween celebrations by Wanderlust Magazine and highlighted in USA Today’s top 10 parades, Arts in the Dark draws over 100,000 spectators and celebrates Halloween as the artist’s holiday. <h2>A Cultural Mosaic on Parade</h2> More than 5,000 performers from 100+ cultural organizations will showcase Chicago’s artistic diversity with music, dance, and spectacle. New this year are Creative Guilds—groups of architects, photographers, audio makers, writers, and other artists collaborating on imaginative displays such as a 50-foot cosmic serpent, 40-foot glow worm, and 16 towering skeletons. While inspired by Halloween, groups are encouraged to present their own identity and art form. Expect vibrant representations of Black, Mexican, Irish, Colombian, Brazilian, South Asian, Korean, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Peruvian, and LGBTQ+ cultures, alongside dance companies, music groups, drag performers, circus artists, and more. <h2>Honoring Chicago’s Creative Spirits</h2> The parade will again recognize Creative Spirits, local cultural leaders including Tara Mallen (actor/director), Terry Hunter (Grammy-nominated DJ), Wilfredo Rivera (choreographer), Joe Cerqua (composer), Jimalita Tillman (theater producer), Eugene Bush (film producer), and rising street artist Clue. “Chicago is a hothouse of cultural ferment, and this parade will capture that creative spirit in a magical evening procession,” said Kelly, parade co-founder and artistic director. <h2>Join the Fun: DIY Costume Contest</h2> A new Haunted Runway Costume Contest, presented by Goodwill Greater Milwaukee &amp; Chicago, invites parade-goers to design their own look. Submit a photo by October 8 at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/TheHauntedRunway" target="_blank">bit.ly/TheHauntedRunway</a> for a chance to win Goodwill gift cards and VIP seating for next year’s parade. Finalists will strut their creations during the event as the crowd votes for a grand prize winner. <h2>Event Details</h2><ul><li>When: Saturday, October 18, 2025, 6–8 p.m.</li><li>Where: State Street, starting at Randolph Street</li><li>Cost: Free</li></ul> Arts in the Dark is produced by LUMA8 and the City of Chicago with major support from Chicago Loop Alliance and Goodwill Greater Milwaukee &amp; Chicago, and is part of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Fall Fest 2025. For full details, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artsinthedark.org/" target="_blank">artsinthedark.org</a> or <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.luma8.org/" target="_blank">luma8.org</a>

Chicago’s Arts in the Dark Parade Returns for Its 11th Year of Halloween Magic

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758136685/ervdoypnekbu1emhoh27.jpg">A celebratory EarlyWork dinner kicks off the weekend. By GINNY VAN ALYEA The third annual Chicago Exhibition Weekend, hosted by Gertie and EarlyWork, features 50 participating galleries and creative spaces across the city September 19–21, 2025 spotlighting Chicago’s vibrant cultural landscape and artistic spirit. Last year’s edition attracted 5,000 attendees over three days.&nbsp; This year CXW25 expands its footprint with more galleries, demonstrating the vitality and diversity of the city’s growing commercial art scene. There are more partnerships in place, as well as a central hub space. At the heart of this year's event is a mission to take Chicago's reputation as the heart of "fly-over country" and bust it open, using art history as a means to show that Chicago is and has always been a vibrant, and most of all, significant player in the country's creative and cultural history. Part walk down memory lane, part super-party, and part civic flag-waving, CXW25 promises to be a busy, art-centered weekend that gathers more staying-power and vibrancy each year.&nbsp; September 18–21, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagoexhibitionweekend.com/" target="_blank">chicagoexhibitionweekend.com</a> * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758136686/ox9qir3vkh4m6yf41c2n.jpg"> <h3>Special Exhibition</h3> Over My Head: Encounters with Conceptual Art in a Flyover City, 1984–2015, curated by Iris Colburn and Gareth Kaye, will revisit some key moments of Chicago’s own art history in order to put them back on the map. The exhibition, which will run for three weeks and be free and open to the public, explores key post-conceptual exhibitions staged by pioneering Chicago dealers such as Rhona Hoffman, Donald Young, Feature Inc., Feigen Inc., and Robbin Lockett. focusing on works that marked pivotal moments in an artist’s practice, reflected enduring dealer-artist relationships, or engage themes of temporality, transmission, and memory. Located at 400 N. Peoria Street, CXW’s hub site,&nbsp;Over My Head&nbsp;examines Chicago’s oft-forgotten position as a nerve center for post-conceptual art in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The exhibition opens to the public on Friday, September 19, 2025 and is on view through October 11, 2025. <h3>CXW Hub and Opening Weekend</h3> 400 N. Peoria – CXW’s central hub – is set within a raw industrial site in Fulton Market. The site will host an exhibition as well as conversations produced in partnership with Independent Curators International (ICI), curator-led walk-throughs as well as programming in conjunction with the Chicago Art Book Fair. The space is intended to be a resource before and after visiting galleries, offering a look at history as well directions to participating local galleries. The exhibition’s opening weekend promises to be as layered as the art on the walls. Public hours run September 19 (12–8 pm), September 20 (10 am–6 pm), and September 21 (10 am–6 pm), followed by regular hours through October 11. A September 18 preview dinner—led by acclaimed chef Agustin Mallmann, traveling to Chicago just for the occasion—offers an intimate prelude and keeps up the weekend's super-party rep. Tickets are sold out. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758136688/xn20blwbkhbtavr7bqyx.jpg">Faheed Majeed and Monique Brinkman-Hill CXW is also launching a conversation series with Independent Curators International (ICI), curated by Scott Campbell, ICI’s Midwest Programs Manager. Two marquee talks bookend the weekend:<ul><li>Zoom Out: Sept 19, 6 pm: Faheem Majeed and Monique Brinkman-Hill reflect on the South Side Community Art Center’s historic and evolving role in supporting Black artists.</li><li>Zoom In: Sept 21, 3 pm: Hamza Walker and John Corbett revisit the friendships and cultural networks that helped shape Chicago’s conceptual art scene.</li></ul> Also don't miss: • Maintenance Works: Art, Labor, and Care, Saturday, September 20, 2-3pm at SECRIST | BEACH: 1801 West Hubbard Street Chicago, IL 60622 Artists Brendan Fernandes and Molly Gochman in conversation, moderated by Samara Furlong. Maintenance Works: Art, Labor, and Care&nbsp;will delve into caregiving, collective memory, and the role of art as an act of maintenance and connection. Together, Fernandes and Gochman will reflect on how performance, participation, and collaboration shape their practices—examining how undervalued gestures of care, cleaning, and tending become sites of dignity, connection, and transformation.<h3> </h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758136688/y5laohbnej9xhfiqelvc.jpg"> <h3>Books</h3> Adding another dimension, the Chicago Art Book Fair (CABF) will set up shop inside the hub. Known for championing independent publishers, zinemakers, and printmakers, CABF offers an international yet distinctly Chicago showcase of experimental printed matter—from zines and books to limited-edition prints. The partnership this year with CXW will raise the fair's profile and be sure to exchange audiences. <h3>A Biennial</h3> CXW also coincides with the opening of the 6th Chicago Architecture Biennial: SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change, which has a base at the Chicago Cultural Center but also offers programming city-wide out of a commitment to showcase the collective strength of&nbsp;over 60 citywide partners, fom museums and cultural institutions to architecture firms and government agencies. The Biennial officially opens to the public on&nbsp;September 19, 2025, with exhibitions at the&nbsp;Chicago Cultural Center,&nbsp;Graham Foundation,&nbsp;Stony Island Arts Bank, a site-specific installation on the grounds of the&nbsp;Griffin Museum of Science and Industry,&nbsp;and special performances throughout the day.&nbsp;In case opening weekend is busy enough, CAB is on view through February 2026. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758136689/c0tomua110vphah8tbio.png">CXW's route curators <h3>The Invitation</h3> For CXW organizers and curators the hub is more than a venue. It’s a launch pad: a place to meet friends, soak up context, and set out to explore the city’s galleries and institutions during a weekend that celebrates the people and stories making Chicago’s art scene second to none –&nbsp;finally a destination in its own rite and not flyover on the way to somewhere else. There are also many opportunities to go into dozens of spaces and businesses that make Chicago what it is. Visitors will also have the option of choosing a curated route from one of Chicago’s cultural movers and shakers to help guide you to destinations around the city. Trust these route curators for their selections, from participating galleries and institutions to under-the-radar restaurants and shops. To view the full list of participating galleries and their own programs and exhibition openings, visit <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagoexhibitionweekend.com/" target="_blank">chicagoexhibitionweekend.com</a>.

Putting Chicago First: Round Three for Chicago Exhibition Weekend

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756792275/ede20d6h7rc3uwpveqe8.jpg">Pictured: the fall 2025 cover of CGN featuring art by Jacqueline Surdell <h4>﻿To subscribe to receive a print copy of the fall 2025 issue of CGN <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</h4> By GINNY VAN ALYEA I say it regularly, but I am an optimist. I am not, however oblivious. I have worked at CGN for 23 years, through many market ups and downs, neighborhood changes, art fair evolutions and more. I go back through Chicago’s art world history often, and when I look to CGN’s founding in 1982, we have weathered a lot. I have been privy to several conversations this year about the current art market’s slower sales, high overhead and tightening margins. One question looms largest: where is the next generation of collectors? Today’s likely pool of art buyers doesn’t hesitate to snap up concert tickets or plane tickets. They go big for innovative experiences and dining instead of acquiring a lot of ‘stuff.’ However, plenty of people engage with artists on Instagram and tune in to the world’s current events through a conceptual lens. A young generation’s buying power has the potential for lasting impact: to put it in perspective, a month’s worth of $30 salads and $15 smoothies could instead be $800 towards a work on paper by a young artist. Thoughtful saving and spending can start an art collection, launch an artist’s career and sustain a new gallery.&nbsp; The money is out there. And so is the generational engagement. New collectors will still emerge—not from traditional wealth pipelines, but from creative industries, tech, and mission-driven professions. Entry-level collecting often begins with drawings, prints, photography, emerging art—mostly (hopefully) under $5,000. It also begins with love–when you find something you just have to have and will cherish for years to come. Also like falling in love, art shouldn’t be a trophy, it is a commitment—to the person who created it, and also a declaration to yourself to live with art and explore it.&nbsp; The art world is working towards meeting collectors where they currently are–improving pricing transparency and online buying, offering flexible payment options and outreach. Events that prioritize education, access and fun—not just exclusivity—go a long way towards making any potential buyer feel welcomed rather than intimidated. And buyers need to spend the time, speak up, and ask questions. Long-term sustainability means collectors and galleries supporting each other. This will depend not just on high-net-worth clients, but on broader audiences who see collecting as part of their cultural life—not just as luxury.&nbsp; This fall issue of CGN offers so many ways to discover and engage with art, from reading about our cover artist Jacqueline Surdell's September exhibition at Secrist | Beach, to following contributor Susan Gescheidle on her journeys to new and upcoming spaces. We interviewed Melissa Weber and Jay Dandy about their shared passion for supporting local artists and we also asked other area collectors to share their own stories and lessons. We also spoke with five people in the art world to see what they are looking forward to. And we have put together lists of highlights happening this season, from the return of Chicago Exhibition Weekend to a slate of dynamite exhibitions, art fundraisers and galas you won't want to miss. Future collectors–we know you’re out there and we encourage you to partake! CGN is always here as a friendly resource. We welcome you to the art world! # <h4>To subscribe to receive a print copy of the fall 2025 issue of CGN <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</h4> <h4>Read CGN's fall 2025 cover interview with artist Jacqueline Surdell <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/jacqueline-surdell-an-artists-voice-helps-scale-her-art" target="_blank">here</a></h4> Top cover image: Jacqueline Surdell, Suddenly,&nbsp;she was hell-bent and ravenous (after Giotto), 2024. Nylon cord, steel, polyester fabric, steel spool top,&nbsp;steel chain and meat hooks. 65 (body) x 252 (pole to pole) x 7 inches.

Publisher’s Letter: Fall 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756482746/x70sia8lakp1bmz2wobj.jpg">Installation view of deathmatch By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE Photos by Mikey Mosher <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bgfa.us/" target="_blank">Bert Green Fine Art</a> (BGFA), directed by its namesake, Bert Green, sits in Chicago’s historic Willoughby Tower.&nbsp;The gallery, says Green, is dedicated to thought&nbsp;provoking and timely exhibitions that push boundaries, in compliment to a print publishing division, which makes affordable limited editions for new and established collectors.The small venue complements its latest exhibition, Mac Pierce’s deathmatch, which explores themes of combat, war, and mortality, and is particularly well-suited to a more intimate environment.&nbsp; Fueled by his passion for technology, Chicago artist Pierce, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Art &amp; Technology Studies program, explores the complex and often troubling relationship between technological advancement and warfare. Pierce observes a disconnect between simulated and actual conflict. This phenomenon, he argues, has led to the erosion of social trust through the proliferation of misinformation. The artist describes himself as a “tinkerer and maker,” and his artistic approach is hands-on and experimental. He utilizes cutting-edge tools like AI, 3D printing, coding, and modding to deconstruct and critically examine the mechanisms of emerging weaponized technologies and surveillance. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756482747/ftjrssgbybegjbwphwf0.jpg">Mac Pierce, Untitled (army man), 2025 - 3D printed PETG, Loctite® 4070,&nbsp;Nylon threaded rod, 65 x 48 x 18”. This innovative spirit shines through in Pierce’s third solo exhibition at BGFA. The exhibition includes an eclectic mix of works, including found objects, combat games, drone footage, and even classic toys, all serving to explore the multifaceted impact of technological advancements on conflict and societal control. Gallery owner Bert Green said of the artist, “Mac Pierce caught my eye as a young and up and coming artist who has a brilliant conceptual approach to his work that resonates beautifully with our current era of disruptive technologies. “ The show’s title, deathmatch, comes from video game terminology referring to a competitive game mode where players score points by defeating opponents, popularized by Doom in the early 1990s and still common in first-person shooter games. Pierce’s early understanding of conflict and war was significantly shaped by his grandfather, a World War II veteran. His grandfather introduced him to Army Men miniatures, a popular children’s toy that Time Magazine recognized in 2011 as one of the top 100 toys of all time. These small figures, coupled with a hand-carved wooden rifle from his grandfather and playing “Cowboys and Indians”—a game now viewed as culturally insensitive—instilled in Pierce his initial understanding of combat. However, contemporary perspectives now scrutinize these influences for two key reasons: the history of Native American genocide and concerns about violent games affecting children. Still, playing with miniature soldiers and enacting combat scenarios might, for some, stimulate imagination and strategic thinking. This exhibition features two artworks by Pierce, directly informed by these formative experiences, illustrating a journey from childhood play to artistic expression. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756482748/kpfa9bw2plkaeqvgx9zi.jpg">Mac Pierce, Real Toys for Real Boys, 2024, Plywood, edition of 6, 44 x 8 x 1”. Upon discovering a damaged, discarded Army Men toy on a Chicago sidewalk, Pierce was inspired to create a scaled-up replica of the compelling footless soldier. A local engineering firm that conducts industrial scans performed a CT scan of the toy soldier, enabling Pierce to create an identical larger 3D-printed version. Untitled (army man,) is a green 3D-printed sculpture (65” x 48” x 18”) stamped with CHINA, referencing its origin and themes of global production and commodified war imagery. Pierce regards the human-sized sculpture as commentary on the monstrosity of war and its consequences. The nearby display of the original toy prompts viewers to consider its role as a symbol of conflict. Real Toys for Real Boys is a piece consisting of six life-sized replica firearms crafted from plywood. The title originates from a former website, which advertised its wooden toy guns with the slogan “Real Toys for Real Boys.” Placed haphazardly around the gallery, the guns blend playful innocence with real firearm symbolism. Each wooden gun features an edition number mirroring a firearm serial number. The installation critiques the normalization of guns by displaying them as scattered toys. I really like C/S/TS (Confidential, Secret, Top Secret,) a modestly sized linoleum print on paper (12 x 9 inches) created by Pierce in 2023. Though small in scale, it has a big impact within the exhibit because of the subject matter. It incorporates text from classified Pentagon documents leaked by Jack Teixeira in 2022 on the Discord platform. Teixeira, an IT specialist in the Massachusetts Air National Guard, shared sensitive details—like Ukraine troop movements, data on Chinese spy balloons, and weaknesses in Taiwan’s air defenses. The print visually mimics the original documents, showing creases and folds from pages Teixeira smuggled out. He stated that his actions were intended to address misinformation, but reports indicate his motivation was to impress online friends; he received a 15-year sentence in November 2024. The artwork draws on this event (that mirrors similar leaks, like the Pentagon Papers, WikiLeaks, Manning, and Snowden) to highlight ongoing issues of surveillance, data security, and misinformation. By using text of actual leaked material, C/S/TS prompts viewers to reflect on trust, accountability, and the complexities of information warfare and secrecy in the digital age. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756482749/w9tjf3wgecyrdsgwucwj.jpg">Mac Pierce, We’re So Over, We’re So Back, 2025. (Detail pictured below) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756482750/es94nodzxq4b4zzhdh59.jpg"> Creative Technologist Pierce incorporates digital technology to craft engaging experiences. For The Effects of Terrestrial Events upon Celestial Mechanics, he uses recovered footage from a damaged drone found at the intersection of Monroe and S. Wabash streets, with scenes appearing to be shot in Chicago and Brazil. This footage is displayed on a wall-mounted Steam Deck alongside the drone, mounted on a stick on the wall. Pierce integrated drone footage from Ukrainian Telegram channels but deliberately excluded Russian footage due to Telegram’s perceived association with pro-Kremlin propaganda. In a corner of the gallery sits Pierce’s&nbsp;KDR (Kill-Death-Ratio): an acrylic tombstone featuring a faint message,&nbsp;“YOU DIED,” in big block letters, burned into an embedded OLED monitor. Pierce kept the single text image on the monitor 24-7 for six months to create the ghosting. The piece, etched with a skull, rests on a polished concrete base atop a pedestal, mimicking a cemetery plot. This piece is one of my favorites—it’s intimate, and everyone has experienced loss and visited cemeteries. Pierce describes it as both a tribute to endless virtual gaming deaths and a stark reminder of mortality, especially in the context of war. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756482751/w0gczxszixlggbfcupxv.jpg">Top: KDR, 2025, OLED gaming monitor, acrylic, polished concrete, laser cut aluminum, vacuum formed ABS, 3D-printed ABS, modified monitor mount, Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, stainless steel hardware, HDMI cable, USB-C Cable, 20v AC adapter, DC step-down converter, heat-set inserts, wiring, ghosts, 25 x 17 x 11”. We’re So Over, We’re So Back is a stunning 28 x 24 x 6-inch aluminum sculpture of a tech-ouroboros—a gleaming serpent caught in an eternal snack of its own tail. A blood red, water-cooled PC as its belly transforms its scales into a high-tech radiator, blurring the lines between human, machine, and reptile. The serpent’s gaze is fixed on an attached, adjacent monitor where a modified Counter-Strike game has gone rogue! Bots battle on ever-changing landscapes, hinting at technological and warfare loops. Pierce spent nine months learning the necessary skills through YouTube tutorials to construct the ouroboros sculpture, which runs the video game. A public build log documents his process, highlighting the power of self-learning and encouraging others to embrace their creative spirit. Pierce’s creation, like a perfectly executed move by a Counter-Strike professional, is brilliant and thought-provoking, sparking discussions on hacking, surveillance, and firearms. In the digital realm, the end is merely the beginning, and the game is always afoot!&nbsp; deathmatchThru October 18, 2025&nbsp;Open Friday 12–4PM, and by appt.Bert Green Fine Art, 8 S. Michigan Avenue, Ste. 620, Chicago<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bgfa.us/" target="_blank">bgfa.us</a> #

deathmatch by Mac Pierce at Bert Green: An Intimate Artistic Exploration of War and Games, Both Real and Pretend

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612906/ygta84ajkyqdbntytthj.jpg">Rafael J. Miranda Mattei, Sin titulo (Vistas del Cerro Maravilla), 18 x 24”, solvent ink on paper, 2024 By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.elschomburg.com/" target="_blank">El Schomburg</a> opened in October 2023 in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood. Founded by Brenda Torres Figueroa—artist, educator, and curator—the center serves as a contemporary art space and cultural hub rooted in Chicago’s Puerto Rican community and inspired by the legacy of Afro-Puerto Rican historian Arturo Alfonso Schomburg. Located in a storefront with a black brick façade, the site features a mural of Arturo Schomburg and a Puerto Rican flag above the entrance. “Grabaciones para un pais de memoria corta: Tracking Issues”, an exhibition curated by Alexis Figueroa of Trailer Park Proyects, presents the unique work of Puerto Rican artist Rafael J. Miranda Mattei, based in the United States. This exhibition celebrates a two-decade-long artistic and personal collaboration between Figueroa and Miranda Mattei. Notably, Miranda Mattei’s first visit to Chicago in 2013 was for a Trailer Park Proyects exhibition organized in Figueroa’s truck. Figueroa is interested in how Miranda Mattei’s artistic perspective has evolved over the past seven years, examining the impact of distance and new environments on his artistic journey. Miranda Mattei is a mid-career artist and educator, whose work has been exhibited at various venues and museums in San Juan, New York City, Chicago, San Franciso, Madrid, and Buenos Aires. Living in New Jersey, he acknowledges the difficulties associated with being apart from friends and family in Puerto Rico and says this separation shapes his perspective and informs his artistic work, which continues to explore issues of identity and political representation. Miranda Mattei is presenting work at El Schomburg with the aim of engaging the Puerto Rican community in Chicago and aligning with the venue’s emphasis on Puerto Rican and Diasporic art. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612908/iyspjv9s4dalfiapyjea.jpg">Installation view<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612909/pxcxxfibzddf4egzxu3y.jpg"> “Grabaciones para un pais de memoria corta” (Recordings for a Country With a Short Memory), offers a critique of the fragility of collective memory within colonial and diasporic contexts. Miranda Mattei ingeniously employs the term ‘Tracking Issues,’ referencing distorted VHS images, to symbolize fragmented and lost narratives. Building upon inspirations from Neo-Dada, Pop Art, and Neo-conceptualism, Miranda Mattei utilizes cynicism and satire to critically examine Puerto Rican society and government, addressing the profound impact of politics and media on collective memory. Miranda Mattei, Figueroa notes, is admired by peers as an “artist’s artist” for his singular vision and willingness to confront controversial subjects. While Miranda Mattei is wary of the political climate under Donald Trump, he boldly uses the environment to inspire more inclusive narratives of resistance and resilience. The exhibition’s relevance provides an astute commentary on the intersection of politics, media, and collective memory that resonates strongly within the current political climate. Miranda Mattei’s artwork investigates the interplay among memory, narratives of past experiences, personal identity, history, and the lasting influence of prior events. If you remember the days of “Be Kind. Please Rewind,” Blockbuster video rentals, VCR players, or capturing important moments on VHS tapes with bulky camcorders, then this exhibition will resonate. Anyone who has ever made a curated mix tape or CD will relate to this work as a means of revisiting the obsolete physical media from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, a period that deeply informs Miranda Mattei’s artistic vision. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612911/afl8pyhkvomytjistb0x.jpg">Rafael J. Miranda Mattei, Sin titulo (Entierro de Munoz Marin) 18 x 24”, solvent ink on paper, 2024 Miranda Mattei’s choice to explore collective memory via ubiquitous but outdated media, like VHS tapes and CDs that once served as revolutionary accessible tools for capturing memories of significant events also highlights this particular media’s historical, personal, and political significance to Puerto Rico. It’s a link to past and present. His nine solvent ink prints on paper of scanned flattened VHS boxes, function as archives of Puerto Rican history. The visually striking 18 by 24-inch framed VHS prints, with their vivid colors and geometric forms, showcase a cornucopia of classic brands like BASF, Maxwell, Panasonic, Polaroid, Sanyo, Sony, and TDK. The display may remind viewers of their own VHS collections, whether stored, recorded over, or lost. As Figueroa observes, taping over or losing VHS tape content symbolizes lost memories, echoing Miranda Mattei’s focus on the fragility of memory—a point supported by University of Chicago research on the malleability of memory, which explores forgetting and the creation of false recollections. Miranda Mattei reinterprets pivotal moments in Puerto Rican history through a unique artistic practice: hand-labeling VHS tapes with invented titles. These VHS prints bridge past and present, providing new insight into major events. Miranda Mattei’s work covers the devastating 1985 Mameyes landslide; the 1996 Humberto Vidal gas explosion; the funeral of influential political figure, Muñoz Marín; and the 1999 accidental death of David Sanes in Vieques from a United States military bombing error. He also captures the 1978 Cerro Maravilla massacre and its subsequent cover-up, where two young pro-independence activists were murdered in a police ambush; Karl Wallenda’s fatal high-wire walk in San Juan that same year; and Puerto Rican boxer Tito Trinidad’s triumph over De La Hoya. Through this artistic endeavor, Mattei visually reinterprets these events, fostering a connection between historical narratives and contemporary understanding. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612913/vk1lymhgkxsaqw0lk8pg.jpg">Rafael J. Miranda Mattei, Man in Condado, 44 x 60”,&nbsp;India ink on hot press Arches paper, 2025 The exhibition features varied artworks, such as a 32.5 x 31.5-inch mixed media piece inspired by a CD mixtape. Another striking piece viewers will appreciate is an installation of&nbsp;twenty-two vivid-colored VHS tapes joined together with plexiglass, forming a dynamic half-rainbow arch across the wall. Several new large-scale black and white works (44 x 60 inches), meticulously created with India ink on hot press Arches paper, are on display. These pieces reference the VHS print of Karl Wallenda’s 1978 San Juan tightrope performance and fatal fall, drawing inspiration from photos of the fall taken by Gary Williams, a San Juan newspaper photographer. The photos were featured in the April 3, 1978, Time Magazine article, “Sit Down, Poppy, Sit Down!” Miranda Mattei’s drawings of Wallenda evoke Robert Longo’s “Men in the Cities” black and white series, portraying sharply dressed figures in mid-motion against a stark white backdrop — an aesthetic that mirrors both Wallenda’s attire and form during his fatal descent. “Man in Condado” depicts Wallenda plummeting from below, dressed in black trousers and white-soled shoes, one arm visible – a chilling foreshadowing of his death. Miranda Mattei’s drawings are powerful, elegant, yet terrifying, imbued with the knowledge of the tragic end to the story. The local television station WAPA in San Juan captured the moment live, indelibly engraving it in the collective memory of those who witnessed the fall. Miranda Mattei’s art beautifully revives this somber chapter of the island’s past. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612915/wwquvuzzpoy28su0wtla.jpg"> The exhibition offers an unfiltered view of Puerto Rico’s history, highlighting both its strengths and flaws. Though living in New Jersey, Miranda Mattei maintains a deep connection to his Puerto Rican heritage, portraying the island’s complexities beyond the idealized image of a sun-kissed Caribbean paradise. In doing so, Miranda Mattei deliberately refrains from comparing Puerto Rico’s corruption to that on the mainland, just as he avoids drawing parallels to how mainstream media sensationalizes stories to distract from less desirable topics. The exhibition demonstrates a consistent and unwavering perspective on Puerto Rico, acknowledging that these issues resonate beyond the island. This multi-media retro-esque exhibit is a nuanced and heartfelt love story embracing Puerto Rico’s complexities. Don’t miss the chance to experience this candid homage to Puerto Rico’s cultural legacy: “Be Kind. Please Rewind!” # Grabaciones para un pais de memoria corta:&nbsp;Tracking Issues is on view thru September 19, 2025at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.elschomburg.com/" target="_blank">El Schomburg</a>2538 W. Division, ChicagoHours by appointment.&nbsp;Call 15 minutes prior. 787–409–6983 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1755612916/ijx277xpjotihfluwnjm.jpg">Installation view

El Schomburg: Grabaciones para un pais de memoria corta: Tracking Issues by Rafael J. Miranda Mattei

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541928/rz8ovhk6lact4sqj6rfn.jpg">Installation view of Tessercats By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watershedstudio.works/" target="_blank">Watershed Studioworks</a> in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood is hosting "Tessercats," an exhibit by Erik Wenzel with nearly 40 feline-inspired portraits informed by theoretical mathematics, and hyperspace. Established in 2019, Watershed Studioworks operates as an artist-run gallery and studio workspace. Co-owned by visual artist Kelly Rickert and Sarah Bordson, the gallery showcases art that promotes community engagement and meaningful dialogue. Wenzel relocated his studio to Watershed Studioworks during the pandemic and started working on these paintings. The gallery is an intimate storefront space with large windows and natural light, and an ideal venue for exhibiting Wenzel’s small but mighty Tesser-cats.&nbsp; Last year, I had the opportunity to visit Wenzel’s studio and observe a selection of his kick-ass cat portraits in progress.&nbsp;A long-time cat enthusiast, Wenzel has produced many cat-themed works, evolving from simple sketches and doodles to these vibrant, striking portraits. Seeing them together as a group was fabulous.&nbsp;After a year and the completion of roughly twenty-five additional paintings, "Tessercats,” the exhibition, has come to fruition. On the gallery walls, the portraits are a veritable feast for the eyes, and I’m here for it.&nbsp; “Tessercats” represents Wenzel’s return to the art scene following a hiatus earning a Master of Art History. The exhibition title, derived from a combination of "cats" and "tesseract," refers to a four-dimensional cube. While researching the early modernist avant-garde, Wenzel became interested in hyperspace, spatial dimensions beyond the three we frequent. His focus is on the historical avant-garde's quasi-spiritual ideas about this spatial fourth dimension and how it ties into madness, mental illness, and self-care. Wenzel, an artist, curator, and writer, weaves these abstract spatial ideas into his new series of serious and silly cat paintings.&nbsp;Influences on his art practice include Marcel Duchamp, Gilett Burgess, the cubists, and architect and designer, Claude Bragdon. Wenzel states, “All this became an enticing way to think through history, conceive of abstract space as a mental place and explore.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541929/dxtkbgkav2ahsmmfgowz.jpg">Lindner, 2023, acrylic and graphite, on panel, 9”x 12” In 2022, Wenzel left academia, self-published a book titled “Mental Health Illness,” featuring new work and busied himself painting cat portraits. Wenzel creates these gorgeous gems using materials such as acrylic, gesso, ink, collaged paper, puffy paint, and graphite. Most works are 9 x 12-inch panels, with some at 12 x 12 inches and one at 16 x 20 inches. In addition, the show includes two large graphite drawings. Geometry influences the structure of these portraits: triangles and cones form the ears and nose, circles outline the eyes and cheeks, and squares are included here and there. These portraits show close-up, frontal cat faces, occasionally including shoulders. All cats are alike, yet unique. Wenzel regards the repetitive nature of his artistic process as both therapeutic and meditative. His repetitive imagery recalls Warhol’s screen prints, though each cat portrait is unique in color and materials. The subjects appear stoic and contemplative, resembling spiritual icons. Wenzel says there's no hidden message; his process is guided by intuition, with the goal of creating imaginative, four-dimensional representations of cats.&nbsp;Some days, inspiration comes easily; other days, he tells us, “The cats aren’t talking.”&nbsp; The paintings are fantastic and fanciful, but it’s the eyes that fascinate me. They are skillfully rendered, effectively embodying the sentiment that "the eyes are the window to the soul," a phrase often attributed to William Shakespeare. Some eyes are abstract, multicolored, or tie-dye-like patterns, while others are monochromatic. These portraits require close observation to appreciate their curious details.&nbsp;For example, “Lindner,” features pinwheel-patterned eyes: one contains two tiny tent-like pentagons at its center, the other a small gem-like hexagon. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541930/xdtcbkf6u18xe4xdspij.jpg">&nbsp;Trellis Tra La La, 2025, acrylic on panel, 9”x 12” Many works feature spiral-patterned eyes, reflecting Wenzel’s focus on mathematics and geometry, and recalling the retro1960s Spirograph toy. These dreamlike swirling-patterned eyes also evoke the bold, psychedelic aesthetics of the 1960s and 1970s (think acid trips!) Examples include “Snow Pea,’” “Mascara Fresco,” “Mr. "Stripes,” and my favorite, “Trellis Tra La La.” The latter, created in 2025, is an acrylic painting rendered in black and white, depicting a cat with predominantly black, spiral-shaped eyes. The composition includes yellow and teal cubes and intersecting lines, dynamic gestural marks, and pinkish-red circles.&nbsp; Wenzel shows creativity in naming these cats as well, using mental health-inspired titles like “Serenity Self-Preservation,” “Depression with Vibes,” and “Delectable Behavior Therapy” (a play on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT). “Serenity Self-Preservation” hints at safeguarding one's mental and emotional well-being to maintain lasting tranquility. This acrylic on panel piece features a finely drawn graphite cat on an ivory background, embodying serenity. Though easy to overlook due to its subtlety, the painting stands out once seen. "Depression with Vibes" alludes to misery with changes in mood, behavior, or disposition. This acrylic and collage painting portrays a black and grey cat set against a muted grey background, highlighted by colorful lines, multi-colored eyes, and vivid paint blobs on its face. The artwork suggests depression but also a sense of radiance.&nbsp; Wenzel's titles use intent, psychological themes, and humor—both subtle and direct—to address complex emotions in his art. Titles like “Nicely Niced,” “Chin Scritcher,” “Snow Pea,” and “Late Night Goofus” are witty and engaging. Wenzel slays with “Eye Contact With A Four-Dimensional Cat Through An Infra-Thin Layer.” The titles and Tesser-cats, overall, reflect a blend of intelligence and folly, with titles that aptly match each cat's personality.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541931/fojy4rxlvtjexh6k94he.jpg">Mascara Fresco, 2023, acrylic and gesso, on panel, 9”x 12” Wenzel's Tesser-cats explore universal themes related to human experience. The works incorporate playful elements alongside aspects of vulnerability, engaging viewers through neutral expressions that encourage both analysis and general observation. Viewers can choose to overthink or simply enjoy. Wenzel suggests a "cat approach": relax in the moment “especially when there's a nice sun patch to lounge in.” Catch the show before it ends; you might just be chosen by a Tesser-cat! Wenzel holds a Master of Arts in Art History from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Chicago (UChicago).&nbsp; “Tessercats” runs through July 26th at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://watershedstudio.works/" target="_blank">Watershed Studioworks</a>, 3016 W. Belmont, Chicago.&nbsp; Open Saturdays 12 PM to 5 PM and by appointment Artist talk, Saturday, July 12th at 3:00 PM&nbsp;

Landscape Survey: Tessercats, New Work by Erik Wenzel at Watershed Studioworks

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541841/mcvvfwqtu42go5xdrrr8.jpg">Maxwell Volkman, Tweakin, 2023, 34x 44 in. Acrylic, oil, inkjet prints, I’ve varnish, cut paper, colored pencil, and staples on canvas By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE <a style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/_gure__/" target="_blank">GURE</a> – Alex Adkinson &amp; Maxwell Volkman: The River Sweats with Oil and Tar GURE, located in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, is presenting its third exhibition titled “The River Sweats with Oil and Tar,” featuring the works of artists Alex Adkinson and Maxwell Volkman. GURE is a converted garage with an industrial design and provides a unique backdrop for the two-person show. The exhibition explores themes of angst and critiques of American culture through mixed media artworks that reflect on post-industrial landscapes and societal issues. GURE, owned and operated by Sharmarke Ahmed, is located on a quiet residential street. Enter through the side yard gate to find an enchanting garden setting and a fire pit where people gather. The gallery is in the rear corner of the yard and features industrial components including brick walls, a metal garage door, and concrete floors, alongside modern white walls. It suits the Adkinson and Volkman show perfectly.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541841/v0yxsling70bmtytasfi.jpg">Installation view. Work by Alex Adkinson on left and by Maxwell Volkman on right. Adkinson's mixed media artworks use materials such as steel, copper, reclaimed wood, inkjet prints, and various other elements to create pieces with an organic and raw aesthetic. Volkman uses various materials like paint, duct tape, shooting targets, grommets, inkjet prints, cut paper, and fingerprints to create textured visual compositions. They both tackle contemporary issues: Adkinson focuses on post-industrial landscapes and ecological problems, while Volkman explores fear, trauma, drug culture, and violence. Their work shares an organic quality that complements each other in the GURE framework. Adkinson's relocation from Tallahassee to Chicago has significantly influenced his recent work, integrating elements of both natural and urban environments seamlessly. As an artist and digital imaging researcher focusing on biodiversity, his surroundings are understandably crucial to him. In Tallahassee, he experienced isolation and swampy conditions, which he found powerful. In contrast, he believes that the densely populated urban environment of Chicago exerts a stronger influence on him. This is evident in his artwork, exploring themes of alienation and beauty in a post-industrial landscape. The Midwest’s abandoned factories, rusted steel and objects, crumbling bricks, and industrial agriculture highlight significant changes in the landscape. These conditions, coupled with the constant lack of solitude in the city, deeply affect Adkinson. He notes that he and Volkman share concerns about their examinations of American culture, feeling frustration, angst, and melancholy in a problematic world. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541842/xsmq31wyhrrgwqhtmrrh.jpg">Alex Adkinson, Wished-for Disappearances, 2025, 10 X 22 in., Steel, reclaimed wood, acrylic, inkjet print, aluminum&nbsp; Adkinson's inspirations are diverse. He aligns with T.S. Eliot's sentiments on modernity and the wasteland, which inspired the GURE exhibit title. Others include Gilberto Zorio, Robert Smithson, Donald Judd, Ellsworth Kelly, Sasha Fishman, and Heana Yoo. Adkinson's work at GURE features three small assemblages, a collage on paper, and two larger sculptures. 'Fidelity Ablation,' an 8-foot-tall sculpture made of steel, acrylic, and photographic print on polyvinyl, stands prominently on the lawn outside the gallery. The gallery features four smaller pieces displayed on the walls, along with Adkinson's floor sculpture 'A Measure of Growth,' which is 51-inches tall. The eye-catching sculpture features tall urban fruiting grass, steel, copper, mounted objects, and clay bowls suspended by chains. It balances a calm presence suitable for a yoga studio with an unusual vibe that suggests a ritualistic gathering. It Illustrates the beauty and ambiguity present within the post-industrial environment. The small pieces are intricate and interesting as well. ‘Wished-for Disappearances,’ made from materials including reclaimed wood, acrylic, aluminum, a nature photo, and part of a rusted pitchfork fished out of the Chicago River, tells a compelling story. I appreciated the piece and its narrative. Adkinson employs a diverse and rich array of materials in his work, and the palette features muted, earthy tones. His work is elegant, poetic, and fragile, yet still conveys a sense of frenetic movement, akin to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven, which transitions from an acoustic intro to a rock anthem. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541843/q5xma41fznvw4icgkhks.jpg">Alex Adkinson, A Measure of Growth, 2024, 51 X 28 X 12 in. Steel, copper, wild clay, urban fruiting grass, root&nbsp;&nbsp;ball, bismuth, manoammonium, phosphate, copper sulphate&nbsp; Volkman relocated to Chicago in 2019 from Tacoma, WA and obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from the School of the Art Institute (SAIC). He consistently made collages before his arrival, and he still does. At GURE, he is showcasing two collaged acrylic and oil canvases, along with two smaller collaged acrylic and flashe works on paper. 'Tweakin,' a 34 x 44-inch painting, portrays an individual in a stapled shut yellow straitjacket, encapsulating Volkman's exploration of themes related to discomfort. The piece incudes an image of a Xanax tablet and the text "Ketamine Infusion.” On the opposite wall is 'Confetti,' a piece related to Ketamine featuring multiple images of Crysten Ritter as Jane from Breaking Bad, with red paint resembling blood. Volkman's art, though unsettling, grabs attention like drivers observing accidents. His paintings combine spectacle with nuance to explore broader themes and issues. Volkman suggests that horror helps people manage anxiety, fear, and trauma, and he uses his art to process events and engage with the world.&nbsp; Volkman cites Francis Bacon, David Wojnarowicz, Sterling Ruby, Dash Snow, Daniel Johnston, Thomas Hirschhorn, and Harmony Korine as influences. His work explores themes of mental illness, social class, drugs, dark humor, religion, and violence. Volkman notes that his night terrors affect his art as well. He sources images online, from mass media, videos, horror films, and photography that evoke unease, fear, loss of control, and helplessness. Volkman integrates these images into his layered paintings, producing visuals that are subtly unsettling yet socially pertinent. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760541844/nyvfzk0otmrt42rcrllp.jpg">&nbsp;Maxwell Volkman, 2 Geeked, 2025, 24 x 18.75 in. Acrylic, flashe, inkjet prints, cut paper, colored pencil, duct tape, shooting targets, and grommets on paper in custom poplar frame The works on paper pieces ‘2 Geeked,’ and ‘Snow White,’ are good examples of this. 'Snow White' shows an alluring dark-haired woman encircled by enticing blue OxyContin pills. In '2 Geeked,' an erotic woman holding a gun faces the viewer with red paint dripping like blood, and the word OMEN appears in block text above her. It exhibits qualities that are both repelling and provocative, making it notable in the show (and my favorite by Volkman.)&nbsp;The theme from The Exorcist, Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield, would complement Volkman’s work perfectly. Volkman framed the two 24 X 18.75 inch works on paper to harmonize with Adkinson’s industrial style. He made wood frames and spray-painted them with Rust-Oleum Chrome Metallic Finish. The paintings are attached to the frames using grommets, screws, and staples, with fingerprints visible on the frames. The faux-metal frames enhance 'Snow White' and '2 Geeked,' Volkman’s newest pieces.&nbsp; Art often reflects society, and this exhibition does just that. It offers not only an aesthetic experience but also a commentary on contemporary issues. Both artists have upcoming local exhibitions. Adkinson will be in a two-person show at Sawhorse, and Volkman will participate in a two-person exhibition at LVL3. The exhibition continues at GURE through June 28th and is open by appointment only. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/_gure__/" target="_blank">DM for address</a> and to schedule viewing.

Landscape survey: Alex Adkinson & Maxwell Volkman at GURE 

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543008/c1vgofbzbogpm3k60bc4.jpg">Gustave Caillebotte. The Pont de l'Europe, 1876. Association des Amis du Petit Palais, Genève. Image courtesy of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Photo by John R. Glembin. By GINNY VAN ALYEA This June the Art Institute’s major summer exhibition, Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World, will present the Impressionist’s work in the context of the era and the social circles in which he lived. Caillebotte (1848–1894) is closely associated with his monumental painting of a French street scene on a gray and inclement day, Paris Street; Rainy Day, a work that is the crown jewel of the Art Institute’s permanent collection as well as this exhibtion. The show promises to expand how visitors see the artist’s own life and what inspired him, allowing us to appreciate intimate elements of Caillebotte’s world while also presenting questions about what the artist himself saw and wanted viewers to see in his paintings. Curious about the every-day, despite his own privileged background, his radical perceptions and depictions are quite relevant today.&nbsp; This exhibition, which opened in October 2024 at Paris’s Musée d’Orsay, includes more than 120 works—paintings, works on paper, photographs, and other ephemera from throughout Caillebotte’s career. In addition to recognizable works like Floor Scrapers and Paris Street; Rainy Day, the show presents lesser-known but pivotal works like the Musée d’Orsay’s recent acquisition, Boating Party, and the Louvre Abu-Dhabi’s The Bezique Game, as well as many works from private collections that are rarely seen by American audiences.&nbsp; Gloria Groom, Chair and Winton Green Curator, Painting and Sculpture of Europe, The Art Institute of Chicago took time this spring to give us a preview of what we can expect from Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543009/eifhd9rrw2xakm7icpq5.jpg">Gloria Groom, Chair and Winton Green Curator, Painting and Sculpture of Europe, The Art Institute of Chicago. Photo by <a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.clarebritt.com/" target="_blank">Clare Britt</a> <h4> </h4><h4>CGN: How did this exhibition come together? What will visitors see, in addition to Paris Street: Rainy Day?</h4> Gloria Groom: Caillebotte is a figure painter, first and foremost. The Art Institute of course owns the granddaddy of all of his paintings, Paris Street: Rainy Day, and it is such a remarkable work because really it’s the first and last multi-figural painting at this scale. Everybody kind of knows the painting, but they don’t know the man. That’s what we wanted to flesh out. We were able to amass a lot of new archival material and get into family archives and really identify the people in his paintings. As a result we realized most of the people are men, so he had a real focus on a subject that most Impressionists wouldn’t be doing, because men weren’t commercially viable [as subjects]. We wanted to focus on that.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543009/qienwmlrfsavknzuvhrw.jpg">Gustave Caillebotte. Paris Street; Rainy Day, 1877. The Art Institute of Chicago, Charles H. and Mary F. Worcester Collection. <h4>CGN: Caillebotte was an Impressionist, but what set him apart from his contemporaries?&nbsp;</h4> He was born in 1848, right during the&nbsp;French Revolution of that year. He watched Paris go from having a king, to the monarchy collapsing, then to the Second Republic. What the republic brings with it is a lot more freedom, but at the same time anxiety, because he grows up and he’s painting and taking classes during the Franco–Prussian War. For men it was a complicated time, fighting and getting beat by Germans. His interests were not only in the men of his social class, which was upper middle class, but also the people that worked for him, the workers, the gardeners, the people who were scraping down the floors in the room that was going to be his studio in Paris.&nbsp; He’s also not like the Impressionists because he actually lives with his family and gets along fine with them. He accepted his wealth, but he didn’t want to be just known as a wealthy dilettante. He really throws himself into whatever he’s doing, be it gardening, racing boats or building boats. We wanted to show he was a man of his era. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543010/i34tixqc9fbsji36seig.jpg">Gustave Caillebotte. Balcony, about 1880. Private collection. Photo courtesy of the private collection/Bridgeman Images. <h4>CGN: What was so unusual about how he observed and depicted male subjects?</h4> GG: Men had clubs–like the sailing club, as an example–to belong to, but women did not. Caillebotte liked to be with other males in the Impressionist circle. He esteemed women artists like Berthe Morisot and Mary Cassatt, but he liked to be in groups and he liked supporting them through his financial wealth, through his talents as a painter. We are really expanding on what he did by spending time in these circles. It’s hard to paint men and make them look interesting, but he’s a real colorist and he’s interested in decorative patterns. So you get portraits that aren’t as austere as one might think. And he uses his male friends as his models. <h4>CGN: There are few direct gazes I see in these paintings of men. He’s really observing them, whatever they’re doing. They’re not sitting for a portrait or even necessarily paying attention to him.</h4> GG: Right. There are only a couple that you get the sense of portraiture. And those are really the ones that ended up in those collections, since most didn’t sell and ended up with family. The idea of detachment is very Baudelairean and something quite modern in the last part of the century. The male gaze is very different, because it’s looking at males. Even when he’s looking at women, there’s a kind of detachment. When you compare a Renoir painting of a woman to one by Caillebotte, any day of the week you’ll see there’s a big difference between the way they’re expressing the feminine in art. He’s really more interested in showing men. He was surrounded by men, he grew up with three brothers and lived in a household of men–he lived with his brother after he left his parents’ house, when they both died. So he is happiest and most comfortable it seems, through his paintings, with these male companionships.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543011/oxtfvl1cvwrl9xwv1dr3.jpg">Gustave Caillebotte. Floor Scrapers, 1875. Musée d'Orsay, Paris, Gift of the Caillebotte heirs through Auguste Renoir, 1894. Photo courtesy of Musée d’Orsay, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / Franck Raux. <h4>CGN: Did Caillebotte’s subject matter alone qualify him as radical, or was it something else?</h4> GG: I think he was radical not just in his male portraits, but in everything. The Floor Scrapers was considered radical. The thing that really made him stand out was his technique. It looked like it came from the tradition of painting where you do drawings, then you do sketches, then you find the final composition, because some of them were large scale, not as large as ours, but bigger than a regular Impressionist landscape. He painted in a way that suggested he spent a long time with it, as opposed to the impressions of the Impressionists, and that painting style made him popular. His subject matter was still rather radical because he would zoom in on things.&nbsp; One of the criticisms of our painting at the Art Institute was, why would you make a subject so banal on that scale? It doesn’t deserve that scale. He was considered a more traditional artist, and at the same time a very radical artist because of the foreshortening and because of the subjects he chose, but the way he painted was more legible and accessible than what we call the flickering brushstrokes of a Monet or a Pissarro. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543012/brndanv1keat7wise9sk.jpg">Gustave Caillebotte. Man Drying His Leg, about 1884. Private collection. Photo by Lea Gryze, Berlin. © Private collection, Berlin, 2024. <h4> </h4><h4>CGN: It sounds like he didn’t fit that easily with the other Impressionists.&nbsp;</h4> GG: It’s when he’s painting landscapes in water that he becomes an Impressionist, but when he’s painting figures,&nbsp;it looks more traditional. We’ll have a lot of preparatory drawings in the exhibition, for our Paris Street: Rainy Day and The Floor Scrapers and others. People will be able to see that he, like Seurat and like so many artists who are considered modern, starts with observation and drawings and then eventually composes the final painting. But I think the big story is his insistence on painting figures, and men in particular. It’s the radicalness of his way of seeing men. <h4>CGN: What do you think Caillebotte was trying to say or capture in his subject matter?&nbsp;</h4> It’s narrative, but it’s not. He sets us up. Even Paris Street: Rainy Day, it looks like you can read the scene. And when you start trying to figure it out, you don’t know what they’re looking at. They’re not looking at each other, but they’re together. It’s cinematic but it’s not yet giving you the caption that you need. And the name he called it, Paris Street: Rainy Day–he’s not telling you what to think either. That’ll be fun. It will help us understand our painting, which we associate with Chicago. I think it’ll give us the context through the other modern works to better understand it. # <h4>Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World</h4>Jun 29–Oct 5, 2025The Art Institute of Chicago<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10068/gustave-caillebotte-painting-his-world" target="_blank">artic.edu</a>

A preview of the Gustave Caillebotte exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago summer 2025

An Artist’s Own World: Gustave Caillebotte at the Art institute

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543675/kqaqvcpfvnre0gplcfdx.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA The city of Detroit. Once synonymous with industry, and consequently, urban decline. What once looked, for years, to be a city perpetually in a hapless situation has been recently overcoming adversities and undergoing a remarkable reinvention I would say, to a great extent, thanks to doubling down on the vitality of arts and culture (something I couldn’t help but think city leadership in Chicago could take a moment to study).&nbsp; My children had a school break this past October. Some classmates went to places like New York, Costa Rica, even Europe! Instead, in the spirit of embracing what’s near, I opted to plan a three-night family visit to Detroit. The entire drive would be awash in colorful fall foliage, I was excited to experience a vibrant Midwestern city filled with creativity, innovation, and civic pride, getting just enough scenery along the way that it would feel like we spent some time in nature. During our trip, we got just a taste of Detroit’s revitalized downtown—its galleries, museums, restaurants, and charming independent shops—a cultural beating heart of dynamic artistic expressions developing the city. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543676/q1dr4y8exyeforxswaks.jpg"> We arrived in Detroit on a crisp autumn afternoon. Due to our own time constraints, we weren’t going to arrive until around 3:30 p.m. Our very first stop was The Shepherd, a new art center that opened only a few months earlier in 2024. Located in an 110-year-old Catholic church, once known as Good Shepherd and that closed in 2016, plans to breathe new life into the space as The Shepherd were announced in 2021 by Library Street Collective co-founders Anthony &amp; JJ Curis. The Shepherd is at the heart of the Curis’ vision for a revitalization of Little Village on Detroit’s east side, and the pre-existing space offered room for exhibitions, performances, a library and educational spaces. An artist-focused b&amp;b retreat in the church’s former rectory space, a park, and public sculpture offer something for everyone. Mothership Connection, a 26-foot tall outdoor sculpture by British-Trinidadian artist Zak Ové shares a name with Parliament Funkadelic’s iconic album of the same name from the 1970s. The towering work’s details show that varied materials and colors intentionally engage viewers in order to invite them aboard to consider the histories and contributions of enslaved Africans and others who helped build the country. Nearby, also on the grounds, is Charles McGee Legacy Park, in honor of the late Detroit artist who created art about the Black experience and the citizens of the city. There is even a skate park, designed by skateboarder Tony Hawk and the artist MacArthur Binion, whose own foundation, Modern Ancient Brown is onsite at the Shepherd. There is so much going on both inside and out of the main building there is a feeling that the creative energy on campus is bound to spill into the neighborhood. The day we visited, fall colors and sunny skies showed the parks in perfect light. Visitors lingered on benches, and it was easy to see how The Shepherd will be a gathering space for many people and eventsthroughout the year.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543677/anmcjozo6tmlxngw9icz.jpg"> After leaving The Shepherd as the sun started to set, we drove right into downtown so we could visit two galleries before they closed for the weekend. We arrived at The Belt, an alley with a lot going on on a Saturday night. Packed with people enjoying drinks around communal tables, taking a shortcut between streets or heading to the Standby restaurant and cocktail bar, The Belt is billed as a “culturally redefined alley” and is named for its location in a former downtown garment district. Installed along the walls of the alley were large-scale photographs by Genevieve Gaignard, part of Public Matter, The Belt’s fully accessible, outdoor exhibition platform. Previous exhibiting artists include Shepard Fairey, Nina Chanel Abney, Beverly Fishman, Daniel Arsham, and others. Happening upon The Belt is like saying the magic word to enter Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley and having a secret entrance appear. In keeping with the theme of being transported, in this case between Broadway and Library Street and Gratiot and Grand River, an opening in a brick wall offers a special window into the gallery we had come to see, Library Street Collective, the space responsible for this inviting destination. On view during our visit was an exhibition of round, large-scale paintings by Detroit artist James Benjamin Franklin. The highlighter-bright paint hues leave impressions on your retinas, adding to the stunning visual staying power of the works. Next door to LSC is Louis Buhl &amp; Co., a project space with an exhibition in its front gallery and shelves and flatfiles in the back area. Gretchen at the gallery gave us a helpful tour of the space while talking about what it means to her to have grown up near Detroit and live in the city now as a young person, when just a generation ago very few people would have considered living and working downtown. The vibrancy and cultural currency of art in Detroit is a testament to what can draw and retain a young professional class in the city. Gretchen also gave us a great recommendation for where to find the best Detroit-style pizza. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543678/yuiyngfqem5jfky995jz.jpg"> On Sunday morning, it took us less than 10 minutes to drive from our hotel in Corktown to the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier cultural institutions in the entire country. Situated on the outskirts of Midtown Detroit, the museum is an architectural masterpiece and houses an extensive collection of more than 65,000 works that span centuries and cultures. DIA made news more than a decade ago when its trove of priceless art was considered fair game for deaccessioning as a means of raising money to lift the beleaguered city out of bankruptcy and pay the pensions of city retirees. The near-miraculous, widely covered “Grand Bargain” with business leaders, private foundations and the state of Michigan —who collectively contributed $800 million to the underfunded plans in exchange for ensuring the museum’s collection, even works that were purchased with city funds, was spared from the auction block—means that you cannot view the works on view at the museum today without thinking what might have been: art lost from public view forever. My family spent almost the entire day at DIA.&nbsp; There was so much to see, just among the permanent collection’s highlights, including Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s magnificent The Wedding Dance from 1566, to the expansive paintings by contemporary African American artists. And, of course, the Detroit Industry Murals by Diego Rivera, which recall Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel in scale of course, but they also tell a story of humanity in painterly detail on a cavernous surface. The murals are a national treasure depicting the history of the city’s industrial might and the backbreaking work of its citizens during the 1930s.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543679/yrvvgdfbbdqstv9abt3b.jpg"> An immersive, special exhibition by Detroit artist Tiff Massey, Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois, notably features contemporary installations by Massey in dialogue with DIA holdings by Donald Judd and Louise Nevelson. Massey’s own contemporary, monumental works summon Detroit’s hardworking spirit just as Rivera’s murals did a century ago. The exhibition ends May 11, 2025. On Monday, we took the kids to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and enjoyed the interactive exhibits. Some notable highlights include the Rosa Parks Bus, presidential limousines, and yes, a Weiner Mobile. Spending time here continued my childrens’ first-hand engagement with various avenues for creativity on this trip, and the historic campus in Dearborn was especially beautiful in October. We enjoyed the change to let the kids run loose outside by the museum’s clock tower before departing. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543681/mxy2xzy53oopirvje3dk.jpg"> Our final evening found us back downtown for dinner, and we ended up having Detroit-style pizza, as we had promised the kids. Everyone agreed that an art trip wasn’t so bad after all, and we enjoyed spending time in a city with so much energy and so much to do. It’s always nice to be someplace where people are glad you are there, and that felt especially true in Detroit. We will be back. OUR FAMILY DETROIT ITINERARYNote: Our travel days were based around a school schedule, which was less than ideal, but aren’t all school vacation times? We drove on Saturday, and the trip is 4 1/2 hours and heads into Eastern Standard time. We had to hustle to make it to some spaces that afternoon.as they did not reopen until Wednesday. For our DIA visit we had to go Sunday, since the museum was closed Monday and Tuesday. We unfortunately couldn’t fit in a much- anticipated stop at Cranbrook Art Museum and Cranbrook House and Gardens because we ended up spending four hours at DIA–whoops–but it was time well spent and a good reason to return. Another seasonal note: the Henry Ford Museum was open, but Greenfield Village was closed. SATURDAY• The Shepherd, and downtown galleries Library Street Collective and Louis Buhl &amp; Co.• Coffee at Madcap Coffee Co., ice cream at mister dips, Bon Bon Bon Chocoltes in Parker’s Alley• Dinner @ San Morello• Drinks @ Shinola Hotel SUNDAY• Detroit Institute of Arts• Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD)• Walk through The Belt alley• Dinner @ Standby MONDAY• Breakfast at Astoria Pastry Shop in Greektown• Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation• Dinner @ Buddy’s for Detroit-style pizza downtown TUESDAY• University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) in Ann Arbor• Twin Maple Orchard in Galien ﻿

Detroit: A City’s Fresh Energy Offers an Excellent Family Weekend Away

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542612/k7fluwm8wypmczpru5mc.jpg">Grunts Rare Books By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gruntsrarebooks.us/pages/peter-carney-nightside-of-eden" target="_blank">GRUNTS RARE BOOKS</a> –&nbsp;Peter Carney, The Nightside of Eden Peter Carney can paint, and beautifully! Carney grew up in Utah; played in a punk band in high school; was given free paints by a friend after high school that led to his interest in painting; and has a background working back of house in restaurants. So how did he end up in Chicago, break into the tight-knit art scene here, and secure a solo show at Grunts Rare Books—an unassuming but well-regarded bookstore and curated project space? And has Carney’s extensive restaurant experience influenced his art practice? To get answers I headed to Grunts Rare Books for the Friday night opening of Carney’s first solo painting exhibition,&nbsp;The Nightside of Eden. Grunts Rare Books opened in October 2024, and is co-owned/operated/directed by Marc LeBlanc and Taylor Payton.&nbsp;Payton portrays it as, “Chicago’s premier bookstore for rare books, exhibition catalogs, and other exhibition ephemera that document the history of modern and contemporary art in printed material.”&nbsp;Adjacent to the bookstore is the project space for curated art exhibitions. The creative duo of LeBlanc and Payton share a passion for books, readings, poetry, performances, film screenings, and art exhibitions. Thus, Grunts Rare Books serves as a gathering space for intellectuals and creatives of all sorts to hang out and have conversations. It’s a dynamic yet low-key multifaceted space, much like the beatnik coffee shops one might have frequented in the '60s.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542614/r5ric2klapcvvslverfb.jpg"> While LeBlanc and Payton are Co-Directors of the bookstore, Payton curates the exhibition program in the adjacent gallery (a continuation of her former apartment gallery, SULK.) Payton, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), is one of the busiest people I know. She works not only at M. LeBlanc and Grunts Rare Books but bartends at Inner Town Pub—which bills itself as “Home to the Arts,” and is located around the corner from the historic Rainbo Club. And for the past two years Payton has curated onsite public programs for EXPO CHICAGO, the contemporary art fair held at Navy Pier. She does it all, and she does it well.&nbsp; Stepping through the doorway of the bookstore into the tiny gallery space, one immediately notices the tall windows and the far-off city skyline. At that time of the day, the windows cast just the right amount of ambient light, bathing the room and Carney’s seven oil-on-panel paintings in a perfect soft glow. Being somewhat familiar with Carney’s work, I was anticipating paintings of miniature figures (often with weapons) as he has painted before.&nbsp;I was delightfully surprised by this new body of work of luscious still lifes and moody seascapes. The paintings convey quietude and are formal compositions with muted palettes and a sophisticated use of light (think Dutch Master vibes.) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542615/vzgpuetialmc5pc81j70.jpg">Peter Carney, Slim ball, 2024, oil on panel, 18 x 24 in. The first thing you’re struck by is the imagery of comestibles: a pile of freshly caught&nbsp;Golden Bream fish&nbsp;lying haphazardly on the beach, plump squabs (baby pigeons) hanging on meat hooks drying, a bright pink crab staring us down, and a green apple. Equally attention-grabbing are the melancholic seascapes (several with lone figures on isolated beaches.) All of Carney’s paintings are captivating and elegant—even a bit sensuous. The dangling lifeless squabs, dead fish with bulging eyes, and the crab--still alive with eyes wide open--but as Carney says, “suggesting itself as food,” remind the viewer of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death. The solitary figures in the seascapes are equally unsettling. In&nbsp;Benito Soy&nbsp;the isolated figure stands pensively in the foreground against the sea grass, ocean, and night sky. In&nbsp;Oregon timber&nbsp;and&nbsp;Wet dreams, the reclining and sprawling position of the figures seems to indicate something is amiss, despite the scenic setting. Carney’s seascapes are inspired partially by film stills, videos and playlists he made before he turned twenty, Milton Avery’s seascapes and landscapes, trips to the ocean in California and Maine, and finally, from recent cooking-related trips that took him to Miami and Spain.&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542615/ssxv61bi5b7zzyry2abp.jpg">Peter Carney, The Constant of blood, 2025, oil on panel, 18 x 24 in. Carney moved to Chicago in 2022 to be a part of a broader painting scene with friends.&nbsp;To help supplement his painting practice, he looked for a job.&nbsp;He saw an ad for restaurant work at Kasama, a relatively new Filipino restaurant in his neighborhood, and, fortuitously, he was hired on the spot. It is here that his restaurant background begins to really merge with his artistic world. He started his new job the day Kasama was awarded a Michelin Star–the only Filipino restaurant in the world, coincidentally, with a Michelin Star. It was Carney’s first fine dining restaurant experience, and he began to observe food differently there, leading over time to this exhibition. He worked his way up to Junior Sous Chef in charge of the breakfast team and prep for pop-ups. Seeing food up close and personal day in and day out, Carney was in awe of the splendor of it all (from the colorful ingredients to meat to seafood to finished meals plated and served artfully to guests.)&nbsp;Gourmet food is thoughtfully prepared, and the presentation is a thing of beauty showcasing a chef’s skill, much like the aesthetically pleasing and thoughtful paintings Carney created for this exhibition. Food has long been considered an art form, so it’s a fine line between the sensibility of cooking and sensibility of creating paintings. Carney appears, however, to enthusiastically and successfully blend these two worlds (though full disclaimer, I have yet to get to Kasama to taste his cooking.) On my bucket list!&nbsp; Also, through Kasama, Carney traveled to San-Sebastian, Spain, for Gastronomika, to serve breakfast sandwiches, and to Bilboa for a dinner pop-up with Miele Appliances. He walked along the beaches at night with his best friend and painted. Chefs Kitchen brought him to Miami for a pop-up during Art Basel, where he spent every night on the beach recording it and taking photos.&nbsp; It seems that Carney has, indeed, been influenced in many ways by his restaurant experiences.&nbsp;Squabs, crabs, and fish became his muses. Their flesh, and the colors and textures of produce and herbs, influenced his palette.&nbsp;And the industrial look and color of the Kasama kitchen inspired his muted minimal (mostly) horizontal backgrounds. The pop-ups, meanwhile, informed his seascape paintings.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542616/ollcbtxc7z0jzfltyhs3.jpg">Peter Carney, Wet dreams, 2025, oil on panel, 18 x 24 in. When asked about artistic influences, Carney says “I fell in love with oil painting and Francis Bacon at first, then eventually really really loved Edouard Vuillard and Matisse.” Bacon’s influence is evident in Carney’s treatment of flesh, most notably in the pile of fish in&nbsp;Slim ball&nbsp;and the squabs in&nbsp;The Constant of blood. The squab flesh appears silky, meaty, and juicy, painted in pink, yellow, and grey, with dabs of gold, set against a stark horizontal horizon of grey and green.&nbsp;Carney is not concerned about tight realism or precise detail-- it’s more about visual quality, color and texture, and the act of loosely rendered painting. Carney’s works evoke emotion and are of a painterly quality, though his brush strokes are delicate and not heavy-handed.&nbsp;Carney, at 26, has a skillful hand and a good eye.&nbsp; In the bookstore hang three additional paintings that have a different feeling than the rest of the show.&nbsp;They are fanciful and charming, and the palette is subtler.&nbsp;Cupcake&nbsp;is an oil on panel painting of a yummy-looking koala bear cupcake with a ship silhouette in the background. It’s a stunner with a sugary sweet pinkish-violet palette, which is perfect. The other two smaller pieces, Dance dance revolution and Music farm animal toy, are framed paintings on paper of monkeys. Payton equates the beach to theater in these pieces saying, “two circus monkeys are caught on an absurdist shore by the relentless spin of the disco ball beneath them.”&nbsp; Carney’s path to Chicago was via one of his oldest friends, Rachael Bos, another transplanted artist from Utah. Once in the city Carney quickly became immersed in the local art scene, meeting Payton, and discovering SULK. He participated in exhibitions at SULK, Unda.m, Inner Town Pub, and most recently, his work was part of the&nbsp;Miniotics&nbsp;group show at Weatherproof.&nbsp;The Nightside of Eden&nbsp;is Carney’s first solo painting exhibit. Carney is one to watch, and Payton is another. The exhibition continues at Grunts Rare Books through July 5th.&nbsp;1500 S. Western Avenue, Suite 403. Open Saturdays 1-4 PM.<a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gruntsrarebooks.us/" target="_blank">gruntsrarebooks.us</a> You can also find Grunts Rare Books hosting Grunts Plein Air every Sunday at Logan Square Park from 11am-3pm (during warmer months.) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542617/zaakxdufyoijwinzuohj.jpg">Installation view of The Nightside of Eden # Publisher's Note: I met Susan Gescheidle when I first moved to Chicago and started working at&nbsp;Chicago Gallery News&nbsp;in 2002. At the time the CGN office was located around the corner from the River North gallery, called&nbsp;gescheidle,&nbsp;Susan had just opened after working at Lyons Wier Gallery for a time.&nbsp;Susan&nbsp;eventually relocated her gallery to Peoria Street in the burgeoning West Loop, then relocated to Lake Street before closing in the fall of 2008. In fall 2024 I ran into Susan again after many years. We chatted about CGN, as well as how Susan had recently found her way back to being immersed in Chicago's gallery scene, in particular visiting the city's smaller, newer spaces. After following her art outings on&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/susangescheidle/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;for a couple months, I asked Susan if she'd ever consider sharing her personal and informal dispatches with CGN readers in order to help spotlight and support these spaces, and she graciously accepted.&nbsp; – Ginny Van Alyea, CGN Publisher You can read Susan's other surveys here: • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/landscap-survey-whats-on-in-chicagos-outer-spaces-sawhorse" target="_blank">SAWHORSE</a>•&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/landscape-survey-whats-on-in-chicagos-outer-spaces-minionotics-at-weatherproof" target="_blank">Weatherproof</a>

Susan Gesceidle visits Grunts Rare Books to see paintings by Peter Carney

Landscape survey: Peter Carney at Grunts Rare Books

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542498/jfm86zmzmzjh3tuzxj5d.jpg">David Krueger working on art in the Chicago studio By JACKIE LEWIS Five years ago <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsoflife.org/" target="_blank">Arts of Life</a> turned 20, but the pandemic disrupted some of their larger plans to mark the anniversary. This year, the city-wide celebration of a quarter century of making a difference in the lives of artists andbringing awareness to disability culture has already more than made up for plans cancelled in 2020. Since January 2000, Arts of Life has elevated the broader Chicago arts community by challenging the notion that disabled artists are “outsiders” when compared to their contemporaries. Through a collaborative decision making model that allows all artist voices a say, Arts of Life has created an equitable, creative collective that speaks with their artists and their needs, not for them. By offering professional art studio space, community programs, and home-based programs, Arts of Life strives to meet the needs of people of all abilities who are interested in making art and connecting with fellow artists. Today, the organization supports over 80 artists, offering each one their own studio space in one of their three professional studios where artists work from individualized project plans or receive 1:1 visual art facilitation, all while earning monthly stipends and bonuses from the sales of their own artworks. To celebrate this year’s anniversary of a quarter century, Arts of Life has published a book titled&nbsp;2wenty 5ive Arts of Life 2000–2025, highlighting 25 artists who have impacted the Arts of Life community alongside stories of inspiration. In the book’s foreword, Debra Kerr, the Director of the Intuit Art Museum (formerly Intuit, the Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art) notes, “Arts of Life has built a thriving organization from the initial nine artists and one location to more than 80 artists in three locations.” Numbering more than 200 pages, the book is the culmination of years of hard work and inspiration, commemorated within a bright blue cover and featuring a portrait by an Arts of Life artist centered among colorful rays emanating joy and creative energy. The book will be distributed across the country through Urban Outfitters. Arts of Life’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Denise Fisher, shares the organization’s excitement regarding this milestone while looking towards an exciting future, “We are overjoyed to mark Arts of Life’s silver anniversary with a year of celebrating both the past quarter century and what is to come. This milestone is a testament to the creativity and resilience of our community. Our collective work is captured in our beautiful book, which highlights our role in the national progressive art studio movement in supporting artists with disabilities. We look forward to gathering with new and longtime friends as we continue to work towards a more equitable and accessible future.” At the book launch and birthday party on February 22nd current and former artists, families, staff, volunteers and art supporters gathered to dance, cut cake, take photos under a balloon arch and share their love of art and community. Cindy Shanker, a volunteer since 2012 and a pillar in the Arts of Life community was honored for her many years of community service. Those who work with her say Shanker has a reputation for being dependable and encouraging people not to worry, confidently promising that today each artist will receive skillful attention, sensible assistance, and boundless energy and enthusiasm. The February celebration was truly a kickoff for a year of gratitude as well as national engagement. Later that month in New York City the organization continued the book launch at the Outsider Arts Fair where they set up a booth centered on selling the new book. Arts of Life also brought along artist Marcus Kennedy, who is featured in the book, as an artist ambassador, an exciting first for the group. The organization has participated in art fairs around the world, including Art Fair Tokyo and Art Collaboration Kyoto, NADA and Untitiled in Miami, and EXPO Chicago. Circle Contemporary, Arts of Life’s rotating exhibition gallery that features recent works from in-house artists as well as guest contemporary artists is also mounting a special exhibition, What they said, March 28–May 9. Circle Contemporary is an extension of efforts to strengthen Arts of Life’s creative community, and it aims to provide a space and outlet for artistic inspiration and exploration.&nbsp;What they said&nbsp;is guest curated by acclaimed artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust. “We are overjoyed to be working with Bob and Nick on&nbsp;What They Said,” shares Fisher. “For 25 years, Arts of Life has worked to support the careers of our artists with disabilities. Collaborating with internationally recognized artists like Faust and Cave plays an essential role in increasing our artists’ opportunities for professional development as well as increased visibility.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542500/mj8yuxrernbxexnqjoch.jpg">Image: Art work by Arts of Life artist David Kreuger Prolific artist and designer Faust says he was inspired by the formal qualities of Arts of Life artists’ recent work. “For What they said, Nick and I are making artwork selections based on the feelings that come up when we experience them. Whether it’s a clash of color, build-up of material or anintensity coming through repetitive mark-making, each has a way of getting under the skin.” Artists included in the exhibition are John Bateman, Shenequa Brooks, Saumitra Chandratreya, Joel Ebner, Dan Gamble, Ted Gram-Boarini, Ted Hamel, David Krueger, Lawrence M., Tim Stone, James Schenck, Lisa Solar, Oly Trindl, Maria Vanik, Frank Vega and Jean Wilson. Late this summer Arts of Life will have a dedicated exhibition at the Design Museum of Chicago, August 11–September 30, and a correlating Art on theMART projection later this year. Their annual Benefit Art Auction will take place on October 3. Arts of Life artist David Krueger says, “To me, art makes me really happy about myself, it gives me a lift. It makes me feel happy to experience the different colors and the different textures. It makes me feel more comfortable. I like to spread my feelings through my paintings.” With 25 successful years of art inclusion and exposure in the Chicago community, it’s clear that the work of Arts of Life and the joy they have to share through and for their artists is only getting started. DETAILS AT <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="ARTSOFLIFE.ORG" target="_blank">ARTSOFLIFE.ORG</a>

Celebrating Arts of Life: 25 Years In, There's More Joy To Come

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542460/mzajun9xd9f10vmus86j.jpg">Intuit's new exterior, with a vinyl building wrap by Bob Faust By GINNY VAN ALYEA Last week, after being closed for 20 months, Intuit Art Museum, formerly the Intuit Center for Outsider Art, reopened after an extensive renovation, both inside and out. Now encompassing three floors over 18,000 square feet, among the dramatically enhanced spaces that will welcome Intuit visitors are four exhibition galleries; a dedicated education and art-making studio; a flexible community gathering space to host performances, lectures and activities for visitors; a revamped gift store featuring an array of unique, fun and artist-made products; and a reimagined Henry Darger Room and interpretive exhibition, showcasing the art and life of the iconic Chicago artist over the span of two floors. Intuit’s staff is especially proud of the physical upgrades to accommodate all guests, including a new passenger elevator, interior staircases, and an accessible and welcoming entryway.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542461/nfupknfjbviz7fhxx31w.jpg">The Henry Darger Room Founded in 1991 as a nonprofit, Intuit is a premier museum of self-taught art. Intuit champions the diverse voices of self-taught art, welcoming both new and familiar audiences.&nbsp; At the press gathering in front of a packed room – named the Cleo (after one of Intuit's biggest supporters, Cleo Wilson) – Intuit's Executive Director Debra Kerr repeated the old, very long name (Intuit:&nbsp;The&nbsp;Center&nbsp;for&nbsp;Intuitive&nbsp;and&nbsp;Outsider&nbsp;Art) seemingly one last time in order to officially usher in a new day for the creative organization in its refreshed West Town home. Kerr was ecstatic to laud the new identity&nbsp;in the spirit of welcoming not just artists but the many Chicagoans and visitors to the city who are not familiar with Intuit's mission of recognizing artists who are outside of the mainstream and who did not, or could not, go to art school often, because of barriers–geographic or societal or other. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542462/potsncklbhbi7rnwfw1y.jpg">Sculptures by Dr. Charles Smith Because of Intuit, Chicago is recognized worldwide as one of first places to represent these artists. Now, following a $5 million business development grant from the City of Chicago, Kerr and the Intuit team were able to realize a dream to have more exhibition space as well as educational classrooms and to make their 100 year old building accessible. 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. credited Intuit with paving the way for the community growth that has happened around West Town over the decades. "Intuit has been here a long time," he said. "There used to be Cabrini Green here, gas fires and vacant properties. Intuit had the foresight, like many art spaces, to go where others hadn’t. Artists make a city vibrant and that brings diversity to the neighborhoods." * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542463/flbba2f10k8om2arluym.jpg">A work by Charles Warner from Catalyst, looking out into West Town Intuit's first exhibition in the new space is installed throughout the second floor, which overlooks the busy West Town intersection of Chicago, Ogden and Milwaukee Avenues. The groundbreaking&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qGm0Cd0PQG4MW-49mn3aXLXOsgDPbh3B3euYI72gHm-lSYJ9xSsbRtc8VLytOv-dCXvC-GAgSC1obO-CByMoydjMKWCDn1DBTGwGYkbYBVx3o7CIpiTO90qYWlRnfnC4FxWwHeLRQwgKjSCZwKryMEqOAWFr6ceDwlaCEXM-cwvpd0WVbwCPCw==&amp;c=JYDNkpGo5Up_ciQdGCOCPBK0NOir0ppJ7m0Oy-FlvwVWyXDDCUaGLg==&amp;ch=AZmHzuGSdNJtHxLBuS3MjN7Mspa5FRMPd9CG_JEMdwG0IUEU-jwURw==" target="_blank">Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-taught Art in Chicago</a> is the first major exhibition to focus on the importance of immigration and migration in the genre of self-taught art.&nbsp;Catalyst&nbsp;explores the contributions of artists who came to and continue to enrich the culture of Chicago, a city with a significant and ongoing history of migration and immigration.&nbsp; Permanently on view is <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qGm0Cd0PQG4MW-49mn3aXLXOsgDPbh3B3euYI72gHm-lSYJ9xSsbRq_rNVn5wMHpPyBmOHGCoe-ZaX-TewRgOUKKRYq5YUDQbBuDsDn4IGN0yJqKHNQGAEPsUe-eOCE4J9wNu4PU8cnTs4Ot8GebQ9DtKzwb1GijUWdQGT9h4YPRxyUsUtORiA==&amp;c=JYDNkpGo5Up_ciQdGCOCPBK0NOir0ppJ7m0Oy-FlvwVWyXDDCUaGLg==&amp;ch=AZmHzuGSdNJtHxLBuS3MjN7Mspa5FRMPd9CG_JEMdwG0IUEU-jwURw==" target="_blank">Henry Darger: The Room Revealed</a>, which celebrates the legacy of the noted Chicago artist through exhibition of his artworks, source materials and evocation of his apartment at 851 Webster Avenue in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, which doubled as his home and studio for more than 40 years.&nbsp;Darger's images are animated in the windows of the apartment space and a wall with digital representations of the ephemera and papers he saved gives viewers a feel of what the artist's creative environment was like. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542464/n4vu7aaz3q5atpyrhbjb.jpg">A work by Lee Godie <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001qGm0Cd0PQG4MW-49mn3aXLXOsgDPbh3B3euYI72gHm-lSYJ9xSsbRtc8VLytOv-dZRIP5yycpATq9DWd0oEqoVbIV-uDN9yeRnZn60SiTTTOPKOFrhsp21Zn-1XBHRy5E6P6iXkELflbK172G3-ROAftwP2elFHl8DjANffPgyJRG9zKfsevQkY1H90M5CAInP0TGtLe1gfLMNwxd1jNibguITY0uk2K&amp;c=JYDNkpGo5Up_ciQdGCOCPBK0NOir0ppJ7m0Oy-FlvwVWyXDDCUaGLg==&amp;ch=AZmHzuGSdNJtHxLBuS3MjN7Mspa5FRMPd9CG_JEMdwG0IUEU-jwURw==" target="_blank">Highlights from the IAM collection</a>&nbsp;are also now on view in in the first-ever gallery devoted to continually exhibiting the Museum’s collection. The exhibition acknowledges significant work made by Chicago-based artists such as William Dawson, Lee Godie, Mr. Imagination, Roman Villarreal, Wesley Willis and Joseph Yoakum. Intuit may have been closed for over a year and a half, but this reopening means that the public will enjoy the museum and its unique mission for many years to come. # <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://art.org/" target="_blank">Intuit Art Museum</a>756 N. Milwaukee Ave.Chicago, IL 60642 HoursWed-Sun: 11 am–6pmThird Thursdays: 11 am–8 pm Admission is $15, or free for members, those 24 and younger, and those unable to pay.&nbsp;

Intuit Art Museum Reopens to Welcome the Public Inside

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542272/oscebkkqascedznxmpho.jpg">Newfields IMA, Photo by Eric Lubrick; Courtesy of Newfields By BIANCA BOVA For those attuned to the dramas of the art world, Newfields needs no introduction. Formerly the Indianapolis Museum of Art (founded 1883), the institution reconceptualized itself in 2017, marrying the museum to its grounds and surrounding attractions in Indianapolis, Indiana. Newfields became the unified name for the 152-acre compound that houses the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Fairbanks Park, The Garden, Lilly House, and the Elder Greenhouse. It then further extended its brand to the Miller House and Garden in Columbus, Indiana. The rollout of this expansion and rebranding was less than smooth. It was deemed by critics to be “<a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-29/why-is-everything-being-designed-for-instagram" target="_blank">the greatest travesty in the art world</a>,” and earned Newfields’ then-director Charles Venable the honorific of “<a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/newfields-director-charles-venable-indianapolis-art-museum-1218602" target="_blank">the most controversial museum director in America</a>.” The museum was accused of abandoning its mission, and Venable of turning “a grand encyclopedic museum into a cheap Midwestern boardwalk.” Venable resigned from his role as Director in 2021, though not officially because of the backlash from his refocusing of the museum’s program. Rather, it was a decision born of the fallout from a <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/13/arts/design/indianapolis-museum-job-posting.html" target="_blank">racially insensitive job posting</a>. All of this left Newfields seemingly adrift, and the institution cycled through an astonishing <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/arts/design/indianapolis-museum-le-monte-booker.html" target="_blank">three leaders in just four years</a>. Today it is helmed by Director Belinda Tate and President and CEO Le Monte Booker, whose efforts to right the ship are legible.&nbsp; Its museum is one that I know better than most. I was born and reared in Indiana, and I come from a family of automotive professionals and enthusiasts. All my life we made regular trips from my hometown of St. John down to Indianapolis to attend events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. These trips invariably included visits to the Indianapolis Museum of Art as well. The IMA looms as large in my memory, and went as far in forming my interest–and eventually my taste–in art as did the Art Institute of Chicago.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542273/sm5vqpigp0gb43sssi28.jpg">Roy Lichtenstein (American, b.1923–d.1997)Five Brushstrokes, 2012; Design Date 1983-84painted aluminum480 x 77 x 15 in. (assembled)Courtesy of the Robert L. and Marjorie J. Mann Fund, Partial Gift of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation Still, I never felt compelled to visit Newfields. I met every headline regarding its dysfunction with fresh disappointment. Earlier this year I was given good reason to reconsider my position, when a checklist for one of their current exhibitions <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://discovernewfields.org/exhibitions/message-medium-contemporary-art" target="_blank">The Message is the Medium</a> landed in my inbox. There isn’t really a museum I wouldn’t go to for a show with a roster that reads in part as follows: Vito Acconci, Robert Irwin, Donald Judd, Anselm Kiefer, Robert Rauschenberg, Do Ho Suh, Rachel Whiteread, Richard Hunt, Roger Brown, Robert Smithson, Lynda Benglis, Simone Leigh, James Turrell. So I booked a trip to Indianapolis and went to Newfields, ready to be impressed by the exhibition and resentful of the degradation of its environs.&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542275/jsqsswxiuef6s4ze9kjq.jpg">Vito Acconci (American, b.1940 - d.2017)&nbsp;Round Trip (A Space to Fall Back On), 1975; rebuilt 1987Medium and Support: stools, boxes, audio tape Dimensions: Dimensions variable The exhibition itself is not without curiosities that are suggestive of ongoing administrative troubles (no one, including the exhibition’s curator, could pin down an end date for the show or explain to me why it seems to be in the middle of an indefinite run). Setting that aside, it is an exceptional exhibition. Vito Acconci’s Round Trip (A Space to Fall Back On) and James Turrell’s Acton are both early masterworks requiring participatory attention that alone makes a visit worthwhile. Robert Rauschenberg’s Sling-shots lit #3, one of the few pieces from a series that utilizes sailcloth, mylar, and moveable window shade systems to remain in public circulation, as well as Anselm Kiefer’s Die Himmelspaläste (The Palaces of Heaven), are proof positive of the deep collecting habits of a handful of notable benefactors to the museum, as well as the commitment of the museum’s Contemporary Art Society (which for 58 years acquired work for the permanent collection, until being dissolved in 2020, along with the rest of Newfields’ affiliate organizations). The show is rounded out by a suite of loans (the aforementioned Smithson, Leigh, and Benglis sculptures) from <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artbridgesfoundation.org/exhibitions/crystal-bridges-museum-of-american-art" target="_blank">Art Bridges</a>, the partner loan network of Crystal Bridges. It's of interest to see this initiative put into practice, and the works lent make a fine complement to the museum’s contemporary holdings.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542276/rsbijc4pw69hon4aqxvp.jpg">Simone Leigh (American, b. 1967)&nbsp;Las Meninas II,&nbsp;2019Medium and Support: terracotta, steel, raffia, and porceleinDimensions: 71 1/2 x 77 1/2 x 62 in. Beyond the contemporary galleries are equally satisfying exhibitions drawn from the museum’s extensive American Art, Asian Art, European Art, African Art, Native Art of the Americas, Textile and Fashion, Design, and Glass collections (the lattermost being especially robust, as it's a <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://indianaglasstrail.com/history/" target="_blank">regionally significant medium</a>). Periodically the galleries are punctuated by interdepartmental installations that veer from the heavy-handed (a Jenny Holzer LED sign hung alongside a 15th century Italian wedding chest sidepanel) to the smart and striking (paintings by Joan Mitchell and Sam Gilliam flanking a set of Frederick Wilson Tiffany stained glass windows depicting the Angel of the Resurrection). Also of note is the museum’s atrium, which houses one of only a handful of large-scale, site-specific institutional commissions by the late light and space artist Robert Irwin. Light and Space III spans the rise of the escalators servicing the museum’s four floors, lending the space an ethereal, heady, almost spiritual atmosphere. By way of special exhibitions on view, the Robertson-Slapak Collection of Chicago Imagist works puts to shame any other retrospective of the group’s output mounted in the past decade, and speaks to what feels like an oft-overlooked Midwestern collector class that has pockets as deep and taste as good as any propping up the more well-known institutions in larger cities.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542276/nsclgofbj3lcxye50ivk.jpg">Kathryn Janeway,&nbsp;Michael, 1978&nbsp; Down in the museum’s lower level, alongside the theatre and the giftshop, one finds galleries presently devoted to the 93rd Annual Juried Exhibition of The Indiana Artists Club and a show, Artists Among Us, of works by Newfields’ staff. One work included in the latter, a 1978 photograph entitled Michael, by Kathryn Janeway (a member of the museum’s security team, who shared with me that she had not previously exhibited her work), is nothing short of exceptional. I continue to think about it daily, which I can't say about much other work I’ve seen recently. Both exhibitions feel like throwbacks to a time when institutions on the whole were more in touch with and respectful of their core constituencies–which is to say, those engaged directly with the art world, rather than the general public at large–and were as much a pleasure as a surprise to see.&nbsp; All told, Newfields should be on the shortlist of museums that are in and of themselves a worthwhile destination. May (when I went) happens to be an ideal time to travel to Indianapolis, as the city is energized by the lead-up to the “greatest spectacle in racing,” the Indianapolis 500, which is run every Memorial Day weekend. Moreover, there is not a more hypnotically beautiful place to be in the Spring than Indiana, and not a nicer place to experience the full pleasure of it than, quite honestly, on the grounds of Newfields. A long stroll through the manicured English gardens and rolling prairies that surround the historic Lilly House (itself a beautifully restored example of turn-of-the-century architecture) can replace all that a long, hard Midwestern winter depletes from one.&nbsp; In the aggregate all of this is almost–almost–enough to make one forget that Newfields is simultaneously responsible for propagating such cultural dreck as <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://discovernewfields.org/taptours/stop/1/stop-8" target="_blank">Funky Bones</a>, various <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://discovernewfields.org/lume-indianapolis-featuring-dali-alive" target="_blank">immersive projection rooms</a>, and of course the infamous <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://joyfulnoiserecordings.do317.com/events/2016/11/17/internet-cat-video-festival" target="_blank">Cat Video Festival</a> that seemed, with its debut, to signal the beginning of the end.&nbsp; All museums in all strata of the cultural sector are beleaguered by problems of one kind or another. It is inherent to their very nature, their bureaucratic form. Newfields has perhaps brought more problems onto itself than other institutions, and surely has borne them more publicly than most. For all of this, at the core still sits one of the great American museum collections, which in fairness ought to be a point of pride in the Midwest, for its content if not its delivery in concept. Still and all, the message–as we’re told–is the medium.&nbsp; Support for this article’s research was furnished by a&nbsp;Travel Grant for Visual Arts Journalism from the Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation.&nbsp; # <h4>Read Bianca Bova's Indianapolis art itinerary <a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/three-hours-southeast-of-chicago-art-in-indianapolis" target="_blank">here</a></h4>

Recapturing an Indiana Art Center: A Visit to Newfields 

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542313/vkxnkpv1fmxhuyocncmz.png">Aerial view of Indianapolis. Photo courtesy Factory Arts District By BIANCA BOVA Indianapolis is just three hours southeast of Chicago, (four if you take the Amtrak Cardinal), making it an ideal destination for a weekend roadtrip. If you’re an avid museum-goer and haven’t made it down to Indy, plan your visit without further delay. Indiana’s state capitol is rich with museums both institutional and obscure, and nearly all of them merit a visit.&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://discovernewfields.org/" target="_blank">Newfields</a> </h4> Newfields is the 152-acre compound that encompasses the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Fairbanks Park, The Garden, the historic Lilly House, and the Elder Greenhouse. The museum is an encyclopedic institution that houses a permanent collection of over 54,000 works spanning over 5,000 years of art and human history. Its contemporary collection is as strong as its collection of historical works and antiquities, and the grounds surrounding the museum campus are exceptionally beautiful.&nbsp; Read Bianca's CGN feature about her recent visit to <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/recapturing-an-indiana-art-center-a-visit-to-newfields" target="_blank">Newfields</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542314/nbqa7ihmdrny565keuwj.jpg">The Eiteljorg Museum in downtown Indianapolis, front exterior. File image courtesy of the Eiteljorg Museum&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://eiteljorg.org" target="_blank">Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art </a></h4> The Eiteljorg Museum was founded in 1989 with the mission to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the art, history, and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of North America and of the American West. The museum collects, conserves, and exhibits both contemporary and historical art and cultural objects. It is the only museum of its kind in the Midwest, and one of only two museums east of the Mississippi that explore both Native America and the American West, and as such is not to be missed.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542315/yv9dszxtrsovzhoci6bv.jpg">Courtesy of the Indiana State Museum&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.indianamuseum.org" target="_blank">Indiana State Museum </a></h4> Officially the Indiana State Museum is the anchor institution in a network of 12 sites of cultural and historical significance across the state. In practice, it feels more like a fever dream. Unfolding across three floors, it crosses the frenetic visual dynamics of a children's museum with the spirit of a small town historical society. The result includes more rotunda galleries lit with disco lights and taxidermy raccoons than any one museum frankly ought to have. As a Hoosier all I can say is that it does capture some element of absurdity endemic to life in Indiana with great accuracy.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542316/cucara9djzwe3pwyhzmu.jpg">Courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/at-the-track/museum" target="_blank">Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum </a></h4> Fresh off their grand reopening after a seventeen-month-long, $60.5 million dollar renovation (its first in forty years), the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has never been more worth a visit. While it now contains all the bells and whistles associated with contemporary American museums (new media displays, interactive elements, a kids section, etc.), the real star is the exhibition design. From the invisible mounting of the banked automobile displays in the main galleries to the historic life-size dioramas in Gasoline Alley, it's a rare example of flawless execution. For fans of the old IMS, note that it still retains its charm. The top floor gallery highlights deep archival content including a suite of Leroy Neiman paintings, Miss Speedway sashes, and Indy 500-themed pachinko machines.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542316/rsp7l4827cldl7iinub2.jpg">Courtesy of Long-Sharp Gallery&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.longsharpgallery.com/" target="_blank">Long-Sharp Gallery at the Conrad Hotel </a></h4> While strictly speaking not a museum, Long-Sharp is the only bluechip art dealership with an outpost in downtown Indianapolis. Operating out of a well-appointed gallery located in the residential wing of the Conrad Hotel, it’s worth a visit to see their exhibitions and whatever secondary market inventory is on hand. The trick, though, is to exit through the hotel lobby and sweet talk a bellman into letting you upstairs to view the hotel’s art collection. Then, if you can bear to part with the money, spend the night in one of their famed Collection Suites and enjoy a Warhol, Dali, or Picasso instead of the traditional milquetoast hotel art you could expect down the street at, say, the Holiday Inn.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542317/z8femau3ck8yzoldoxpa.jpg">Courtesy of Factory Arts District&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.factoryartsdistrict.com/" target="_blank">Factory Arts District </a></h4> Once the home of legendary automotive engineering and manufacturing giant Schwitzer, the sixteen acre industrial complex on Mass Avenue on Indianapolis’ near eastside known as the Factory Arts District is a sprawling complex that contains galleries, artist studios, car collections, restaurants, event spaces, and vintage shops. Visit on the first Friday of each month for an open house event that features an exhibition opening in the central gallery, refreshments, open studios, pop-up vendors, and a DJ.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542318/f1f9lngletmexraklamb.jpg">Courtesy TSLM <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.visitindy.com/listing/teeny-statue-of-liberty-museum/279345/" target="_blank">The Teeny Statue of Liberty Museum </a></h4> Unlikely though it may seem, Indianapolis is home to a private museum that contains a permanent collection of over 450 pieces, all of which immortalize Lady Liberty in some fashion. For over 33 years, owner Tim Harmon has collected everything from Avon bottles, toothbrush holders, and lawn sprinklers, to cigarette lighters, pencil sharpeners, and condoms, all featuring the Statue of Liberty. Formerly located on Tenth Avenue, the museum has recently relocated to the aforementioned Factory Arts District. Admission is 50¢, though bringing an object to donate to the collection yields you a lifetime membership, gratis–a bargain whether you’re a fan of New York, Americana, or just obsessiveness.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542319/a9k3zs3jqaquwl8px4vs.jpg">Courtesy AFCA Antique Fan Museum&nbsp; <h4><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fanimation.com/museum/" target="_blank">Antique Fan Collectors Association Museum</a> </h4> Though you’ll have to travel to neighboring Zionsville, Indiana to visit the official Antique Fan Collectors Association Museum, I think you’ll agree it's well worth the out-of-town carfare charge to pay a visit to one of the more niche institutions in the Midwest. The promise that it contains an "overwhelming number of examples of antique fans from every era,” is one on which it overdelivers. Over 2,000 examples dating as far as the 1880s, amassed with the assistance of over 750 Antique Fan Collectors Association members, are on view, exhibited warehouse-style on shelving units. It’s not a wholly uninteresting place to pass an afternoon.&nbsp; ________________________________________________________________________________________________ <h4>Restaurants&nbsp;</h4> It’s not a proper trip to Indianapolis without dinner at the legendary <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stelmos.com/" target="_blank">St. Elmo’s</a>, with their world famous, sinus-clearing shrimp cocktail. If you’re looking to escape downtown, head to Broadripple for an exceptional, rustic meal at <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.rootnboneindy.com/" target="_blank">Root &amp; Bone</a>. For mornings when the complimentary continental breakfast doesn’t cut it, stop by <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.goodmorningmamas.com/" target="_blank">Good Morning Mama’s</a> for authentic Hoosier cuisine, with a side of kitsch.&nbsp; <h4>Hotels</h4> If you can, by all means stay at the <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.longsharpgallery.com/" target="_blank">Conrad</a>. If you can’t, <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/indmd-le-meridien-indianapolis/overview/?nst=paid&amp;hmGUID=e6d1d0c2-0088-400a-14bd-aebc60518232" target="_blank">Le Méridien</a> will do. If you or your traveling companion happen to be railway foamers (or, like myself, just have mixed luck with hotwire.com) you might stay at the <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://crowneplaza.reservationscenter.com/hotel/crowne-plaza-indianapolis-dwtn-union-stn-an-ihg-hotel-123-west-louisiana-street-indianapolis?modal&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20486196362&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAo_xMh34wEchTPYbj1Z8D6TD4zgmo&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwravBBhBjEiwAIr30VBFk4blvJJ3T0gu3D7lBhNmza2Hd5KxpocK_zi2nTqFod2HJcBOzeBoCvKQQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Union Station Hotel</a>, where if desired you can opt for a room inside a vintage train car. If you prefer something more boutique, the <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hotelbroadripple.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Broad Ripple</a> has a great deal of charm.&nbsp;&nbsp; Support for this article’s research was furnished by a&nbsp;Travel Grant for Visual Arts Journalism from the Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation.&nbsp;

A writer takes a road trip to Indianapolis to see art

Three Hours Southeast of Chicago: Art in Indianapolis

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1747072660/magguetl13rtazpjngmi.jpg">Rory McEwen (1932-1982) Tulip, ‘Julia Farnese’ rose feather, 1976.&nbsp;© The Official Estate of Rory McEwen. By JACKIE LEWIS Artist Rory McEwen’s paintings of nature are exceptionally detailed. That much is obvious when you first encounter his work, but upon further study each work reveals itself as something well beyond scientific reproduction or illustration. McEwan’s unique combination of realism and modernism deftly evokes both emotion and beauty.&nbsp; McEwen became known in the 1960s and 70s for his distinctive style of botanical realism framed by, and placed within, large amounts of white space. The Scottish-born artist was only 50 when he died in 1982, and since that time McEwen’s children have been dedicated to promoting the legacy of the late artist’s work. The opportunity to view dozens of McEwen’s works in person comes to Chicago this summer as Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature arrives at Chicago’s Driehaus Museum and continues the reintroduction of Rory McEwen and his artwork to United States audiences. The Driehaus exhibition is the last stop on a multi-city tour across the country. McEwen is not a household name in the United States, but he is well-known overseas. The current exhibition has been successfully exposing both American art aficionados as well as botanists to his legacy, a prospect that has been exciting for friends and family of the artist to see unfold. Chicago resident Joseph Gromacki, Driehaus Museum Board member and friend of the McEwen family, shared with CGN that this exhibition has had a great reception at its previous stops, and McEwen’s work demonstrates Incredible luminosity. “They have a real trueness of color through the use of watercolor on vellum,” he says, “And [the images] are as real as they can possibly look.” The breadth of work shown in A New Perspective on Nature firmly orients McEwen in the history of botanical art while acknowledging the bridge he created between Old Masters and contemporary artists through a style that melds multiple time periods and influences. On view will be multiple examples of botanical art from the 16th-18th centuries, with Old Master works by 17th and 18th century floral artists, many from American philanthropist Bunny Mellon’s extensive estate. Works by contemporary botanical artists from the renowned collection of Dr. Shirley Sherwood are also included in the exhibition.&nbsp; Though work by other artists provides context, the centerpiece of the exhibition is 85 of McEwen’s paintings, on loan from numerous galleries and collections from around the world, featuring highly detailed botanical subjects, from lush individual flowers, to varigated leaves and crisp vegetables, each set strikingly against a vast, white background. The juxtaposition of detailed realism with the spare aesthetics of modernism defines McEwen as an artist whose work was ahead of its time, while paradoxically being an artist of his time. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1747072661/qewcunr1y9si5fevfo6x.jpg">Red Pepper 1971, Watercolour on vellum, 28.9 x 39.4 cm, ©The Estate of Rory McEwen McEwen’s interest in organic matter had roots in his childhood growing up on the magical Marchmont House in the Scottish Borders where he could indulge his artistic sensibilities in an idyllic setting. At home he was taught how to draw by his governess, before he received a more classical education at the famed Eton College in England, and then subsequently he also made contact with French floral painters during his travels. McEwen’s ideal circumstances and family standing meant in some ways he easily found himself on a path to immersing himself in botanical art. McEwen once said he chose his subject matter as “a way to get as close as possible to what I perceive as the truth of the time in which I live.” For McEwen, natural imagery allowed the artist to delve deeply into a lifelong inquiry into light and color in natural objects.&nbsp; McEwen was a bit of a celebrity in his youth when he made a name for himself because of another artistic medium: music. An interest that grew out of his inclination for history, McEwen crafted his own interpretations of ancient Scottish folk ballads, playing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and even touring the United States in 1956, playing in high profile venues like the Ed Sullivan Show. Despite his musical talent and following, he ultimately dedicated himself to the visual arts. After a musical tour, McEwen claims that “[his] hand had unknowingly educated itself,” and he returned to painting.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1747072662/wr35huuh6gudqminctjo.jpg">Rory McEwen (1932-1982), Old English Striped Tulip, 1974-76,&nbsp;watercolor on vellum.&nbsp;© The Estate of Rory McEwen. Lisa Key, Driehaus Museum Executive Director, believes that this exhibition invites us to approach our natural surroundings with curiosity and wonder. “McEwen’s naturalistic paintings,” she considers, “will echo the organic forms and ornamentation throughout our historic interiors” McEwen’s paintings capture an intensely detailed realism that is a masterwork in painting, especially given the difficulty of his chosen media, watercolor on vellum. This choice highlights how McEwen was inspired by Old Master artists who were fond of painting on vellum as well for realistic depiction, yet McEwen transforms it for his own purposes, which ultimately made him an artist who managed to bridge the gap between past and contemporary botanical art styles. While the material choices are similar, McEwen’s placement and use of the negative and abstraction of blank space was his own invention. As Gromacki explains choosing a beautiful object, such as a flower, and letting it become everything in the white space glorifies the subject in a way prior artists did not. It places the subject in conversation and allows a sense of beauty and emotion that a more scientific depiction may lack.&nbsp; Late in his career, before his untimely death due to cancer, McEwen’s work focused on deteriorating leaves. He felt that so much was happening within a dying leaf that it could capture life’s fading grandeur. McEwen proclaimed that he was not a botanist or a scientist but an artist depicting more than the visual in his works. Even once the artist himself was gone, McEwen’s art had a profound impact on the work of contemporary artists who came after, a testament to how some artists utilized a connection between modernism and classical botanical art to inform their own artistic expressions. McEwen’s style is established as a connective piece, bridging the past and the future.&nbsp; * The Driehaus Museum aims to share exhibitions that bring new perspectives to visitors. One way that the museum plans to cultivate these new viewpoints is through thought provoking collaborations with other local institutions. Throughout Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature, the Driehaus Museum will partner with Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Morton Arboretum, and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum amongst others. The Driehaus will also participate in the Magnificent Mile Association’s Annual Tulip festival. Julie Treumann from the Driehaus shared, “The collaboration happened–no pun intended–quite organically. We realized that between McEwen’s depictions of tulips being one of the central images of the exhibition and the exhibition opening in the spring, around the time of the Mag Mile’s Tulip Festival, it was a natural fit. The Mag Mile was excited to make this work and we have had a fruitful collaboration. We are but a hop, skip, and a jump from the Mile, so we hope the colorful blossoms will accentuate our connection to the Mile and thus to our goal to open our doors wider to Chicagoans and visitors from around the world.” Collaborations such as these will increase the general public’s exposure to McEwen and to the museum. “The tulips will be planted right outside our buildings,” Treuman said. “We hope they will announce to our neighbors that they have something beautiful to look forward to, not just a new Driehaus Museum exhibition, but a sure sign that spring is on the way. And, of course, tulips don’t live forever. We don’t know if they will still be in full flower by the time the exhibition opens in later May, but the accompanying tulip sculpture will endure! More than that, the tulips are a welcoming sign of the season, an enticement to draw people into the Museum, and a sign of our belief in Michigan Avenue’s importance for the City of Chicago.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1747072662/xd9d3dinjphhxt4l64nv.jpg">Rory McEwen (1932-1982), Helen Josephine, 1975 © Estate of Rory McEwen The Driehaus Museum will also be partnering with Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music to celebrate McEwen’s art beyond the visual realm. This collaboration highlights the way McEwen’s musical impact reaches back into the past for inspiration while continuing to inspire artists of today, similar to his visual work. These many cross disciplinary experiences expand the breadth of the exhibition to demonstrate how McEwen’s legacy is not only a bridge between time, but places and spaces as well. Like the organic matter in his paintings, his life and this exhibition connect different areas of the city through his contributions.&nbsp; As Joe Gromacki shared, “Chicago is going to be the most exciting and diverse experience of this exhibition.&nbsp;It fills a niche that other venues are&nbsp;not filling.”&nbsp; # <h4>Rory McEwen:&nbsp;A New Perspective on Nature&nbsp;</h4>May 16–August 17, 202550 E. Erie, Chicago, IL 60611<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://driehausmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Driehausmuseum.org</a>

Connected Through Time and Space: Rory McEwan

CGN has conducted dozens of collector interviews over the years. The chance to see works of art in people’s homes is an opportunity to see art outside of a commercial or institutional space and to understand the personal nature of collecting.&nbsp; With this year's EXPO CHICAGO coming around again in late April, we wondered, what works continue to join an evolving collection? The following Chicago-based collectors were kind enough to update CGN, in their own words, about what they’ve recently acquired and the artists they are admiring now. – GV <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543096/fbfzwdrkrlynjlqejfu2.jpg">Luke Agada <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543096/dvopnoxiwupmz6dywkec.jpg">Andrea Carlson <h3>TRISSA BABROWSKI&nbsp;AND SUNDEEP MULANGI –&nbsp;</h3> • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lukeagada.com/" target="_blank">Luke Agada</a>• <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mikinaak.com/" target="_blank">Andrea Carlson</a> “Two of our recent highlights include a painting by Luke Agada and a work on paper by Andrea Carlson.&nbsp; Luke, a fairly recent graduate of the MFA program at SAIC, trained as a veterinarian in his native Nigeria. His dreamy, surrealist works often incorporate animal shapes that speak to his former career. We’ve been watching Luke’s work grow and evolve over the last several years and with this painting, he really seems to be hitting his stride. Andrea Carlson’s landscapes are unlike anything being painted right now. You truly do feel as if the land is a living, breathing entity filled with the past; the cacophony of colors and text only adds to this effect. Her exhibition at the MCA this winter was one of the highlights for us, and we count ourselves fortunate to have added this particular work to our collection.” Read CGN's 2024 interview with Trissa and Sundeep <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/a-living-collection-sundeep-mullangi-and-trissa-babrowski-support-their-city-through-art" target="_blank">here</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543097/jhjnxwhi9tn7vtrc6mep.jpg">Leah Ke Yi Zheng <h3>ZACH SMITH –</h3> • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://leahkeyizheng.com/" target="_blank">Leah Ke Yi Zheng</a> no.64 &lt;-&gt; no.6 &lt;-&gt; no.50 &lt;-&gt; no.44 &lt;-&gt; no.14 &lt;-&gt; no.1, 2024 “This is a work I recently acquired. Leah is one of Chicago’s top emerging artists. Her silk paintings are simultaneously subtle and transcendent. I first came across her art at Apparatus Projects, a now-defunct non-profit exhibition space that was in the Midland Building near Pilsen. I am thrilled to live with her work and excited to see her practice unfold.” Read CGN's 2023 interview with Zach <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/building-a-next-gen-collection-zach-smith" target="_blank">here</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543099/y9cl5uohnox7vqd3itlg.jpg">Anna Elise Johnson, Zzyzx Road at Magic Hour V <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543100/mkcvjrtqcujzo9sqqtwb.jpg">Maha Al-Zahrani <h3>MICHELLE EDWARDS –</h3> • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://themissionprojects.com/artist/annaelisejohnson" target="_blank">Anna Elise Johnson</a>&nbsp; “I always keep a sort of&nbsp;‘hit list’ and number one on it right now is a rock sculpture by Anna Elise Johnson at Sebastian Campos’s The Mission Projects. It’s been top on my list for too long and will be my next purchase. I have been following Sebastian and his wife Jennifer’s program since way back to their space on Chicago Ave.” • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.saatchiart.com/mahaalzahrani" target="_blank">Maha Al-Zahrani</a> “My most recent “hang” is a gift from Maha Al-Zahrani, a Saudi Arabian artist who studied at SAIC. She gifted it to me after we became friends the Society for Contemporary Art. It means so much to me for that reason. I call her the Saudi Elizabeth Peyton, and I look forward to purchasing one of her paintings next.&nbsp; I also recently attended the Museum of Contemporary Photography’s DARKROOM benefit in February. It was a great event, but sadly for me I was outbid on the artwork I wanted. I highly encourage aspiring collectors to attend fundraisers with auctions because it’s fun, you meet people and the process of bidding is infectious but not intimidating. That is how I got started collecting, and I have heard similar stories from some active, high profile collectors.” Read CGN's 2024 interview with Michelle <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/nurturing-a-garden-of-art-michelle-edwards-tends-to-her-collection" target="_blank">here</a>. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543102/cbyk7qx8vssbjzbhfxsi.jpg"> <h3>JULIA AND LARRY ANTONATOS –&nbsp;</h3> • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/diyaebourhim/" target="_blank">Diyae Bourhim</a> “Our most recent acquisition is a print that we bought at an artist-run space in Morocco that reminds us of the architectural profiles we saw there. In addition to loving the boldness of the images, we also liked that proceeds from the sale benefitted the nonprofit cultural organization that runs the space, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/thinktanger/" target="_blank">ThinkTanger</a>, which is doing very cool work shaping Tangier’s development.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543103/lefo6z2jglzv8dadylia.jpg">Raymond A. Thomas <h3>D.E. SIMMONS –</h3> • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/raymondt65/" target="_blank">Raymond A. Thomas</a> My Conscience Bares Witness To The Truth, mixed media on canvas, 2024 “I have been following Raymond for about two years and this just spoke to me, and the title nailed it. A St. Louis native, Thomas graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1984, where he studied painting, filmmaking and graphic design. Thomas also served as art director and creative manager at Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Company Inc. for over 23-years. Thomas has won numerous artistic awards, including “best painting” and “best of show” at the Black Creativity juried art exhibition held the Museum of Science and industry in Chicago in 2013.” Read CGN's 2013 profile of Diasporal Rhythms <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/diasporal-rhythms-10-years-of-collecting" target="_blank">here</a>.

Acquiring and Admiring: What Collectors Are Buying Now

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748038656/zq5ej9g7y5rd5ew2pa5p.jpg">On the cover:&nbsp;Amanda Williams, In Her Rich Deposits of (Blue), 2024, New Orleans African American Museum for the Prospect.6 Triennial. Courtesy of&nbsp;Amanda Williams LLC and Tom Harris Photo.&nbsp;Read the interview in the <a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/collections/all" target="_blank">spring/summer 2025 issue</a> of CGN. By GINNY VAN ALYEA It feels as if there has been a sort of compression of time and energy in the first quarter this year, like 2025 just began but we’ve been living it for a long time. Fortunately, this season’s listings and calendars are bursting with dozens of exhibitions and programming coming up. CGN had many opportunities recently to speak with art world figures working on innovative projects on both large and smaller scales.&nbsp; CGN's spring 2025 cover artist and Chicago native <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/amanda-williams-her-kind-of-blue" target="_blank">Amanda Williams</a> has earned a global reputation for melding her architecture career, life experience and dreams for the world in her artistic practice. Williams’s commitment to reinventing her practice draws inspiration from history and other artists to create stunning art that improves the lives and communities of others.&nbsp;Furthermore, I spent a wonderful morning in February with Rhona Hoffman, who at 90 years old is making a change to her esteemed gallery program this spring. It was a gift to speak with Hoffman about the paths she has paved over the decades, from finding a new start for herself in the 1960s, to being faithful to her beliefs and taking risks.&nbsp; Several art world figures profiled or participating in this issue are beginning again. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/landscape-survey-whats-on-in-chicagos-outer-spaces-minionotics-at-weatherproof" target="_blank">Susan Gescheidle</a> writes for us for the first time. She once ran her own gallery but now is in the corporate world. What I admire is her commitment to visiting as many galleries as she can each week and fostering connections with emerging artists and the galleries they are launching. Watching young spaces try new things recalls the risks Hoffman took 50 years ago and speaks to what’s possible in Chicago. Sara Mongerson found herself unexpectedly in the art business after her husband Tyler passed away suddenly two years ago. Now she’s embracing Tyler’s vision for the gallery and continuing the spirit of running it as a family endeavor.&nbsp; We also celebrate 25 years of impact at Arts of Life, the reopening of Intuit Art Museum, and many more events and exhibitions demonstrating how vibrant art is in our region. Other summer highlights include a Gustave Caillebotte survey at the Art Institute that will transport you to Paris, while over at the Driehaus Museum the late Scottish artist Rory McEwen’s richly toned botanical prints speak to the timeless dialogue between art and nature. Enjoy this time, these new spaces, the artistic reinventions and stunning programs while they are here. These months and years pass quickly.&nbsp; #<h6> </h6>This letter appears in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of CGN. Our print content will appear online in the coming weeks.&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Click here to subscribe</a>&nbsp;and receive the print edition in early April. Subscriptions help support independent print media and Chicago's art community.

Publisher's Letter: Spring 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737659403/txse6xhx5wck3lucxjgf.png">A question from the NYT's Impressionism quiz. <h5>Time is always in short supply, but our attention spans are shrinking too –&nbsp;meaning that in between all of our busywork we need some high-quality distractions to give us a brain break once in awhile. Games that are finite, like Wordle, keep the addition in check, which is what three recent games we found via the New York Times, The Met, and Artle from the National Gallery of Art. Have fun, and learn some art in your downtime –&nbsp;just don't forget to get back to work!</h5><h5> </h5><h5>– CGN</h5> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nga.gov/artle.html" target="_blank">Artle</a></h3><h6>Discover artwork and guess the artist in 4 tries. A new artist puzzle is available daily. From the National Gallery of Art. </h6> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/16/arts/design/impressionism-quiz.html?unlocked_article_code=1.rU4.6Zhm.pag9DN55sL-M&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">Le Quiz</a></h3><h6>An Impressionism-themed game from the New York Times lets you identify the Monet smudge, match the image to the painting title, identify Manet vs Monet, and more. You can play again and again but the questions will not change.</h6> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artlinks.metmuseum.org" target="_blank">Art Links</a></h3><h6>The Metropolitan Museum of Art has launched a new short-session game,&nbsp;Art Links, that invites players to identify common threads and intriguing connections between works of art. This mobile-first, browser-based, blockchain-powered game presents an innovative way to engage with the Museum, and offers the opportunity to collect special in-game NFT badges and win exciting in-person and digital rewards.&nbsp;The serialized game, which releases new challenges weekly, features over 140 works of art from across The Met collection.</h6>

Online Gaming, but it's also Art...

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Last fall artist Tony Fitzpatrick shared he was working on another book. As he gets closer to publishing the book, he shared excerpts with CGN as well as what led him to create this latest project, a familiar concoction of poetry and art about Chicago as well as how an artist finds inspiration in the everyday. "Back when I started drawing pictures in earnest, I couldn't afford paint," recalls Fitzpatrick, "But I had every kind of Prismacolor and graphite pencil known to man. I preferred drawing, something about that first mark's impact – it was immediate. I love drawing with brushes, pencils, etching needles, you name it. Anything that slakes that caveman's thirst for&nbsp;making a mark on something...&nbsp;I liked all manner of surfaces, from copper plates, slate Boards, really good art paper as&nbsp;well." He said the experience was simple, and transformative, "It was me and my Pencils." Fitzpatrick rented a storefront for $75 a month&nbsp;in Villa Park. He recalls it had an unusual address: 125 1/2 S Villa. The 'half' he never understood, but he says he accepted it because he found out very young that you don't want to piss off the Post Office. In fact, he went out of his way to convey a sort of delivery friendship. "One of the things I did," he explains, "was make art on blank postcards and mail them to myself. I made sure I got mail everyday at that&nbsp;weird address." Thinking about those early days, Fitzpatrick says he intends to revive the postcard mailing again soon, except he will actually mail them out to people he knows and whose address he has. Early on Fitzpatrick says he realized that having his own space&nbsp;to go and draw everyday was a thorough kind of freedom. "It was&nbsp;my 300 square feet of the American dream, and I could do whatever the fuck I wanted in it.&nbsp;It was a kind of gravity. I always had someplace to go. I could make the world I'd imagined there." The freedom didn't mean perfect days. The artist had by then gotten into a fair share of trouble. He says plenty of people he knew were skeptical of him, even considering him a weirdo and an outcast. He was barred from most of the bars and establishments he'd been thrown out of for fighting. No longer drinking, Fitzpatrick says he set about drawing. "I drew what I remembered, what I loved. I drew Birds, naked Women, characters from cartoons and Sunday comics. I drew a lot of Boxers, both famous and unknown. I drew petty criminals I knew, sad stories, many images from Coney Island from a visit to New York. I drew whatever was in my heart–the world I would come to inhabit." CGN will share an update when Fitzpatrick's book is published. Follow Tony Fitzpatrick on <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/tonyfitzpatrick9/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for art and updates <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744226121/gnyj98rtiicpaa59clfa.jpg"> <h4>A STORY OF A CHICAGO PLACE...MANNY’S</h4> You go through the cafeteria line at Manny’s and you marvel:Brisket. Corned beef and pastrami sandwiches as big as yourhead—and as garlicky as a Greek waiter. A heart attack on aplate, accompanied by a huge, salty, dill pickle and a potatolatke. You yuck it up with the sandwich guy and he enhancesyour pile of meat even more. You can eat here. Meaty stuff. The kind of meal you want beforethey execute you. The kind of sandwich you eat with a friend,then take the other half home for dinner, and breakfast thenext day...and maybe lunch as well. Look around. There are City Hall creatures, cops, aldermen,Streets and San guys with yellow neon vests and meter maidsshoveling down slices of pie. There are deals being cut. Bondsbeing haggled over. Ticket quotas pondered and the grimybusiness of the sidewalk being brokered. The preferred music?The ringing of the cash register.The preferred currency: green cash money. They frown a little when you hand them the debit card with thechip in it; it’s another pain-in-the-ass-thing the new centuryhas grafted onto everyone. You also get the shit-eye if you areone of those who babbles on your cell phone in the middle ofthe cafeteria line, even at your table. People are trying to eat,Numb-Nuts. Nobody wants to hear your bullshit here. Take itoutside, Schmuck-O, because here, people are eating orworking—like it’s always been, since Moses. I see a guy slide an envelope across the table with a wry smile.“Christmas card,” he says. The guy across from him wordlesslyputs it in the kangaroo pocket of his hoodie without so much aslooking up or saying thank you. There is a lady walking an Irish Wolfhound in front of thewindow. The dog is excited; he can smell the meaty goodness. Ialso notice he is wearing dog boots, and not happily. A guycomments, “Jesus Christ, she put shoes on the dog. Look! He'strying to kick ‘em off! He don’ want to look like a jag-off in front ‘athe other dogs.” They meander by, the hound alternately fightingwith his goofy boots and sniffing at the meaty air he isenshrouded in. He looks confused. There is a valet there—a big burly guy in a neon yellow vest,quietly watching the street and reading the traffic for the slow-roll of an incoming parking task. They’ve remodeled the joint, butit hasn’t taken away any of the atmosphere in the least—and thisplace has atmosphere in spades. If someone asked me to take them to ONE place which definesthis city, I might take them here. Or to night court at 26th andCalifornia. Or Ricobene’s for a breaded steak sang’wich. Or Armyand Lou’s, except...it’s gone now; and maybe the bounty of greatMexican joints in Pilsen. I’d also include the Maxwell StreetPolish and hotdog joints—the one built in the middle of a usedcar lot at 56th and Western is among my favorites. These places are adorned in the colors of urgency, of exigence:rich reds, yellows and sequential blinking lights. As a kid Ithought these places were what a heaven was supposed to looklike: a carnival of lights and color and food smells. There was thispromise here, that you would never be hungry, and the worldwas not merely a well-lit nowhere, but a wondrous place full oflights and magic and hope. It was a mystery that you solvedevery time it got dark and those lights were on. I can’t eat Manny’s fine sandwiches anymore; my cardiologistswould blow a gasket. But I can watch as other people enjoy them.About the only thing I can eat there anymore is the Jell-O and thecoleslaw, and who the fuck wants to eat that? For me, the best thing to eat there was the pastrami. Damn, it isgood—greasy, salty, garlicky and piled high on rye with a bigslice of dill pickle and a latke. This might be the best thing I haveever eaten. I never could get through a whole sandwich, but mydog Chooch was very happy to share the second half with me aday later. We were smelling very special after a Manny’s binge—Ialways blamed the dog. It is one of those places where one is happy for the lack ofchange. Sure, they remodeled it, but damn if they didn’t preservethe character of the place—inhabited by and for working people. There are no conversations about beer programs, or sommeliers.This is belly to belly, elbow to elbow—a joint that caters to theelementally hungry. The kind of hungry you get if you operate ajackhammer or a cement mixer; or hoist dumpsters for Streetsand San. There is nothing delicate here. Even the City Hall guysare the worker bees—the ones who actually DO the work theirbosses take credit for on the news. It is one of those eateries thatgrinds out the goods and tastes like the city we claim to be, hearty and good. One of the best things to do here is to just overhear stuff—noteavesdrop—but overhear the great thoughts of people on breakfrom work...airing out things they don’t say around their bosses. Things like this: “You can’t get it with too much peppers—you don’t want thesang’wich you’re eatin’...to be eatin’ YOU.” “If I had a face like his...I’d paint my ass and walk on my hands.”“Oh yeah, he’s got a face for radio.” I love hearing the curbside philosophies and stories, the hard-earned bits of knowledge that come from punching a clock andgrinding it out forty hours at a time and wondering what the hellit is all for—the American horse sense of the people who builtthis city. This is the school nobody ever tells you about: thenative intelligence that comes from being a citizen, the act of faiththat working people carry out every day that keeps this citylurching along. One time when I was there, years ago, I heard this gem: “Myboss laid it out for me like I was a fuckin’ twelve-year-old. Hesays, ‘It don’t have a goddamn thing to do with luck, pal...it’sgot everything to do with chance.'” Which, for some reason, makes more sense to me every day that I live. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744226122/giyexhubewwy2qrlsn4x.jpg"> <h4>MOTOR GYPSY (Menlo, Iowa) for Charlie</h4> * This piece and poem was written about a friend I wentthrough rehab with in 1983. He was the first person I everknew who died of AIDS. In fact, he died of it before they wereeven calling it AIDS... Charlie did an immense amount of good before passing away.He guided a great many people into recovery and was a fontof hard-earned wisdom about addiction. I saw this old-timerig suspended 25 feet above the ground in Menlo, Iowa andimmediately thought of Charlie: a long-haul trucker who'dalways wanted this kind of old-timey Mack truck with thebulldog hood ornament. In my book? The man was a Saint...__ Truck. Charlie hauled peaches from Georgia to San Diego,Pears and apples from Yakima, Washington toLincoln, Nebraska and Rock Island, Illinois. Perishables. On a clock.28 Hours.46 hours.Black crank sprinkled intothe endless river of Thermos black coffee.Hands shaking off the nods.He played Charlie Richand George Jones songs on his 8-track.Under the pitch black Montana skies,his eyes blurred and he sawcomet grease and meteor showers.Under an arc of star lights,he pulled over and slept.He'd seen it all, man –hunger, thirst, restand half the angelsin a skittering dervish onthe 3,365 miles betweenOregon and Boston;every mile marker and weigh station from A1A to Pacific 1. He tried not to think aboutthe truck stop blowjobs.The ones he got,the ones he gave,and wondered if he'd ever stop shakingor recognize the phantom in the mirror ever again. He ground his teeth to nubs.His clothes barely fitand were damn near falling off.The older over-the-road guys would say to him,in a hush, "This is where you disappear brother.This is how.” Charlie found himself driving south on Pacific 1toward Escondido and he noticed the ocean.He was startled to realize he'd never stepped into it.Never felt the warmth of the Pacific on his skin.He pulled the 18-wheeler over.He left his boots in the rig. He walked through the warm sandweeping a child's tears,right into the surfand the linen-like motion of the tide,and for the first time in his life,he sang. Motor Gypsy.Fly. *

Tony Fitzpatrick poetry and art book excerpt 

Excerpt from Artist Tony Fitzpatrick's Upcoming 2025 Book

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036920/qpu5eioz3ntva8h7xery.jpg"> 2024 was a year full of art and notable events in Chicago and beyond. CGN covered much of what happened locally and also explored art further afield. It was a year of transition, with art world leaders announcing milestones as well as transitions. We even lost some dear friends, whose impact will last for years to come.&nbsp; We interviewed artists, collectors and gallery figures, and we shared hundreds of exhibitions, openings and events all year long. All of this makes up 12 months to remember, while we prepare for a year that is hopefully inspiring, fulfilling and creative. Following are some of our top interviews and articles from a full year. Thank you to our readers, partners and supporters who help us continue to grow and share CGN each year. In 2025 we celebrate 43 years of promoting the visual arts. To purchase a copy or subscribe to the 2025 edition of the CGN Arts Guide, <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp; Happy new year, and see you in the galleries!&nbsp; – Ginny Van Alyea, CGN Publisher <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036921/gg4mksk30qzuw26klqfc.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/jason-pickleman-1965-2024" target="_blank">Jason Pickleman (1965–2024)</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036922/px19agzrgleoa6hks9l9.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/trailblazing-art-dealer-ann-nathan-has-died-at-98" target="_blank">Trailblazing Art Dealer Ann Nathan Has Died at 98</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036923/ot0ce7kzgdyhauulvtgk.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/artist-joe-siegenthaler-1959-2024" target="_blank">Artist Joe Seigenthaler: 1959–2024</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036923/eyvafspiaeafynhfs4cl.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/plastics-and-flowers-the-art-of-salvador-andrade-arevalo" target="_blank">Plastics and Flowers: the Art of Salvador Andrade Arévalo</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036924/shaeqbhlt1pcwqabbv2m.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/caroline-kent-confidence-on-canvas" target="_blank">Caroline Kent: Confidence On Canvas</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036924/qbwa7wf53rnc8csuaqzn.jpg"> •<a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.retool.com/apps/f298ed7c-8d6d-11ef-9ced-6b2d0df71502/Refactor/Articles" target="_blank"> A Living Collection: Sundeep Mullangi and Trissa Babrowski Support Their City Through Art</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036925/is6o05o09cu6ru19mgrf.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/nurturing-a-garden-of-art-michelle-edwards-tends-to-her-collection" target="_blank">Nurturing a Garden of Art: Michelle Edwards Tends to Her Collection</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036926/vcotsmly68mojbnbufku.png"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/announcing-a-program-change-at-rhona-hoffman-gallery" target="_blank">Announcing a Program Change at Rhona Hoffman Gallery</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036927/rum3rvukqkxrbf9zl56a.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/three-chicago-galleries-navigate-their-twenties" target="_blank">Three Chicago Galleries Navigate Their Twenties</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036927/di9uvhxiq8lsycm8lcgn.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/a-young-gallerist-imagines-the-future-povos-s-lucca-colombelli" target="_blank">A Young Gallerist Imagines the Future: Povos's Lucca Colombelli</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036928/ykelykgmptfwkzm2n4yb.jpg">• <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/carl-hammer-45-years-of-steady-change" target="_blank">Carl Hammer: 45 Years of Steady Change</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036929/tlxzxvbtkov13li9go7t.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/moving-out-and-on-an-interview-with-tom-mccormick" target="_blank">Moving Out and On: An Interview with Tom McCormick</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036930/vatxc785lcpg50g5vzpb.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/20-years-of-drawing-the-world-to-chicago-millennium-park" target="_blank">20 Years of Drawing the World to Chicago Millennium Park</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036930/xjmclxnh1xuxbmjmopgg.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/gertie-makes-no-little-plans-chicago-exhibition-weekend-2024" target="_blank">Gertie Makes No Little Plans: Chicago Exhibition Weekend 2024, and Beyond</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036931/uu0ziie4qbg8ks5f0xhs.jpg"> • <a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/the-healing-power-of-art-art-s-impact-on-healthcare" target="_blank">The Healing Power of Art: Art’s Impact on Healthcare</a> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles" target="_blank">To read all of CGN's news and interviews click here.&nbsp;</a> # <h5 class="ql-align-center"> </h5>

2024: CGN's Year in Review

To receive the 2025 Arts Guide in the mail, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>. It also makes a great gift all year long! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748038019/fpfxzqxdxzlty12p7myp.jpg">Image: CGN Publisher Ginny B. Van Alyea with her family at the Detroit Institute of Arts, posing in a reflection of a work by Tiff Massey. Photo by Albert Van Alyea. My children are finding out that traveling with mom involves seeking out art – often it’s work-related, but it’s also because seeing art in other places is eye opening. Despite some protests on our most recent trip, the kids are coming around to the idea that there is a reason why most tourists like to visit museums (and galleries). Personally, I am interested in exploring what distinguishes art communities around the country, and of course comparing them to home. Art-wise, Chicago has everything going on here. It really does. The city counts dozens of world class institutions, and there is a long history of a multi-generational collector base that built these institutions. We also have scores of smaller, independent spaces supporting artists in the early stages. Some of the world’s most famous artists today are either from Chicago or started and built their careers here. Multiple schools and programs in the area are hard at work nurturing the next generation. The City dedicates resources to an evolving collection of public art (a proven tourism success). And still, it’s like when your mother tells you you’re the best. Sometimes, it means more when someone else tells you the same thing.&nbsp; Every few years the topic of Chicago’s national art reputation bubbles up. Someone talks about that other city where things happen–when anyone there takes note or writes about Chicago, somehow it means more. It’s like really being seen. But first Chicago needs to see itself. There is so much here, and we need not be overlooked.&nbsp; * I started working at CGN in 2002. I have spent this last year approaching an unusual milestone. As of 2024 I’ve spent half of my life–all of my adult years–working on this publication. It’s an interesting thing traveling to other parts of the country and visiting arts communities, only to come home to be enamored with the legacy Chicago has built over the decades. As we head into 2025, I hope each of you will champion art close to home. It’s a new year, and there is new art. I encourage you to seek out undiscovered spaces and reconnect with the ones you already know. And be sure to take friends with you and introduce them to CGN and this exciting, dynamic world right here in Chicago. For my family despite a little resistance, art is opening our eyes, and there is still much more to see.&nbsp; &nbsp;– Ginny Van Alyea <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748038019/k72zmrekvfyz3aau2iaa.jpg"> 2025 Cover artwork:&nbsp;Jonathan&nbsp;Higgins, “Untitled (dark blue)”, 2019. Metalpoint drawing in silver and copper on dark blue acrylic ground on panel.&nbsp;30 x 30 x 2.75 inches. Courtesy Jonathan&nbsp;tcHiggins and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mannekenpress.com" target="_blank">Manneken Press.</a>