<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760473105/odgwbk3owfijefyii4eq.jpg">Sally Schwartz with her prized gold lighter that found its way back to her after making the right match. “Ever since I was a kid, I was fascinated by four cool sculptural cigarette lighters that were on my grandparents’ coffee table. They were such fun. One was a tall gold and rhinestone studded cupid that you could wind and it played music. My grandmother smoked Benson &amp; Hedges, but I don’t remember her ever using one of these lighters.&nbsp; Some years later I gave my high school boyfriend a gold Dunhill lighter engraved with “Love, Sally” for his graduation.&nbsp; More years followed and I ended up with all four original lighters from my grandparents’ coffee table, plus I’d started collecting my own and the collection had grown nicely. In the meantime, I successfully set up my long-since-graduated high school boyfriend with a girlfriend of mine, and it turned out to be a real love match. They got married! When I was congratulating them on their wedding day, they made a little presentation to me of the same Dunhill lighter, which has been a highlight of my collection ever since.”

CGN Collecting Stories: Sally Schwartz

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759868147/c1vmdz0pck0jb6dquyuj.jpg">At left: The Peterson children engaging with art in Andi Crist’s studio. “Our family’s most recent acquisition is a ceramic sculpture by Andi Crist that she made as part of a benefit sale, with proceeds going to the Chicago Artists Coalition. CAC is an incredible resource for artists in our city and an important space for the art-curious to connect with creatives who are living and working here.&nbsp; We bought one of her pieces for ourselves and two as gifts for friends–I highly recommend considering artwork when you are seeking an extra-ordinary present for someone special.&nbsp; As a bonus, Andi let us come for a studio visit when we organized our pick-up. It was an absolute treat for our family to explore materials and ideas with Andi.&nbsp; We’re all looking forward to seeing her upcoming show, Live Laugh Labor, at the Cleve Carney&nbsp;Museum of Art (opening October 16).”

CGN Collecting Stories: Lauren Peterson

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Doug VanTress founded The Golden Triangle in 1989 in Chicago’s River North arts district and it has been a national source for Asian and European luxury furnishings ever since. The Golden Triangle moved to West Town a couple of years ago. We spoke with Doug about what’s new in his Grand Ave. space and what projects are bringing him the most joy. 2035 W. Grand Ave. Chicago, IL 60612 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://goldentriangle.biz/" target="_blank">goldentriangle.biz</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759869218/czow0faradoqtdeme0qu.jpg"> CGN: Please share how things have been going at the Golden Triangle this year.&nbsp;Doug VanTress: Things are going well! We’ve had our best year so far (first 7 months) since 2019. So it feels like our transplanted tree, so to speak, is doing well again after losing a few leaves, and a branch or two, on the way from downtown. Designer interest is high and the neighbors are really coming in. West Town is doing very well, and lots of shoppers come in on Saturday, with their kids and dogs. CGN: What has been your wildest project or installation recently?&nbsp;&nbsp;DV: Our biggest installation by far is at La Casa de las Flores in Little Village. It opens this fall. The theme is flowers and beautiful wooden architecture. They selected Indian arches and columns, and we created a plan to divide the space. It’s fabulous! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759869219/hvbym8yi5t4whnli0ngo.jpg"> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1759869220/pxaxlyg1fy7hbawbvsb8.jpg"> Above: Pre-work as well as the final results for a custom installation for a client. Golden Triangle fabricated a custom art piece from vintage Indian cement molds for a the entryway to a client’s modern condo, hiring a local metal worker to make the frame. VanTress says, “Ancient and modern projects take the edge off of modern (sometimes sterile) interiors.” CGN: How are things in West Town?&nbsp;DV: West Town is having a moment. It’s quietly booming.&nbsp;(Don’t tell anyone–we want to expand on Grand.) There is a lot of small, in-fill development going on everywhere.&nbsp;There must be 100 projects going up north of Grand, South of Chicago, between Western and Ashland. Some are multi-unit. Others are single-family. The diversity of the neighborhood is off the charts, and it’s very livable, with parking on the street for your friends, walking to restaurants and shops, good bus service to downtown, easy driving north or south. I talked to a young couple that just moved from New York into a home near Western Ave. (Western!) They said West Town feels like the part of Brooklyn near Queens. They have a baby, and the schools are good, too.&nbsp; CGN: What favorite local spots can you share? • JJ Bangkok Street Food – Thai1715 W. Chicago Ave • Tuman’s [Tap &amp; Grill] – Old-school tavern2159 W. Chicago Ave. • Dark Matter – CoffeeThe Mothership738 N. Western Ave. #

Checking–In: Doug VanTress – The Golden Triangle

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758209666/iao496ahlxlp20wt78sx.jpg"> “Although we’ve been writing about art for the last 15 years on Colossal, 2025 marks our first fall art season as gallerists. We’re thrilled to be working with twin sisters Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez on their exhibition, Speak of the Devil, on view at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joymachine.art/" target="_blank">Joy Machine</a> through September. It’s a very Chicago show, complete with the checkered brick patterns seen on many of our buildings and scenes of the artists’ beloved community here in the city.&nbsp;We’ve also had the pleasure of working with Maria Gaspar, Bryana Bibbs, Raoul Deal, and Swoon at the Haggerty Museum of Art in Milwaukee. Titled <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.marquette.edu/haggerty-museum/no-one-knows-all-it-takes.php" target="_blank">No One Knows All It Takes</a>, this project explores the connection between personal health and collective wellness through the lens of immigration, addiction, caretaking, and incarceration. We hope the exhibition inspires empathy and solidarity in a time of profound devastation and grief.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Christopher Jobson  & Grace Ebert – Joy Machine

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758826732/oflbqwmhh7wxawsrwegk.jpg"> Christopher (“Kit”) MaxwellSamuel and M. Patricia Grober CuratorThe Art Institute of Chicago “We recently reopened our newly redesigned galleries of European design, 1600–1900, following more than three years of collaboration with the Barcelona-based architectural firm Barozzi Veiga. It’s an elegant and striking space, and I’m looking forward to sharing both the galleries and the exceptional collection they display with our audiences.&nbsp; This fall, I’ll begin work on an updated edition of the Thorne Miniature Rooms publication, featuring new research and photography, set for release in early 2027, offering a welcome update to a longtime favorite. In spring I’ll be curating a special installation of important, never-before-published Renaissance ceramics on loan from a private collection—a rare opportunity to present these remarkable works to the public for the first time.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Christopher (“Kit”) Maxwell

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758596298/scncoinyqcdtooilmge3.jpg"></h3>The painting that didn’t get away: Eric White, Orgonomic Functionalism Conference, 1973 “We have a ‘one that got away plus a silver lining’ story about collecting.&nbsp; A few years ago, we had been eyeing a striking painting by an artist we’d been following. We showed it to a friend of ours—a seasoned gallerist and art consultant—just as we were getting serious about acquiring it. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a tactical error. Before we could make a move, a client of hers swooped in and bought the piece. We were crushed, and more than a little annoyed with ourselves for hesitating. But as luck would have it, that loss led us to one of our favorite acquisitions. With our ‘art funds’ still intact, we inquired about available work by another artist we admired. To our surprise, a painting recently returned to the gallery had just become available–Eric White’s Orgonomic Functionalism Conference, 1973. It had been purchased by Courtney Cox and David Arquette but didn’t work in the space they’d planned. We loved it and snapped it up. In the end, missing out on the first piece turned out to be a blessing—because we ended up with something we love even more.&nbsp;After we bought the painting we learned that director Wes Anderson had also tried to buy it but missed out. So now every time we watch a Wes Anderson movie we say something along the lines of, ‘Your loss, Wes Anderson!’” # <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758596300/j7uwjxkmu9lpio7hvqiw.jpg">The collectors and the artist, in front of the painting. On left: Brian; center: Eric White; right: Michael.

CGN Collecting Stories: Brian Westphal and Michael McVickar

CGN interview with Chicago art collectors Melissa Weber and Jay Dandy

Dedicated to Collecting: Melissa Weber and Jay Dandy

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758209053/xkywbulm2bzdup2eci7m.jpg">Photo by: Robert Chase Heishman “Autumn is my favorite season in the Midwest, offering a rich landscape of sensory experiences. This time helps me recharge my battery, which in turn enhances my work as an art consultant. Being in touch with all my senses allows me to better connect and speak about artwork with my clients. Personally, I’m looking forward to eating Kim’s Uncle Pizza, wearing Morel Map perfume by Chicago-based Clue, catching a live music performance at Fitzgerald’s in Berwyn, and sipping a coffee at the Art Institute’s member lounge.&nbsp; Of course, I’m also excited to see what the local galleries will be exhibiting and to travel to new cities, such as Brussels and Shanghai, on behalf of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.degrootfineart.com/" target="_blank">DeGroot Fine Art</a>.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Jaime DeGroot

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757612928/iqnt1qxxlfzayt7dlkc9.jpg"></h3>Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Well 35°58’16”N - 106°5’21”W (Santa Clara Pueblo, NM), 2014. Pictured: Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle. Courtesy of the artist.<h3> </h3><h3> </h3><h3>This interview appears in CGN's fall 2025 magazine.&nbsp;To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> By JEFFERSON GODARD Ambiguity can be a place of uncertainty and frustration, but for Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, it is where his practice thrives. Manglano-Ovalle is a Chicago-based artist who has created an art practice over the past 40 years that ultimately asks more questions than provides answers.&nbsp; His achievements and accolades are numerous indeed. A 2001 John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Award and 2009 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow winner, Manglano-Ovalle was born in Spain, lived in Colombia, and studied at Williams College (BA in 1983), and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA in 1989). He has shown internationally at institutions including the Guggenheim New York and Bilbao, MoMA, Tate Liverpool, MCA Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, and Frankfurter Kunstverein, just to list a few. Iñigo currently serves as the Lorraine H. Morton Professor of Art at Northwestern University and will present new work at the DePaul Art Museum this September in a solo show titled Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle: A Want for Nothing, curated by Dr. Ionit Behar.&nbsp; My first encounter with Manglano-Ovalle’s work was through an architecture publication that extolled his video artwork Le Baiser/The Kiss (1999) in which he played a window washer. Yet the window he was cleaning was not your average pane of glass. This window was part of the storied Farnsworth House (1945-1951) by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and the kiss alludes to the sound that the squeegee makes when contacting the glass, but the piece also speaks to class and entitlement. It wasn’t until eight years later that I got a chance to experience a work of his in person, and I was gobsmacked.&nbsp; Travelling to Documenta in Kassel, Germany in 2007, I walked into a darkened space where a large, hulking metal sculpture of a truck was tucked up against the back wall. In an adjacent space sat a small transistor radio sat amidst a room flooded with orange light cast from a filter over the glass. This culminated to create a sparce and looming feeling that was overwhelming, and I was hooked. Phantom Truck was the title of this full-scale recreation of a supposed bioweapons truck that former US Secretary of State Colin Powell spoke of when he addressed the UN Security Council prior to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Located within this dimly lit space, the viewer had to make sense of this through the ambiguity. It was both present and absent at the same time, reinforcing the foreboding history it held inside.&nbsp; Recently, I had a chance to speak with DePaul Art Museum Curator Dr. Ionit Behar about the upcoming exhibition, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle: A Want for Nothing. In our conversation, we spoke about this enthralling exhibition that questions utility, how we understand systems, and how art can move beyond representation. One question that the exhibition initially posits is “How does the work draw us in, and how do we, in turn, respond to it—right here, right now?”&nbsp; * Jefferson Godard (JG): Let’s begin by unpacking the term usefulness. The press release makes mention of this term. Can you talk more about how you feel Iñigo’s art has a useful factor to it, or is this more of a way of sharing how he makes work that is so ambiguous?&nbsp; Ionit Behar (IB): My initial answer references the title of the show, A Want for Nothing. This title came out of many conversations with Iñigo which very much resonated with me when he said, “what I want out of this world, or out of my practice, or even my existence in this world is to really want nothing.”&nbsp; I interpret this not as a rejection of desire, but as a form of radical openness, a way of being that doesn’t cling or impose. It’s akin to holding a coin in an open palm rather than gripping it tightly. In this openness, meaning can circulate freely. Iñigo’s practice embodies that spirit, leaving room for interpretation and inviting viewers to sit with uncertainty, rather than being told exactly what to see or feel.&nbsp; It also reinforces a particular way of being in the world. Iñigo’s work fosters a quiet yet profound dialogue about what it means to exist within this world, not just to move through it, but to be in relation to it. A Want for Nothing is not a denial of desire or a rejection of living. Rather, it speaks to a deeper yearning, an inquiry into what we ask of the world and what it asks of us in return. It’s a subtle but powerful shift in perspective. If we were to reconsider our relationship with the world through this lens, perhaps things could begin to change, on both personal and collective levels. This was part of our earliest conversations, and where the exhibition first began to take shape.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757612928/bf0b8lqrtvhuz1yiszpm.jpg">Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Well 34°01’03’’N-118°29’12’’W [detail], 2015, Stainless steel, aluminum and brass. Courtesy of the artist and Christopher Grimes Gallery <h4>_____________________________________________________________________________________________</h4><h4> </h4><h4>“One of the works in the show, ‘An Attempt to Say Something that Can Actually Hold Water,’ started out to test whether or not my statements could actually hold water. Using the Coopering technique, a craft process of making buckets, I created a bottomless bucket that ultimately doesn’t hold water.”</h4><h4> </h4><h4>– Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle</h4> <h4>_____________________________________________________________________________________________</h4><h4> </h4> JG: It is great to learn the ethos of the show and some of his philosophy. Can you walk us through A Want for Nothing?&nbsp;IB: I don’t want to give too much away, but the first gallery features quieter, more intimate works Iñigo calls “discrete objects,” pieces that blur the line between function and art. It also highlights his making by hand, distilling forms to their most minimal expression. For example, there is a piece entitled, An Attempt to Say Something that Can Actually Hold Water that appears to be a simple bucket—but it has no bottom. At first, it suggests utility: a container for water, a familiar and everyday object. But by removing its base, Iñigo renders it non-functional. It still carries the memory and form of a bucket, but its purpose has been subverted. This quiet gesture unsettles our assumptions and gently redirects our attention towards what the object implies, what it lacks, and what it might mean.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Well project will also be present, rooted in Iñigo interest in land art. His recent research in the Sonoran Desert—walking the terrain and engaging with a range of people—adds a rich, layered context to the work.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JG: Much like the Well project, ritual, interstitial space, and failure are important elements in his work. Can you comment on how this show addresses these themes?&nbsp; IB: There’s something deeply ritualistic in the making of his work, laborious, repetitive, almost monk-like. This process invites contemplation and evokes a sensibility reminiscent of 1960s and 70s artists like Walter de Maria, Richard Serra and Robert Barry, or even earlier figures such as Marcel Duchamp. He actively seeks critique, much like a student, and embraces contradiction as a generative space. After all, living is full of contradictions. I appreciate that he allows this tension to surface through his objects, rather than forcing a statement that might otherwise feel contrived.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757612929/kgcugd4omhrdkfl75a5j.jpg">Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Untitled, 2023, Pine and graphite. Courtesy of the artist. JG: Iñigo prefers the viewer to take what they want from the work and the overall exhibition. Did this inform your decision on whether or not to use wall labels?&nbsp; IB: There won’t be any wall labels in the exhibition, something that differs from our usual approach at DPAM, but it’s important to honor the artist’s preferences. One of the things I appreciate most about DPAM is that we don’t follow a single model for presenting interpretive text. Instead, we consider each exhibition individually, asking what kind of textual support will best serve the work. In this case, the goal is to keep interpretation as open as possible while remaining generous to the viewer. Short texts will be available as handouts, which visitors can choose to read—or not—as they move through the galleries and engage with the works on their own terms. JG: While a strong exhibition will fulfill visual and even psychological aspects, what do you hope your show with Iñigo will fulfill?&nbsp; IB: This exhibition offers an opportunity to return to basics, and ultimately, to ourselves. I hope it encourages us to see things in a new light. That’s part of what Iñigo brings to his work: a way of provoking reflection without repetition. If there’s one message to take from this show, it’s an invitation to imagine what a different future could look like, rather than simply looking back. I also think the show seeks to remind us of our humanity, our capacity for stillness, for care, for contradiction, and for imagination. After all, living is a contradiction in itself. In a world that often feels rushed, fragmented, or transactional, the works gently call us back to an attentive way of being. They ask us not just to look, but to feel; not just to interpret, but to be present.&nbsp; Being part of this process and working with him has been incredibly meaningful. I hope that sense of connection and possibility will resonate with viewers as well. # <h4>Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle: A Want for Nothing</h4><h4>DePaul Art Museum&nbsp;</h4><h4>September 11–February 8, 2026</h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://resources.depaul.edu/art-museum/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank">artmuseum.depaul.edu</a></h4>

Open to Interpretation: Ionit Behar Curates a Show of Work by Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle at DPAM

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757387888/cvtmilxxqxqejl1mqymi.jpg">Jennifer Armetta <h3>This interview appears in CGN's fall 2025 magazine. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> By JEFFERSON GODARD Chicago’s cultural scene is always in need of a tireless arts champion. Jennifer Armetta is up for the challenge. Several years ago I had the pleasure of first meeting Jennifer at Verge, a donor affinity group at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago. Verge was a group of arts enthusiasts who would help the museum acquire works from emerging artists like Manon de Boer, Michelle Grabner, and Jordan Wolfson. This group would ultimately morph into Emerge which still brings exciting works from up-and-coming artists into the MCA’s collection today. Since we met Jennifer has moved between Chicago, Minneapolis, and Ojai, California, carving out a well-earned reputation for herself. Currently Jennifer directs two organizations in Chicago: Engage Projects in West Town, and most recently, the Chicago Architecture Biennial. And if that were not enough, she is a licensed Real Estate agent working with Eugene Fu. She also volunteers her time on multiple boards and foundations. As Director of this year’s Chicago Architecture Biennial, entitled “SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change,” Jennifer will work alongside Artistic Director Florencia Rodriguez. The Biennial’s programs and exhibitions will be located at the Chicago Culture Center as in years past, with many satellite locations or hubs throughout Chicago.&nbsp; Engage Projects is Jennifer’s commercial art space, where she brings a nuanced conversation to the gallery model. One of these is Engage Showroom, an in-home exhibition model that further pushes her work-life balance while revisiting the classic ‘apartment gallery’ that Chicago is so well known for fostering.&nbsp; During our lively conversation, I learned more about her passion for artists, the upcoming Biennial, Engage Projects, and what sparked Jennifer’s energy early on. * Jefferson Godard (JG): You graduated with a degree in art history. What did you initially set out to do, and what brought you to the art world?&nbsp;Jennifer Armetta (JA): I actually started off as a Psychology major and didn’t switch to Art History until second semester junior year. What compelled me to change was being inspired by and ultimately falling in love with art. I thought artists were just so brave and fearless in the way that they put themselves out there. It seemed as though they were ready to be criticized. And, instead of it deterring them, they would do it all over again. I wanted to be part of that and help in any way I could as I felt they were truly courageous. Upon graduating, I worked at a Chicago art gallery but sadly could not support myself. The art world, as you know, is a difficult place to sustain oneself. So, I pivoted and went to work for a pharmaceutical company. As a bit of a science-nerd, I ended up enjoying and learning a lot from this experience. One aspect that stood out was the training that they give us. They taught us how to establish a rapport, how to build relationships, and how to communicate effectively in a very short period of time. In some way I still credit many of my interpersonal skills to this experience.&nbsp; JG: When you created Engage Projects, what were your goals for the gallery? What do you still feel like you have to accomplish? JA: What I wanted to accomplish was to make a mark on the Chicago art scene and work with both emerging and mid-career artists. Another aspect was the name. Using “projects” was very intentional, because I didn’t want it to function only as a gallery. Galleries are fabulous and wonderful, but they’re a very tricky business. I wanted to have the flexibility to do things a bit differently, and operate outside of our space, exploring different partnerships. Some questions that I continually ask myself are, what does it mean to represent artists, as well as how people consume and experience art. JG: How do you feel the relationship between the artist and the gallerist has changed? JA: Every artist has different wants and needs, ambitions, and goals. My goal is to focus on the needs of the artists. To facilitate that, I really want to be able to address their needs. The relationship between the gallerist and artist needs to be more individualized and not just fit into a program. And, for me, an art gallery is not like a shop, so it is important that it is more personalized and geared towards the goals of the artist.&nbsp; JG: Another important aspect of your life is supporting causes you believe in. While you have served, and continue to, on many boards, I am most interested in your relationship with Carolyn Glasso-Bailey and her foundation.&nbsp; JA: Carolyn was my childhood friend, and I’ve known her since she was 12. We were best friends, and in many ways, we were like family. Carolyn got started in the art world very young. In high school she started interning at a local gallery in Minneapolis. That was part of my exposure to the arts at a young age. She loved it and went on to have her first gallery in Minneapolis in her early 20’s, and in Chelsea, New York after that. She then pivoted to being an art consultant in Ojai, California. She and I had similar paths, but she started at a younger age. Sadly, she was diagnosed with Glioblastoma in 2014 and passed away a year later in November 2015.&nbsp; Carolyn’s whole mission was that artists came first. She would give her car to an artist if theirs broke down. She would pay out artists before she got paid. She set a real example in the art world of what to do. The foundation that’s named for her, which supports The Ojai Institute, was begun by her sister Lila Glasoe Francese, and her widower Chris Bailey, an artist. I joined artists Rob Fisher, Sharon Loudon, and Sanford Biggers to help create a foundation that gives out grants and supports a residency program. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757387889/f49wxs2ajzlgayux3cfi.jpg">House, by Sara Fitzsimons, 6018 North JG: The last thing we’ll talk about is the Chicago Architecture Biennial, titled SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical Change. With the Biennial opening soon, how is your and Florencia Rodriguez’s vision taking shape? What changes did you set out to make for this year?&nbsp; JA: The title is both apropos and, in a way, a bit ironic. Florencia has put together an incredible exhibition program and she is thematically referring to our exhibitions as ‘capsules.’ She also wanted to address a lot of the social, cultural, and economic issues that are affecting us all. For example, what does the built environment mean and how can it be solutions-oriented?&nbsp; We also wanted to return to architecture. There are a lot of terrific artists in the exhibition, but this year there is a deliberate focus on returning to architecture.&nbsp; This Biennial will incorporate over 100 projects from more than 30 different countries. One thing that we set out to do was to work with more partners throughout Chicago. This year, we have expanded our network, and the Chicago Architectural Biennial will have pop-ups or hubs all over the city. Stay tuned for an exciting Biennial that opens in September! * SHIFT: Architecture in Times of Radical ChangeSeptember 19, 2025–February 28, 2026On view at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington Blvd., as well as many locations throughout the city. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org/" target="_blank">chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org</a> View programming at Engage Projects at&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.engage-projects.com/" target="_blank">engage-projects.com</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1757387889/zrjihyrobzwbdauydbse.jpg">100 Links, The Buell Center. Installed at the Chicago Cultural Center for CAB5 in 2023. Photo by Tom Harris.&nbsp;

Jennifer Armetta: Championing the Arts One Project at a Time

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543176/kyqxndpjtqvclgdour96.jpg"> “SoNa Chicago is pleased to open the Fall season with the culminating exhibition of the Industry of the Ordinary (IOTO) Summer Residency 2025. The exhibition offers viewers a unique opportunity to participate in a one-time full activation on September 6, from&nbsp;5–8 pm, when all 15 artists will inhabit the entire gallery complex, including the building in the rear and exterior spaces. Visitors can expect a mix of time-based, performative, and spatial interventions alongside two- and three-dimensional works. An artist walkthrough will take place on September 13, from 5–7 pm when all the artists will offer deeper insight into their processes and the evolution of the work. The exhibition is on view through September 27. We also have a wonderful show planned for 2026 to coincide with EXPO Chicago, featuring Tony Fitzpatrick and nine other collage artists. It has been a joy to work with Tony on this exhibition, as he has selected most of the artists in the show. We look forward to sharing these artists’ work with Chicago and the international audience coming to the city next spring. The exhibition will run April 8–May 30, 2026.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Laura Botwinick – SoNa Chicago

<h3>Fall is always an incredibly busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions opening across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3><h3> </h3><h3> </h3><h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1756916363/ygxqms1q4dkt9thrtgc2.jpg"></h3>Photo by: Sandro <h3>Bob Faust – Artist</h3> “It has been a busy season in the studio as I continue to self define exactly what my practice is. Where I have landed is a statement that is actually an example of my work its own right, “Art is Design is Art is Design is Art is Design and so on.” It’s my acknowledgement of design as an equal to art, as well as informative to each another. It’s about language and text, pattern and image, as well as installation and object.&nbsp; To that end I have a few projects I am thrilled to be working on and toward. On September 5, I open a two-person show with Mayumi Lake called “Shakkei” at the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/shakkei-work-by-mayumi-lake-and-bob-faust" target="_blank">Elmhurst Art Museum</a>. Shakkei means “borrowed scenery” and for me it’s the acknowledgement of a works connection and conversation with the space and all who have an encounter with it. You will see work that sits squarely in the design space but is without question art, and work that sits in the art space that is unquestionably designed. This is a show that is allowing me to comfortably own my space in the center of both. Additionally, I am designing a new book about Nick Cave’s upcoming show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, titled “<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/nick-cave" target="_blank">Mammoth</a>”, that will share the entire making process inspired by field guides. It is a very special book, as it has much personal attention across every page, making it unlike any other book we have done before.” <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.bobfaust.com/" target="_blank">bobfaust.com</a>

Interview with artist Bob Faust Fall 2025

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Bob Faust

Jacqueline Surdell: An Artist’s Voice Helps Scale Her Art

Manny Singletary: A New Art Collector Embraces Chicago

Spring is shaping up to be a busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542939/js2t1sesa2qcg3crlgle.jpg"> <h4>Laura-Caroline de Lara – DePaul Art Museum</h4> “Our team at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/depaul-university-art-museum-dpam" target="_blank">DePaul Art Museum</a> recently opened Christina Fernandez: Multiple Exposures, curated by UCR Arts’s Joanna Szupinska, in March. We have been loving introducing Chicago audiences to the LA-based artist’s photography, exploring migration, labor, gender, and Fernandez’s Mexican American identity. As part of our ongoing initiative to support Latinx artists, DPAM is honored to have recently acquired one of Fernandez’s works from the exhibition for our permanent collection, so audiences can continue to engage with her work in Chicago after the exhibition’s close. We also have an incredible array of public programs alongside the exhibition, including an exhibition tour with the artist during EXPO Chicago; a hands-on, multi-generational workshop with Chicago-based artist Victoria Martinez; and more. Simultaneously, DPAM will prep to launch our fall season, which includes a solo show for internationally renowned artist Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle and a survey of the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, which both open to all on September 11.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Laura-Caroline de Lara 

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542213/y2zvpht3kwx1zgadok0b.jpg">Wallace Bowling,&nbsp;Champion By GINNY VAN ALYEA Wally Bowling enjoyed a career as an architect for over 30 years, all the while living and working in proximity to his life partner Douglas Dawson’s eponymous gallery in Chicago. When I first began working at CGN many years ago, I got to know both Dawson and Bowling. Dawson’s gallery fit with the community of galleries that were primarily contemporary, even though he specialized in ancient and historic tribal art from all corners of the world. Dawson closed the gallery in 2017, however elements live in their gorgeous vintage Edgewater apartment overlooking Lake Michigan, which I recently visited on a late Monday afternoon this past winter. Upon stepping off the elevator onto the private floor, you can feel the weight of the art’s history and the care and preservation the couple have shown for it. From room to room remarkable objects are primely placed–pots from Africa, linear furniture and symmetrical pottery from Japan, a collection of stone tools. Excellent talking points, we discussed the consideration of form, shape, and structure, things that Bowling is attuned not just due to his architectural background but because he is also an artist, something he has been actively embracing for the past decade. I had not seen Bowling very often since the gallery closed, but Bowling invited me to his home so I could view some of his recent artworks he has been assembling, pieces that he calls constructs. Bowling has retired as an architect, but his creative instincts still find an active outlet in his art. His first gallery exhibition was in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky a decade ago. As much as it is a form of expression, art making can also solve a design problem, such as how separately interesting objects can fit together to make something entirely new.&nbsp; Bowling’s constructs are placed throughout a set of ebonized bookshelves lining the full length of a wall in the lakeside dining room. None is particularly large in scale, but each features many curious, yet mostly familiar, utilitarian elements–knobs, hooks, latches, handles. The additions of found photographs, game pieces and text unify the disparate pieces into something new, almost ideally matched.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542214/aneflqmonjz9bqkzx0cj.jpg">Wallace Bowling at home in Chicago. Photo by CGN. Several works are made from cigar boxes, containers Bowling says he used to find easily when traveling between Kentucky, Chicago, Madison and his and Dawson’s farm in Iowa. “What was interesting is that all the cigar stores were keen on recycling these boxes. Each of them had a charity that they wanted to donate the few bucks that you’d buy them for.” This resourcefulness impressed Bowling, and the architect in him was excited when he realized that the factory molds he had found in another shop fit neatly into the boxes, like they were meant to be despite disparate purposes. Finding and acquiring the molds made Bowling wonder what each one would have been for. Initially Bowling says, “The architect in me would sit down and do a drawing, and I would foolishly try to find the pieces that I wanted for it. I got over that really quickly.” A fit makes itself known, but it cannot be forced. Bowling says he is glad he bought what he could over the years because many of the antiques stores and flea markets he sourced his boxes and molds from are no longer around. While he could search more easily online today than years ago, he says that’s not the same as happening upon one object in a market and then waiting to encounter the piece that will make its match.&nbsp; Browsing the collection of constructs along the bookshelves, it’s as if I am looking over a set of family photographs, not because of the images within many of the boxes but because of the thematic and visual similarities I see. It’s as if they are a family–not an immediate or nuclear one but generations gathered at a reunion. I start to guess which pieces came before the others. Bowling’s process, while methodical and precise due to his architectural roots, is deliberate but I don’t think he has limited himself to thematic blocks, due to the serendipitous nature of sourcing his materials. Some of his constructs showcase tools that are no longer widely used, others show off the beauty of an obsolete factory mold. When I remark that many are phallic, though he points out there are nude women here and there as well. Others hint at a secret sadness. While others have attachments which might be harmful, if not handled properly. Each one is a departure from its material’s original purpose and contains a surprise.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542216/gkztfwyyudyjldd21hu6.jpg">Wallace Bowling, Amended cigar box with vintage aerial image of nuns’ cornettes. Wallace Bowling, Amended cigar box with vintage aerial image of nuns’ cornettes Bowling shares a story about a simple thin box with a hinged lid that was once a popcorn box, perhaps for storing kernels. He joined a handle on the side of the box at the suggestion of a friend, and he pasted an image to the inside, revealed to anyone who opens it. The amended and reassembled photograph is a vintage aerial shot of nuns’ cornettes. Bowling hails from Kentucky, but for many years now he and Dawson have spent about half the year on their farm in Harpers Ferry, Iowa, where they enjoy rural quiet and the chance to live and work outdoors, and the other half in Chicago. Traveling between their two homes, and a bit beyond, means Bowling frequents galleries and museums on both sides of the Wisconsin and Minnesota border, which has led to several institutional relationships over the years, from the Racine Art Museum, to the Chazen Museum of Art on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as the Lanesboro Art Center in Lanesboro, MN. Bowling and Dawson have long been world travelers, but now with the gallery closed they have the freedom to slow down and spend longer stretches in Iowa, where Bowling can work out of his rural studio and take time to tinker and experiment with his designs. His artistic process is similar to solving a design problem in that he has to take the measure of a project and then find what elements go together best. He also likes to take his time. Sometimes, Bowling shares, he starts with a sketch. Other times he shops his own studio, where the shelves are filled with tubes and boxes and organizers intended for tools and assembly pieces.&nbsp; Much of Bowling’s eccentric interests come out of the many art forms he has dabbled in: welding, ceramics, painting, and a lot of his collection he has dubbed “the museum of the discarded” as it’s filled with things you might find in an antique shop. He brings something home because it has a really unusual shape, he explains, or a patina. He points to a large, rusty, collapsed oil container he scavenged when traveling abroad. When some vendors nearby wondered what he saw, he explained he collects things he sees as interesting. “You never know what you might need it for,” he admits. Just in case, Bowling keeps numerous Bakelite radio knobs, drawer pulls, plumbing fixtures and other items on hand in his studio. “On their own they don’t mean a lot, but frequently they’re the perfect piece.”&nbsp; Bowling has been considering building a really large construct. “I might do a whole series of boxes that would make a landscape, and they could be filled with architectural objects and images.” He imagines they look like small domiciles, once again referencing his architecture career. “These shapes, they’re perfect. Even how they’re arranged they come across with a strong architectural influence, but they’re definitely their own creations.” Somehow, this artist will find how to fit them all together. ﻿<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542217/zf3nk2v7dsiorhx6ks0q.jpg">Wallace Bowling, Exquisite Horse

Constructing Surprises: Wallace Bowling

Spring is shaping up to be a busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542913/eloz8a4reujnay3q6grn.jpg"> <h4>Victor Armendariz –&nbsp;Gallery Victor</h4> “<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/gallery-victor" target="_blank">Gallery VICTOR’s</a> busy spring and summer schedule includes a wonderful exhibit of photography by Kirill Polevoy titled Allure, which opened in conjunction with EXPO Chicago/Frieze on April 25.&nbsp; We are also thrilled to announce our representation of long-time Chicago artist Leopold Segedin, who passed away in January and left behind an extraordinary body of work. In May we will open a show at the Art Center Highland Park, Gallery VICTOR Presents: Our Time, which is an overview of the gallery that will fill all TACHP’s massive space through mid-June. Our summer show of monumental paintings by Brooklyn-based artist Nathan Brad Hall will cap off season.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Victor Armendariz

Spring and summer is shaping up to be a busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.&nbsp;</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542974/mv3zzntaubrqlkykyh3j.jpg"> <h4>Justin Witte –&nbsp;Cleve Carney Museum of Art</h4> “Right now, I’m deep in final preparations for Hokusai &amp; Ukiyo-e: The Floating World, our summer exhibition featuring works from the Edoardo Chiossone Museum in Genoa, Italy. After that, I’m super excited to shift focus back to some incredible Chicago artists. Opening October 16, 2025, Andi Crist will have a solo exhibition showcasing her phenomenal work in her largest show to date. Then, on January 27, 2026, our Assistant Curator Julia Walker presents Chairish, an exciting show featuring the unstoppable talents of Norman Teague and Alex Chitty. Both exhibitions promise to be absolutely phenomenal.” <a style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-cleve-carney-museum-of-art-ccma" target="_blank">Cleve Carney Museum of Art</a> ﻿

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Justin Witte

Spring and summer is shaping up to be a busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760542859/jn42joamcpcntgoehay7.jpg"><h4> </h4><h4>Barbara Cooper – Artist</h4> “Being in the exhibition A Tale of Today: Materialities, curated by Dr. Giovanni Aloi, at the Driehaus Museum earlier this year has been a fabulous opportunity to connect my studio work with the large-scale permanent and site-specific public artwork that is the other side of my practice.&nbsp; Currently, I am working on a three-part grouping of CNC-routed bas reliefs, a very different process for me, to be installed next year at Chicago State University’s Health Simulation Lab. Both scales involve considering the architectural space and how it functions with those who use the space. Both exist outside of the white box of the gallery and come with the challenge of their own unique materials, opportunities, and complexities. Also on view this year is an earlier work in the MCA’s Descending the Staircase exhibition and the 20th anniversary show at Metropolitan Capital Bank.” <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.barbaracooperartist.com/" target="_blank">barbaracooperartist.com</a>

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Barbara Cooper

Spring is shaping up to be a busy&nbsp;season in Chicago’s art world, with new&nbsp;exhibitions across galleries and museums.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community&nbsp;are working tirelessly to support artists and bring&nbsp;fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.&nbsp;</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748038690/xdhbrk2kzztlmuwtfbix.jpg"> <h4>Allan Weinberger –&nbsp;VSG Contemporary</h4> “As <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/vsg-contemporary" target="_blank">VSG Contemporary</a> enters its third year, we’re evolving with a focus on more extensive solo exhibitions and international art fairs—and we couldn’t be more excited. This summer, we’re thrilled to present LALO’s first solo show, opening June 6, with curatorial support from Lefty Out There. Born in Cleveland, now living in LA, LALO’s work is technically brilliant yet very playfully earning him a devoted collector base drawn to both his talent and charisma.&nbsp; We’re also presenting exciting solo shows from Oscar Joyo, Sébastien Johnson, and Fawn Penn. With our rebrand as VSG Contemporary, we remain committed to the charm and humor that have made us a beloved part of the local art scene.”

Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Allan Weinberger

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543124/iww4yml5opg4kl6x4ulu.jpg">Dirk Denison with a painting by Leasho Johnson By GINNY VAN ALYEA Dirk Denison has been a practicing architect for over 30 years. Originally from Detroit, Denison and his designs, both residential and commercial, are well known to many Chicagoans. Though his reputation is national, CGN readers are likely familiar with the gallery spaces he has constructed to showcase much of the city’s best art. A professor at the IIT College of Architecture and the Director of the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize, Denison also runs his own award-winning firm, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.dirkdenisonarchitects.com/" target="_blank">Dirk Denison Architects</a>, based in Chicago’s West Loop. I recently spoke with Denison about his art and design background, his connection to Chicago and what it’s like to design spaces for art as well as introduce his own clients to the world of art collecting.&nbsp; CGN: Tell me where you grew up and how you were first introduced to art as well as architecture. Dirk Denison: Well, I grew up around Detroit in a home that was filled with art as well as artists, so it’s always been a part of my life. My experience was enriched by going to Cranbrook for school in suburban Detroit, which has not only the world famous art academy, but also has an elementary and high school. I was fortunate to go through all the way, from nursery school through graduation. And actually both my parents went there as well. They met in high school. I left, of course with this great appreciation for design from a very holistic standpoint. If you have visited Cranbrook, the Saarinens* worked as a team, a family, and they designed the buildings and the furnishings and the tapestries, even the setting landscape that surrounds it. So, I arrived in Chicago with all of that not really consciously a part of my working reference, but it is certainly intuitively embedded in who I became as an architect.&nbsp; *Note from Cranbrook: Saarinen House is Eliel Saarinen’s Art Deco masterwork and the jewel of Cranbrook’s architectural treasures. Designed in the late 1920s and located at the heart of Cranbrook Academy of Art, from 1930 through 1950 Saarinen House served as the home and studio of the Finnish-American designer Eliel Saarinen—Cranbrook’s first resident architect and the Art Academy’s first president and the head of the Architecture Department—and Loja Saarinen—the Academy’s first head of the Weaving Department and director of Studio Loja Saarinen.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543125/dqgsewppwmmgsd2ilsiz.jpg">Meeting room of Dirk Denison Architects, with works by Tadashi Kawamata, Ellsworth Kelly and Aron Gent. CGN: It sounds like Detroit offered you so much inspiration. How did you come to Chicago?&nbsp; DD: Chicago has been, for me, not only practice, but also teaching. I’m a professor at IIT, the College of Architecture, and also very involved with the Art Institute through the Society for Contemporary Art and through art, architecture and design departments. Early on at the MCA, there was something called the New Group, which was sort of my introduction to the cultural and collecting community in Chicago. Many of those collectors I met are still our closest friends.&nbsp; I came to study architecture at IIT where I teach now. In the eighties there was a lot of fluctuation going on in the world of design, and IIT had a very, very strong program. So even though I had come from the University of Michigan–I studied there and then I went and did my Master’s at Harvard–I came back to Chicago because it has always been a city that had a real commitment to placemaking and to innovation and to thinking about what the next generation of architecture was going to be. It’s just a great place to work, and I’ve been fortunate to work all over the country. Chicago is a base that has allowed me that opportunity. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543125/txdo5yiil0cjie6vyaml.jpg">Bucktown residence. Chicago, IL. A renovation and addition whose material, form, and proportion follow those of the original postmodern structure, a sculptor’s studio designed by Harry Weese for his daughter and son-in-law; set back onto an unusual site, it maintains an existing, generous garden. CGN: Where did you keep art in your mind while you were studying architecture and first becoming an architect? DD: For me the whole richness of the creative world is part of thinking about place and space making–furniture, design, tapestries, all of the mediums, from painting to sculpture. I’ve always made spaces that are about creating opportunity for those other voices. It’s not just my voice. I’ve never espoused a Frank Lloyd Wright approach, where I design everything. I actually want there to be diversity and I want there to be other voices that I’m in conversation with, because that’s the way I live, and that’s the way I want my clients to make their space. I design for opportunity. With my clients, I can help them build a collection, but obviously many of them have collections before I work with them. They choose to work with me because they know I appreciate how art enriches your life. Sometimes we plan around very specific works of art. Sometimes we plan around very specific commissions working with particular artists. Other times it’s a sense that there will be a moment or a place that is going to be asking for a work of art. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543126/m6hwaggpwwgzzvgf9ioj.jpg">A team member works by a painting by Judy Ledgerwood CGN: Do you personally have an art collection that is separate from what’s installed in your offices, or does your collection just exist where there is space?&nbsp; DD: Well, it’s interesting. Our offices have been in the West Loop for 20 years, in this heavy timber building. The size of the space, the ceiling heights and the size of the walls was the first time that I had wall space this scale. My first painting before we even moved into the office was this quatrefoil painting by Judy Ledgerwood that I saw in her studio when I had took a client there to pick something out for their new home. I said, ‘Would you hold that for me? In the next year I’m going to be moving into new offices where I’ll have a wall finally big enough for an eight-foot square painting.’ It’s been somewhat of an opportunity for us, since the idea of having art in the office is that it’s how we design space, and I want my amazing creative team to work in that same environment. Many architects have photographs of their former projects and awards up on the wall. I said to myself, that’s not necessarily inspirational for the team that’s working on whatever they’re focused on. Why not have them learn and be inspired by these other creative voices? So that’s why there is art in the office. We do switch the art out back and forth between home and work and [my partner] David’s studio as well. About a year ago we had a flood in our apartment, so we were forced to redo it. And as a result of that, we changed our whole philosophy at home, which is where we have just one work of art on each wall. And so as a result of that, we switched things out. We brought some of the bigger things from the office and took the smaller things out of the apartment. So it’s very fluid and we want to change things around. Nothing has a permanent place in how we live with it. The interesting thing is too, because of the artists, I’ve picked up on my parents’ philosophy that most of the artists in our collection are artists that we know, or as we get interested in them, we make a point of getting to know them. And that comes into not only our personal life and our friendships, but also into the office. So if you walked into my office now and talked to someone working there who’s fairly new out of school, they would know who Judy Ledgerwood is. They know there is a person behind the art that they work with. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543127/ruvycwmm6cvfg210ndac.jpg">Office view. On wall: Ad Reinhard’s ’Ten Screenprints’ CGN: Have you had challenging situations trying to blend works of art or a collection into a space you’re designing?&nbsp; DD: Yes. I think the main thing about working on a collection–whether it’s clients who have never collected art before or long-time collectors–we’re working together. I spend this concerted amount of time in the beginning showing them different lines of thinking about medium or scale or geographic source for works of art. It may be a color story, or it may just be space specific, but it’s something I like them to get to the point of saying, okay, this is what will be fun for us to work on. Obviously I can do the primary selection of the art, but hopefully they’ll get the [collecting] bug because there are many more spaces that they’ll be able to place art in, so I hope they keep looking at art themselves and finding opportunities. Often I will create some specific spaces, like for a glass collection or a wall that’s about ceramics or something so that they can keep thinking as they travel and make their life intertwined with collecting art and living with art. But it’s also the story behind every work of art that is what makes us collectors.&nbsp; I didn’t answer your question about the difficult works. I have had a couple of moments when someone bought something on a trip for something. One of my clients laughs about this fountain they bought in Morocco. We were starting the project and they were like, ‘We have this fountain. We’d love to find a spot for it!’ It didn’t end up making it into the home. We laugh about it now because we still have that thing sitting in the garage in a box, but they finally realized that there is some sort of line of thinking that does tie everything together. It’s really about things that speak well to each other. I just created a home with a wonderful Spencer Finch that was this very bright fluorescent light with amazing geometry. It was very eye catching, but it worked with the larger aesthetic of what they were doing. CGN: It sounds like you try to spend a lot of time having those client conversations leading up to when you get started designing that maybe prevent some of those clashes. DD: It’s another part of the process. I think when it is a couple, it’s important that they are both part of the decision and invested in it. It’s answering both their desires and needs for what we design in what they’ll live in. I feel the same thing with the art, where I really encourage them to make the decisions together and not buy one piece that one of them loves and the other one isn’t fond of. I’ve always approached that with my design work, that if you’re not in love with this option, let’s find the next thing that you are. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760543128/kut7dx0lvnrarytocu7h.jpg">moniquemeloche gallery. Chicago, IL. The transformation of a hidden industrial building in Chicago’s West Town into a flexible space for encountering multiple forms of art. CGN: With regard to commercial spaces, you have designed many gallery spaces in Chicago. What are your main considerations when approaching that kind of design need versus another office or residence? DD: When you’re doing a space that’s specifically for art–a gallery or an exhibition space–you of course are not designing for particular works of art. Maybe a particular medium, but not specific works. In fact, you want it to be quite the opposite, quite flexible. My general attitude towards spaces for art is to create variety so that there is a sequence of experiences and spaces as well as the clarity of the wall, so that it doesn’t compete with what is going to be brought in, which you don’t know what it’s going to be in the future. So really simple detailing, ubiquitous materials, a flooring material, simple white walls, with maybe the exception of an entry moment or an office moment or something like that. And then lighting, of course, is the most important. You want to always over-light a space for art and have lighting from more than one source so that you can both throw light on the whole space as well as on highlights. And then you make it all flexible. You make it all controllable so that you have that moment where you want to pin light for a particular work, or you want to flood for something that’s a wall mural. And I think that a lot of times you’ll see space that’s been overly dramatized and that’s fine for a particular effect, but if it’s not flexible, if it’s not dimmable or expandable, it’s too restricting.I love to bring in natural light, but also moments where direct sunlight will work like a sundial to come in and make its way through a space is more flexible in a home or office than it is in a gallery. CGN: What’s design moment stands out for you? DD: Those are really difficult questions because my mind always goes to whatever we’re working on right now. My process tends to make things challenging. In other words, I’m looking for the constraints. I’m looking for the sort of requirements that will make the project better. And that’s fundamentally coming from how it’s going to be used, where it is, what we’re working with. I think what’s so important now is the clear attitude to working with what we have, using existing structures before tearing them down and building something new. More than half my work is restoration, preservation, adaptive reuse. The project that I did just two years ago at IIT, which is three towers that we made from staff into student housing, I actually won a competition at the school for a new 480 bed dorm. I convinced them we had these three legacy Mies van der Rohe designed buildings from the ‘50s on campus that we should do first before we build anything new. That ended up being very successful and has been an amazing opportunity for the students to live in these buildings. And economically, it was significantly less expensive to work with the existing structures than to build something new and of course, much more sustainable and much more environmental.&nbsp; CGN: Would you like to add anything else?&nbsp; DD: Even though I am often steering the boat or keeping it moving forward, I see design as having many voices, all of the expertises, all the vantage points. There isn’t just the the client, there are also the contractors, my amazing team of consultants and engineers, everybody at the office. The biggest challenge is listening to all that information, and then sorting out the priorities. #

Interview with Chicago architect and art collector Dirk Denison

Designs on Collecting: Architect Dirk Denison

A 2025 interview with Chicago art dealer Rhona Hoffman 

Connecting Change Through the Decades: Rhona Hoffman

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037904/z4lie1tmebnw8drn2pte.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA Sara Mongerson is the director of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mongersongallery.com/" target="_blank">Mongerson Gallery</a>, a family-founded gallery in business since 1971. Sara took over as director after husband and gallery director Tyler Mongerson unexpectedly passed away in May 2023. CGN checked in with Sara recently about the changes and challenges she has embraced these past two years. – GV&nbsp; CGN: How have things have been going at the gallery this year?&nbsp;SM: It’s been a year of transition. After Tyler’s passing in 2023, gallery Director Jack Spector-Bishop and I had to dig out and figure out our plan going forward. This included going private, investing in our online presence, and finding new ways to partner with local businesses. Art dealing is evolving, and you can’t rely on walk-in traffic. I have to think about safety and security for the staff and the art, so we moved into a secure co-working space and we show by appointment only. We added an art-specific CRM and inventory system and built out a new website, and we have enhanced our newsletters and are dabbling in social media. For Black History Month this year, we tried something new and partnered with several local businesses (Cosentino, Regiment Securities, Alexis Goettsch Photography) to host an exhibition of works by Detroit artist Harold Neal, whose estate we represent. This was successful and I expect to do more in the future. Over the years, our focus has expanded. The gallery was founded in 1971 as a sporting and wildlife art gallery. It quickly shifted, slightly but significantly, to period Western and Western Expansion, which is still what we are most known for today. Over time, we’ve added additional areas of interest. Now we deal in 19th and 20th century fine art including other genres such as American Surrealism, Regionalism, African American, Early Modernism, and select Contemporary. It might seem varied, but there are themes throughout that make sense. For example, Western art is about taming the wild and documenting the movement of people as they settled across the Western US. It’s romanticised, but there is also the issue of the displaced Native American. The Black Arts Movement is about documenting the Black experience including civil unrest in cities like Detroit after the Great Migration to the North. Both share ideas of everyday beauty but also human mistreatment and conflict. It’s about our nation’s history, good and bad.&nbsp; Quality Western work is in high demand, and we have buyers. It’s a challenge to find available inventory and clients who wish to sell. Our inventory of Black Art is attracting private collectors as well as museum interest. CGN: You recently mentioned the 100th anniversary of Surrealism. How has attention shifted for this group of artists, your gallery’s artists in particular?SM: It’s been exciting. Globally everyone with a connection to Surrealism seems to be having an exhibition to honor this anniversary–the Pompidou, the Tate, the Met.&nbsp;Interestingly, female artists like Getrude Abercrombie are getting more attention. Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World is a Mystery, which opened at the Carnegie Museum, travels to the Colby College Musuem of Art this summer and then to the Milwaukee Art Museum in March of 2026. We deal in Chicago-area female Surrealists, including Abercrombie, and also Julia Thelca, and Marcena Barton. We have definitely seen increased interest from collectors and museums who are paying attention. CGN: What is Mongerson exhibiting planning next?&nbsp;SM: We have a few Harold Neal pieces still on display at Cosentino Chicago. We are in the early stages of planning an event to highlight our Julia Thecla inventory, likely in May, and we are also participating in an educational event with the Frederic Remington Art Museum in April, as we are committed to remaining connected to our roots and educating the public on this important period of American art. There is a lot coming up. More info at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mongersongallery.com/" target="_blank">mongersongallery.com</a>

Checking–in: Sara Mongerson of Mongerson Gallery

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744316208/min9i3ef9r02c581l3rp.jpg">Jonathan Worcester By BIANCA BOVA CGN: Thanks for taking the time out to speak with me Jonathan. I realize I’m catching you in the middle of a busy year.&nbsp;Jonathan Worcester: Yes, absolutely. Recently I was in a group show at Old Friends called Ambulance Chase with Peter Fagundo and Michelle Grabner [n.b. curated by the interviewer, Bianca Bova], where I showed some paintings that were dealing in the genre that I’ve been working in for a few years now, but sort of thinking through them differently in terms of their contingency. Shortly I will be in a group show called Masterclass at Secrist | Beach that is a show of 25 years of painting alumni from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Then in April, I open a solo exhibition at 65Grand, Dead Reckoning. CGN: The show at 65Grand, that is a new body of work that was conceived of for the exhibition?JW: An entirely new body of work, yes. Everything is being made specifically for the walls of that space. I am measuring everything to the exact gallery specs. It will be a contiguous run of work with basically no space between the paintings, except where they meet the wall. It’s a horizon line of paintings. Everything is 48 inches high with different widths and different depths. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744316209/bvqdxytbk4e8mzy8rkzp.jpg">Jonathan Worcester, Untitled, 48 x 48 x 3.25”. Courtesy the artist. CGN: Right now there is a resurgence among young artists for a number of reasons, ascribed to everything from the economic conditions of the day to this kind of a reverb off of the last 20 years of post-modern conceptualism, of a return to painting. Your work is often remarked on for being very process-oriented, which we see less of. I’m interested in what context you see yourself in given that assessment.&nbsp;JW: Well, okay, thinking about process painting, I feel like there was such a resurgence of process painting that has been categorized through zombie formalism. I reject categorizing myself that way at all because I find maybe the least interesting thing about my work is the process. A lot of it is really just me sort of obsessively, episodically dealing in dots. And I feel like looking through the lens of process at the work allows for sort of this idea of labor being the most important thing that happens there, which is really not what I’m interested in. It becomes a simple solution for getting an understanding of a work without actually having to deal with the physicality of the thing itself. I don’t know, one of the things that I feel is fundamental in the aesthetics of “process” work, is painting that deals with the removal of the hand. That’s one of the things that is notably common among some of my peers in Chicago. I do feel like I’m a little bit on an island, though. CGN: Knowing that, I’m curious what has your&nbsp;attention right now? What are you looking at?&nbsp;JW: The work that I’m looking at and responding to is not really happening in Chicago right now. Except there was an exhibition in 1999 at Illinois State University that was called Post-Hypnotic. That was a seminal show that relates to the aesthetics that I’m interested in. It was curated by Barry Blinderman. CGN: Oh, that’s a name I don’t hear often enough.&nbsp;JW: The exhibition was a look at these aesthetics 25 years later, from a show at MoMA from 1965 titled The Responsive Eye that was dealing with the same thing. I picked up a copy of the catalog, and I’d actually be interested to talk to him as we’re 25 years later from his own exhibition, and see what he thinks about this sort of thing in the zeitgeist.&nbsp; CGN: I’d love to know how that goes if you reach out to him. To pull back a little bit immediately from the work and go back to how you relate yourself to Chicago, you grew up here, didn’t you?JW: I did. I was born in Milwaukee, but I moved here in first grade, and we moved to Hyde Park because my mom is a research professor at the University of Chicago. I left for New York for college and attended Sarah Lawrence, which is right outside the city, but I would do summers in Brooklyn. You know, served my Bushwick tour of duty. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744316210/fwqamhe5kldabfoalgpu.jpg">Jonathan Worcester, Untitled, 48 x 58 x 1.75”. Courtesy the artist. CGN: As one does.JW: As one does, or at least did in the mid-2000s. I love New York. I just needed to come back to Chicago for various life-oriented reasons. And I was having so much trouble actually making work in New York. Once I was out of school, and I didn’t have institutional resources, it was…I was painting on my roof. That was the only place I could get space. So moving back here has been great, because I’ve been able to have a studio all along. I was in the basement of a building in Logan Square, where I didn’t know if the tenants even knew I was there. But there was sort of an arrangement where I could use the basement and paint. I was down there in this windowless space for eight years. The rent was dirt cheap. I moved out because my desire for windows was strong, and the person above me was a religious zealot. They started having, I don’t know—Bible parties? All the time. And they were rowdy. It was so loud. Reciting things and slamming things on the floor. Now I’m in the 3200 Carroll Building with a number of good friends, people who I went to school with, and various artists at various points in their careers. I share a space with my friend Trey Rozell. CGN: When you moved back, you also enrolled in graduate school at SAIC?JW: I did, yeah. I was working at the MCA as a preparator and realized if I worked at the Art Institute, I could go to school for free on tuition remission. So I got a job at the museum as an art technician in the Collections and Loans Department, and then moved over to be the specialist of the European Decorative Arts Department. That’s where I still am. And went through grad school. CGN: You also made your first foray into teaching at SAIC.JW: I did, yeah. I was given a fellowship once I graduated to begin to teach a class there. And I taught painting practices. My time at SAIC was really affected by Michelle Grabner, and talking about pedagogy and sort of considering the way in which education, specifically higher education should work. I needed to try my hand at that. She put that bug in my ear. Having a chance to reflect on the way in which my education works and things that I wanted, and reacting to how students are now was really impactful for me in terms of thinking about how I create considerations in my own research. I’m grateful to have been forced to reckon with the way in which this thing should be done. CGN: I’m deeply interested in something that I happen to know about your studio practice, a very specific form of passive media consumption. And that is that you are a habitual listener—not watcher—of Dateline.JW: I sort of thought you might ask me about this. So, okay, full context. I work a nine to five job. I paint with an obsessiveness that requires me to basically be in the studio from 6 p.m. to almost 2 a.m. most days. I don’t have a lot of time for anything else. So I do audio books and I listen to podcasts to be able to feed the intellectual questions that I have. But yes, one of the lighter things I very often engage with is Dateline—I’ve more or less listened to its archive by now. The format itself is obviously made for television. It’s so funny they offer it in podcast form because they constantly refer to images and people. I think there’s always been a fixation culturally with true crime. And I definitely participate in that to a certain extent, but the reason I love Dateline is the format in which they do it is classic. They’re like the first true crime show and they still have these sort of network television personalities that are associated with it. Despite the uptick in interest in true crime, they have not strayed from their formula in the decades they have been on. It’s not a dumb podcast that’s more about the podcasters’ friendship, which I could not care less about, than the content. They explicate the thing thoroughly. They go through the entire investigation and there’s no frivolous conversation. It’s fact-based. It’s well-edited.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744316211/nq1zpuyopymkn2mukezj.jpg">Jonathan Worcester, Untitled, 48 x 68.75 x 3.5”. Courtesy the artist. CGN: This is what fascinates me—you’ve chosen a highly, highly, highly consistent and formulaic program to be the thing that you are passively consuming as you work. The relationship between that and the inherent obsessiveness of your paintings, both in practice and process, I would like to know more about that.JW: Yeah, that’s a great connection. Actually that wasn’t obvious to me. So thank you. The way that I actually am making work is so scripted. I know how I’m going to do it, and from there it just deals with repetition, with patterning. The way I create difference is in semi-object-oriented things about the work, like changing the context, changing how they are contingent to the space around them. I can get so obsessive about color relationships. Just looking at a painting next to a painting that’s dealing in the same patterning and how much they affect each other—that’s what’s really been blowing my mind recently. But I am extremely formulaic. I think I’ve worked out a practice where I don’t have to stand back with my brush and feel this romantic trauma. I find that so obnoxious. I am not struggling. I’m having a great time listening to Dateline and I’ve baked in maybe ten decisions for each individual painting. Then I’m just working. And that is fun for me. Dead Reckoning at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.65grand.com/" target="_blank">65Grand</a> opens Friday, April 18, 6-9pm. On Friday, April 25, 6-9pm Frieze is hosting a private reception and exhibition viewing for EXPO Chicago VIPS.&nbsp;RSVP to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:info@65grand.com?subject=Rsvp%20for%20April%2025%20Reception" target="_blank">info@65grand.com</a> More information about the artist at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jonathanworcester.com/" target="_blank">jonathanworcester.com</a> #

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