<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784745217/tvyvlo9dxyo8zwpbnxvm.jpg">Gladys Nilsson, c. 1966–67.Photo: Courtesy of the artist and the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento. <h3><a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/the-perfectly-peculiar-art-of-gladys-nilsson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Perfectly Peculiar Art of Gladys Nilsson</a></h3> It’s not more than a few seconds after we meet that the artist Gladys Nilsson, 86, insists on helping me carry my suitcase over the threshold and into her home. Nilsson has lived in a handsome brick house with Craftsman-style interiors in the town of Wilmette, just north of Chicago, since 1976 with her husband, the artist Jim Nutt, 87. The two met in 1960 when they were both students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. There is art everywhere—paintings and sculptures and masks, piles of papers and books, work made by the two of them or their friends, plus plenty of souvenirs from their decades of travel. “Stuff gets put down and it stays there and we ignore it,” Nilsson deadpans. Eclecticism suits them. Via Vogue <h3><a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/christies-art-tech-summit-2026-ai-wealth-art-market-1234793113/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">At the Art + Tech Summit, Christie’s Pins Its Future on AI Billionaires Who Aren’t Buying Art… Yet</a></h3> “We are in a historic moment in wealth creation,” said&nbsp;CNBC&nbsp;wealth reporter Robert Frank at the keynote presentation of the 2026 edition of the Christie’s Art + Tech Summit last week, alongside Christie’s CEO Bonnie Brennan and Michael Anders, founder of the investment firm ICONIQ Capital. Frank was referring to the riches being created as big AI companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX go public. These initial public offerings are projected to create&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/12/business/economy/spacex-openai-anthropic-billionaires-ipos.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">20 new billionaires</a>, while SpaceX’s IPO alone is projected to have made <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/technology/spacex-ipo-employee-millionaires.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4,400 employees into millionaires</a>. The question at the summit was: will all this new wealth create new art collectors? Anders, Brennan, and Frank struggled to define the future desires of a new generation of mega-rich. Via ARTnews <h3><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/jeff-koons-made-in-heaven-copyright-dispute-2789631" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jeff Koons Beats Copyright Infringement Claims in ‘Made in Heaven’ Lawsuit</a></h3> A U.S. appeals court upheld a ruling in favor of&nbsp;Jeff Koons&nbsp;in a copyright dispute over his iconic “Made in Heaven” series, rejecting the claims of a sculptor who had accused Koons of using one of his works without permission. Prop designer&nbsp;Michael Hayden&nbsp;first sought compensation in 2021 for the appearance of his 1988 sculpture in three works from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jeffkoons.com/artwork/made-in-heaven" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" target="_blank">Koons’s series</a>, made between 1989 and 1990. As Hayden himself acknowledged in his filing, the series caused “a media sensation” and has been credited with “launching Mr. Koons into the art world’s stratosphere.” Despite this, Hayden claimed to have only discovered the alleged infringement in 2019. Via Artnet <h3><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/arts/design/charles-ross-star-axis-land-art.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zlA.W_MV.3_bRLw4pqWhN&amp;smid=url-share" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">He’s the Last Great Land Artist You’ve Never Heard Of</a></h3> This spring, Charles Ross sat in his studio in SoHo, but his mind was elsewhere: a mesa in eastern New Mexico, where his life’s work, a monumental naked-eye earthwork called “Star Axis,” — part observatory and part pyramid — juts at the cosmos. “If you’re there in the winter when there’s a snowstorm, it’s like the sky is painting the earth white,” he said. “And the thunderstorms. And rainbows several times a week.” Ross has a degree in math and a yen for physics. He says he can sense celestial alignments, and feel the difference between colors of light in a spectrum. When he needed a well dug for his desert home, he called a dowser. The artist, 88, belongs to a generation of land artists who shed galleries and cities to work at a scale more common in ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica. In 1975, he had been crisscrossing the Southwest for four years, hunting for the perfect location for “Star Axis,” when a cowboy appeared and handed him a business card. Via NYT

What We're Reading: July 22, 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784696745/lunknczvgfhvtxk3neoh.jpg"> By CGN Staff With so much to do each weekend of summer in the art world, it's worth zeroing in on a daytime event that offers many things in a single destination as Randolph Street Market takes over the West Loop on Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26. Known for bringing together hundreds of dealers, artists, and vintage vendors from across the country, the market remains one of Chicago's best destinations for discovering antiques, original art, vintage fashion, home décor, collectibles, and unexpected treasures—all in one place. This month's "Made in the Shade" market offers plenty for art lovers, with visiting artist Sam North joining Chicago artists Nicholas Holman and Michael Trulis, along with a lively artist tent featuring Damon Reed, Pugz, AliSix, Cujo, and Delisha. Visitors can also participate in the market's first Art Camp, creating a take-home project from recycled materials led by Lake Forest College instructor Emmie Osuna. Bring three empty prescription pill containers to donate and you'll receive a free pass to a future Randolph Street Market. Collectors won't want to miss the Ballroom, where dealers will present antique oil paintings, vintage French advertising posters, sterling silver, porcelain, glassware, and other exceptional finds. With both indoor and outdoor shopping, plenty of shade, food and drinks, and a festive atmosphere, Randolph Street Market continues to be one of Chicago's signature weekends for collectors, designers, treasure hunters, and anyone who simply enjoys the thrill of discovering something unexpected. If it's been a while since your last visit—or if it's become part of your summer tradition—this weekend is a perfect time to head back. <a href="https://randolphstreetmarket.com/2026/06/made-in-the-shade-july-25-26/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Details here</a>

Weekend Pick: Randolph Street Market is Back July 25 and 26

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658060/achxyfl9fjp7ejbouw95.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/cristina-mittermeier-marks-of-memory" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cristina Mittermeier: Marks of Memory</a>Opening: Wednesday, July 22, 5:30 – 8:00 PMHilton Contemporary <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658061/eqgg5oy4apmvj0z4jhmz.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/michael-velliquette-intuitive-patterns" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michael Velliquette: Intuitive Patterns</a>Begins July 22Racine Arts Council <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658062/bdb6obxaxuxpmuscjavt.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/sculpture-at-the-kavanagh2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sculpture at the Kavanagh</a>Opening: Thursday, July 23, 6:00 – 8:00 PMKavanagh Gallery at Fine Line Creative Arts Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658063/hxjoivfxtefnc4utieun.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jesse-bond-own-who-you-are" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jesse Bond: Own Who You Are</a>Opening: Friday, July 24, 7:00 – 10:00 PMSAWHORSE <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658064/ssuaz7emzjjxx8p44mjo.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/art-in-transit-with-bridgeport-artist-community" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Art in Transit with Bridgeport Artist Community</a>Opening: Friday, July 24, 5:00 – 9:00 PMOliva Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658064/el1uhcnyo0jhwvjuf7vo.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/deborah-maris-lader-we-become-birds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Deborah Maris Lader: We Become Birds</a>Opening: Saturday, July 25, 5:00 – 7:00 PMBert Green Fine Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784658065/m7vqvqe4r25qlyhqri4e.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/george-clinton-mothership" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">George Clinton: Mothership</a>Begins July 25Mariane Ibrahim

New Exhibitions: July 22 - 25

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060211/xy6plhl3soh2zmppt9oi.jpg"></h3><h3> </h3><h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/forward-v-our-wisconsin-regional-artists" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Forward V: Our Wisconsin &amp; Regional Artists&nbsp;</a></h3> Jul 15 - Aug 30, 2026 <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/jk-art-house" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">JK Art House</a> The momentum continues at JK Art House in Milwaukee this summer with&nbsp;Forward V: Our Wisconsin &amp; Regional Artists, their fifth annual celebration of the exceptional painters, sculptors, printmakers, and mixed-media artists who call Wisconsin and the greater Midwest home.&nbsp;&nbsp;This beloved exhibition carries special meaning in 2026 — it will be the first Forward in our beautiful new space, and it arrives at a landmark moment for the Third Ward as the&nbsp;Historic Third Ward Association celebrates its 50th Anniversary. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060212/oo5zdz3pyzo7nryqf4nu.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/treasures-from-the-law-offices-of-abraham-lincoln" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Treasures from the Law Offices of Abraham Lincoln</a>&nbsp;</h3> Gallery talk: Wednesday, July 15 | 5 - 7 p.m.&nbsp;Talk begins promptly at 6 p.m. <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/heritage-auctions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heritage Auctions</a> Treasures from the Law Offices of Abraham Lincoln Preview Reception Featuring a Gallery Talk from Renowned Lincoln Scholar Harold Holzer&nbsp;This gallery talk will draw from decades of Harold Holzer's experience researching, writing, and lecturing about Abraham Lincoln and the political culture of the Civil War era. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060213/werekof4i2laysfp7qys.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/third-wednesday-music-in-motion-from-ireland-to-chicago" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Third Wednesday: Music in Motion from Ireland to Chicago</a></h3> Wednesday, Jul 15, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-driehaus-museum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Driehaus Museum</a> Third Wednesday: Music in Motion from Ireland to Chicago is inspired by&nbsp;Ink &amp; Outrage: 18th-Century Satirical Prints in London &amp; Dublin. This program features the interplay of the Irish harp and the accordion.<a href="https://driehausmuseum.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=32343bbcd4e3063e18cdf64bf&amp;id=9111c600f4&amp;e=d1db3f815c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TICKETS</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060213/ivggpg0ebgi6uhegwked.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/art-after-work-drawing-with-metal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Art After Work: Drawing with Metal</a></h3> Thursday, Jul 16, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/intuit-art-museum" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Intuit Art Museum</a>Every third Thursday, IAM stays open until 8 pm with after-hours programming designed to help you end your day inspired. Explore Drawing with Metal: Sculpture by Bill Brady with an evening of conversation and making. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060214/spfxzps9ffvmivdpw7vb.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/marian-carow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marian Carow: Permit Pending</a></h3> Jul 17 - Aug 15, 2026Opening: Friday, Jul 17, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/65grand" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">65GRAND</a>Within the past&nbsp;several years, I have been making wall-mounted mixed media objects out of everyday materials.&nbsp;With a process-driven, improvisational approach, I allow chance and contingency into the work.&nbsp;A major project has been investigation of the possibilities of salvaged corrugated cartons.&nbsp;I also employ wood elements, both purchased and found, cast-off scraps, repositories of my own and others' decision making.&nbsp;By bringing materials into my studio, I can live with and consider them over time. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060215/yvhz4wcwd4a4pviezsm4.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/newberryfest-250-years-of-the-united-states" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewberryFest: 250 Years of the United States</a></h3> Saturday, Jul 18, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/newberry-library" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Newberry Library</a> Celebrate all things Newberry with collection presentations, hands-on activities, tours, a mini used book sale, and so much more at this open house event. This summer our theme is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060216/jryqiktaqhbcgnh0rklj.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/56th-midsummer-festival-of-the-arts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">56th Midsummer Festival of the Arts</a></h3> Jul 18 &amp; 19 <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/john-michael-kohler-arts-center-jmkac" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC)</a> The John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) invites you to attend and help share the 56th Midsummer Festival of the Arts, taking place July 18–19, 2026, in downtown Sheboygan.This free, two-day event brings together more than 100 juried artists from across the country, live music through the Levitt AMP Sheboygan Music Series, artist demonstrations, hands-on artmaking activities, family-friendly programming, food vendors, and community partners. The festival annually attracts thousands of visitors and celebrates creativity, community, and artistic excellence. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784060217/f70ckazmeujqhcpcvnae.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/artist-talk-with-melanie-p-brown" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Artist Talk with Melanie P. Brown</a></h3> Saturday, Jul 18, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/arc-gallery" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ARC Gallery</a> Join ARC Gallery Members &amp; Melanie P. Brown for an artist talk about her new solo exhibition,&nbsp;Driving My Meat Machine: Flight Fantasies.Melanie P. Brown has a long standing practice of painting in direct response to sound, music, and motion. Since 2020 her process has centered on live and recorded sound, her gestures and movements while painting, and video of birds and her own body in motion. Preparing extensive palettes and integrating pastel and charcoal, she translates rhythm, texture, and spatial perception into layered compositions.&nbsp; # <h3>View the full CGN calendar <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a></h3>

New Exhibitions and Events: July 15 - 18

<h3><a href="https://hyperallergic.com/nyc-mayor-mamdani-approves-record-323m-funding-for-culture/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NYC Mayor Mamdani Approves Record $323M Funding for Culture</a></h3> Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the City Council will provide the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) with its highest-ever yearly appropriation as part of the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget. A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office told&nbsp;Hyperallergic&nbsp;that the city government will give $323.8 million to the agency, which administers public funding to arts institutions throughout the city. The appropriation marks a nearly 7% increase from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2025/07/-best-budget-ever-gets-even-better-mayor-adams-dcla-cultural-leaders-celebrate-historic?ref=hyperallergic.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" target="_blank">last year’s then-record&nbsp;</a>$299.6 million investment. Via Hyperallergic <h3><a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/louvre-jewel-heist-suspects-claim-sponsor-recruited-them-1234791929/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Louvre Jewel Heist Suspects Claim ‘Mysterious Sponsor’ Recruited Them</a></h3> The alleged mastermind reportedly sent the pair a video filmed inside the Apollo Gallery, showing the royal jewels on display, along with concise instructions: break the gallery’s windows and retrieve the jewelry from the display cases. Abdoulaye N., a former motocross social media star who, by his own admission, was in desperate need of money, said he was promised between 15,000 and 20,000 euros to break into the Louvre—“maybe more,” depending on the outcome. For his part, Ghelamallah A. claimed he had been told the target was “a jewelry store where jewelry is made in Paris,” not the world’s most-visited museum. “I would never have set foot there if I had known,” he said, adding that he had been offered between 20,000 and 25,000 euros.&nbsp; Via ARTnews <h3><a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/heritage-auctions-mid-year-total-2786935" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heritage Auctions Posts Record $1.4 Billion Mid-Year Total, as Collectibles Market Roars</a></h3> Heritage Auctions&nbsp;said today that it had more than $1.4 billion in sales through June, the highest mid-year total in the company’s 50-year history.&nbsp; That is a roughly 47 percent jump over Heritage’s 2025 mid-year total of $962 million. If the pace continues, the Dallas-based house is poised to eclipse its&nbsp;annual sales&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ha.com/heritage-auctions-press-releases-and-news/heritage-auctions-closes-2025-above-2.15-billion-for-its-fifth-consecutive-annual-sales-record.s?releaseId=5383" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" target="_blank">record of $2.15 billion</a>, which was set in 2025. That made it the year’s third highest-selling auction house, behind only&nbsp;Sotheby’s&nbsp;and&nbsp;Christie’s. Via artnet Image: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CC0 Public Domain</a>

What We're Reading: July 13, 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661813/s6s4al5fa2v63snt9svi.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/creature-feature" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Creature Feature</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMGallery Victor <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661814/ttutl0d3twtbvu6v58wv.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/all-terrain-a-landscape-group-show" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">All Terrain, a landscape group show</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMAddington Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661815/pdnokbdlrmhqhffndwad.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/john-buck-mont-blanc-on-wood" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">John Buck: Mont Blanc on Wood</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2026 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMZolla / Lieberman Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661815/s3hzsiufata1f9nb8usy.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/david-hockney-the-moon-room" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">David Hockney: The Moon Room</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2026 3:00 PM – 8:00 PMGRAY <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661817/hqypr5x9rofzrzpkmxlb.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/its-about-time-counterproductive-conceptualisms-in-chicago" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IT’S ABOUT TIME: Counterproductive Conceptualisms in Chicago</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2026 3:00 PM – 8:00 PMGRAY <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661818/ntkcsfavyz5tlaea2obf.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/audrey-yang-sanctuary-as-method" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Audrey Yang: Sanctuary As Method</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661819/fhfbtyyagmwi3s4lw1zb.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/melanie-p-brown-driving-my-meat-machine-flight-fantasies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Melanie P. Brown: Driving My Meat Machine: Flight Fantasies</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661820/cx1fku5ef4mydbwnqf1e.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/wonderland" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Collin van der Sluijs: Wonderland</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMJoy Machine <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661821/vlkeer606xgu2igk0ok6.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/painters-painters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Painters' Painters</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSecrist | Beach <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661822/ggnechcxjnpz8tkjqbpt.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ruti-modlin-saltwater-lullabies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ruti Modlin : Saltwater Lullabies</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661822/jmrbt181zpuhochqgyt8.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/dust-that-lay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dust That Lay</a>Opening: Friday, July 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMChicago Artists Coalition (CAC)

Exhibitions Opening July 10, 2026

<h3><a href="https://news.artnet.com/market/dante-gallery-ebay-art-seller-2784297" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">An eBay Seller Was Offering Bargain Rates for Artists like Christina Ramberg and Jim Nutt</a></h3> The hunt started when a friend pinged me the&nbsp;eBay&nbsp;store link for&nbsp;dantegallery, where two works on paper by famed Chicago Imagists&nbsp;Jim Nutt&nbsp;and&nbsp;Christina Ramberg&nbsp;(1946–95) were listed for $499 each (framed), a minuscule fraction of what they would typically fetch. And that was the “buy it now” option. Bidding opened on the lots at $99. We acquired both. Both works had gallery labels on their backs, one from&nbsp;Phyllis Kind Gallery&nbsp;(for the Ramberg) the other from&nbsp;Jean Albano Gallery&nbsp;(the Nutt), legitimate and well-known Chicago galleries. (Kind closed her gallery in 2009 and died in 2018 at the age of 85.) Via Arnet Pro<h3> </h3><h3><a href="https://www.wbez.org/arts/2026/06/26/depaul-art-museum-collections-to-stay-on-campus-as-day-to-day-operations-cease" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DePaul Art Museum collections to stay on campus as day-to-day operations cease</a></h3><h3> </h3>The DePaul Art Musuem has officially closed to the public, but the collections will remain with the institution, according to a university spokesperson. Months ago, DePaul University&nbsp;<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/museums-zoos/2026/02/26/depaul-art-museum-closing-in-june-amid-campus-layoffs-financial-troubles" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37);" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;the museum would cease all operations on June 30. Days later, university staff, faculty, students, alumni and notable Chicago arts leaders added their names to a<a href="https://openletter.earth/letter-opposing-the-closing-of-dpam-f02e5d5a?limit=0" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(37, 37, 37);" target="_blank">&nbsp;letter of opposition</a> to the closure.<h3> </h3>Via WBEZ <h3><a href="https://www.wbez.org/arts-culture/2026/06/25/creative-economy-impact-study-arts-alliance-illinois-workers?subscription=true&amp;utm_source=Newsletter_Daily-Rundown-Non-Member&amp;utm_medium=WBEZEmail&amp;utm_campaign=Daily_Newsletter_Daily-Rundown_Sponsored_20260625&amp;utm_content=6/25/2026&amp;DE=" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New study finds the creative sector is Chicago’s third-largest industry</a></h3><h3> </h3>The creative sector is Chicago’s third-largest industry and accounts for nearly 213,000 jobs, according to a new economic impact study released Thursday by Arts Alliance Illinois, a statewide advocacy organization. The group also released a statewide version of the study. Arts Alliance Illinois Executive Director Claire Rice said this is the most comprehensive report of this kind the group has conducted and that the findings provide arts organizations and advocates with concrete numbers that can be used to push for funding and policy changes across levels of government. Via WBEZ <h3> </h3> <h3> </h3>

What We're Reading: June 30, 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1783013102/gudplogg3m8mv4ydhkod.jpg">Jeanne Gang and CAC CEO Eleanor Gorski. Photos by CGN. By GINNY VAN ALYEA A new exhibition opening June 11 at the <a href="https://www.architecture.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chicago Architecture Center</a> invites visitors to consider Chicago's built environment through the lens of one of the city's most important seasonal visitors: migratory birds. Developed in partnership with Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang, Flyway City explores how architecture and urban design can help protect wildlife along the Mississippi Flyway, which runs through Chicago and is one of North America's major bird migration routes. Through interactive displays, research, design case studies, and hands-on activities, the exhibition highlights both the challenges birds face in urban environments and the solutions available to architects, building owners, and residents. "Chicago is such an amazing place because it is on this migratory flyway. So we want to lean into that identity," Gang said. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1783013102/mkferxazcty0k0v0rwv4.jpg">Birds that have collided with glass The exhibition examines the growing movement toward bird-friendly design. One of the most notable and compelling take-aways of the exhibition is being able to view the application on the CAC’s river-facing windows of an adhesive film of barely visible clear dots, which when used on the glass creates enough of a visual for birds that they redirect flight and are significantly less likely to crash. This is especially useful and easy to do for existing buildings, including residences, as window coverings or protections are needed up to the tree canopy or about 100 feet. New construction can use specially formulated glass.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1783013103/z6umg8foy04a711coavw.jpg">A display shows how birds collide with glass Visitors will also learn about Chicago's unique biodiversity and the role architecture can play in supporting urban habitats. For Gang, the project brings together longtime interests in both the natural and built worlds. "The reason why that I wanted to do this exhibit and partner with CAC,” explained Gang, “was that in my whole career, even growing up, I love nature and also cities and architecture. I've been working on this for a long time to understand how to make cities more attractive to wildlife and nature, as well as how to make sure that the buildings and the built environment respond and protect them. Chicago is such an amazing place because it is on this migratory flyway, hence the flyway city. So we want to lean into that identity.” Beyond raising awareness, Flyway City aims to inspire action. The exhibition offers practical ideas for homeowners and building managers while encouraging broader conversations about policy and urban planning. CAC CEO Eleanor Gorski shared, “I'm thrilled that we have the flexibility to [do this exhibition at the Architecture Center], but also our mission is to create better design through living and that means not just for people but for everyone who's part of our environment. We have over half a million people that come through here annually, especially during the summer months. We have a lot of visitors that come on our walking tours, on boat tours. We saw this as a great way to educate people about the flyway in general and specifically about architecture and how that dovetails with our living environment.” With that kind of critical mass in mind Gang added, ”We're going to try to create this whole class of advocates for bird safety in the city.” The exhibition will remain on view through the end of the year, inviting visitors to rethink Chicago not only as a city for people, but as a habitat shared with countless other living species. "We want Chicago to really be a city that's about nature and cities and protect birds that fly through here and live here," Gang said. June 11, 2026&nbsp;- January 2, 2027 Chicago Architecture Center – Skyscraper Gallery111 E. Wacker DriveChicago IL 60601 Details at <a href="https://www.architecture.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">architecture.org</a> #

A preview of the new exhibtion Flyway CIty at the Chicago Architecture Center with Jeanne Gang

Jeanne Gang and Chicago Architecture Center Launch "Flyway City”

<h3>June's busy first weekend continues, with some exhibition openings, gallery walks and art fairs happening. Pistachios features artistic jewelry by four Swedish artists. Mariane Ibrahim shows ceramics by Jennifer Rochlin. Jeff Carter considers the last remaining building from Michael Reese Hospital. Tour two West Town galleries with Art Encounter, make art with artist Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford in Elmhurst, and visit the 79th annual 57th Street Art Fair in Hyde Park. Grove Gallery has an opening in Evanston too. </h3><h3> </h3><h3>Browse the full CGN calendar <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming&amp;page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" target="_blank">here</a></h3> <h3>– CGN</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661523/fdpf2phnrsayike2aewg.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jennifer-rochlin-the-horizon-keeps-moving" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jennifer Rochlin: The Horizon Keeps Moving</a></h3>Jun 6, 2026 - Jul 18, 2026 Mariane Ibrahim• West Town Marking the gallery’s second solo exhibition with Jennifer Rochlin, on view in Chicago from June 6 through July 18, 2026, the presentation will unveil a new body of ceramic vessels and paintings in which personal narrative, memory, and material experimentation are closely interwoven. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661524/ciamir8v3arqxnj7oepn.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mystic-meadows" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mystic Meadows</a></h3> Jun 4, 2026 - Aug 30, 2026Opening: Saturday, Jun 6, 2026 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Pistachios Contemporary Art Jewelry and Objects• River North Mystic Meadows is an ethereal exhibition with dark undertones. Featuring work from four Swedish artists - Hanna Liljenberg, Karin Roy Andersson, and Märta Mattsson and Sofia Bjorkman - the exhibition addresses themes of repetition, transience, rebirth, and the tension that lies between beauty and decay.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661525/awsv9zd13tbzl5h8tjxp.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/a-modest-pile-sean-patrick-hannaway" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">A Modest Pile: Sean Patrick Hannaway</a></h3> Jun 6 - Jun 20, 2026Opening: Saturday, Jun 6, 2026 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM Chicago Truborn• West Town Opening Saturday, June 6, "A Modest Pile" marks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thehway/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@thehway</a>&nbsp;return to Chicago Truborn with a focused presentation of new work that blends Renaissance painting, street culture, found objects, and a dry sense of humor into something entirely his own. Born and based in Chicago, Hannaway is known for transforming ornate rococo mirrors from the 1960s into richly layered paintings. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661528/ocaaxw7fg4zwukrqobkl.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jeff-carter-the-singer-pavilion-project" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jeff Carter: The Singer Pavilion Project</a></h3> Jun 6, 2026 - Sep 20, 2026 Hyde Park Art Center• Hyde Park Exploring the historic and architectural significance of the Singer Pavilion—the only building remaining of the former Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center in Bronzeville, the exhibition prompts critical reflection on the Modernist promise of social progress, and considers how architectural ideals are compromised by histories of institutional failure, abandonment, and inequality. ﻿<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661528/jsjoe5o01a4iwvtsvuww.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/in-the-absence-of-space" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">In the Absence of Space</a></h3> Jun 6 - Jun 28, 2026Opening: Saturday, Jun 6, 2026 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM The Grove Gallery• Evanston, IL Hosted by the Evanston ASPA (Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American) Association <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661529/fefzqt7awd73rncxuiig.jpg">Jennifer Rochlin is exhibiting at Mariane Ibrahim <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/weekend-art-walk-west-town-galleries-6-26" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Weekend Art Walk: West Town Galleries</a></h3> Saturday, Jun 6, 2026 11:00 AM – 12:45 PM Art Encounter• West Town Visit two expansive West Town galleries – Secrist Beach and Mariane Ibrahim – with Joanna Pinsky to explore intriguing exhibitions based on personal and magical narratives.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661530/aywuombqfwteraibhhwy.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/create-with-artist-jeremiah-hulsebos-spofford" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Create With Artist Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford</a></h3> Saturday, Jun 6, 2026 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Elmhurst Art Museum• Elmhurst Jeremiah will speak about his sculptures and his practice, and then guide participants through art-making inspired by his work. Included with museum admission.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661530/gqgan5hfjtz2nfh5bshg.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/79th-annual-57th-street-art-fair" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">79th Annual 57th Street Art Fair</a></h3> Jun 6, 2026 - Jun 7, 2026 57th Street Art Fair• Hyde Park The 57th Street Art Fair, the Midwest’s oldest juried art fair run by a committee of dedicated volunteers, will mark its 79th year featuring nearly 200 artists, kids’ activities, live music presented by Buddy Guy’s Legends, and Food Trucks for attendees to enjoy delicious bites from Chicago.

New Exhibitions and Events: June 6

<h3>The first Friday of June brings a busy lineup of exhibition openings, receptions, and special events across Chicago. Beyond Illinois there is a local art fair taking place in Kalamazoo, and a gallery reopens with a new name in Milwaukee's Third Ward. In West Town, several new exhibitions open at ARC Gallery, The Golden Triangle, and Chicago Sculpture International, while Chicago Grand Gallery in Ukrainian Village and Forum 301 in River North each host closing receptions. </h3><h3> </h3><h3>Browse the full CGN calendar <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming&amp;page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" target="_blank">here</a></h3> <h3>– CGN</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661383/tqq3livadrrmkujyi4td.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/body-sovereignty-frontgroup-solo-back" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">• Body Sovereignty</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/body-sovereignty-frontgroup-solo-back" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">• Solo</a></h3> Jun 5 - Jun 26, 2026Opening: Friday, Jun 5, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ARC Gallery• West Town <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661383/pxu26loxfpuqoc1v7rhx.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/motion-pictures-lawrence-schiller" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Motion Pictures: Lawrence Schiller</a></h3> Jun 5 - Jun 23, 2026Opening: Friday, Jun 5, 2026 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM Hilton Contemporary• River North Photography and cinematic storytelling through the lens of Lawrence Schiller. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661384/uzzc5j1j1yojy1vzhfbq.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/echoes-of-the-afterlife-selections-from-the-john-d-nichols-collection" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Echoes of the Afterlife Selections from the John D. Nichols Collection</a></h3> Jun 5, 2026 - Nov 28, 2026 The Golden Triangle• West Town The Golden Triangle presents&nbsp;Echoes of the Afterlife, a major exhibition featuring selections from the John D. Nichols Collection of ancient Chinese tomb pottery. Spanning more than two hundred pieces of terra cotta pottery and bronzes dating from 2000 BCE to 1000 CE, the exhibition showcases rare and historically significant objects discovered at archaeological sites throughout Northern China. The collection includes vessels, human figures, animals, architectural models, and ritual objects originally created for burial and the afterlife. Many of these works have never before been publicly exhibited and represent one of the largest private collections of ancient Chinese tomb pottery shown in North America. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661385/gj4e8ena4d5o5p7sp8ym.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/natalia-shutiak-her" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Natalia Shutiak: HER</a></h3> Jun 5, 2026 - Jun 27, 2026Opening: Friday, Jun 5, 2026 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM Chicago Grand Gallery• Ukrainian Village HER explores the unstable terrain of memory, sensation, and inner perception. Moving between figuration and abstraction, the exhibition unfolds as a psychological landscape where identity becomes fluid, fragmented, and constantly shifting. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661385/doteczzirwuohox52fd9.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/abstract-expressions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Abstract Expressions</a></h3> Jun 5, 2026 - Jul 31, 2026Opening: Friday, Jun 5, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Chicago Sculpture International (CSI)• Bucktown “Abstract Expressions” explores the raw, unfiltered language of gesture, color, and movement—where emotion takes form beyond representation and meaning emerges through instinct rather than depiction. Influenced by the bold innovations of artists such as Willem de Kooning, whose restless surfaces redefined the boundaries of abstraction, the pieces in this exhibition embrace tension, rhythm, and spontaneity. In these artworks, control and chaos coexist, echoing the human condition in all its vulnerability and force.&nbsp;Abstract Expressions is not about what is seen, but what is felt—an immersive encounter with the energy of creation itself, emotion made visible. Exhibiting Artists: Nikki Anderson, Pinar Aral, Tomas Co, Darlys Ewoldt, Ted Sitting Crow Garner, Shelley Gilchrist, Peter Gray, Carol Hammerman, Kasia Kay, Victoria Kowalczyk, Laurie LeBreton, Patrick Miceli, Scott Mossman, Rebecca Russow, Marvin Shafer, Yvette Kaiser Smith, Pat Stephens, Rich Stewart, Michele Thrane <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661386/yv3vwfrfpqds3saj8eck.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/closing-recpetion-for-not-normal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Closing Reception for Not Normal</a></h3> Closing reception: Friday, Jun 5, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Forum 301• River North The theme for this exhibition is open ended in scope and allows for many possibilities. Many kinds of art may&nbsp;fit into this broad category. "Not normal"&nbsp;refers to anything that goes against established norms, represents an unexpected change, or deviates from accepted collective reality. For the purposes of the exhibition, depictions of ‘not normal’ are those that depart from standard norms. For example, Dada and Surrealism depict fantastical, odd, or distorted realities that differ from our collective everyday experience. Featured Artists: Jonathan Antos • Ruby Barnes • Sharon Bladholm • Donna Bliss • Margie Criner • Gary Cudworth • Jason Ferguson • Gertah • Bert Gilbert • Jill King • John Kurman • Erin LaRocque • Gina Lee Robbins • Micki LeMieux • Seanice Lenay • Ellen Lustig • Russ Marr • Bobbi Meier • Jerry Monteith • Scott Mossman • Thomas Plum • Howard Russo • Dominic Sansone • Samuel Schwindt • Simone Scigousky • Marvin Shafer • Eleanor Spiess-Ferris • Rich Stewart • Yi Sun • Sishi Wang • Bruce Webber • Connor Young Juried and curated by Victoria Fuller and Spencer Gale.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661387/w6ihzcxua3qix2e93gev.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/75th-annual-kalamazoo-institute-of-arts-fair" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">75th Annual Kalamazoo Institute of Arts Fair</a></h3> Jun 5, 2026 - Jun 6, 2026 Kalamazoo Institute of Arts• Kalamazoo, MI The KIA Arts Fair Returns for Milestone 75th Year! The event will take place on June 5 &amp; 6, 2026, with timings on Friday from 3–8pm and on Saturday from 9am–5pm. The KIA Arts Fair in Bronson Park will feature nearly 150 fine artists in 12 distinct mediums presenting their unique works of fine art to collect, wear, and use. Throughout Friday and Saturday, attendees can enjoy strolling, shopping, live music, kids’ activities, food truck cuisine, artist demonstrations led by the Kirk Newman Art School, and free gallery admissions at the KIA. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1784661388/wciragylbxalq6chvyk7.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/grand-opening-reception" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grand Opening Reception</a></h3> Friday, Jun 5, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM JK Art House• Milwaukee, WI The community is invited to celebrate the grand opening of JK Art House’s new space&nbsp;at 191 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. The evening will serve as the opening reception for&nbsp;The Studio: A Family Dialogue in Paint, featuring Dan McCaw, John McCaw, and Danny McCaw. Guests are invited to meet the artists, explore the new space, and experience a first look at what JK Art House has in store.&nbsp;

New Exhibitions and Events: June 5

<h3>On Saturday this weekend we have a mix of exhibition openings and closings: in Hermosa and nearby in Logan Square. We also have a benefit gala for the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, and a dual artist exhibition in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>View the full calendar&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" target="_blank">here</a>.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>–&nbsp;CGN</h3><h3> </h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429997/dx0prcwr3r6adnashpjg.jpg"><h3> </h3><h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/the-museum-of-i-love-you-so-much-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Museum of I Love You So Much #3</a></h3> May 30, 2026 - Jul 12, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 30, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMSAWHORSE• Hermosa Sawhorse is thrilled to present the third iteration of&nbsp;The Museum of I Love You So Much, a curatorial project organized by Los Angeles-based artist and writer Hannah Tishkoff. Exhibiting artists include Deen Babakhyi, Megan Lee, Jenna Beasley, Flannery McDonnell, Jerry Bleem, Tatiana Sky, Cookie Bunk, Amy Stober, Julia Yerger, and Jack Kearney <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429998/wok6jdtulq8b47crviwp.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/closing-reception-girl-talk-by-lindsey-kircher" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Closing Reception: Girl Talk by Lindsey Kircher</a></h3> Saturday, May 30, 2026 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMOliva Gallery• Logan Square Join Oliva Gallery for the closing reception of&nbsp;Girl Talk, a solo exhibition by Chicago-based artist Lindsey Kircher, presenting recent figurative paintings that stage psychologically charged scenes through dense composition, saturated color, and symbolic imagery, where figures, animals, and objects converge in layered interiors that move between intimacy and performance; the reception takes place Saturday, May 30 from 1–3 PM and offers a final opportunity to experience the work and meet the artist. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429999/khveffeeevwqmhac7m3z.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/uima-annual-benefit-gala" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UIMA Annual Benefit Gala</a></h3> Saturday, May 30, 2026 6:30 PM – 9:00 PMUkrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA)• Ukrainian Village The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art marks its 55th anniversary&nbsp;with deep pride and gratitude. What began as a humble gallery has grown into a powerful cultural voice, recognized across the United States and around the world. For over five decades, UIMA has stood as a beacon—protecting, nurturing, and sharing the soul of Ukrainian artistic expression, and carrying forward a legacy that refuses to be silenced.We are honored to announce that UIMA’s annual benefit&nbsp;gala will take place on May 30th. This year’s theme,&nbsp;“The Enduring Legacy of Ukrainian Art: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future,”&nbsp;carries profound meaning in this moment of history. As Ukraine’s culture is being deliberately targeted and threatened, our responsibility to preserve it, to uplift it, and to ensure it lives on becomes ever more urgent. Because culture is not only memory—it is identity, resilience, and the heartbeat of a nation. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430000/rd7wkfobwvhcxhfa1twj.jpg"><h3> </h3><h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/guadalupe-maravilla-with-emery-blagdon-the-star-exploding-in-the-body" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Guadalupe Maravilla with Emery Blagdon: The star exploding in the body</a></h3> May 30, 2026 - Dec 6, 2026The Art Preserve of the John Michael Kohler Arts Center• Sheboygan, WI At the Art Preserve: May 5, 2026–January 10, 2027At the Arts Center: May 30, 2026–December 6, 2026 This exhibition will bring together for the first time the work of two artists who have both dedicated their lives, through their multifaceted artistic processes, to healing. After a life of rambling,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jmkac.org/artist/blagdon-emery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(38, 62, 148);" target="_blank">Emery Blagdon</a>&nbsp;(1907–1986) settled on his family’s homestead in Garfield Table, Nebraska. Many members of his family had been afflicted with cancer. Convinced of the healing potential of the unseen forces of the earth, Blagdon spent forty years constructing “The Healing Machine.” Using largely tin foil, masking tape, Christmas decorations, and wire, Blagdon sought to harness magnetism, electricity, and other energies to surround visitors with positive forces. JMKAC has owned “The Healing Machine” since 2004. Guadalupe Maravilla migrated to the United States from El Salvador, unaccompanied, at age eight. At thirty-six, he was diagnosed with cancer, which he links to inherited trauma. During treatment, Maravilla connected with Indigenous healing practices, including sound baths—ceremonies that harness sonic vibrations from gongs, conch shells, and other instruments to restore calm and balance and release toxins in the body. He began making sculptures, paintings, performances, and large-scale installations that incorporate found objects related to his own migration story and various gongs and bowls, which he activates to conduct sound ceremonies. Blurring art, science, and medicine, he calls these activations “healing machines.” At the&nbsp;Arts Center, central to the exhibition is Maravilla’s Mariposa Relámpago, a school bus that has been reimagined as a healing temple. Throughout the exhibition, the healing machines will be activated by Maravilla and various other healers, playing the sculptures to turn on and amplify the energy in the gallery—transforming the space into an immersive healing environment.

New Exhibitions and Events: May 30

<h3>This weekend we have a series of parties and new exhibitions happening throughout the city: CAC celebrates new residents in West Town, 65Grand opens a new exhibition in and Humboldt Park, Chicago Grand Gallery and ARC Gallery each host closing receptions, talks and performances, Jackson Junge kicks off PRIDE month, and in suburban Elmhurst the Elmhurst Art Museum opens two shows by Jeanette Andrews and Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford. MoCP also opens a new photography show.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>View the full calendar&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" target="_blank">here</a>.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>–&nbsp;CGN</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430014/ls82w8gtyxi3tjezmxxs.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/warehouse-welcome-party" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Warehouse Welcome Party</a></h3> Friday, May 29, 2026 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM$15 per person. CAC residents and alumni are free, but must <a href="https://www.chicagoartistscoalition.org/cac_events/warehouse-welcome-party-2026/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);" target="_blank">register</a>.Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC)• West Town Join the Chicago Artists Coalition community and welcome the newest cohort of residents! Each year CAC welcomes the incoming resident cohort of artists and curators with a party filled with alumni and guests. This year will be in CAC's warehouse and feature a special video performance at 6p by resident Maryam Faridani.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430014/m4seev0ebz0t4vzetzda.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/japeth-mennes-i-will-always-love-ewe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Japeth Mennes: I will always love ewe</a></h3> May 29, 2026 - Jul 11, 2026Opening: Friday, May 29, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/65grand" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">65GRAND</a>• Humboldt Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430015/mfrnv8lyxbjxbev4e24m.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pride-group-exhibition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">PRIDE! Group Exhibition</a></h3> May 29, 2026 - Jul 5, 2026Opening: Friday, May 29, 2026 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMJackson Junge Gallery• Wicker Park / Bucktown Jackson Junge Gallery’s newest group exhibition featuring artists from the LGBTQ+ community.&nbsp;Giving queer and non-binary creators a platform to share their experiences through art, the gallery hopes to foster an inclusive space for marginalized voices.&nbsp;Explore your own identity and challenge traditional notions of gender and sexuality with PRIDE! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430016/w4q0ffqfsp2pnyphtuxb.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/prix-pictet-storm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Prix Pictet Storm</a></h2> May 29, 2026 - Aug 15, 2026Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP)• South Loop The Prix Pictet is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading photography awards. Founded in 2008 by the Pictet Group, it seeks to harness the power of photography to draw global attention to critical sustainability issues. To date, the award has completed eleven cycles, each organized around a theme that highlights a distinct facet of sustainability.&nbsp;Storm&nbsp;is the theme of the eleventh cycle. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430016/fhfnvgfkbaizkhbygtyt.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/exhibition-closing-artist-talk-with-miya-hannan" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Exhibition Closing &amp; Artist Talk with Miya Hannan</a></h2> Friday, May 29, 2026 4:00 PM – 6:00 PMARC Gallery• West Town Join Athena Fund-awarded artist Miya Hannan for an artist talk at the closing of her exhibition, Resonance, which presents a series of soot drawings and sculptures that explore the presence of human life embedded within the landscape. Using soot—a fluid, fragile residue of combustion—Hannan's work evokes traces of bodies and histories that have disappeared yet continue to linger. Sanded chairs, with portions of their structure removed and reduced to skeletal forms, represent the erosion and absence of physical presence. The instability of these materials reflects the transformation of human existence, as physical forms shift into memories and stories carried by others. Together, the works create an environment that invites slow looking and quiet reflection.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430017/dvgunxzxyzwnamx2vika.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/closing-night-celebration-for-without-permission" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Closing Night Celebration for Without Permission</a></h3> Friday, May 29, 2026 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMOpening: Friday, May 29, 2026 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMChicago Grand Gallery•Ukrainian Village The evening will include a special live performance by legendary actor&nbsp;Charles Pike, who will present David Hauptschein’s deranged and hilarious&nbsp;There’s a Worm in My Toilet&nbsp;— a true story. Special guest&nbsp;Max Fitzpatrick&nbsp;will open the night with a reading of his own short story. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780430018/en1xqlymsffkomhyx1yt.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/opening-reception-of-summer-exhibitions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Opening Reception of Summer Exhibitions</a></h3> Friday, May 29, 20266:00 pm - Early access for Museum Members and exhibition VIPs7:00 pm - Ticketed Entry for non-members7:30 pm - Performance by Jeanette Andrews. - One night only!Elmhurst Art Museum• Elmhurst, IL Join EAM to celebrate the opening of our Summer Exhibitions!&nbsp;On Wonder, Mind, &amp; Magic: Jeanette Andrews; Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford: Near Eternity. Meet the artists, mingle with friends, and enjoy light refreshments. The reception will include a brief “Small Acts of Magic” performance by Jeanette Andrews exploring along with the audience the nature of perception and her research-based practice.

New Exhibitions and Events: May 29

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429952/gnywxixkaoein5jg6dmy.jpg">Randolph Street Market By CGN Staff Chicago’s summer art fair season is about to begin, bringing weekends filled with artists, vintage finds, live music, and neighborhood traditions across the city. The fairs of summer are distinct from international gatherings like EXPO Chicago, as many are focused on local artists selling approachable art and crafts, and casual attendees can enjoy family friendly activities, food trucks and music. The season unofficially kicks off Memorial Day weekend with the return of the <a href="https://randolphstreetmarket.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Randolph Street Market</a> in the West Loop. Founded in 2003 by entrepreneur Sally Schwartz, the market helped pioneer Chicago’s large-scale vintage and antique market scene and has since become a destination for designers, collectors, and treasure hunters from across the Midwest. The popular “Garden Party” market, May 23–24, brings together hundreds of vendors offering antiques, vintage fashion, art, jewelry, home décor, and global goods, all with a distinctly European flea market atmosphere. An additional market takes place July 25th and 26th. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429952/bet00opnleubcbn0ki5k.jpg">57th Street Art Fair Hyde Park hosts the <a href="https://www.57thstreetartfair.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">57th Street Art Fair</a> on June 6–7. Established in 1948 by a group of Hyde Park artists and neighborhood residents, the fair is widely recognized as the oldest juried art fair in the Midwest and one of the oldest continuously running art fairs in the country. Now in its 79th year, the event features nearly 200 artists alongside live music, food vendors, and family programming. Its relaxed neighborhood setting and longstanding commitment to supporting independent artists continue to make it a favorite destination for collectors. You can also listen to some of Chicago's best Blues music at the Buddy Guy's Legends Stage. Several lakefront festivals produced by <a href="https://amdurproductions.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amdur Productions</a> are also planned for June and July. The Gold Coast Art Fair returns to Grant Park June 20–21, showcasing artists from around the country in one of the city’s most high-profile outdoor settings. In July the Millennium Art Festival transforms Michigan Avenue into an open-air gallery featuring paintings, sculpture, jewelry, photography, and live entertainment. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429953/txjdkdwbyjy7soixzlpf.png">Old Town Art Fair The second weekend of June is especially busy with both the <a href="https://www.oldtownartfair.org" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Old Town Art Fair</a> and the Wells Street Art Festival drawing thousands of visitors to Old Town. The Old Town Art Fair is particularly known for its lineup of juried artists, charming garden walk through the neighborhood’s historic homes, and lively social atmosphere that blends serious collecting with a summer street festival feel. Nearby, the Wells Street Art Festival adds live music, food, and a more casual party atmosphere stretching along Wells Street. While the traffic can be a headache, the art + party mix is popular year after year. At these markets and fairs, visitors can find affordable art made by artists working today. Each event offers an opportunity to engage with creativity and to support individual artists. Throughout the summer, art fairs and neighborhood festivals continue nearly every weekend across Chicago and the suburbs, offering collectors and casual visitors countless opportunities to discover emerging artists and enjoy the city’s vibrant outdoor arts scene. For a full list of summer fairs, gallery events, and exhibitions, visit <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming&amp;page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CGN’s calendar of events</a>.

Looking Forward to Summer Art Fair Season

<h3>This weekend we have a series of new exhibitions opening throughout the city: in River North, Bridgeport, Edgewater, Old Irving, Humboldt Park, Michigan Ave. and Waukegan. We also have a film screening, a benefit gala in Evanston, and a cross-gallery tour and talk in two spaces in West Town. </h3><h3> </h3><h3>View the full calendar <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" target="_blank">here</a>.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>–&nbsp;CGN</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429904/to8uf5tefv08ypqpnuob.jpg"><h3> </h3><h3>Joseph Raffael: Moving Toward the Light – A Retrospective</h3> May 14, 2026 - Jul 10, 2026Opening: Thursday, May 14, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/joseph-raffael-moving-toward-the-light" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rosenthal Fine Art, Inc.</a>• RIVER NORTH <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429905/bfkfdfc6m5lhyhxdpymv.jpg"><h3> </h3><h3>Art Shay: An America So Real - 1st Sneak Peek of the Movie</h3> Thursday, May 14, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/art-shay-an-america-so-real-1st-sneak-peek-of-the-movie" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gallery Victor&nbsp;</a>• RIVER NORTH <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429906/yteznaj03pj7hgfty9wl.png"><h3>14th Annual Juried Art Competition</h3> May 15, 2026 - Jun 26, 2026Opening: Friday, May 15, 2026 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/14th-annual-juried-art-competition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bridgeport Art Center</a>• BRIDGEPORT <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429907/ip3bzsel7e3zlzmhda4c.png"><h3> </h3><h3>What We Saved: Femmage Revisited</h3> May 15, 2026 - Jul 18, 2026Opening: Friday, May 15, 2026 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/gallery-of-contemporary-mosaics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics</a>• EDGEWATER <h1> </h1><h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429908/sfxq1fm0k2jlcrqbix1a.jpg"></h1><h3>Jenal Dolson: Interrobang</h3> May 15, 2026 - Sep 26, 2026Opening: Friday, May 15, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jenal-dolson-interrobang" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">65GRAND</a>• HUMBOLDT PARK <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429909/qiql7mp1a5di2yk34ewt.jpg"> <h3>Ink &amp; Outrage: 18th Century Satirical Prints in London &amp; Dublin</h3> May 15, 2026 - Sep 13, 2026 <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ink-outrage-18th-century-satirical-prints-in-london-dublin" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Driehaus Museum</a>• MICHIGAN AVE. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429909/vtcyxbgyfcwcdvdyij9d.jpg"> <h3>Feel Free</h3> May 15, 2026 - Jun 27, 2026Opening: Friday, May 15, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/feel-free" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joy Machine</a>• OLD IRVING <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429911/vgxi0xzv5bg4lfz5npxg.png"> <h3>Cross-Gallery Walkthrough with GRAY and moniquemeloche</h3> Saturday, May 16, 2026 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/cross-gallery-walkthrough-with-moniquemeloche" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GRAY</a> and <a href="https://www.moniquemeloche.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">moniquemeloche</a>• WEST TOWN <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429912/ofy4snxrmgrawxbggoh3.jpg"><h3> </h3><h3>Conflict of Interests</h3> May 16, 2026 - Jun 13, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 16, 2026 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/conflict-of-interests" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ShadowBoxX Gallery</a>• WAUKEGAN, IL <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429913/weigvuyyfxhdpegcrr1s.jpg"> <h3>Evanston Art Center’s The Art Party 2026</h3> Saturday, May 16, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/evanston-art-centers-the-art-party-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Evanston Art Center</a>• EVANSTON, IL

New Exhibitions and Events: May 14–16

<h3> </h3><h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429813/dbvjpojunni0bfoj0hlm.jpg"></h3><h3> </h3><h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/gelsy-verna-mother-father-please-help-me" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gelsy Verna: Mother, Father, Please Help Me</a></h3> May 7, 2026 - Sep 27, 2026Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA)• Madison, WI <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429814/hmbu4lbqpcqlc5alicfe.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/art-theory-and-practice-26" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">We can make any two stories touch: 2026 Art Theory and Practice MFA Thesis Exhibition</a></h3>May 8, 2026 - Jun 14, 2026Opening: Thursday, May 7, 2026 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMBlock Museum of Art• Evanston, IL <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429816/x29jycnpjl1t1gijsdpf.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/senior-capstone-exhibition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Senior Capstone Exhibition</a></h3>May 7, 2026 - May 17, 2026Opening: Thursday, May 7, 2026 7:00 PM – 9:00 PMWadsworth Family Gallery at Lewis University• Romeoville, IL <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429816/y6zf2m2ac8a64nrt1njh.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/spring-benefit-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller</a></h3>May 8, 2026 - Jun 13, 2026Opening: Friday, May 15, 2026 5:30 PM – 8:00 PMThe Art Center Highland Park• Highland Park, IL <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429818/ltnwfdy6zfprmpzt2r8j.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/vanessa-filley-flying-kites-in-a-windless-world" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vanessa Filley: Flying Kites in a Windless World</a></h3>May 9, 2026 - Jul 11, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 9, 2026 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMOS Projects• Racine, WI<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429819/c9ztrbgzddj1rbhgjcmk.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/wallace-bowling-artist-talk" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wallace Bowling Artist Talk</a></h3>Saturday, May 9, 2026 2:00 PM – 4:00 PMBert Green Fine Art• Loop/Michigan Ave. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429820/wvllj2zmvocdnxxxsmix.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mother-earth-market" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mother Earth Market</a></h3>May 9, 2026 - May 10, 2026Brushwood Center• Riverwoods, IL <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429820/pgp5glcln6jxbq5gdpqb.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/family-day-let-loose" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Family Day | Let Loose</a></h3>Saturday, May 9, 2026 11:00 AM – 3:00 PMMuseum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)• Streeterville <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429821/fgkyehsrhisucttlzhfz.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/artist-talk-for-pieces-too-short-to-save-a-survey-of-contemporary-collage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Artist Talk for Pieces Too Short To Save: A Survey of Contemporary Collage</a></h3>Saturday, May 9, 2026 12:00 PM – 1:00 PMOpening: Saturday, May 9, 2026 12:00 PM – 12:00 PMSoNa Chicago Contemporary Art• West Town/Wicker Park # <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming&amp;page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VIEW FULL CGN CALENDAR HERE</a></h3>

New Exhibitions and Events: May 7–11

<h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429692/uhgljhxknpm7hfwunyff.jpg"></h1> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/she-is-sitting-on-her-own-shadow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Manuela García: She is sitting on her own shadow</a></h2>May 2, 2026 - Jun 5, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 2, 2026 5:00 PM – 7:30 PMPATRON• West Town <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429693/jzwgjmd7s5ythi7kybpj.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/garden-of-prayer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nour Malas: Garden of Prayer</a></h2>May 2, 2026 - Jun 5, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 2, 2026 5:00 PM – 7:30 PMPATRON• West Town <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429693/fzddqlclcswbp8pgbt6r.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/palomar-part-1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Palomar (Part 1)</a></h2>May 2, 2026 - Jun 7, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 2, 2026 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMThe Renaissance Society• Hyde Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429695/e41rbkzpkvk113qdnhgg.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/horizons-the-waterscapes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Horizons: the Waterscapes</a></h2>May 2, 2026 - May 24, 2026Opening: Saturday, May 2, 2026 2:00 PM – 5:00 PMThe Grove Gallery• Evanston <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429696/djz8huoa3kjaoot6kaln.png"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/chihuly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CHIHULY</a></h2>May 2, 2026 - Nov 1, 2026Frederik Meijer Gardens &amp; Sculpture Park• Grand Rapids, MI # <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VIEW FULL CGN CALENDAR</a>

New Exhibitions Open May 2

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429659/p32yar7jwoobhwjeah84.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/between-voice-and-silence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Between Voice and Silence</a></h2>May 1, 2026 - May 30, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMUkrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA)•&nbsp;West Town/Ukrainian Village <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429660/hm3yx8zydjic2zlgrwll.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/joan-holleb-woodland-tales" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joan Holleb: Woodland Tales</a></h2>May 1, 2026 - Jul 1, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMAddington Gallery•&nbsp;River North <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429661/bgvrmbjwwdfq11fx02ei.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/golden-vision-zollalieberman-gallery-celebrates-50-years" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Golden Vision: Zolla/Lieberman Gallery Celebrates 50 Years</a></h2>May 1, 2026 - Jun 13, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 3:00 PM – 7:00 PMZolla / Lieberman Gallery•&nbsp;River North <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429661/axzzwxgzykkjchfpfr5r.png"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/athena-2026-solo-shows" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ATHENA 2026 Solo Shows</a></h2>Apr 26, 2026 - May 30, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery•&nbsp;West Town <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429662/fqykbq34joj7vfzqhbio.png"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/homeward-unbound" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">homeward (un)bound</a></h2>May 1, 2026 - Jun 18, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMChicago Artists Coalition (CAC)• West Town <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429663/zlugdcdcttawrhgceogb.jpg"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/without-permission" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">﻿Without Permission</a></h2>May 1, 2026 - May 29, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMChicago Grand Gallery• Humboldt Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429663/fnnac7tuot2uo6hspfel.png"> <h2><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/erin-kaya-atmospheric-geometry" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Erin Kaya: Atmospheric Geometry</a></h2>May 1, 2026 - May 28, 2026Opening: Friday, May 1, 2026 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMVivid Art Gallery• Winnetka # <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VIEW FULL CGN CALENDAR</a>

New Exhibitions Open May 1

<h3><a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/warhol-is-out-gulfstreams-are-in-the-superrich-are-souring-on-art-58f231e6?st=J5sYw8&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Warhol Is Out, Gulfstreams Are In: The Superrich Are Souring on Art</a></h3><h3> </h3>Something unusual is happening in the art market. Sales are stagnant while other businesses that cater to the superrich, like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/wheels-up-wants-high-end-travelers-to-see-flying-private-as-not-so-far-out-of-reach-5ee39031?page=1&amp;mod=article_inline" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);" target="_blank">private jet</a>&nbsp;companies, are booming.The wealthy might simply be putting their cash into other assets because paintings turned out to be a disappointing investment. Weak sales could also be a sign that the art world has become too reliant on baby boomer collectors who are past their peak buying years. Via WSJ <h3>$102 Million Verdict Over Robert Indiana Artwork May End Years-Long Legal Battle</h3> Over $102 million in damages has been awarded to&nbsp;Robert Indiana‘s former business partner in a verdict that may end a protracted legal battle over the rights to some of the late Pop artist’s best-known works. The partner,&nbsp;Morgan Art Foundation, won its lawsuit against art publisher&nbsp;Michael McKenzie&nbsp;on April 23, when a jury in Manhattan federal court found him guilty of making and selling unauthorized Indiana artworks for millions of dollars. McKenzie and&nbsp;Jamie Thomas, the caretaker to whom Indiana gave power of attorney over his estate, have both also been accused by Morgan of&nbsp;<a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/robert-indiana-lawsuit-claims-squalor-1627561" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" target="_blank">taking advantage</a>&nbsp;of the elderly artist in his final years. The latest verdict follows a knotty legal saga centering around accusations of exploitation, fraud, and copyright infringement that commenced just one day before&nbsp;<a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/pop-art-hero-robert-indiana-dies-at-89-1289993" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" target="_blank">Indiana’s death</a>&nbsp;on May 19, 2018. Via Artnet <h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429642/oz3chksriqoeq0tnwk7n.jpg"></h3>$30,000 in cuts – Chicago Architecture Center. NEA funding was cut for the popular Open House program <h3><a href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/forum/ccb-forum-chicago-arts-funding-cuts-20260427/?utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Newsletter-editorial-promo-20260427" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" target="_blank">How Chicago arts and culture orgs plan to stay strong despite federal cuts</a></h3> Months before last September’s Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Kate Dumbleton learned that a $30,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts had been canceled.Dumbleton, the festival’s artistic and executive director, scrambled to raise the funds needed to cover artist fees. But the ordeal left her skeptical as to whether government funding could be a reliable source in the future. “The bigger question is whether the NEA is going to be there for arts organizations,” she says. Via Crain's Chicago

What We're Reading: April 28, 2026

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429512/tqov7dc1uevs1q8kdccx.jpg"></h3><h3> </h3><h3>Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas –</h3><h3>SMART MUSEUM OF ART</h3> Alma Thomas (1891–1978) is a singular figure of twentieth-century American art. She developed her form of abstraction – characterized by the dazzling interplay of pattern and hue – late in life, after retiring from a long career as a schoolteacher. Her vibrant and rhythmic art transcended established genres, incorporating elements of gestural abstraction and color field painting and creating a style distinctly her own. Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas draws on the extensive holdings of the artist’s paintings at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) and offers an intimate view of Thomas’s evolving practice during her most prolific period, from 1959 to 1978. At a deeply politicized moment in American life, Thomas’s abiding sources of inspiration became the cosmos, nature, and music. As she stated, “Through color I have sought to concentrate on beauty and happiness, rather than on man’s inhumanity to man.”&nbsp; Thru July 5, 2026&nbsp;5550 S. Greenwood (60637)&nbsp;<a href="https://smartmuseum.uchicago.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">smartmuseum.uchicago.edu</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429513/xafvd94pugqrawvqcahc.jpg">The Murphy Auditorium at the Driehaus Museum <h3>Brendan Fernandes: In The Round –&nbsp;</h3><h3>The Driehaus Museum</h3> Brendan Fernandes: In the Round&nbsp; is the Driehaus Museum’s next iteration of its A Tale of Today series that places contemporary art in dialogue with the art, architecture, and design of the Gilded-Age Museum. Fernandes, the Museum’s first artist-in-residence, will transform the 1926 Murphy Auditorium into a dynamic site for sculptural installation, movement, sound, and dance. Conceived as an evolving, episodic residency, In the Round will unfold throughout 2026 with performances and public programs and is organized by guest curator Stephanie Cristello. “In the Round,” says Cristello, “invites us to experience contemporary art and dance as a shared architectural and social space—one shaped by bodies moving together through history. Reactivating the radical spirit of the Judson Dance Theater within the Murphy Auditorium, Brendan Fernandes asks us to see history itself as something lived, collective, and continually re-made.” 50 E. Erie&nbsp;Apr 9–Nov 14, 2026<a href="https://driehausmuseum.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">driehausmuseum.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429513/txrf19jb80e8evod295v.jpg">Sarah and Joseph Belknap, 4 Months of the Sun, 2014 <h3>Palomar (Part 1) –</h3><h3>The Renaissance Society</h3> The sun was formed 4.6 billion years ago. It takes 8 minutes and 20 seconds for its light to travel to Earth. The calendar as we know it, based on cycles of the solar year, was first implemented four and a half centuries ago in 1582...Time used to be local, based on the sun’s position. That changed on “The Day of Two Noons,” in 1883, when U.S. railroads adopted standardized time zones....Palomar Observatory, on a California mountain, once had the largest optical telescope in the world...Italo Calvino wrote a book about a person, a seeker of the cosmic in the everyday, who shares his name with that place...Palomar is a group exhibition in two parts. Curated by Karsten Lund. May 2–Jun 7 • 5811 S. Ellis Ave. (60637)<a href="https://renaissancesociety.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">renaissancesociety.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429514/difmfbf9pjzouw0zrz7n.jpg">Denzil Forrester (b. 1956, Grenada; lives in Cornwall, United Kingdom), Duppy Deh, 2018. Oil on linen; 79 1/8 × 120 1/8 in. (201 × 305 cm). Collection of Margot and George Greig. © Denzil Forrester. Courtesy of the artist and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London and New York. Photo: Stephen White &amp; Co. <h3>Dancing The Revolution–&nbsp;</h3><h3>Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)</h3> Dancing the Revolution explores and expands the visual, political and spiritual histories of dancehall and reggaetón through contemporary art—two dynamic genres that have transcended their grassroots origins to shape global culture. From Kingston to San Juan through London, Toronto, New York City and Panama, Dancing the Revolution positions music and dance as a revolutionary practice for collective liberation rooted in the struggle against colonial oppression. Dancehall and reggaetón are reminders of the Caribbean’s centuries-old traditions of dance and music as means of liberation and protest rooted in Black Atlantic history and culture. Dancing the Revolution showcases pivotal moments and themes from these histories, starting with the sound system—a mobile disco that embodies both a community experience and a vital civic institution.&nbsp; The exhibition features more than 35 artists, including Isaac Julien, Jean Michel Basquiat, Edra Soto, Alberta Whittle, Carolina Caycedo, supakid and Lee “Scratch” Perry. A special commissioned mixtape project invites visitors to learn about the evolution of these popular genres in Panama and hear iconic songs that paved the way for the global phenomenon of reggaetón.. Apr 14–Sept 20220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago<a href="https://mcachicago.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mcachicago.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429514/b0ene2bpr5tjgsvw5k9q.jpg"> <h3>CHIHULY–&nbsp;</h3><h3>Frederik Meijer Gardens &amp; Sculpture Park</h3> One of only two Chihuly exhibitions in the world in 2026, this exhibition spans both the outdoor gardens and indoor Sculpture Galleries, creating a dynamic dialogue between glass, landscape, and architecture. Outdoors, guests will encounter monumental glass sculptures, vibrant Reeds, and striking site-responsive installations that appear to grow from the landscape, amplifying color, light, and form. Indoors, the separately ticketed exhibition Chihuly: Radiant Forms traces more than 40 years of Chihuly’s creative journey.&nbsp; May 2–Nov 1Grand Rapids, MI<a href="https://www.meijergardens.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">meijergardens.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429515/azdtqcguqegbvxdieyu4.jpg"> <h3>Randolph Street Market Festival–&nbsp;</h3> Touted as a “mecca of cool,” the iconic Randolph Street Market&nbsp;Festival returns to the bustling West Loop, where the world-famous&nbsp;event first began at 1341 W. Randolph, over Memorial Day weekend . The premier destination for one–of–a–kind finds, the Randolph Street Market Festival offers an ultra-curated, high-quality selection of antiques, vintage and modern goods ranging from fashion to art, jewelry, décor, retro home furnishings, global goods and more. Treasure hunters&nbsp;and entertainment-seekers alike will be delighted by the continuous lineup of live musical acts, unique food vendors, fun cocktails and more to enjoy throughout the weekend. Another summer market takes place in July.&nbsp; May 23 and 24; July 25 and 26<a href="https://randolphstreetmarket.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">randolphstreetmarket.com</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429516/ufbeuy5tjidc13mdydnn.jpg"> <h3>Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford:&nbsp;Near Eternity–</h3><h3>Elmhurst Art Museum</h3> In his first exhibition at EAM, artist Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford presents a series of outdoor sculptures in Wilder Park as well as an immersive installation within the iconic McCormick House. Bridging handcrafted techniques and digital fabrication, featured works serve as a low-carbon alternative to traditional monumental sculpture as a way of reflecting on labor, materiality, the internet age, and architectural legacies. Near Immortality features new sculptures created from 3D scans of important design items in EAM’s collection. May 30–Aug 23<a href="https://elmhurstartmuseum.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">elmhurstartmuseum.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429517/gnvfogw4iajc4rmpeflw.jpg"> <h3>Door County Contemporary –</h3> The Door County Contemporary Art Fair will be held at the Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek, Wisconsin for the second year. The three-day program introduces art to art enthusiasts in Wisconsin, and it was born from the desire to address a lack of contemporary art in an otherwise culturally enriched and dynamic destination. DCC will host galleries from Wisconsin and beyond while welcoming thousands of art lovers from around the United States. It will also feature a wealth of site-specific art works and projects, plenty of Wisconsin-centric food and drink, and curated events and art-related projects. June 4–7Peninsula School of Art, Fish Creek, WI<a href="https://www.doorcountycontemporary.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">doorcountycontemporary.com</a> # <h3>See CGN's full calendar <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a></h3>

This Season’s Highlights: Spring/Summer 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429455/qcysgja2p4qexnm4tqrh.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA An art experience centered on scent may seem unexpected—but that sense of discovery is part of what makes the Alliance Française de Chicago’s 2026 Symposium on the Arts of France especially compelling. Titled Scent: The Invisible Art, this year’s three-part series considers fragrance as a creative medium—one that operates beyond the visual to shape memory, emotion, and perception. While the opening lecture took place in April, two upcoming programs continue the exploration, offering Chicago audiences an opportunity to engage with art through a more immersive, multisensory lens. The May 13 program, A Journey into the Artistry and Passion of Fragrance, features Linda G. Levy, President of The Fragrance Foundation, who frames scent as a form of artistic expression shaped by the vision of the perfumer. Drawing on the work of influential figures such as master perfumer Carlos Benaïm and fragrance curator Frédéric Malle, Levy explores the idea of “perfumery as art”—from Benaïm’s inspiration in Van Gogh’s Starry Night to Malle’s approach of composing fragrances as one might a work of art, giving perfumers complete creative freedom. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429456/xnzphu5wqsg0kg7qeaio.jpg"> Her talk also traces connections between disciplines, comparing the perfumer’s palette of ingredients to the materials of painters and sculptors, while highlighting collaborations that translate scent into other forms, including graphic design, portraiture, and poetry. The program further touches on synesthesia—the blending of sensory experiences—inviting audiences to consider how fragrance might be perceived as color or emotion. The series concludes on June 10 with Senteurs et Émotions, led by renowned French perfumer Camille Goutal. Both lectures take place from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Alliance Française de Chicago and are presented in English. For more than two decades, the Symposium on the Arts of France has been a cornerstone of the Alliance’s cultural programming, bringing internationally recognized voices to Chicago while highlighting the enduring influence of French art and thought. This year’s focus on scent expands that tradition, offering a fresh perspective on how art can be experienced—and understood. A limited number of complimentary tickets are available for students, reflecting the Alliance’s commitment to accessibility and education. The series is offered in person and available online. More information and tickets are available at <a href="https://www.af-chicago.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">af-chicago.org</a>.

A Three-Part Series on the Art of Scent Comes to Alliance Française de Chicago

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429406/o33gqf9dgmehbityz5zc.jpg"></h3>Maurizio Cattelan and Myriam Ben Salah.&nbsp;Matthew Reeves/BFA.com <h3><a href="https://observer.com/2026/04/artist-maurizio-cattelan-renben-2026-renaissance-society-chicago/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maurizio Cattelan Turned This Years RenBen Gala into a Silent Party</a></h3><h3> </h3>What a blessing to have silence not just available but imposed at an art event—to finally be able to focus on the experience of the art without the distraction of social interaction. For a writer like myself, who hopes for exactly that condition every time I visit a show, this year’s Renaissance Society gala in Chicago was simply perfect. “A lot of events mistake noise for energy, and I wanted to undo that confusion,” artist&nbsp;<a href="https://observer.com/person/maurizio-cattelan/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" target="_blank">Maurizio Cattelan</a>, who designed the event, tells me, adding that silence changes how people receive things. “It is not that communication stops altogether; it just becomes less efficient and more exposed. People write, they wait, they look longer.” To him, it felt like a good premise for an art event, though he acknowledged that many artists have engaged with silence far better than he ever could, from&nbsp;<a href="https://observer.com/person/john-cage/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" target="_blank">John Cage</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://observer.com/person/joseph-grigely/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(26, 26, 26); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" target="_blank">Joseph Grigely</a>. “I was not trying to make a statement so much as interrupt an automatic behavior. A gala usually runs on social reflex, and silence makes that reflex visible.”<h3> </h3>Via Observer <h3><a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/expo-chicago-sales-vip-day-report-1234780810/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dealers Are Doing Brisk Business at a Smaller and ‘More Intentional’ Expo Chicago</a>&nbsp;</h3> Tears of joy are not the first thing you expect to hear about at art fairs, but that was the order of the day for Tennessee artist Annie Brito Hodgin at Thursday’s VIP preview at the thirteenth edition of Expo Chicago (April 9–12), where she is showing her paintings with&nbsp;Red Arrow Gallery. Via ARTnews <h3> </h3><h3><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/arts/design/lacma-peter-zumthor-los-angeles.html?unlocked_article_code=1.a1A.wcg8.MJ0AUVAlSjf9&amp;smid=url-share" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Daring and Dazzling, a New LACMA Floats Above Los Angeles</a></h3> Forecasts were dire about what’s officially called the David Geffen Galleries, after the donor who gave $150 million. “The blob that ate Wilshire Boulevard,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/5897-the-blob-that-ate-wilshire-boulevard" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145);" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;Architectural Record in 2014. “Suicide by architecture,”&nbsp;<a href="https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/lacma-suicide-by-architecture/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145);" target="_blank">lamented</a>&nbsp;The L.A. Review of Books five years later.The building opens to museum members in the coming weeks and to the general public on May 4. I expect it will be wildly popular. Via NYT <h3><a href="https://www.wbez.org/arts/2026/04/11/black-collectors-guild-expo-chicago-diversity-in-art" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">At Expo Chicago, a crew of collectors bond over Black art</a></h3> For one group of collectors,&nbsp;<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/arts-and-culture/2026/04/03/expo-chicago-art-fair-obama-center-contemporary-galleries-navy-pier-tickets" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(4, 130, 130);" target="_blank">Expo Chicago</a>&nbsp;is not just an art fair but a family reunion. On Thursday afternoon, they trickled into Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, offering enthusiastic hugs and handshakes. The cohort included everyone from health care professionals to military veterans, who traveled from Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Kansas City, Mo., and other major cities. Before touring the galleries, they gathered in the center of the venue for a champagne toast to “building together.” Via WBEZ

What We're Reading: April 14, 2026

The weekend of EXPO CHICAGO, April 8–12, invites you to engage with art in a once-a-year setting in Chicago, even if you never even make it to the fair. It’s the time of year, throughout the city, when new exhibitions open, special presentations are on view, there are talks, tours, satellite fairs, coffees, parties, even a cake social. The CGN team has a few dates we won’t miss.&nbsp;We hope to see you there!&nbsp; View CGN's full calendar <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming&amp;page=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>, updated daily! – CGN Staff <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429335/vma1nrvsb4cgtnadzlmb.png"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/renben-2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RenBen 2026</a></h3> This year’s RenBen for the Renaissance Society is a&nbsp;silent dinner party.&nbsp;Curated by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, dinner is at the Chicago Athletic Association. Guests will see what happens when there is no small-talk, or&nbsp;any talk at all... April 8, 7–10pm <h3> </h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429336/tqnlmsm6z0iilglxxfbn.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/vernissage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EXPO Vernissage</a></h3> EXPO CHICAGO’s Vernissage benefit offers a first look at the fair and supports the MCA. It starts at 10am and is by invitation. Tickets may also be purchased for additional times and days.&nbsp; April 9 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429338/aa5gsyq03vs7n3bzve8z.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/life-is-an-art-iam-the-party" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IAM The Party</a></h3> Art: IAM the party&nbsp;is the most exciting way to celebrate Intuit’s 35th anniversary and the 1st birthday of the expanded Museum. Honoring Nick Cave, Bob Faust and Jerry Stefl. Intuit Art Museum April 10 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429339/exujhcgqbmkdcttgwgf1.jpg">Deborah Koo <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/material-offering-by-deb-koo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VSG Cake Social</a></h3> VSG Contemporary opens an exhibition of Deborah Koo’s tantalizing cake paintings and&nbsp;Mason Pott’s lush works featuring assemblages of fruits, vegetables and flowers. Luckily gallery owner Allan Weinberger is serving cake from 12–5pm.&nbsp;CGN will be there, so stop by to say hi and enjoy some cake! April 11, 12–5pm <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429340/d9ctafshlple9fiolba0.jpg">Lou Beach <h3><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pieces-too-short-to-save-a-survey-of-contemporary-collage" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">An Exhibition Honoring Tony Fitzpatrick</a></h3> SoNA Chicago Art Gallery is hosting Pieces Too Short to Save: A Survey of Contemporary Collage that honors the late Tony Fitzpatrick. The group show features works created by the artist’s friends. The opening on April 11 will also feature poetry readings by Fitzpatrick's family and friends. Reception April 11<h3> </h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429340/cgxhvanzebdiium54dmf.jpg">Western Exhibition's 2026 Barely Fair booth <h3><a href="https://www.barelyfair.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Barely Fair</a></h3> BARELY FAIR's 2026 edition of Chicago's international 1:12 scale art fair returns, operated by JULIUS CAESAR artist collective and includes 30 artist-run spaces, commercial galleries, and curatorial projects from around the world. April 3-19 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429341/ixlpffx7nj1tcijxeeab.jpg"> <h3><a href="https://www.neighbors.art/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Neighbors</a></h3> A new art fair, called Neighbors, will take place in a 1,200 square foot Gold Coast apartment in a historic building designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw. The satellite fair is the vision of a Chicago collector who wants to show art in a domestic setting. Several galleries from Chicago art participating, as well as others from around the country. April 8–12

CGN Around Town, Spring 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429300/s11bxmfmmslqmzc2hldd.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/geometries-in-light" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Geometries In Light</a>Exhibition begins April 2Pistachios Contemporary Art Jewelry and Objects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429301/v6eonukevcb3vhbmji82.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/teaching" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Teaching</a>Opening: Saturday, April 4, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429301/wnzvk50lskowyjdujar0.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/the-presidents-18th-annual-art-exhibition2026" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The President’s 18th Annual Art Exhibition</a>Exhibition begins April 2Wadsworth Family Gallery at Lewis University <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429302/y3tl9wy0fiqur9cifqaa.png"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/a-view-from-above" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">David Keel: The View From Here</a>Opening: Friday, April 3, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMVivid Art Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429303/krnq1uyaub3oxmvjqlj4.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/on-rock-soft-matters-curating-slowness-and-reconnection-through-the-visual-arts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">On Rock-Soft Matters: Curating Slowness and Reconnection through the Visual Arts</a>Opening: Saturday, April 4, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMSeldon Institute

New Exhibitions Open April 1 - 4 (Part I)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429313/m7yspb30cgxbymm4uisk.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/monoprint-one-of-a-kind" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Monoprint: One of a Kind</a>Opening: Thursday, April 2, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMChicago Printmakers Collaborative <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429314/wi7j5usdq8gtzodmmxm2.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/girl-talk-by-lindsey-kircher" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Girl Talk by Lindsey Kircher</a>Opening: Friday, April 3, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PMOliva Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429315/ogd3op7eldodxymmauun.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/alison-ruttan-the-paradox-of-inaction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alison Ruttan: The Paradox of Inaction</a>Exhibition begins April 4Hyde Park Art Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1780429315/jyyxaxaxpalf0s08hizk.jpg"> <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/cydney-m-lewis-weeds-grow-in-all-directions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cydney M. Lewis: Weeds Grow in All Directions</a>Exhibition begins April 4Hyde Park Art Center

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