By GINNY VAN ALYEA

Chicago’s own Vertical Gallery is setting off on an exciting new path. Though gallery owner Patrick Hull's decision means he is leaving the West Town space after the current show closes, he emphasizes that he is also adapting to the current art market to meet collectors where they are. And he's also not done with Chicago. Ultimately, after more than a decade of shaping the city’s urban-contemporary art scene, owner and curator Hull is leaving his physical space in order to expand his gallery’s reach to collectors around the globe.

Vertical’s current group show, The Scenic Route—on view through September 27—will be the final exhibition in its West Town space. From here, the gallery will focus on art fairs, pop-ups, and destination events across the U.S. and abroad. The new approach begins this winter at Aqua Art Miami (December 3–7) and builds on Vertical’s successful presentations in Paris and New York.

Chicago will remain part of the journey. In March 2026, Vertical will celebrate its 13-year anniversary in partnership with Jackson Junge Gallery, and in July the gallery will present acclaimed Dutch painter Collin van der Sluijs in collaboration with Joy Machine Gallery. Additional exhibitions are planned.

As Patrick Hull describes it, “Vertical 3.0 brings our artists and our aesthetic to the world at large, and better serves the needs of a global collector audience demanding new, more interactive experiences.”

Though the format is evolving, the gallery’s mission is unwavering: showing the best in contemporary art and giving artists fresh ways to connect with collectors.

It’s a bold new chapter for Vertical—one that keeps Chicago close to its heart while embracing a worldwide audience.

verticalgallery.com

Read CGN's spring 2020 interview with Hull here.