<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417990/kowmqxbp9g28wp1ji8en.png"><figcaption>The 1982 painting "Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump" by Jean-Michel Basquiat at the Art Institute of Chicago on Friday, July 24, 2020. Billionaire, Ken Griffin paid more than $100 million for the large-scale 1982 canvas "Boy and Dog in a Johnnypump" and has loaned it after a pre-pandemic purchase. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)</figcaption></figure><h3>Now hanging at the Art Institute: Chicago billionaire Ken Griffin’s new, $100 million Basquiat canvas</h3>Now that eye-widening sale has turned into news Chicagoans can use. Exuberant, elemental and about 14 feet wide by 8 feet high, the painting is now hanging on a wall in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute, where it will be on view when the museum reopens Thursday after its more than four-month COVID-19 closure.By Steve Johnson, Chicago Tribune<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/museums/ct-ent-griffin-basquiat-art-institute-loan-0725-20200725-g2l2lzlkhfdh7dpobezyvqw4p4-story.html">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417991/iw9jnggncbsc8dbvki22.png"><figcaption>Pablo Picasso, Still Life (1922). Pablo Picasso’s Estate. VEGAP. Madrid, 2020.</figcaption></figure><h3>Stunned Conservators Just Found a Ghostly Picasso Hidden Beneath One of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Most Treasured Paintings</h3>The discovery lends new insight into Picasso's practice.What’s better than one Picasso? How about a second Picasso lost for decades?That’s exactly what a team of research scientists&nbsp;at the Art Institute of Chicago discovered and wrote about in a report published this week in&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452-020-3136-y#Sec2">Applied Science</a>.By Caroline Goldstein, Artnet News&nbsp;<a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/picasso-still-life-1896526">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417992/jerx09nbn9gwg7icrsfc.jpg"><figcaption>Legislation calls for the Smithsonian Institution to study a site for a National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall in Washington</figcaption></figure><h3>US House votes to establish a National Museum of the American Latino</h3>The US House of Representatives voted today to establish a National Museum of the American Latino under the umbrella of the Smithsonian Institution to promote recognition of the Hispanic community’s role in American history and culture.By Nancy Kenney, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/us-house-votes-to-establish-a-national-museum-of-the-american-latino">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: July 28, 2020

<html><head></head><body>By CGN StaffThe MoCP is the world’s premier college art museum dedicated to photography.&nbsp;Founded in 1976 by Columbia College Chicago as the successor to the Chicago Center for Contemporary Photography, the Museum began collecting in the early 1980s and has since grown its collection to include more than 15,000 objects by over 1,500 artists.&nbsp;The Museum of Contemporary Photography's popular Fine Print Program allows collectors to affordably buy art by some of the world's most renowned photographers while also supporting the museum's programming. &nbsp;Printed especially for the Museum by some of the most innovative photographers working today, the sale of editioned Fine Prints (many for just $400) directly supports artistic and educational programs at the MoCP.&nbsp; Prints by more than 60 artists are available online including works by artists of local, national and international renown such as Sarah Pickering, Olivo Barbieri, Tony Tasset, Ken Fandell, Brian Ulrich, Anna Shteynshleyger, Anna Fox, Aspen Mays, Kahn and Selesnick, Simon Roberts, Yeondoo Jung, and Tim Davis. Works by internationally-collected artists like Alec Soth, Vik Muniz, Candida Höfer, and Curtis Mann have quickly sold out in recent years.Each image is printed on archival-quality paper and is offered in an edition of 30, numbered and signed by the artist.This year, four artists join the program &nbsp;– all women artists:&nbsp;<a href="https://mocp.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e4250b7536dc23e9352b28ee&amp;id=9233b6e150&amp;e=d76e1da35a">Patty Carroll</a> <a href="https://mocp.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e4250b7536dc23e9352b28ee&amp;id=3858ba12e8&amp;e=d76e1da35a">Beth Dow</a> <a href="https://mocp.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e4250b7536dc23e9352b28ee&amp;id=d7e6f68eee&amp;e=d76e1da35a">Priya Kambli</a> <a href="https://mocp.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e4250b7536dc23e9352b28ee&amp;id=503fd7658e&amp;e=d76e1da35a">Millee Tibbs</a>At a time when many of us have not been able to visit a museum in months, the latest unveiling of MoCP's print program additions means you can (physically! not virtually!) bring museum-quality work in your own home.&nbsp;<a href="https://mocp.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e4250b7536dc23e9352b28ee&amp;id=47cf8dad40&amp;e=d76e1da35a">Explore Fine Prints</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418790/az3av3ephtct3uukj3ya.jpg"><figcaption>Patty Carroll (American, b. 1946) Scrapbooking from the Domestic Demise series, 2016 Archival Pigment Print 12 x 12 inch image on 14 x 14 inch paper Signed Edition of 30 $400</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418790/zw8ent9qvnjcizrsx5gf.jpg"><figcaption>Beth Dow (American, b. 1965) Natural Color from the Prediction Error series, 2018 Archival Pigment Print 15 x 12 inch image on 20 x 16 inch paper Signed Edition of 30 $400</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418791/hqiyvkmkbnlh2eetmqfy.jpg"><figcaption>Priya Kambli (Indian, b. 1975) Eye (Muma and Maushi) from the Buttons for Eyes series, 2019 Archival Pigment Print 10 x 14 inch image on 11 x 15 inch paper Signed Edition of 30 $400</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418792/r5cqdoqpyp7c8mudzjog.jpg"><figcaption>Millee Tibbs (American, b. 1976) Untitled from the Mount Analogue series, 2014 Archival Pigment Print 11 x 14 inch image on 11 x 14 inch paper Signed Edition of 30 $400</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

MoCP Unveils Latest Works in Its Fine Print Program (And all the Artists are Women!)

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417978/nl7jbgis6cqp7yq4dext.jpg"><figcaption>Kate Lynn Lewis, The Radiance of Being</figcaption></figure>CGN Staff via PRSpending a beautiful, sunny day walking Chicago's Riverwalk might make you feel a twinge of normalcy, like you're back in 2019. Except now in 2020 you must wear a face mask and be mindful not stroll too closely to others enjoying the same view. However, summer is here, the sun is out, and there is new art to enjoy.&nbsp;This week the&nbsp;Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)&nbsp;in collaboration with the Department of Assets, Information and Services&nbsp;(AIS)&nbsp; announced new public artworks on&nbsp;the&nbsp;Chicago Riverwalk&nbsp;–&nbsp;including a mural celebrating 100&nbsp;years of Art&nbsp;Deco by&nbsp;artist&nbsp;Kate Lynn Lewis and portraits of Chicagoans by&nbsp;street muralist Dont Fret. Guests&nbsp;to the Riverwalk&nbsp;are required to wear a face covering and practice social distancing.“The new artworks on the Riverwalk continue Chicago's rich tradition of murals and public art," said Mark Kelly, Commissioner of DCASE. “These commissions support local artists and enrich our second waterfront, as Chicago welcomes visitors – and residents – back to our city, safely and responsibly.”Located at the Riverwalk’s Community Marketplace&nbsp;west of Michigan Avenue, the newly completed&nbsp;mural&nbsp;The Radiance of Being,&nbsp;designed and painted by Chicago-based artist Kate Lynn Lewis,&nbsp;celebrates 100&nbsp;years of Art Deco&nbsp;architecture.&nbsp;Spanning over 180 feet&nbsp;tall&nbsp;on two levels, the&nbsp;lead artist and an all-female crew completed the&nbsp;mural over six weeks.&nbsp;In the artist’s own illustrative style, the&nbsp;scene&nbsp;is&nbsp;composed of motifs from&nbsp;some of Chicago’s Art Deco buildings, including the Chicago Motor Club, the St. Jane, One N.&nbsp;LaSalle, 10 W. Elm St., the Palmolive Building,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Palmer House,&nbsp;the&nbsp;Adler Planetarium and many&nbsp;others.&nbsp;A nearby mural on one of the Riverwalk interior walls&nbsp;shows&nbsp;a map of where&nbsp;these&nbsp;buildings can be found&nbsp;in the city.“Having the opportunity to give back to the city that has developed me as an artist and a person has been the experience of a lifetime,”&nbsp;said artist Kate Lynn Lewis.&nbsp;“The Riverwalk is surrounded on all angles by art deco architecture, so it felt like a great opportunity to expound on the immersive experience of painting a deco collage inspired by motifs found in the area. I love that this experience is just one of countless examples of how Chicago has invested in the creative culture that makes it so beautifully unique.”The Confluence,&nbsp;the Chicago Riverwalk’s most western point near Lake Street,&nbsp;will become home for a&nbsp;series of 55 portraits of Chicagoans by street artist&nbsp;Dont Fret later this month. Created by one of Chicago’s most visible street artists&nbsp;–&nbsp;Dont&nbsp;Fret,&nbsp;The People in Your Neighborhood&nbsp;will offer a microcosmic reflection of scrappy and hard-working Chicagoans found throughout the city, each portrayed with&nbsp;Fret’s inimitable documentarian flair.<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417979/wv05g3244xuadwrm0jn6.jpg"><figcaption>Dont&nbsp;Fret, Manny's Deli</figcaption></figure>“There are certain character traits that I think define a true Chicagoan. Tough, full-browed with a sense of ingenuity and midwestern humbleness, but always toiling, working, moving forward with an almost absurd laugh and grin about this crazy, wonderful city,” said&nbsp;Dont&nbsp;Fret. “I was asked to paint 55 portraits of Chicagoans who I think contribute to the hard work that defines our city, although it can only scratch the surface of the millions of stories moving through our streets. These are the people in your neighborhood.”These new artworks will complement&nbsp;several&nbsp;installations&nbsp;that were&nbsp;added to the Riverwalk last year.&nbsp;Between the below..., a series of five intricate and colorful banners by Kingston-born multimedia artist Ebony Patterson, hang at the Riverwalk on&nbsp;Wacker Drive, just east of the Michigan Avenue Bridge.&nbsp;Known for her drawings, tapestries, videos, sculptures and installations that involve surfaces layered with flowers, glitter, lace and beads,&nbsp;Patterson&nbsp;is an&nbsp;associate&nbsp;professor in&nbsp;painting at the University of Kentucky, Lexington,&nbsp;and is represented by Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago.Nearby under the Columbus Avenue&nbsp;Bridge,&nbsp;artist&nbsp;Alberto Aguilar's&nbsp;Echo Hecho Fresco was also added to the Riverwalk in 2019. The zigzag pattern made with&nbsp;CDOT traffic paint&nbsp;is intended to&nbsp;reflect the&nbsp;constant movement of people through the tunnel, cars on the bridge above, boats below and river flowing beside.The award-winning Chicago Riverwalk, a 1.25-mile promenade through the heart of downtown, has quickly become one of the city’s most popular destinations for art, music, dining and the enjoyment of natural habitats, beloved by Chicagoans and visitors alike. The Riverwalk is managed by the AIS&nbsp;with programming from DCASE. Access to the space is free and open to the public daily from 6am–11pm.&nbsp;Under the City’s phased reopening, the Community Marketplace is set to open July 17. Face coverings and physical distancing are required for all&nbsp;visitors. Vendor&nbsp;details are available by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=Fx6ZlfogyykExOP4a2vWQ9p4frCbFaRwb7jG00BWy2WVcn5INrLroHU97-2BaA4vmLZfu3_BYLPtpUivDHORxxkVXshLCRT3wjV7CgXbLJWP9J5MP9LJ6jv7-2Bb0c97UF1yE1XeiKasl3Q0KHAlfCn9N7XONZksYe5OIXa5kf5eLUqZODuRSP9aq4SJ-2B49W0jH0wJ361NM0FOZiL1GFTzBMt2Gu7zTMc39udau6iXwplVM5stLkNtA1PXGQcyYqH3U27sUP2ldBNVgvvLwIqtzPfTshw-2Bpw9R9LG2fYwolHyZ6pztA-2FlqqcqDo0ty737qTkl0b8ZQFg8LuVuYZ-2BVqYU-2BNY9uTvUFPV35Ut7en9aIfw-2Fd4HZj1msc03pPN7j1vPZ2b6p0FUMAoun-2FZzb-2BC4wCFeJpz2ht1K0A3oYaLLmv7lfIxTb8234mBKLxJBpZoec7VDhRFrGDPv9EdER8fJcwYbcMHH8s-2Bjf3zbL9CdVmDz-2BdPSo-3D">www.chicagoriverwalk.us</a>. &nbsp;</body></html>

Riverwalk's New Art Continues Tradition of Murals and Public Art and Welcomes Visitors Back to City

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417919/rje9vqylh3fbwvkuy5k0.png"></figure>Via PR<a href="https://www.expochicago.com/amanda-williams-what-black-is-this-you-say">EXPO CHICAGO</a>, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, which has moved its regularly scheduled fall art fair to spring 2021, launched its new virtual salon series, Dine&amp;, with an artist conversation and dinner featuring artist Amanda Williams and 2020 James Beard nominee Erick Williams (no relation). A new initiative from EXPO CHICAGO, Dine&amp; pairs bespoke culinary experiences with conversations led by prominent figures from Chicago’s artistic and cultural communities. For the first event in the series, Virtual Virtue: What Black is This, You Say?, Erick Williams of Virtue restaurant designed a four-course dinner menu inspired by the many hues of black envisioned by the artist Amanda Williams in her recent digital series What black is this, you say?.Over the course of the meal guests experienced a dynamic discussion between the artist and chef on Amanda’s digital series that originated as her response to the Instagram ‘black out’ on June 2, 2020, when black squares publicly swept the platform in an effort to show solidarity with the #blacklivesmatter movement. Meals were delivered to guests' homes, with an optional wine pairing featuring wines from Black-owned wineries McBride Sisters and Maison Noir Wines. The event brought together collectors, philanthropists, and cultural leaders from Chicago and around the country to experience a dialogue between chef and artist. EXPO CHICAGO has donated event proceeds to Enrich Chicago, a nonprofit organization working to address systemic racism in the arts, and honoraria for both participating artists.&nbsp;“Throughout this incredibly challenging time, I have thought deeply about the role EXPO CHICAGO can play as a connector—between multidisciplinary creators, between artists and arts patrons, and between arts patrons and organizations that are making real change,” said President | Director of EXPO CHICAGO&nbsp;Tony Karman. “In creating Dine&amp;, the exposition seeks to connect our community in new and innovative ways, fostering important conversations and continuing our year-round support of the Chicago arts community. We are honored to work alongside and collaborate with both Amanda Williams and Chef Erick Williams, whose artistic contributions to this event will have a tangible impact on the extraordinary work of Enrich Chicago.”<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417920/icyw2oegjfludj1alird.png"></figure>Director of Enrich Chicago Nina D. Sánchez stated, “The funds EXPO CHICAGO helped raise tonight will further our mission to fund equity research, develop the next generation of aspiring anti-racist arts administrators, and sponsor anti-racism workshops with leading national training organizations for arts leaders throughout Chicago. It is heartening to see our city’s art fair provide thoughtful support of Black artists and Black-owned businesses, and recognize the work we do at Enrich—we hope this series can serve as a model for influential organizations nationwide.”Guests in attendance received one of 32 signed limited-edition artist proofs, an adaptation of Amanda Williams’ series What black is this, you say? in embroidered silk dupioni paired with a work on paper. Produced by EXPO CHICAGO and Open Editions, the work adopts the form of a dinner napkin and conventional swatch card used by fabric manufacturers, acting as a vehicle for messages written by the artist in response to the visual culture of protest.EXPO CHICAGO has also partnered with Williams and Open Editions to produce a collectible and functional edition of What black is this, you say?. Based on her Instagram series, the artist’s interpretation of distinct hues of black will be presented as embroidered fabrics in a set of six dinner napkins. Each napkin in the set is sewn from a different type of fabric to portray a range of shade and texture. This edition includes an artist-designed swatch card, which features the fabrics in a conventional grid, paired with captions used in the original series. The open edition of What black is this, you say? is available for $85 and can be purchased online <a href="https://open-editions.com/products/amanda-williams-what-black-is-this-you-say-napkins">here</a>. Proceeds from the sale of the edition will benefit Enrich Chicago to support anti-racism learning workshops, capacity-building training and leadership development for the Rising Arts Leaders of Color program.<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417921/axg2edrmqy2wahamg7u3.jpg"><figcaption>Amanda Williams. Limited edition AP of 32. Raw silk, silver embroidery, 18 x 18 inches. Hand painted work on paper, watercolor, 4 x 8 inches.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Dine&: EXPO CHICAGO Expands Its New Initiative 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417908/ln4jqizyakouzikbisgz.jpg"><figcaption>Murals on the walls of the Uptown Post Office in Chicago on June 22. The W.P.A.-era murals, painted on ceramic tiles by artist Henry Varnum Poor, celebrate the accomplishments of architect Louis Sullivan and poet Carl Sandburg. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;How will Chicago artists make it through the pandemic? 85 years ago the Feds had an answer. Could it work again?Indeed, 85 years ago this spring, in the darkest days of the Great Depression, with more than 20 percent of Chicagoans out of work, President Roosevelt did something unprecedented. By signing an executive order creating the WPA — one of several federal programs established during the 1930s that provided regular salaries to artists — he was promoting the role of the federal government as arts patron. He was suggesting the government should play a part in directing the cultural identity of the nation itself. And by the late 1930s, about 75,000 Chicagoans — and 12,000 more in the surrounding suburbs — were working for the WPA.By Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-lessons-of-great-depression-art-0719-20200715-pb2at6yaqjd6hhevkj364ip4om-story.html">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417909/oqsjctqzzxwtsqucjfts.jpg"><figcaption>Coming Home, purportedly by Gertrude Abercrombie, sold at auction for $93,750 last year.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Experts weigh in on alleged art forgery ring in MichiganArt historians explain why the work of lesser known artists with rising markets, like George Copeland Ault and Gertrude Abercrombie, might become the target of a fakes schemeBy Ruth Lopez, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/analysis/experts-weigh-in-on-michigan-art-forgery-ring">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417911/y8sls16yejzeagdz0mud.png"><figcaption>A mural based on the phrase “Beyond Human Dreams of Loveliness” stretches 150 feet along an outside wall at Harry S Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave. in Uptown. Pat Nabong / Sun-Times</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Street artist Left Handed Wave’s Uptown mural ties together neighborhood’s past, present‘Beyond Human Dreams of Loveliness’ at Truman College spells out that phrase, each letter inspired by a place — past or present — central to Uptown and the surrounding area.By Clare Proctor, Chicago Sun Times<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2020/7/17/21310570/chicago-murals-uptown-left-handed-wave-beyond-human-dreams-loveliness-truman-college-balaban-katz">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417912/cjuzdgviofjelusvjs6f.jpg"><figcaption>TEFAF's spring 2018 edition in New York. KIRSTEN CHILSTROM</figcaption></figure>TEFAF Cancels Fall New York Fair as Pandemic’s Far-Reaching Impact Becomes&nbsp;ClearAs the coronavirus pandemic continues to make it difficult for large events to be held throughout the remainder of 2020, another top art fair has been canceled, marking the second event of its kind to be called off this week alone. The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) said in a statement that it will not host its New York edition, which had been postponed from May until the end of October.By Maximiliano Duron, artnews<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/tefaf-new-york-fall-2020-canceled-1202694702/">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: July 21, 2020

<figure class="image"><img src="http://i2.cmail19.com/ei/i/E6/51F/945/031908/csfinal/Untitleddesign-6b4bd8bb11a91af1.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Kayla Anderson (left) and Kristin McWharter (right)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Via PRChicago, IL. July 16, 2020 --&nbsp; Chicago Artists Coalition is thrilled to announce&nbsp;the recipients of the 2020 ENVISION Grant for Chicago-based artists working in the field of time-based digital and electronic art: <a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xkjdya-dlvzir-r/">Kayla Anderson</a> and <a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xkjdya-dlvzir-y/">Kristin McWharter</a>. Anderson and McWharter have been awarded unrestricted grants of $2,500 each for their demonstrated artistic excellence. 2020 is the inaugural year of the ENVISION Grant, which is made possible by a partnership with the Carl &amp; Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation.&nbsp;In announcing the grants, CAC’s Executive and Artistic Director, Teresa Silva said, “We are pleased to provide direct funding to Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter for their compelling and rigorous work. Our hope is that the ENVISION Grant will have a positive impact on their studio practice for developing imaginative and experimental new work. CAC is also grateful to the Thoma Art Foundation for their vision and generosity in supporting Chicago artists.”The Thoma Art Foundation’s Curator of Digital Art, Jason Foumberg added: “The Thoma Foundation is thrilled to sponsor this three-year award for emerging Chicago-based artists working in the digital art field. We often look to emerging artists as we would a crystal ball, to see what the future holds in terms of experimentation, innovation, and paradigm shifts. For this reason, we are pleased that the jury has selected Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter, two promising artists working at the forefront of virtual reality who shed light on human relations in our technological age. I look forward to seeing the artworks that Anderson and McWharter develop in the near future.”Anderson and McWharter will be recognized for their achievement in an award ceremony by CAC and the Thoma Art Foundation, once it is deemed safe to reopen to the public, anticipated for fall or winter 2020.The next ENVISION Grant application cycle opens May 2021 and&nbsp;more information about the program can be found <a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xkjdya-dlvzir-j/">here.</a>&nbsp;

Chicago Artists Coalition announces recipients of the inaugural ENVISION Grant

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417613/ewmbpctjbvirbrvxlb65.jpg"></figure>By CGN Staff&nbsp;We can't count the number of things that are different about the art world these days, since COVID-19 turned everything in our community upside down. One of many recent creative responses has been to meet the ongoing need for protective, reusable face masks in an artistic as well as impactful way. Jeffrey Gibson, an artist represented by Kavi Gupta Gallery, and a 2019 MacArthur Foundation Fellow, is the latest artist to participate in the gallery's COVID-19 Mask Project, an effort to sell personal protective works of art and donate 100% of the proceeds to charity.Gibson is known for melding indigenous North American materials and forms with those of Western contemporary art to create a new hybrid visual vocabulary and prompting a shift in how Native American art is perceived and historicized.Regarding the need for masks right now, Gibson shared, “We’re living in a time when people should be wearing masks—period. Unforeseen, my tribe, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has been hit hard by COVID-19. We’re a small tribe based in Central Mississippi. People aren’t able to work or make income. It means a lot to me to be able to raise money to help. The mask itself—whether you’re buying it as an artwork, or buying it to be worn—it’s an object of our time.” Indeed these masks that are so critical now will someday come to represent so much of our day-to-day life in 2020.<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417614/stb0juflo9boel4ygy1h.jpg"><figcaption>Kavi Gupta COVID-19 Mask Project x Devan Shimoyama. Courtesy of the artist and Kavi Gupta</figcaption></figure>A gallery representative shared, "We started this project to not only raise money for overlooked communities in need, but to also amplify the message that masks are vitally important and that wearing one is a civic duty– we must protect each other."The masks provide a barrier to the wearer and those in proximity, but also 100% of proceeds from mask sales will be donated, split between the <a href="https://www.choctaw.org/ ">Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians</a> to aid with COVID-19 critical care response, and to <a href="https://ndncollective.org/">NDN Collective</a>, an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building and narrative change.Gibson explains his process: “When I first started to think about making masks, my first thought was to work with the materials we already have in the studio. I’ve been making these quilts and all of the fabrics have different texts. They say things like DEFEND, WE’RE DIFFERENT, LOVE, and POWERFUL. The mask design goes from ear to ear, so the words sit right under the eyes. The words vary from mask to mask.The masks are made from three panels of fabric, and have two colored cords that slip over the head and can be adjusted using wood sliding beads to tighten the mask or loosen it. There’s a little pointed area over your mouth and nostrils, beak like, so its not right up against your mouth. There is also a space inside for an insert. They’re all 100% cotton. I wanted something people could wash: hand wash, because of the beads.”Masks are now available for <a href="https://kaviguptaeditions.com/products/preorder-kavi-gupta-jeffrey-gibson-covid-19-mask-project">preorder</a>.&nbsp;Previous editions have sold out quickly. Completing the preorder reserves a Jeffrey Gibson mask,&nbsp;made by the artist in a limited edition of 100. Masks will ship in 2-3 weeks.&nbsp;The first phase of the project featured artist Devan Shimoyama, more info <a href="https://kaviguptaeditions.com/products/kavi-gupta-devan-shimoyama-covid-19-masks-project?_pos=2&amp;_sid=661124aad&amp;_ss=r&amp;variant=31905786527799">here.</a> The next chapter of the Mask Project will launch in September and will feature another artist from the gallery's program.&nbsp; &nbsp;For questions&nbsp;contact the gallery&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:covidsupport@kavigupta.com">covidsupport@kavigupta.com</a>Jeffrey Gibson photo credits: Kavi Gupta COVID-19 Mask Project x Jeffrey Gibson. Courtesy of Jeffrey Gibson Studio and Kavi Gupta. Photo: Brian Barlow&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Artistically Powerful Face Masks Are Objects of Our Time

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417612/t8ngfegbam4veuo8vtf7.jpg"><figcaption>The finished mural installed at BMO Harris "If I Could Show The World"</figcaption></figure>By CGN Staff via PRLast month on June 15th <a href="https://cpslives.org">CPS Lives</a> and BMO Harris collaborated with CPS students, volunteers, and their families in order to create the&nbsp;mural, "If I Could Show The World"&nbsp;at the Hyde Park Art Center. With the help of lead artists Dorian Sylvain and Jeff Phillips the work of 11&nbsp;different CPS Lives artists and over 20&nbsp;different CPS Schools were featured in the finished mural.The finished mural was then installed at BMO Harris Bank's downtown Chicago location on the corner of LaSalle and Monroe, and a small celebration with the public took place on June 29th to highlight the efforts of CPS Lives artists and CPS students who made this project possible. The mural is on view to the public for about a month.&nbsp;Art can tell stories and change narratives,” says Suzette Bross, Executive Director of CPS Lives. “This mural is an expression of giving back to the community and showing the good in humanity.”<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1-300x201.jpg" alt="A little girl with a mask helps with the mural" srcset="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1-300x201.jpg 300w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1-224x150.jpg 224w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-girl-350x234-1.jpg 350w" sizes="100vw" width="300"></figure>In June 2020, a group of Chicago students transformed temporary plywood, used to cover BMO Harris Bank’s main branch during protests, into a work of art expressing messages of hope and unity.As protests erupted across Chicago – and the country – and thousands of Chicagoans demonstrated peacefully, CPS Lives and BMO Harris Bank looked for ways to jointly support local communities and to stand against racial inequality and injustice. BMO – a longstanding supporter of both Chicago’s public schools and the city’s arts community – reached out to CPS Lives and asked if they wanted to create artwork on the plywood around the branch.“BMO’s values of fairness, equality and inclusion perfectly align with ours,” says Suzette, who founded CPS Lives, a non-profit organization that creates artist residencies in Chicago Public Schools to share honest and positive stories about public schools. Local artists partner with a Chicago Public School during the academic year to collaborate on a project. The art they create gives young people in Chicago a platform to speak about their hopes, dreams, and ideas.“There are 400,000 students in the CPS system, and many people in the city don’t know anything about them,” says Jeff Phillips, a local artist who works with CPS Lives. “This was an opportunity to give the students their own voice – in a really public way.”Amplifying voicesLike protest, art can give a louder voice to people who aren’t being heard. The recent protests have given voice to people from all walks of life, joining together to demand change to make society more just and inclusive. Similarly, this group of Chicago Public School students and artists created a powerful public art project to send a message of their own.“Protest and public art are similar expressions. They’re both a personal statement of values,” says Dorian Sylvain, a Chicago artist and CPS Lives collaborator. “Displaying art in the public spaces goes beyond aesthetics. It creates dialogue – and it’s human nature to want to be heard.”Suzette reached out to Jeff and Dorian to collaborate, and they quickly got to work on a proposal and a design. Together, they came up with the idea of a mural made up of images and photos from CPS Lives artists and CPS schools, highlighting the proud academic achievements of graduating students – and surrounded by images of life at public schools across the city.“Highlighting all these beautiful young faces that are usually somewhat anonymous – it not only empowers the kids who see themselves on that mural, but also other people who are like them. That can be very validating,” says Dorian.Jeff agrees. “We wanted to evoke something positive and emotional, and to do what art is supposed to do – reflect the everyday in a new light.”A creative collective<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1-300x201.jpg" alt="People with masks working on the mural" srcset="http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1-300x201.jpg 300w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1-224x150.jpg 224w, http://corporate-responsibility.bmo.com/us/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/06/blog-mural-making-350x234-1.jpg 350w" sizes="100vw" width="300"></figure>Titled “If I Could Show the World,” the mural was named and assembled by students from more than 20 Chicago public schools participating in the CPS Lives program. Hyde Park Art Center donated its space, and more than 75 people came together to create the murals, including students who chose to spend their first day of summer vacation there.“The experience was festive. We had music playing, it was a beautiful day, the students came in and they brought their friends. We just had a good time,” says Dorian. “The spirit of collective work, and the gratification of producing something together that one person couldn’t have done on their own – it’s so empowering. Sharing, listening, learning from each other – all those principles come out when we work together.”“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” says Jeff. “To see these kids creating together, and hearing them say things like ‘I feel like an artist’ – it was incredible.”Inclusion and equalityCPS Lives is the first of several non-profits that will create art for BMO’s main branch windows over the coming months, serving as a visual reminder to continue our progress toward a more inclusive society. The art will be displayed in neighborhoods across Chicago as it rotates out of the bank’s windows.“Art is such a powerful and direct way to express hope and optimism,” says Jeff. “Public art speaks to the community. The message spreads. If you create something interesting and beautiful, you invite people in to learn more about your world – and that can make all the difference.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417612/kz4uxtz1qxjrytqqmuo4.jpg"><figcaption>Students from Chi Arts help paste down images at the Hyde Park Art Center</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

CPS Lives and BMO Harris Collaborate on Mural with Students and Families

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417642/bnyyybjw5kd17guelf85.png"></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAIn-person events are a mixed bag right now, as some things take off with sensible adjustments to group size and requests to wear masks and others are on extended hold. As more events come back on the calendar, everything is left up to individual comfort levels.&nbsp;Additionally, many organizers are choosing to move ahead with virtual events for the time being, since they have been well-received since the start of the pandemic and because many business owners are learning that holding virtual events is not only safe, but also welcome to new audiences who can actually go farther than ever from the comfort of home. One such event going virtual is the Bronzeville Trolley Tour. The group's website says that like Harlem in New York, Bronzeville is a community where Chicago’s African American music, Literature, Fine Art, and Theater historically thrive. At present, the <a href="https://www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com">Bronzeville Art District (BAD)</a> consists of six established visual art spaces working together to focus and drive cultural activities in the community such that a distinctive cultural identity can be crystallized and communicated.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417642/iqi6svxbirk5vzrygg31.png"><figcaption>Tour-goers in the past stream into the South Side Community Art Center</figcaption></figure>The tour, known well beyond Bronzeville, has been ongoing each month for many years, but for the foreseeable future it will come to you, as the tour takes a break from the on-wheels, and crowded, format familiar to many. Many Bronzeville spaces will also continue to host virtual exhibitions from July through December.&nbsp;Participants this weekend include:&nbsp;Blanc Gallery&nbsp;Gallery GuichardLittle Black Pearl Art &amp; DesignBronzeville Artist LoftsFaie African Art GallerySouth Side Community Art Center&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417643/omqh8xhednmz44cncik6.png"><figcaption>The owner of Blanc Gallery gives a video preview of the show that will be on view Friday</figcaption></figure><a href="https://youtu.be/Vkq4CwB_HYw">Click Here</a> to watch an introduction video with a weekend preview on YouTube, where gallery owners discuss shows that will be on view and special events taking place via the virtual tour on Friday night.&nbsp;To join and ride on Zoom this Friday, July 17 from 7–8pm RSVP at <a href="http://bit.ly/bronzevillearttrolleytour">bit.ly/bronzevillearttrolleytour</a>The tour will be taking place on the 3rd Friday of every month, and the remaining dates for 2020 are August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20 and December 18. More information about the tour and the district may be found <a href="https://www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Bronzeville's Famed Trolley Tours of African American Cultural Community Go Virtual 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417606/z4xjlmi7smz3ort2frjl.jpg"><figcaption>The murals that Sounding Boards collect as businesses opt to take their plywood down will live in a storage facility until the initiative is able to move on to the next phase of its preservation plan. Mackenzie Crosson / WBEZ</figcaption></figure>Protest Art Has Covered Boarded Up Businesses — Will It Be Preserved?Some businesses were damaged, some were looted, and others sought to pre-emptively safeguard their property from civil unrest by boarding them up—and the blank plywood covering their windows became canvases. Ant Ben hoped his painting would have a life in a Chicago public school once the restaurant decided to take the boards down, but the piece disappeared before that was possible.By Mackenzie Crosson, Steven Jackson, Izii Carter &nbsp;- Via WBEZ Radio<a href="https://www.wbez.org/stories/protest-art-has-covered-boarded-up-businesses-will-it-be-preserved/e3db8017-a6ba-4dde-9bc3-3d17f6ee5392">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417607/svjnd5rw3zqnvhn9xiix.jpg"><figcaption>The installation “Dirty Laundry” on the lawn at Schurz High School. (Erica Gunderson / WTTW News)</figcaption></figure>Artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust Ask Community to Make #AMENDSThe broad front lawn at Carl Schurz High School in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood is bisected by two laundry lines strung between trees and festooned with bright yellow ribbons that flap and rustle in the breeze. Scrawled in black marker on the hundreds of ribbons are personal messages about racism.The ropes and ribbons, in place since Thursday, are one portion of the three-part community-based art project “#<a href="http://facilitychicago.org/the-contribution-project/">AMENDS,</a>” which seeks to end racism by beginning with the self. It’s the work of life and art partners Nick Cave and Bob Faust at their multidisciplinary creative space and gallery Facility, right across the street from the school.By Erica Gunderson, WTTW News<a href="https://news.wttw.com/2020/07/12/artists-nick-cave-and-bob-faust-ask-community-make-amends">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417608/vw608cueucb6l7w82kkm.png"><figcaption>Christie's "ONE" auction.</figcaption></figure>Christie’s Nets $420 M. in First Livestreamed Global Relay Auction Led by $46.2 M. Lichtenstein&nbsp;NudeThe global event closes the first set of milestones of the new virtual auction era. The auction hammered at $362 million, above its pre-sale low estimate of $337 million, realizing a total sell-through rate of 94 percent.By Angelica Villa, artnews<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/christies-one-sale-results-roy-lichtestein-1202694117/">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417609/gmwwtyaoap7zsfrhxxwc.jpg"><figcaption>Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2020 have been cancelled Photo by Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Linda Nylind/Frieze</figcaption></figure>Frieze directors ‘left with no choice’ but to cancel London fairs in OctoberContinued restrictions on large-scale events and travel due to coronavirus have made the show logistically impossibleBy Anny Shaw, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/frieze-directors-left-with-no-choice-but-to-cancel-london-fairs-in-october">Read More</a>&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: July 14, 2020

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417594/doqlkyg8pkrautoue9w2.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;CGN Staff, Via PRThe Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is pleased to announce that it is planning to reopen to the public on Friday, July 24, 2020, after several months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. With generous support from Northern Trust, the museum is welcoming back visitors with free admission through the end of August, as well as new museum hours, days, and a lower capacity optimized for the safety and well-being of visitors, following city, state and CDC health guidelines.The MCA will now be open to the public on Fridays and weekends from 11 am to 6 pm, with the first hour of the day dedicated to seniors and people at an increased risk. Visitors are encouraged to make online reservations in advance through a new touchless admission process. The MCA’s reopening features more work on view by Chicago artists and from Chicago collections than ever before in its history. Acclaimed Chicago filmmaker Deborah Stratman’s exhibition on her film The Illinois Parables, includes a re-creation of the WFMT radio studio of the renowned Studs Terkel with a selection of his celebrated interviews. Just Connect is a timely exhibition on how the pandemic has made us more aware of our desire to connect, and how we depend on our communities and families for a sense of belonging. The popular exhibition, Duro Olowu: Seeing Chicago has been extended to September 27, featuring an exceptional assembly of works drawn from Chicago’s greatest public and private collections by the British-Nigerian fashion designer Duro Olowu.﻿MCA Director Madeleine Grynsztejn says, “Throughout extraordinary moments in history, artists have always shown us the way forward with work that has the power to heal, connect, inspire, and ignite our creativity. Art museums are among the lowest-risk spaces to visit in the city, and the spacious design of the MCA offers wide-open public spaces to easily accommodate physical distancing while guests experience the art on view. We also encourage visitors to step outside to enjoy time for quiet contemplation in our terraced sculpture garden with some of the best views in the city overlooking Lake Michigan.”With the health and safety of the community as its top priority, the MCA has implemented extensive new safety measures that follow city, state, and CDC guidelines, from a new touchless admission process, to a system of newly designed wayfinding to ensure physical distancing, to enhanced cleaning and sanitization. A full roster of safety measures is online at <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001j_e975AqtCcZm4RiG1uZtYXtPbOHM38JGMAdkgAwJoSlgLZMt-zeTczCZiPblC1cpcLqlEqYqrw2lGc2pxHr0lc5Cmyb3ERGdDzNM4vIv4zYUf1o91eGgJDWKqf1z6Avr4NTe0Gm4PWS4vfXN3cpT8vfuBLfNpbo&amp;c=SqG7nguZ9rNrA4JhIyF9nXlWIltHh4u-vo4-TiJiBVmxl3ypX8_ejg==&amp;ch=6FKRbN0JfcJdzPfvUy9xJLwLVfOj_161TmZbVLMfK7qIVREP0YhFyA==">www.mcachicago.org/safety</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

MCA Chicago Set to Reopen on July 24 with Free Admission and New Hours

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418788/nhcxtznlzju9ow1wq0lz.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;By GINNY VAN ALYEAMany of us have come to rely on easy online reservation systems for making dinner reservations and personal service appointments without having to (gasp!) make an actual phone call. Now, amidst the COVID-19 sea change that has hammered businesses at every level, Tock, headed by CEO Nick Kokonas, of Alinea and Next fame, has started to offer its booking service to area galleries. Currently there are six – primarily West Town – spaces online <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/arts?fbclid=IwAR2QUXguXesglxs048UAc7-yyiNXlZncdYyb08h0wLn7hPoC6jDJ-PbBmFw">under 'arts'</a>: The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Western Exhibitions, DOCUMENT, Volume, Rhona Hoffman, Andrew Rafacz and PATRON. These art spaces also appear among the general list of restaurants offering in-person dining as well as carry-out.Users who visit Tock can enter the number of people in their party, the date and time they would like to visit. Available results will appear, you can select your time frame and make your reservation. On the back end, galleries can provide their own availability and any individual restrictions.&nbsp;According to a spring 2020 article in Forbes, Kokonas galvanized his team to build a <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/join/togo">delivery and takeout platform</a> that would enable easy setup for restaurants who were becoming reliant on to-go ordering, once diners were no longer coming in to restaurants. More associated with reservations for fine dining establishments like Alinea, Tock saw the need to pivot to support restaurants' changing needs and offerings.Kokonas told Forbes, “We built this all in a week, utilizing Tock's existing data structures and back end. But we really had a team going 24/7 because we anticipated this shut down,” explained Kokonas.&nbsp;“It wasn't difficult to watch what was happening in Italy and realize it was likely to happen here as well.”Now businesses beyond restaurants (galleries and museums) are able to use the platform as a means of streamlining the process of private appointments that are now so necessary in order to visit spaces that were closed for so many months and that are also unlikely to have the staff to handle complex scheduling.&nbsp;As galleries in the Chicago area begin to re-open one by one and host exhibitions in their physical spaces again, we encourage you to pay them a visit to engage with art. Tock offers a new way to make your visit to several of them even easier.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Tock, the Dining Reservation System, Now in Use by Local Galleries for Private Appointments

<html><head></head><body>CGN Staff, Via PRArtadia is pleased to announce the recipients of the eleventh annual Chicago Artadia Awards:​ Caroline Kent ​and ​Eliza Myrie​. As the 2020 Chicago Artadia Awardees, Kent and Myrie will receive $10,000 in unrestricted funds, as well as access to the ongoing benefits of the Artadia Awards program. Applications were open to any visual artist living within Chicago’s Cook County for over two years, working in any medium and at any stage of their career.The decision followed an extensive jury process, culminating in a virtual studio visit between shortlisted finalists and jurors ​Jennifer Carty​, Associate Curator of Modern &amp; Contemporary Art, The Smart Museum at University of Chicago and ​Jessica Hong​, Associate Curator of Global Contemporary Art, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth.On receiving the 2020 Chicago Artadia Award, ​Eliza​ states, “The process of this award, the opportunity to discuss and present my practice, especially with the discombobulated energy of Covid-19, really reminded and excited me about the investments and commitments I have made. There are so many things to find out by making and many conversations I want to be having as a result of finding those things out. Artadia was a great reminder of that and of course, will enable lots more making.”Of the Awardees' work, ​Jennifer​ notes, “I was so struck by the work of the awardees Caroline Kent and Eliza Myrie, both of which tackle existing power structures and hierarchies in different and nuanced ways. Through a fluency of language with histories of abstraction, Kent extends and alters this legacy through potent means. While Myrie’s exploration into sculpture, performance, and likeness leads us to consider the physical and mental maintenance, often coupled with moments of futility, of subverting patriarchal systems. Both of these bodies of work feel particularly relevant to the current moment in which we live and the futures we endeavor to imagine.”Additionally, ​Jessica​ states, “When we’re facing such extremes and upheavals, it is artists and cultural producers that push us to think, question, and engage in new ways, and this year’s Artadia Awardees are no exception. Though both artists have quite distinct practices, Kent and Myrie seek novel, even revolutionary, potentials of their media and create space for possibility, which is now more essential than ever. It is especially during these times, artists require support through organizations like Artadia to amplify their voices, as it is ultimately the publics that need to hear these voices and experience their work. It was a privilege to serve as juror and connect with all of the finalists and it’s an honor to have a small part in supporting these critical practices.”Artadia is honored to partner with Global Insurer, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, and the artist LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, Inc. for the two 2020 Chicago Artadia Awards. Both organizations have generously committed to supporting exceptional artists in Chicago, each with a named Award in the amount of $10,000. The 2020 Chicago Artadia Awards are additionally supported by the Artadia Board of Directors, Artadia Council Members, and individual donors across the country.&nbsp;About the Awardees:Caroline Kent<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417591/uverwcm2wxjj989izgnq.png"><figcaption>Artwork credit: Caroline Kent,​ Language for the Living, 2018 Photo courtesy of the artist</figcaption></figure>Caroline Kent is a Chicago based visual artist that explores the relationship between language, translation and abstraction through her expanded painting practice. Kent speculates in both the potential and the limitations of language, and ultimately questions the modernist canon of abstraction.Caroline Kent earned a BS in Art at Illinois State University (1998) and an MFA at the University of Minnesota (2008). Kent has exhibited nationally at The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The DePaul Art Museum, Chicago, The California African American Museum, LA, and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Kent has received grants from The Pollock Krasner Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, and The Jerome Foundation. She is currently represented by Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles.&nbsp;Eliza Myrie<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417592/br57szfv6htnwvgrgu8i.png"><figcaption>Artwork credit: Eliza Myrie, ​clothesline/back fence talk​, 2018 Photo of artist by Elizabeth Haynes</figcaption></figure>Eliza Myrie received her MFA from Northwestern University and was a participant at The Skowhegan School and The Whitney Independent Study Program. Myrie is a lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a co-founder of The Black Artists Retreat [B.A.R.]. Exhibitions include Arts Club Chicago; Gallery 400; Vox Populi; Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; New Museum of Contemporary Art.Myrie’s work explores site and labor through generational inheritance, gender, and authorship. As a sculptor and printmaker, dimension, volume, and examination of how representation and subjectivity are lost/gained via physical and conceptual processes are central to her work.&nbsp;The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Artadia Award is presented to Eliza Myrie​. "The work of Eliza Myrie elegantly tackles questions of colonialism, race, borders, pronouns, and materiality across a wide range of mediums. These are difficult issues, but Myrie walks that tightrope, often managing to demonstrate how such concepts can be both fictional and vitally important at the same time. LeRoy Neiman's own art was deeply engaged with the contemporary moment, and I'm sure he would have been thrilled to support an artist like Myrie, who carries on that legacy with a similar dedication to beauty and wit.”&nbsp;The Liberty Specialty Markets Artadia Award is presented to Caroline Kent.​ Robert Pittinger, Senior Vice President – Fine Art &amp; Specie at Liberty Specialty Markets said: “We are thrilled that Caroline Kent is this year’s recipient of Liberty Specialty Markets Artadia Award. We hope the award will help this Chicago-based visual artist to continue pushing the boundaries with her bold yet highly sophisticated explorations of the relationship between shape, line and color. As one of the world’s leading fine art insurers, we’re dedicated to playing a positive role in the art community, helping it flourish and protecting its creations. The Artadia program, which supports innovative visual artists in their local communities and the wider world, is precisely the type of initiative that aligns with our commitment to supporting the arts.”Awardees were selected from a shortlist of ​five finalists: ​Yvette Dostatni​, ​Azadeh Gholizadeh​, ​Caroline Kent​, ​Yvette Mayorga​, and ​Eliza Myrie​. The finalists were chosen by ​Jennifer Carty​, Associate Curator of Modern &amp; Contemporary Art, The Smart Museum at University of Chicago; ​Daonne Huff​, Director, Public Programs &amp; Community Engagement, The Studio Museum in Harlem; and ​Laura Mott,​ Senior Curator of Contemporary Art and Design, Cranbrook Art Museum.&nbsp;About the Artadia Awards: Artadia is a national non-profit organization that awards artists with unrestricted grants followed by a lifetime of program opportunities. This is Artadia’s eleventh Award cycle in Chicago. Applications were open to any visual artist living within Chicago’s Cook County for over two years, working in any medium and at any stage of their career. Finalists and Artadia Award recipients are selected through Artadia’s rigorous, two-tier jury review process. In the first round of review, jurors evaluated all submissions and collaboratively determined the five Finalists. Artadia is unique in that it allows any artist to apply, engages nationally recognized artists and curators to review work, and culminates in direct grants. Since 1999, Artadia has awarded over $5 million to 342 artists across Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Artadia Announces the 2020 Chicago  Awardees

<html><head></head><body>By CGN StaffSummer camp plans that were made in the first couple months of the year all dissolved as it became apparent that 2020 might become known as the summer that wasn't. Now, a few months on, with a host of new regulations in place, we can see that many organizations that pivoted quickly to offer at-home learning and engagement during the lockdown have now changed their summer offerings as well. If you are still looking for some art-focused plans for your child this summer, have a look at our summary of area programs from a range of local organizations. The benefit this year, unlike any other, is that you may do them from anywhere.&nbsp;Participation is an affordable way to beat the summer slide and engage with art on your own time. There are also plenty of classes for adults as well. Your participation at any level will also give much-needed support to these area groups.&nbsp;Enjoy the summer, and stay creative!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417595/mxiwvh8opk6w3tabfdvp.jpg"></figure><a href="http://www.architecture.org/learn/families/camps-and-classes/summer-camps/">Chicago Architecture Foundation</a>Save your spot for <a href="http://email.wordfly.com/click?sid=NzYxXzE0ODgwXzk4NTMzXzcwMDA&amp;l=73ccae6b-0ab7-ea11-bf4f-e41f1345a486&amp;utm_source=wordfly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MKTG_March2020_CAC%40home_June25_members&amp;utm_content=version_A&amp;sourceNumber=107635">Design Your Neighborhood 1.0</a>, for campers ages 8 to 10, and <a href="http://email.wordfly.com/click?sid=NzYxXzE0ODgwXzk4NTMzXzcwMDA&amp;l=74ccae6b-0ab7-ea11-bf4f-e41f1345a486&amp;utm_source=wordfly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MKTG_March2020_CAC%40home_June25_members&amp;utm_content=version_A&amp;sourceNumber=107635">Design Your Neighborhood 2.0</a>, for campers ages 11 to 14. Younger campers are encouraged to hone their observational skills through introductions to sketching and model-building, while older campers attend virtual tours and talk with design experts about their planning decisions.&nbsp;The deadline to join us CAC Summer Camps for the week of July 20 is Wednesday, July 8 at 5pm.&nbsp;Also coming up is: Girls Build! Tiny Homes, where future 'starchitects' can learn how to think big and design tiny in this interactive camp for girls ages 11-14. Campers will draw and build to create a sustainable tiny home that serves a Chicago neighborhood and has a small carbon footprint.<a href="http://email.wordfly.com/click?sid=NzYxXzE0ODgwXzk4NTMzXzcwMDA&amp;l=72ccae6b-0ab7-ea11-bf4f-e41f1345a486&amp;utm_source=wordfly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=MKTG_March2020_CAC%40home_June25_members&amp;utm_content=version_A&amp;sourceNumber=107635">REGISTER</a>CAC is also sharing family projects online as well, like the most recent one about brainstorming and sketching out green spaces: Practice your problem solving skills by planning and designing (or redesigning) a green space for your community, inspired by the efforts of Sofia Valdez in Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty.&nbsp;<a href="https://theartcenterhp.org/online-classes">Art Center Highland Park</a><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417596/hiatvuhhrc3wp9p4prxz.jpg"></figure>This summer experience creative fun and construct unique and original projects through a wide range of intriguing mediums. Have fun exploring self-expression and experimentation while learning the fundamental principals of art through drawing, painting, collage, and mixed media. There are classes for kids and adults, or for a child and an adult to take together. Some classes began last month but other sessions begin next week (July 13) with 12 sessions running through August.&nbsp;Options include: Mixed Media Art Camp; Ceramics at Home; The Georgia O'Keeffe Summer Challenge (In five sessions your instructor will guide you through a step by step process for creating Calla and Roses 1926); Abstract Painting; and Illustrated Words. <a href="https://theartcenterhp.org/online-classes">Register here.</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://reg129.imperisoft.com/hydeparkartcenter/Search/Registration.aspx">Hyde Park Art Center</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://files.constantcontact.com/e0e61f61601/636fd59f-6b50-4c9d-923e-cd235d82a163.png" alt=""></figure>Creativity Camp is online, and you are encouraged to "contribute what you can". Camps started this week, July 6, and run through Sept 4, for ages 6–12. Online camps take place on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10am–11am, and include additional offline activities to be done on the campers' own time on off-days.<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeexOJTwwwuOveP-7C5gwx-Lvd_uBd89cp_4MeAleC3MIa0ddKWr3m_ECy2mro9Zp7m87VEQ3as83-CLdne_Tlq9uLiszntUawMGor2NZlxpqN_ogJDSdLuIarTfqNeGkG622LsYNNAmQp4uwiOQ8JqntrLDs_kAXwQnMTZ8ec3ZdRxhAL0krFqw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">• Circus Week</a> with teaching artist Terah Weddington takes place July 20–24. In this circus-themed performance camp, campers will explore song making, soft choreography, playwriting, and culminate with a group dance party! Register <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeexOJTwwwuOveP-7C5gwx-Lvd_uBd89cp_4MeAleC3MIa0ddKWr3m_ECy2mro9Zp7m87VEQ3as83-CLdne_Tlq9uLiszntUawMGor2NZlxpqN_ogJDSdLuIarTfqNeGkG622LsYNNAmQp4uwiOQ8JqntrLDs_kAXwQnMTZ8ec3ZdRxhAL0krFqw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">here.</a>&nbsp;<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BenB1A1Fy2Nk1FasYjNTz6g8H1iKp-GoGGFjBA65vcwYZQbM_S0FqR3Rv04JFedex58flyKW-47UGHbS5tvqoq10zOYKECIBHxn_S2-WxGeOkBtEQfjbSlANz7MZRGDYe0bVJoYhUOR8oBn6UqU_hU76FVUpu8qpnh21EU7M7CZstxo3p0fI9DDw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">• Music Video Parody</a> with teaching artist Kirstin Franklin, July 27–31. Campers collaborate and design a one-of-a-kind parody music video, learn a variety of filming techniques, choreography, lyric writing and explore other art forms to create their very own finished product to share with family and friends. Register<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BenB1A1Fy2Nk1FasYjNTz6g8H1iKp-GoGGFjBA65vcwYZQbM_S0FqR3Rv04JFedex58flyKW-47UGHbS5tvqoq10zOYKECIBHxn_S2-WxGeOkBtEQfjbSlANz7MZRGDYe0bVJoYhUOR8oBn6UqU_hU76FVUpu8qpnh21EU7M7CZstxo3p0fI9DDw==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg=="> here.</a><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeAVGcHkyMMJK6sf9fS102U8hsguU3SeEMPjoLMfERQYp0ZKRey4qI2_NkPHhRjE9-92UPjZ1wOzrhT1KFaBbt4iSyEHyLZeqwrH94f1O_RjREmbYH4GcC2Ax58esOARePseYLUdtD3JJgToJCLP3ABo87xwjvyN97tMJA8ft-vgxqIVwjwNVuew==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">• Masterpiece Re-makers</a> with teaching artist Kirstin Franklin, August 3–7. Campers will use found household objects and smartphone cameras to make creative and funny interpretations of master works of art. Register <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Z6JkGz7j7u_e9-RD7NPg7KTodAZglcYlqU4vIVkne7kZ3k73gU0V91vdFJvGB8BeAVGcHkyMMJK6sf9fS102U8hsguU3SeEMPjoLMfERQYp0ZKRey4qI2_NkPHhRjE9-92UPjZ1wOzrhT1KFaBbt4iSyEHyLZeqwrH94f1O_RjREmbYH4GcC2Ax58esOARePseYLUdtD3JJgToJCLP3ABo87xwjvyN97tMJA8ft-vgxqIVwjwNVuew==&amp;c=zdkH_hIy5CsQIY_VLRjUyFRwr6NK-XGPiIHJW5svLHykdIuH3xBUjQ==&amp;ch=2noczcMLaCxjwygou7NMtow37zL1ocsdPu5RgtqTsmvoIPe4oidSSg==">here.</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417597/tyj3prdy3tbragcrxrkn.jpg"></figure><a href="http://www.riversideartscenter.com/new-birthday-parties-to-go/">Riverside Art Center</a>While not exactly a camp offering, you could take advantage of Riverside's Party in a Box for your own camp, for kids or adults, or of course for a party. Each box will supply you with all you need to create painted masterpieces with your guests (Canvas (11″ X 14″), Paint, Palettes, Paint brushes, Project and instruction sheets). Boxes are available to <a href="http://www.riversideartscenter.com/new-birthday-parties-to-go/">order online</a>. The Center will arrange for delivery or pick up of your Painting Party Box on your specified day. Pricing ranges from $68 for 5 people to $150 for 10 if you are not a member. They also offer a clay-based version.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417597/xp33na07b73bske4mqkk.jpg"></figure><a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/classes/camp">Elmhurst Art Museum</a>Summer Break Art Camps take place for one week sessions, June 15 - Aug 14 Also offering Full &amp; Half days for our Junior camp (ages 5-7). <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/classes/camp">Sign-up here.</a>Elmhurst Art Museum’s camps are popular every year – kids love getting together and making messes and our inspiring camp counselors help guide them through the creative process.At EAM Summer Camps, each week’s curriculum is uniquely themed, so no two weeks are the same. Campers also find inspiration through a variety of hands-on activities in our Education Center and outdoors in Wilder Park. Building sculpture and painting with multimedia, pottery, printmaking, and experiencing first-hand the art exhibitions at the Museum help kids develop new skills in a fun and energetic environment. These camps are IN-PERSON with many modifications for current COVID-19 safety. More info may be found <a href="https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/education/camps/?fbclid=IwAR1yCGjC_ouLzLl6UzGXBst1rtevPrLcstFP4SSz8eIEFESRXVduMffYTzQ">online</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

An Art Filled Summer Camp Round-Up

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417587/wolujx0kqzarn3gu40ng.png"><figcaption>PHOTO: In this Oct. 24, 2016 photo, a bronze lion sculpture in front of the Michigan Avenue entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago is seen wearing a Chicago Cubs batting helmet. Both lions at the museum entrance have been dressed in team helmets to honor other Chicago sports teams who’ve made it to their league championship, but this is the first time they’ve worn Cubs gear. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Here is how the Art Institute in Chicago is planning to re-openWGN Radio’s Jim Turano talks to Kati Murphy, Executive Director of Public Affairs for the Art Institute, about how the museum is re-opening, what exhibits you can visit, and what precautions they are taking when guests are welcomed in.By Curtis Koch, WGN Radio<a href="https://wgnradio.com/pinch-hitters/here-is-how-the-art-institute-in-chicago-is-planning-to-re-open/">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417587/pjnj5ludqlwhlrjn71qt.png"><figcaption>“Letters to the World Toward the Eradication of Racism,” one part of Nick Cave and Bob Faust’s “Amends” project, as displayed on the gallery windows of Facility in Chicago.Credit...James Prinz</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;A Public Art Project Devoted to Dismantling Racism at Every LevelWith “Amends,” the artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust have created a multipronged platform for self-scrutiny and, they hope, lasting change.By Megan O’Grady, The New York Times Style Magazine<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/01/t-magazine/nick-cave-bob-faust-amends.html">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417588/ylkesbj8nipvip5apwv1.png"><figcaption>These giant, Chicago-themed honey bears were created in 2018 by the San Francisco artist who goes by “fnnch” under a train viaduct in West Town.Robert Herguth / Sun-Times</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Giant honey bear mural at West Town viaduct offers a nod to Chicago sports, cultureCreated by a San Francisco artist who goes by ‘fnnch,’ viaduct art work speaks to our sports fanaticism and gangster past, among other things.By Mary Chappell, Chicago Sun Times<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2020/7/2/21307613/chicago-murals-honey-bears-fnnch-truborn-capone-sweetness-cubs-kanye-west">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: July 7, 2020

<html><head></head><body>By GINNY VAN ALYEAThis weekend there will be some shoots of green coming up – signs of spring, so to speak, in the middle of summer. I don't think we've ever gone so long without a round of weekend gallery openings, and this coming weekend feels as hopeful as it does necessary. These are first steps. We're not running yet, but this is where we start. Traditionally, the weekend around, or soon after, the Fourth of July heralds the summer group show gallery stroll, where lazy crowds gather in the heat for art, mobile socializing and free drinks. This weekend galleries are opening serious, resonant shows that invite people to come back for the art most of all.&nbsp;Naturally, the following practices will be in place:<ul><li>Gallery openings are running on extended hours during the day to encourage social distancing</li><li>Masks are required</li><li>Crowding will be limited/monitored</li><li>Reach out directly to galleries if you have any questions or would like to set up a private appointment</li></ul>As we have learned from the past few months, things are always subject to change, but here is hopefully when we being to emerge safely so that we do not have to stay inside again. Congratulations to all the dealers and artists who are putting themselves and their art out there for you.&nbsp;Our overview of highlights for this coming weekend is below, and our full calendar may be <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=openings">viewed&nbsp;here</a>. Of course several virtual exhibitions also continue to "open", so please take note of these no matter where you are.See you in the galleries (behind our mask).&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418195/z89cd2b3uevcgx9kwiql.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/photography-_____">Photography &amp; _____</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2020 12 – 8&nbsp;pmCatherine Edelman GalleryTo avoid crowds, the opening reception will be from noon – 8:00 pm on Friday, July 10. Many artists will be in attendance throughout the day.Most art making is a solitary process, void of outside voices, as a blank piece of paper or canvas is transformed into a work of art. But there has always been a rich history of art collectives: a group of artists who collaborate to create work. In the spirit of these collectives, Catherine Edelman Gallery presents “Photography &amp; _____,” an exhibition that brings together photographers and other creatives to create one-of-a-kind pieces. CEG invited artists familiar to the gallery, including painters, writers and photographers, and asked each participant to reach out to a fellow artist to create a collaborative piece. There were no limitations placed on the work, except that photography must be incorporated into each piece.Also opening at the gallery on July 10 is <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/michael-koerner-hibakusha-a-tribute-to-the-75th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombings">Michael Koerner's exhibition</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418196/wqountgqlelppnqs71uu.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/anne-wilson-if-we-asked-about-the-sky">Anne Wilson: If We Asked about the Sky</a>Beginning July 10. No more than five guests will be admitted simultaneously.&nbsp;Face coverings required.&nbsp;To schedule your visit please email&nbsp;the <a href="mailto:sofia@rhoffmangallery.com">gallery</a>Rhona Hoffman GalleryThe gallery presents their fifth solo exhibition with Chicago-based artist Anne Wilson. Oscillating between the macro- and microcosmic, Wilson’s new textile-based works set the immediacy of human labor and encounter against the infinitude of space and time. In a moment of unprecedented global transformation, the exhibition offers an opportunity to “meditate on living in and through loss,” as the artist describes.&nbsp; The exhibition is anchored by Wilson’s suite of 21 Material Drawings (2018-20). Each work begins with the chance operation of throwing ink onto a fragment of white damask cloth; through capillary action, the ink absorbs into the fibers of the cloth, expanding outward to form circular shapes with irregular fractal-like edges. Wilson then develops the results of her immediate gestures with a deliberate, slow stitch of hand embroidery with silk thread and hair. The image associations shift between everyday phenomena—a pin prick, a spill, or a splatter—and a celestial idiom, evoking planets, craters, and galaxy clusters. “The work proposes both smallness and vastness,” Wilson says, “and inhabits a space of contemplation between the mortal world and a celestial universe that is infinite and unknowable.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418197/hea9vfvsoduque18e0wm.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/chicago-noir">Chicago Noir</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2020 5 – 10&nbsp;pmOliva GalleryPhotography exhibition with Kevin Byrne, Pauline Kochanski, Doug Boehm, Jon Randolph, Akira, Daphne Walsh, Kate Roth and Matt Tuteur.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418197/dlrxlsrg8zyveni4lfaj.gif"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/summer-group-show-and-river-north-mid-summer-art-walk">Summer Group Show</a>Opening: Friday, Jul 10, 2020 12 – 6&nbsp;pmAddington GalleryGroup show featuring Joan Holleb, Brooks Anderson, and Robin Denevan.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418199/yychptqh5dgg51ei8ytm.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/collin-van-der-sluijs-solo-show">Collin van der Sluijs A Garden of Trust Solo Exhibition</a>Opening: Saturday, Jul 11, 2020 11&nbsp;am – 6&nbsp;pmVertical GalleryIn his third solo show at Vertical, the category-defying artist’s most ambitious and immersive collection to date, brings together paintings and works on paper that reveal profound new depth and dimension in his dreamlike, deeply personal approach.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418200/qpktpw71pwbrr435bm52.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/chase-hall-half-note-and-february-james-we-laugh-loud-so-the-spirits-can-hear">Chase Hall: Half Note and February James: We Laugh Loud So The Spirits Can Hear</a>Opening: Saturday, Jul 11, 2020 11&nbsp;am – 6&nbsp;pmMonique Meloche GalleryThis will be the debut exhibition for both artists with Monique Meloche Gallery.No appointment necessary. Limited capacity, masks required. For the remaining duration of the exhibition, please contact the gallery to schedule an appointment.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418201/rnf1rem1jwfq5diknqnc.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/john-santoro-let-s-talk-about-the-weather">John Santoro: Let’s Talk About the Weather</a>Beginning July 11. The artist will be welcoming small groups of visitors on the first day of the show, July 11, 11am-5pm.&nbsp;McCormick GalleryTwo years ago Chicago painter John Santoro began working on what was to have been his solo show in March, which was of course put on hold. &nbsp;"When I conceived of this show two years ago, I was drawn to the duality in the phrase “Let's talk about the weather.”&nbsp;At the time, I thought of it as the simplest conservation starter and yet also a politically charged invitation to examine our impact on the Earth’s weather patterns. Now, the phrase also suggests to me a respite from the turmoil of the crucial current events that are re-shaping our country.&nbsp;With these new paintings, I continue to draw inspiration from landscapes with a focus on the weather patterns that drive them. Thunder Snow, Polar Vortex and El Nino -- all intense forces of nature, not to mention cool band names -- continue to feed my imagination."&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

July 10-11: The Return of Gallery Openings

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418783/uerw1f8byyhce24eu96u.jpg"><figcaption>Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (American, 1910-1983). Untitled #289 (detail), 1955. Oil on oak tag board, 17 x 14¾ in. Collection of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, gift of Lewis, Jean and Dan Greenblatt, 2003.3.9. Photo by John Faier.</figcaption></figure>﻿Written by Alison Amick, Senior Manager of Exhibitions and Development, Chief Curator at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art&nbsp;Did you know the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) features works of art at their stations? Recently, the CTA renovated the Chicago Avenue Blue Line Station, just kitty-corner from Intuit. As part of this process, the CTA engaged Intuit about artists and artworks from the museum’s collection that could be reproduced in light boxes gracing the renovated station. After discussing numerous possibilities, the artist Eugene Von Bruenchenhein was selected as the choice.﻿Self-taught artist Eugene Von Bruenchenhein created striking artworks in the Milwaukee home he shared with his wife, Eveline Kalka, whom he nicknamed “Marie.” In the 1940s, he began a series of photographs of Marie, before turning his attention to painting around 1950. At the time these two paintings were created—the mid-1950s—Von Bruenchenhein, like many Americans, was thinking about the possibility of nuclear warfare and possible annihilation.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418784/dbno1br0llutguk3a7sk.jpg"><figcaption>Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (American, 1910-1983). Ruins of Palenque #216 (detail), 1955. Oil on oak tag board, 17 x 14¾ in. Collection of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, gift of Lewis, Jean and Dan Greenblatt, 2003.3.8. Photo by John Faier.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Excavated in the mid-20th century, the ancient Mayan city of Palenque would have appealed to Von Bruenchenhein as a subject. The artist was interested in past civilizations, believing himself to come from royal lineage, and may have seen parallels between the rise and fall of Palenque and the uncertain era in which he lived. Ruins of Palenque #216 incorporates Von Bruenchenhein’s technique of using his fingers to manipulate paint, here, to create the stacked geometric forms that comprise his structure. Its vibrant pinks, purples and blues contrast with the more muted orange and green of the swirling smoke-like background. Von Bruenchenhein, who worked as a florist for a time after high school, also created brightly colored fantastical landscapes filled with vegetation and flora. His dynamic composition Untitled #289 incorporates botanical elements set against a fiery background of reds and yellows, suggestive of an apocalyptic vision.The light boxes are now in! Stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Outsider Artists Featured at CTA Blue Line Station 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418783/iwulcx4ibb9gfna6xjvd.jpg"></figure>CGN Staff, Via PR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.designs4dignity.org/art-for-dignity/">Art for Dignity</a> is demonstrating support for racial justice and social responsibility presented through art and visual expression with the help of Chicago’s talented and passionate community. In creating awareness of the ideals of equity, inclusion, empathy and empowerment through the power of art, River North neighbors and business owners with boarded windows are partnering with Chicago- area artists to bring this vision to life. Representing unity, peace and community through original artwork, Designs for Dignity stands together through Art for Dignity in empowering lives through design.&nbsp;Artwork will later be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting <a href="https://www.formyblock.org/">My Block My Hood My City</a>, participating artists and Designs for Dignity.&nbsp;Participating artists include: Cleveland Dean, Shawn Micheal Warren, Sam Kirk, Caswell James, Veronica Martens, Janeallison Ng, Bahar Shirkhanloo, and Malcolm Poe, among others.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418784/cppmrcywtxlrhi4jvaid.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;Painted boards will remain on display in River North over the next week. You can find images of the already completed boards <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bg5wmmhk1skgnsu/AABcH68t43kpUhlZRKpPfCzva?dl=0">here</a>. If you are interested in capturing the painting in action, we can continue to update you on scheduled installations. The next opportunity to capture the artwork taking place will be:&nbsp;&nbsp;Completed Art for Dignity boards can be found at:&nbsp;Artists Frame Service: 1867 N. Clybourn Ave.Jo Chicago Communications: 126 W. Kinzie St., 2nd FloorOscar Isberian Rugs: 120 Kinzie St.&nbsp;Glamour Closet: 209 W. Illinois St.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT DESIGNS FOR DIGNITYDesigns for Dignity is a 501(c) nonprofit organization that transforms nonprofitenvironments through pro bono design services and in-kind donations – empowering lives through design. Celebrating its 20th year, the organization’s mission is to serve marginalized communities by harnessing the talents and resources of the design community at large, with the ultimate goal of providing spaces that inspire hope and dignity. By engaging the design community and all of its resources, Designs for Dignity has positively impacted hundreds of thousands of lives by transforming 250+ nonprofit spaces and leveraging $13 million in donated materials. <a href="http://www.designsfordignity.org/">www.designsfordignity.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Designs for Dignity Initiates Art for Dignity Campaign to Raise Money for Social Justice

CHICAGO – Threewalls, a Black-led non-profit organization providing support and visibility for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American) contemporary visual artists in Chicago, today announced the 2020 recipients of the RaD Lab+Outside the Walls fellowship. Awarding grants of $32,000 for 8 total projects, nine fellows will imagine alternative ways towards racial equity through the lens of radical imagination and racial justice. Dedicated to ALAANA artists who are working at the intersection of art, community and justice and doing so to build a racially just society, the fellowship is generously supported by the Surdna Foundation, who awarded Threewalls $1.2 million in 2019 to expand the organization’s racial justice work.Program fellows will spend a year researching, developing and testing an idea that addresses a racial justice issue pertinent to their neighborhood community. 2020 Fellows Jenna Anast, Ireashia Bennett, Aquil Charlton, Safiya Eshe Gyasi &amp; Chineze Mogbo, Felicia Holman, Salvador Jimenez-Flores, Youree Kim and Chandra Christmas-Rouse will address a wide range of racial justice issues, including dismantling weaponized media, food apartheid, environmental and educational racism, segregation, ableism, abolition, decriminalization of mentally disabled People of Color and disinvestment from Black communities. Each project will engage community members based in Chicago neighborhoods, including Bronzeville, Bucktown, Little Village, North Kenwood, Pilsen, South Shore, Uptown and Washington Park. Project summaries and artist bios are available <a href="https://carolfox.box.com/s/kiunh3c0b566avkjqp3oj9ra0kgf3d3r">here</a>.“The artists and creatives we have awarded represent critical and imaginative thinking necessary to create a racially just Chicago, and by extension a racially just world,” said Threewalls Executive Director Jeffreen M. Hayes. “Our organization has radically reimagined what it means to truly support ALAANA artists, with funding going towards not just their projects but also their needs as individuals. Additionally, recognizing that many of our artists are part of communities in which the coronavirus has had a disproportionate impact, we increased the award amount to $32,000.”Fellows are offered technical and creative assistance throughout the program, including financial and digital coaching sessions, creative counseling and accessibility workshops. Threewalls serves as a thought partner and engages the fellows by offering curatorial and administrative support.“This year's RaD Lab+Outside the Walls fellows demonstrate the power of artists to challenge the status quo and reimagine a more just world in which everyone can thrive,” said Robert Smith III, program officer of the Surdna Foundation's Thriving Cultures program. “As communities across the nation work together to dismantle anti-black racism, we are proud to partner with Threewalls to support this powerful cohort of artists to work within their communities to use their collective experience, strategies, and creativity to realize a racially just Chicago.”The fellowship takes place sequentially over two years, with fellows developing their projects in RaD Lab during the first year and Outside the Walls in the second year. Once completed, fellows will receive an additional $32,000 and their research projects will be presented as installations and interventions in their neighborhood.&nbsp;“We deeply appreciated all who applied for this fellowship, reflecting the expansive and distinctly creative force of ALAANA communities in Chicago,” said Threewalls Director of Programs Barak adé Soleil. “The 2020 cohort affirms complexities of our culture that cannot go unnoticed; dynamic intersections of disability, queerness, Black feminism, migration and healing that shape how they will collectively reimagine - within and across this city’s neighborhoods - a more equitable future.”Fellows were selected through an open call process and reviewed by an external panel of individuals who are actively involved in artistic work, who identify as members of an ALAANA community and the majority of whom are Chicago-based. 2020 panelists were Addis Aliyu, Justin Cooper, Chandra Méndez-Ortiz and Nikki Patin.&nbsp;About the Surdna FoundationThe Surdna Foundation seeks to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States --communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, strong local economies, and thriving cultures. Learn more at <a href="http://www.surdna.org/">www.surdna.org</a>.&nbsp;About ThreewallsThreewalls was founded in 2003 to provide support and visibility for the visual arts community in Chicago. In 2016, the organization was reimagined through the lens of blackness and is an evolving Black-led nonprofit organization, that unapologetically celebrates blackness, intersectionality, and exists through Black feminist practice. Threewalls fosters contemporary art practices that respond to lived experiences, encouraging connections beyond art. We center ALAANA (African, Latinx, Arab, Asian, and Native American) artists, creatives and collaborative projects, especially those which are best presented outside of traditional art spaces. Learn more at <a href="http://three-walls.org/">three-walls.org</a>.&nbsp;

Artists Will Receive $256,000 to Support Eight Year-Long Neighborhood-Based Projects in Chicago

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418783/gzr5g9xyqigrcjgrnnos.jpg"></figure>How ‘Mural Moves’ is Using Art to Invest in CommunitiesThe intersection of <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/S+Jeffery+Blvd+&amp;+E+71st+St,+Chicago,+IL+60649/@41.7662343,-87.5938295,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x880e2857736e6591:0x8782c24417a59ab5!8m2!3d41.7662343!4d-87.57632">71st Street and Jeffery Boulevard</a> was once described as the main artery of the South Shore neighborhood, but years of disinvestment — and the blight that follows — changed that.Chicago artist <a href="http://doriansylvain.com/">Dorian Sylvain</a> decided to reclaim the corner.By Angel Idowu, WTTW News<a href="https://news.wttw.com/2020/06/29/how-mural-moves-using-art-invest-communities">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418784/wl8jkmbgnbjowyll5u6j.jpg"></figure>Art Institute of Chicago lays off 51 employeesThe Art Institute of Chicago has laid off 51 full-time employees in response to a plunge in revenue since its closure on 14 March and projections of steeply lower visitor numbers once it reopens.By Nancy Kenney, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/art-institute-of-chicago-lays-off-51-employees">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418785/iiyy7miezqhvjbdojptm.jpg"></figure>The Differences between Prints, Multiples, and EditionsThanks in part to the popularity of artists who have made these types of replicated works major parts of their practices—like <a href="https://www.artsy.net/artist/banksy">Banksy </a>and <a href="https://www.artsy.net/artist/kaws">KAWS</a>—along with an accompanying surge of younger collectors whose tastes and budgets align with these media, dealers and auction houses have seen a growing appreciation for a category that long played second fiddle to painting and sculpture. Despite this marketplace momentum, one major sticking point remains: What, exactly, is the distinction between prints, editions, and multiples?Shannon Lee, Artsy Editorial<a href="https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-differences-prints-multiples-editions">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: June 30, 2020

<html><head></head><body>By GINNY VAN ALYEAOpen by appt. Limit 4 people at a time. Face masks required. Hand sanitizer available. All of it would have sounded so weird, not to mention unfriendly, four months ago, but now those words of guidance are tools for how to re-enter the world.&nbsp;CGN has been getting our calendar up-to-date while checking in on area galleries, and we are also beginning to look ahead to the fall, which will be radically different than previous seasons, but it will come around just the same. So we keep looking forward and we make sure we are prepared, with our masks and disinfecting arsenal on hand.&nbsp;More galleries and spaces continue to open, and we will see a "wave" of sorts once July gets underway, since there are even some events taking place this Friday, July 3 and next weekend. Though the fireworks may be cancelled, time and live moves on. Embrace it and please give your support where you are able.&nbsp;More updates are coming to us daily, so keep up with our <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events">calendar of events</a>. Thanks for supporting CGN and all of our partner spaces and of course the artists!&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418783/pgowcax53wb11kaesgmc.jpg"><figcaption>Adia, 2018, &nbsp;from the series Outcry by Whitney Bradshaw &nbsp;</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/lubeznik-center-for-the-arts--2">Lubeznik Center for the Arts</a>If you are looking for an escape from the city the Lubeznik Center in Michigan City, IN reopens Friday with two shows and a new approach to an opening day: For public safety, instead of an unrestricted First Friday evening event and exhibition opening reception, we will be hosting an open house from 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM. Admission remains free but timed tickets are required for entry. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.Well-Behaved Women includes artworks by 24 women artists, both living and historic, to mark the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women and men equal voting rights.An exhibition from LCA's Teen Council is also opening and on view.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418784/gk2ay6pumylyjdfe70kp.jpg"><figcaption>KAREN OSDIECK, Watermelon, $150 unframed $395 framed</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/perspective-group-photography-gallery-ltd">Perspective Gallery</a>Perspective Gallery in Evanston re-opens with VICINITY 2020, their annual exhibition for Chicago-area non-member photographers, juried by Jennifer Murray.In lieu of an opening reception there will be an online discussion with the artists via Zoom on Thursday, July 16th at 7 pm. The exhibition will be on display at the gallery July 3-26, and hours are Fridays &amp; Saturdays, 12-6 pm; Sundays, 12-5 pm&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418785/tztz3ywzxfr3ydrlefci.gif"><figcaption>Kathleen Waterloo, Taking Flight</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/addington-gallery">Addington Gallery</a>Addington Gallery re-opened June 16 in River North. They are showing new work by encuastic artist <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/kathleen-waterloo">Kathleen Waterloo</a> for the next couple of days, before they open their next show, as well as continuing their timely shows, Sharing Shelter: Small, Affordable Works, and Doors Open. The gallery front space features gallery and invited artists who are sharing work created during their "shelter at home". The show speaks to not only the physical reality of businesses reopening under new conditions, but about artists throwing open the doors of their studios and by extension their imaginations to share with viewers. Most works in the exhibition are priced under $1000.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418786/pbepby2h2kopduvanqkk.png"><figcaption>Michel Delgado, Confused Circus, 2018</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/evanston-made-group-exhibition">Evanston Art Center</a>Through July 5 Rose Cannon of Cannon Fine Art in collaboration with Artist and Curator, Fran Joy, are bringing Soulworks, a collection of art by artists of color, both renowned and emerging, to the Evanston Art Center. The group show includes Black American, African, Caribbean and Japanese artists, exhibiting an eclectic and exciting array of artwork, which includes original oil and acrylic pieces on canvas and wood, framed giclee prints of watercolor, digital prints, carved wood and banana tree leaves, and functional designer wood screens. The exhibition is being held in the First Floor Gallery of the Art Center. When arriving at the EAC during gallery hours, please wait outside and call (847) 475-5300 for entry.&nbsp;</body></html>

Part IV: Spotlight on Galleries and Art Spaces Re-Opening	

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417864/yqffvfjnah6flb0wei4h.png"></figure>By GINNY VAN ALYEAA few weeks ago <a href="https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/from-home/you-are-beautiful/">Elmhurst Art Museum's</a> John McKinnon shared a new community project to me that felt like exactly what I, and countless others, needed at the moment: a movement to spread positivity.&nbsp;In 2015–2016 (a lifetime ago!) Chicago-based artist Matthew Hoffman was part of the museum's inaugural Biennial, Chicago Statements, which provided 19 artists with a wide-reaching public platform for their messages, their voices and their revelations that address imbalances of power, access and resources. Through drawings, sculpture, video, photography, text and documentation of public projects, the Biennial intends to raise awareness, encourage discussion and promote the power of individual and collective expression and healing.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417865/vkrtoefyquy3mthllmgh.png"></figure>Five years later, EAM is collaborating again with Hoffman, known for his You Are Beautiful project, to spread positivity in the community. A new display in the museum’s south windows will add to his permanent outdoor installation on the museum's main building. Visitors are invited to embark on a social distanced walk through Wilder Park.Participation in the exhibition is also encouraged and is a means of supporting the museum as well as local healthcare workers. <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/online-shop/products/you-are-beautiful-outdoor-yard-sign">Order a yard sign</a>, window cling, or <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/">another work from the series</a> to extend the uplifting display to your own community, anywhere in the world. The <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/">Museum Store</a> also has the full line of You Are Beautiful gear and outdoor display pieces – I've noticed several of the We're All in This Together signs stuck to buildings around Chicago since hearing about the program. 10% of the proceeds benefit the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation through July 3rd.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417866/xgtwdobrvrxditzaboia.png"><figcaption>You Are Beautiful Wall Art, Rainbow Wood Piece, <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/online-shop/products/you-are-beautiful-wall-art-rainbow-wood-piece">$15-$30</a></figcaption></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417867/isjihurxp83wkkgh50ux.png"><figcaption>A portable, mirror reminder is for sale in the museum <a href="https://eam-shop.myshopify.com/collections/online-shop/products/you-are-beautiful-wall-art-mirror-multiple-colors-sizes">shop</a></figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Matthew Hoffman has created large scale public installations for municipalities, museums, and private companies around the world. The large outdoor piece at the Elmhurst Art Museum is one of <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1dj-KWrHARSrEBJAyk07QkJj7J68&amp;ll=41.92231453389445%2C-87.4079685&amp;z=9">his 30 outdoor installations </a>currently in the Chicagoland area.Learn more about The Little Sticker That Started a Worldwide Phenomenon on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXznLlpEPR4&amp;feature=youtu.be">Oprah’s SuperSoul Sunday</a>, <a href="https://wgnradio.com/bill-leff-wendy-snyder/matthew-hoffman-the-you-are-beautiful-project/">WGN radio</a>, and <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/ct-xpm-2014-05-25-ct-oped-zorn-0525-20140525-story.html">The Chicago Tribune</a>. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417868/md4spunciuiagljkkygm.png"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417869/awz0tln53hymky57kixx.png"></figure></body></html>

Say it Loud: You Are Beautiful

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417710/u1bytzp2nnoxyu1brgeg.jpg"><figcaption>The Vista Tower gives and impressive view for northbound drivers on Lake Shore Drive. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Jeanne Gang-designed, soon to open Vista Tower adds to Chicago’s impressive gallery of ‘down-the-alley’ views&nbsp;Every so often, though, architects get extraordinary opportunities to liberate their buildings from the relentless regularity of the grid and fashion images that resonate in our collective mindset.The latest (and by far the tallest) example of this phenomenon — the soon to open 101-story, 1,191-foot-tall Vista Tower, by Chicago architect Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang — is giving northbound drivers on Lake Shore Drive a high-octane visual jolt.By Blair Kamin, Chicago Tribune<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/blair-kamin/ct-biz-chicago-architecture-views-kamin-20200623-hd5jij5ghzh6xb7zzfnkyvsrle-story.html">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417711/dtiaxiizd8kyhazahu0u.jpg"><figcaption>A detail of the statue.MEDIAPUNCH/SHUTTERSTOCK</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Roosevelt Statue Controversy, Explained: Why a New York Museum Removed a Monument to a Former U.S.&nbsp;President&nbsp;On Sunday, the American Museum of Natural History in New York revealed news that activists had been waiting years to hear: a monument to Theodore Roosevelt, a former United States president who espoused racist and colonialist views and who promoted eugenics as a theory, would at last come down. That statue may be one of many in the U.S. that has been set to be taken away amid ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, but it is one of the most notable—and controversial—ones slated for removal so far.By Alex Greenberger, ArtNews<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/roosevelt-statue-controversy-explained-natural-history-museum-1202691894/">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417712/xcvoilihqg7w6wdzksqo.jpg"><figcaption>Exhibitors due to take part in the cancelled Art Basel in Hong Kong this year will be automatically readmitted, provided it is with a similar presentation © Art Basel</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;To encourage galleries, Art Basel in Hong Kong relaxes application criteria for 2021 fair&nbsp;Galleries no longer required to have a physical space, down payments cut from 100% to 25% of stand fees and automatic re-admittance for 2020 ABHK exhibitorsBy Anna Brady, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/to-encourage-galleries-art-basel-in-hong-kong-relaxes-application-criteria-for-2021-fair">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417713/imk3cs4oc8qjew8r4ulw.jpg"><figcaption><a href="https://www.artsy.net/artist/susan-j-barron">Susan J. Barron</a><a href="https://www.artsy.net/artwork/susan-j-barron-the-art-collectors-1">The Art Collectors</a>, 2019<a href="https://www.artsy.net/hg-contemporary"> HG Contemporary</a></figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Three Factors to Guide Long-Term Planning for Your Art Collection&nbsp;Art collecting is a passion sport pursued by many, and at many different price points. A nagging concern for some collectors is what to do with a collection ardently assembled over time, if or when their circumstances change. It’s a complicated question without a one-size-fits-all answer. The right approach will depend on family dynamics, tax and financial planning considerations, and the value and composition of the collection.One of my clients gave me permission to share (on a disguised basis) the integrated plan we created last year for their collection. It serves as an example of all that’s involved in creating a pragmatic financial plan for a valuable art collection.By Doug Woodham, Artsy Editorial<a href="https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-three-factors-guide-long-term-planning-art-collection">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: June 23, 2020

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417668/waotohsf9xnhvlja4mea.jpg"><figcaption>Homo-entanglement, installation view, by Miller &amp; Shellabarger, February 28 until the gallery had to close to the public due to COVID-19.</figcaption></figure>Name of gallery: <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/western-exhibitions">Western Exhibitions</a>Number of years in business: 16How did you begin your career?I was an artist working a stultifying day job, working for the admissions office of an art school. I’d be on the road 5 days of week (at least!) from fall into the early spring, and when I’d get home I had no desire to coop myself up in the studio. I needed to be around people, especially other artists, leading me to meet up with them in their studios or in bars, discussing their work and the art issues of the day.&nbsp; This day job also led me to pack as much as I could into a day off. When I lived in New York, a day off might be a Tuesday or a Wednesday, and I’d spend the entire day in a different gallery district, going to see everything.&nbsp; What inspired you to open a gallery?Looking back at both the gallery hopping and studio visiting, I can see now I was developing my eye and my empathy for artists’ needs, while at the same time growing less and less interested in my own artistic practice. In the late 90s and early 2000s, Chicago had a robust apartment gallery scene and I watched my artist friends exhaust their opportunities at all these spaces without getting a sniff from commercial galleries, so eventually I thought I’d open a space to show their work, despite the fact that I ZERO experience with galleries.&nbsp;I never showed with a commercial space, never interned nor worked for one, I didn’t have an art history or arts administration degree, nor did I have a wealthy benefactor. But I did have an eye. And being an artist myself, I knew of their travails, needs and concerns. So when I was offered a raw space to open a bricks-and-mortar gallery (after putting on shows nomadically for two years) for $350 a month, I thought “I don’t have $350 extra a month, but there is no way to get a space for cheaper than this.” I took the leap in 2004.Is there a unifying element in your program or artist representation?Personal narratives, unique cosmologies and world views; LGBTQ artists and issues; Feminist art/fighting the patriarchy; pattern, decoration and surface concerns; works on paper (especially drawing); and artist books.How are you connecting with collectors and artists right now? Have you added to or increased your digital outreach?Shelter-in-place has been a sensitive time, and most people have had bigger concerns that buying art. That said, we do have rent and bills to pay and payroll to meet! So if collectors and curators do reach out to me (and thank God a few have), they will have my full attention. We updated our Artsy page, hoping to attract those eyeballs, and have amped up our content on Instagram, offering in-depth stories each day about individual art works in our Miller &amp; Shellabarger show. Upcoming shows will be featured too.Which exhibitions did you have to postpone or adjust due to COVID-19?We pushed back two shows:<a href="https://westernexhibitions.com/exhibition/visionaries-voices/">Visionaries + Voices at Western Exhibitions</a> was rescheduled for June 6–July 11, 2020, online and by appt. in the gallery.&nbsp;<a href="https://westernexhibitions.com/exhibition/downtown-nyc-1980s-selections-from-the-barry-blinderman-archive/">New York in the 80s: Selections from the Barry Blinderman Collection</a> has been pushed back to January 8, 2021.What percentage of your sales have previously been online vs in person (including art fairs)?&nbsp;50/50&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/western-exhibitions">Western Exhibitions&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;</body></html>

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