<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418549/ksotcjihvgsejbqfcehx.jpg"></figure>By MARY DEYOEWhen the Monster Roster artists were working in the middle of the 20th century, those who made up the group had two strikes against them – they were from Chicago, and they were figurative artists. In the late 1940s and 50s being an artist in Chicago was almost an automatic ticket to obscurity, as many contemporary critics were shining light primarily on New York. It was also nearly mandatory that an artist work in abstraction to be taken seriously.John Corbett and Jim Dempsey, curators of Monster Roster: Existentialist Art in Postwar Chicago, a new exhibition at the Smart Museum of Art, decided it was time that this group was given a reexamination.&nbsp; “We are currently seeing a widespread reconsideration of the canon of 20th century American art,” explained Corbett and Dempsey, “Specifically, what belongs as part of the enduring legacy, what has previously been excluded that needs to be reevaluated, analyzed, and readmitted? How do those new additions change the overall complexion of the story of American art?”The Monster Roster, recognized as one of the factions that made up the Chicago Imagists, was led by Leon Golub and included his wife Nancy Spero, as well as artists June Leaf, Dominick DiMeo, and Cosmo Compoli. Together the group produced work that is deeply pyschological, even unsettling. Their art, which offended crtics at the time, can still be tough to encounter; brush stokes are harsh; bodies are disfigured and contorted in pain, sometimes tortured. Much of the group’s source material: mythology, ancient art and Jungian pyschology – was out of fashion with the day’s prevailing art criticism – and the artists maintained a strong determination not to fall under the influence of the predominant cultural climate, a motivation shared with some contemporaries, like Jackson Pollock, working in Abstract Expressionism, and other avant garde movements.While resisting the notion of direct influence, Corbett and Dempsey cite an increasing interest among young artists today in the work because of a “curiosity about untold histories and an openness to alternative ways of thinking about painting.”“The spirit of self-determination among the postwar artists [in this exhibition] is a key carry-over into subsequent generations. Whether it was a direct effect or a more general attitude, taking charge of one’s destiny – especially in exhibitions&nbsp; – was extremely significant to them and today could be seen as a salient hallmark of Chicago artists, as seen in select Imagist exhibitions at Hyde Park Art Center as well as in apartment galleries over the last ten years.”The exhibition will be highlighted by an extensive lineup of talks, tours, film screenings, poetry workshops, musical performances, and family events. Programming will dive into the historical context of the Monster Roster, including a look at the unique social, cultural, and political conditions that helped shape their aesthetic.Dempsey and Corbett also aimed to use programming to explore common threads running through work by artists who were not members of the Monster Roster. Together they said, “Artists working in other media, including film, literature, and music have and continue to respond to the existential anxiety that informed the work of [the artists in the exhibition].” One planned talk presents the work of filmmaker Tom Palazzolo, who since the 1960s has produced over 50 films that explore the “complex, multi-faceted, and often overlooked events and rituals unfolding across Chicago’s neighborhoods.” Other programs include films directed by Jerry Blumenthal and Gordon Quinn, Golub: Late Works are the Catastrophes, as well as Woman as Protagonist: The Art of Nancy Spero.The free, public opening for the exhibition takes place at the museum on&nbsp;Wednesday, February 10, 2016,&nbsp;7–9 pm.&nbsp;The evening celebration will feature live music from the Josh Berman Trio, docent-led tours, in-gallery spoken word prose and poetry performances, and more.Monster Roster: Existentialist Art in Postwar Chicago features works from 1948 to the mid 1960s. It is on view at the Smart Museum at the University of Chicago February 11–June 12, 2016.Curators John Corbett and Jim Dempsey, independant curators and co-owners of Corbett vs Dempsey Gallery, worked closely with Jessica Moss, Smart Museum Curator of Contemporary Art, and Richard A. Born, Smart Museum Senior Curator.Top image: Leon Golub, The Ischian Sphinx, 1956, oil and lacquer on canvas. Private Collection.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

The Monster Roster exhibition at the Smart Museum of Art in Chicago 

Reconsidering the Monster Roster

2016 marks the Museum of Contemporary Photography&#39;s (MoCP)&nbsp;40th anniversary. In celebration, the spring exhibition&nbsp;MoCP at 40&nbsp;will draw from the museum&rsquo;s permanent collection of over 13,000 works to explore the institution&rsquo;s role as a hub of photographic research and education.

Arranged chronologically from the late 19th century to today, the opening installation will span major developments in the photographic medium as it intersects with historical moments in politics, culture, and art. Works by renowned artists including Diane Arbus, Roy DeCarava, Walker Evans, Sally Mann, and Andy Warhol will be on view along with over one hundred others. In an adjacent gallery, rarely seen correspondence and ephemera from the past four decades will give insight into individual artists&rsquo; photographs and collaborations with the museum. MoCP at 40 is organized collaboratively by MoCP staff members with assistance from graduate and undergraduate interns studying at Columbia College Chicago.

MoCP at 40 will highlight the breadth of photographic processes represented in the collection, from analogue methods dating back to the invention of the medium, to contemporary cutting edge techniques. Also on view will be a selection of works from the Midwest Photographer&rsquo;s Project (MPP), including a site-specific installation by Chicago-based artist Aim&eacute;e Beaubien. Inaugurated in 1982 MPP is a rotating collection of portfolios loaned to the MoCP for a three year period by prominent and emerging artists from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The MoCP is committed to broadening the visual arts by constantly searching for new national and international talent to exhibit. To this end, the museum&rsquo;s programming guides the public to a greater understanding of thought-provoking contemporary photography as well as an appreciation for traditional work that has not yet received critical acclaim. &nbsp;

MoCP at 40 runs January 28 &ndash; April 10, 2016.&nbsp;Exhibition details and event information available at <a href="http://mocp.org">mocp.org</a>

The annual winter gala to benefit the museum, DARKROOM, takes place Thursday, February 25 at Morgan Manufacturing. Details <a href="http://www.mocp.org/events/event?id=584691">here</a>.&nbsp;

Pictured above: Carrie Mae Weems, Untitled #2451, 1990

<img alt="" data-caption="Louise Dahl-Wolfe, &lt;i&gt;Carson McCullers&lt;/i&gt;, 1940" data-rich-file-id="899" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/899/original/11-wolfe-carson-mccullers.jpg" />

The Museum of Contemporary Photography's 40th anniversary

MoCP Marks 40 Years

BY THOMAS MASTERS

In September 2015 Chicago lost one its great &quot;Aristo-Democrats,&quot; Michael Weinstein.

There are a few blowhards&nbsp;and bullies in this town who claim to be the champions of the &quot;underdog artist.&quot; &nbsp;They&nbsp;criticize galleries and institutions for&nbsp;insensitivity and abuses to those artists and they&nbsp;seem to be forever sought out by the press for their well worn opinions. They believe this somehow advances an artist&#39;s&nbsp;struggles, that tired&nbsp;rhetoric somehow makes them heroic.&nbsp;For the most part it is&nbsp;self serving and provincial.

Michael Weinstein simply described them as&nbsp;&quot;the bitter ones...&quot;

His approach?&nbsp; He helped artists to understand their work in ways that they themselves did not&nbsp;consider or comprehend, and&nbsp;he did this over lengthy conversations in galleries, while standing in front of the works, going piece by piece with the the artist or gallerist. He&nbsp;wrote reviews, catalog essays and critiques that were insightful and generous in spirit. He attended hundreds of exhibitions around the city,&nbsp;praising both galleries and artists, and&nbsp;encouraging and inspiring those who engaged him in conversation. He may have been the most intelligent writer about art in this city,&nbsp;and yet, except for his photo reviews in New City,&nbsp; his contributions were somewhat overlooked and he was seldom asked by the media in Chicago to comment on major art events. Often the&nbsp;media selected the same, tired voices.&nbsp;In this regard, Michael&#39;s enormous intelligence and advanced intellect&nbsp;in all aspects of art and life were overlooked.

<img alt="" data-caption="&quot;This Side of the Mountain&quot; part 1, (The Dance) artistic and musical collaboration between Michael Weinstein and Thomas Masters" data-rich-file-id="989" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/989/original/screen-20shot-202016-01-21-20at-202-09-02-20pm.jpg" />

I have talked to numerous people who claim to be his best friend and confidant.&nbsp;He had a special gift for making one feel like his relationship with you entitled you to believe it to be so.

Michael could talk to anybody. He could convey the most complex ideas about art, life and philosophy,&nbsp;and he would&nbsp;make the&nbsp;listener understand it all in a simple and profound way.

He could&nbsp;make&nbsp;you feel less alone in the world.

Some afternoons he would visit my gallery, and we would talk for hours over beer and french fries and walk through the exhibitions and discuss the work on display.

I will miss those times with him.

- TM

&nbsp;

Top image:&nbsp;One of many great moments with Michael and his wife Deena.

Memorial about Michael Weinstein from gallery owner Thomas Masters

A Tribute to Michael Weinstein

Tucked into the&nbsp;corner of the fourth floor of the MCA is Ania Jaworska&#39;s&nbsp;installation of screen prints featuring her playful&nbsp;interpretations of architectural columns. The&nbsp;tongue-in-cheek prints question the history of architecture while providing viewers with a moment to relax and smile.&nbsp;The opening of the exhibition at the end of August&nbsp;coincided with the Chicago Architecture Biennial but the screen prints, along with a sculptural installation in the adjacent gallery,&nbsp;are on view until January 31.&nbsp;

Top image:&nbsp;Installation view, BMO Harris Bank Chicago Works: Ania Jaworska, MCA Chicago, Aug 25, 2015&ndash;Jan 31, 2016.&nbsp;Photo: Nathan Keay.&nbsp;&copy; MCA Chicago

<img alt="" data-caption="Ania Jaworska. Faking It, 2015. Screen print on folio paper. Courtesy of the Artist. © MCA Chicago" data-rich-file-id="984" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/984/original/aniajaworska-fakingit.jpg" />

<img alt="" data-caption="Ania Jaworska, 2447 N Lakewood Ave, Chicago, IL 60618, 2015. Screen print on folio paper. Courtesy of the Artist. © MCA Chicago" data-rich-file-id="986" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/986/original/aniajaworska-lakewoodavenue.jpg" />

<img alt="" data-caption="Ania Jaworska, Wooden Column on Fire (It Was Always Burning), 2015. Screen print on folio paper Courtesy of the Artist. © MCA Chicago" data-rich-file-id="987" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/987/original/aniajaworska-fire.jpg" />

<img alt="" data-caption="Ania Jaworska, The 90s, 2015. Screen print on folio paper. Courtesy of the Artist. © MCA Chicago" data-rich-file-id="985" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/985/original/aniajaworska-90.jpg" />

Closing Soon: Ania Jaworska at the MCA

<img alt="" data-rich-file-id="983" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/983/original/getimage-aspx.jpeg" />

Lois Weisberg did more in a day than most people could try to do in a month.

She was head of the City of Chicago&#39;s Department of Cultural Affairs under two mayors, Harold Washington and Richard Daley, for the better part of 30 years, until she steppeddown in 2011. She started Cows on Parade (now replicated in many forms in cities around the world) and co-founded the Block 37 Arts program (now After School Matters) with the late Maggie Daley. We have her to thank for the Blues Festival, the Gospel Festival, the Taste of Chicago, Friends of the Parks and much more. She helped make the Cultural Center the Cultural Center&nbsp;(it used to be the Chicago&nbsp;Public Library) and she championed scores of Chicago artists and creatives while advocating for free programs for the public.&nbsp;

Lois Weisberg not only made culture count in Chicago - she showed how critical a strong arts scene is to a thriving city&#39;s&nbsp;economy, global reputation and to our every day lives. Though she will certainly be missed, her many efforts and accomplishments live on.

Here are several write-ups about the one-of-a-kind Lois Weisberg:

&bull; Malcolm Gladwell&#39;s Famous 1999 New Yorker Profile:&nbsp;<a href="http://gladwell.com/six-degrees-of-lois-weisberg/">Six-Degrees of Lois Weisberg</a>

&bull;&nbsp;Tribune - Chris Jones:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-lois-weisberg-was-more-than-a-connector-ae-0117-20160114-column.html">The remarkable Lois Weisberg</a>

&bull;&nbsp;Tribune - Rick Kogan:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-lois-weisberg-dead-was-chicago-arts-chief-for-daley-20160114-story.html">Tireless champion of city&#39;s cultural life</a>

&bull;&nbsp;Sun Times:&nbsp;<a href="http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/1251831/legendary-landmark-lois-weisberg">Lois Weisberg, &#39;den mother of the arts&#39;</a>

&bull;&nbsp;Chicago Reader: <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2016/01/14/lois-weisberg-rest-in-peace-doesnt-cut-it">Lois Weisberg:&nbsp;Rest in peace doesn&#39;t cut it</a>

&nbsp;

Top image: Chicago Tribune, Lois Weisberg

Chicago Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Lois Weisberg Dead at 90

Lois Weisberg Has Died at Age of 90 - Former Commissioner of Cultural Affairs 

By JULIA KERSHAW

The style of the English countryside is coming to Chicago, when the Driehaus Museum presents Dressing Downton&trade;: Changing Fashion for Changing Times. This celebration of the wildly popular historical drama, Downton Abbey, will exhibit over 35 award-winning costumes from the show. Created by the London costume house, Cosprop Ltd, and inspired by old photographs and magazine pictures, the Downton Abbey&nbsp;costumes provide a window into a turbulent Britain in the early 20th century, from the beginning of World War I to the exciting times of the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz Age.

The opulent interior of the Driehaus Museum, reminiscent of the lavish home of the fictional Crawley family, will help bring to life the history behind the costumes, revealing the cultural influences imbued in them.

Dressing Downton runs February 9 &ndash; May 8. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available online at <a href="http://www.driehausmuseum.org/exhibitions">driehausmuseum.org/exhibitions</a><a href="http://www.driehausmuseum.org/dressing_downton">.</a>

&nbsp;

The Dressing Downton Exhibition at the Driehaus Museum of Art

Downton at Driehaus

By MARY DEYOE

<img alt="" data-caption="Three works from Printworks' 35th Anniversary Exhibition" data-rich-file-id="964" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/964/original/printworkstrio.jpg" />

In December, when Printworks&rsquo; 35th Anniversary show The Return of the Exquisite Corpse opened, none of the 105 artists on view had seen their final works. The gallery&rsquo;s co-directors directors, Sidney Block and Bob Hiebert, invited each of the artists to create one piece of an exquisite corpse (either a head, torso, or legs). The artists knew only which body part they were responsible for creating and did not have any sense of the rest of the piece &ndash; including who the other collaborating artists would be. The resulting work is stunning to say the least, and in many cases, curious, bold and kindred.

&ldquo;We tried to include as many artists as we could,&rdquo; said Hiebert, who began organizing the show two years ago. While a large number of the artists in the show, including Audrey Niffenegger, Ed Paschke, and Karl Wirsum, are represented by Printworks, others include those who have just become wonderful friends over the years.

In talking to Hiebert it is clear that friendships and relationships have always been the driving force behind the gallery, the central one being the relationship between Hiebert and Block, who met in the 1970s and bonded over a love of classical music. They became fast friends and eventually business partners.

Exquisite corpse is a tradition that originated in the early 1900s with the Surrealists. Each participant adds to a composition, often without knowing what was done by the person before. When written, the pattern may follow rules such as: subject &ndash; verb &ndash; predicate. In art, the objective is to create a body. One artist draws a head, the next the torso, and a third the legs.

The show features 35 works and reprises the gallery&rsquo;s 2000 exhibition, The Exquisite Corpse, which presented 21 corpses for the 21st century. In 2003 Printworks did a similar exhibition in honor of Block&rsquo;s 80th birthday. Hiebert, as a surprise for his business partner, contacted nearly 200 artists asking each of them to complete a segment of a snake that would be secretly installed down the street in Jean Albano Gallery. The 250-foot long work on paper started with a head by Jules Feiffer and ended with a tail by Ed Paschke. Along the way, one encountered contributions by Leon Golub, Vera Klement, Gladys Nilsson and Nancy Spero. The snake was donated to Northwestern University&rsquo;s Block Museum (no relation) in 2006 by Sidney and his late wife, Hanna.

Return of the Exquisite Corpse is an incredible documentation of several generations of Chicago artists. It also recalls the rich history of the gallery, which has maintained an impressive roster of artists and continues to produce unique shows through many shifts in the gallery and art world. 
The show also illustrates the incredible devotion and generosity that Block and Hiebert have shown to their artists and friends. &ldquo;From the beginning, Sid always said &lsquo;pay the artists first. Without them you have nothing,&rsquo;&rdquo; recalls Hiebert.

The pair, since moving in 1982 to their current location (the gallery spent its first two years at 620 N. Michigan Avenue, along with Carl Hammer and Richard Gray) have kept their desks just inside the front door, ready to welcome each visitor. &ldquo;We specifically placed our desks in front. It is a way for us to be available to engage and to break that horrible barrier of galleries being standoff-ish.&rdquo;

When they first opened the gallery in 1980, Block and Hiebert sold only prints. Over the years, that focus shifted to include all types of works on paper, including artists books and some photographs. The overwhelming majority of the work they sell costs between three and four figures. It is a modest and rare approach &ndash; in contrast to the focus other galleries place on large pieces that can bring in a significant amount of money at once.

Just before press time in November 2015, Block passed away at age 91. Heibert, 68, admits it is hard to know how long the gallery will stay open. But after 35 years in business together and 46 years of friendship, &ldquo;It has been a charmed life,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;The gallery is a reason to get up every morning.&rdquo;

It is clear that this anniversary show honors much more than just that.

Return of the Exquisite Corpse:&nbsp;35th Anniversary Group Show runs&nbsp;through&nbsp;February 13, 2016 at&nbsp;Printworks, 311 W. Superior, Suite 105.

An interview with Bob Heibert of Printworks on the gallery's 25th anniversary

Printworks: 35 Years of Exquisite Art

BY GINNY VAN ALYEA

<img alt="" data-caption="itas” Series, 1990. Etching with aquatint. Ed. of 20. Image: 24” x 18”." data-rich-file-id="963" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/963/original/anpu001.jpg" />

35 years in the art business is no small feat, but 35 years selling works on paper, while earning the love and admiration of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of artists, is another thing entirely. Out of a friendship between Bob Hiebert and Sidney Block grew a unique gallery, Printworks, devoted to supporting both established and emerging artists and to enriching the community as a whole.&nbsp;

Hiebert and Block met as friends over 46 years ago, and in 1980, they went into business together to sell prints, original drawings, photography and artists&rsquo; books. Over the years they have placed prints and drawings in the permanent collections&nbsp;of major institutions around the world including the Tate Gallery in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, 
the Hirshhorn Museum and National Museum of American Art in Washington DC, Boston Museum&nbsp;of Fine Arts, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Australian National Gallery.

There are many things that distinguish Chicago&rsquo;s art community from others around the country, but some of the first that come to mind are the resistance of trends and the collegiality between artists as well as dealers; these hallmarks are each exemplified by the program many have come to know so well at Printworks. The gallery has become a gathering place for legions of Chicago&rsquo;s most well-known and respected artists (some of whom work primarily in print, as well as others who may work in another medium entirely but dabble from time to time in paper/prints, others still just simply enjoy working with Bob and Sidney), and it has also allowed many collectors to find an accessible and affordable entry point to buying art (the gallery even has an Affordable Art program, featuring works priced for $300 and under).

<img alt="" data-caption=" Nicholas Sistler, Antechamber with Amenities, 2009. Photo-polymer intaglio prints. Image: 6” x 3”. Edition of 30. " data-rich-file-id="962" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/962/original/nsspu035.jpg" />

Hiebert and Block&rsquo;s devotion to works on paper occupies a contemporary sweet spot in the art world. They have earned a reputation for faithfully promoting their artists, and for 35 years they&rsquo;ve helped build many careers as well as assemble unique, beautiful shows that have left indelible marks on the calendar of Chicago&rsquo;s own artistic history.&nbsp;

This past November Sidney passed away at the age of 91, 9 years after the death of his beloved wife Hanna, leaving behind his dear friend Bob and an empty chair near the gallery&rsquo;s front door. In December the gallery&rsquo;s anniversary exhibition featured 35 collaborative works by 105 artists.The exhibition, The Return of the Exquisite Corpse, runs through February 13.

ON THE COVER: PRINTWORKS

A new year of art is here, and we can&#39;t wait for all the openings taking place this Friday evening and througout the month of January. &nbsp;Despite the cold weather, the winter openings have long been a popular go-to in the art world because of the opportunities for inspiration, as well as the socilization,&nbsp;they offer after a hectic holiday season. Dozens of new exhibitions open in galleries, studios and art centers from the south side to the suburbs. We are excited to see what&#39;s new from exhibiting artists, and we hope you are too. &nbsp;

We hope you&#39;ll use our Openings&nbsp;<a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/calendar?tag=opening-receptions">calendar</a> to plan ahead for an art-filled weekend and year.&nbsp;

Cheers! See you in the galleries.&nbsp;

<img alt="" data-rich-file-id="965" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/965/original/openings1.jpg" />

A New Year of Art

BY GINNY VAN ALYEA

I think 2016 will be a big year &ndash; if we want it to be. In the office as we were planning this January-April edition of CGN, we also prepared to embrace myriad changes for the magazine and our daily lives.&nbsp;

I welcomed a baby boy in November, long time Business Manager Laura Mettam moved to her home state of Michigan &ndash; we all wish her well &ndash; and new staff member Alison Reilly hit the ground running, bringing a new energy to these pages. New voices join us as well from several professional members of the arts community as part of our online CGN Influencers series, where art world insiders share insights about everything from art school, to auctions, collection management, and more. So many changes inspired us to introduce a new look and logo and embrace a more modern font and style.&nbsp;

In the spirit of change, we are excited about much of this issue&rsquo;s news. From our profile of the two dealers and lifelong friends who started Printworks 35 years ago, to an interview with a young dealer focusing on street art, we look back in order to look ahead.&nbsp;

The always entertaining art collector Howard Tullman shares with Kevin Nance his eclectic (some will say racy) approach to zeroing in on what he likes, while Franck Mercurio profiles a young couple beginning a collection they divide between home and work.&nbsp;

Art collecting today is part of an ongoing, almost urgent, discussion in the art world. For those whose livelihoods depend on support from buyers, in addition to institutions and cultural groups, the question is simple: at a time when an older collector base is aging out of the market, why don&rsquo;t more young people buy art? What are the answers? How can we help art stand out as not just another &lsquo;thing&rsquo;? One answer may be found in artist Tony Fitzpatrick&rsquo;s call for artists to extend a hand and work with their own community. His call shouldn&rsquo;t be just for artists, but for all of us looking to add meaning to our creative experiences.

While big sales make headlines, buying art doesn&rsquo;t often make the news; more&nbsp;people must embrace the power to decide for themselves whom they want to connect with and support. This affects what art we may want to acquire, as it&rsquo;s possible to ride an artist&rsquo;s creative coattails to change our daily experiences in subtle as well as profound, ways.

CGN is devoted to making the art world accessible by promoting all there is to do and see in the visual community. We don&rsquo;t declare what is good or bad &ndash; part of the experience of art is discovering for yourself what you love and appreciate. Be part of the adventure.

2016 is a fresh chance to reprioritize our experiences and pursuits. We are eager to see what&rsquo;s next this year.

Letter from the Chicago Gallery News publisher, winter 2016

Publisher’s Letter: Reprioritizing Art

An interview between Chicago-based artist Claire Ashley and Chicago Gallery News. Claire Ashley’s work blurs the lines between painting, sculpture, installation, and performance. It evokes feelings of playfulness and curiosity; a desire to touch and feel and interact. It’s fun. The artist has stated that contemporary art takes itself too seriously, and her work is the perfect antidote for this plague.

Claire Ashley: The Evolution of Surprise

By TONY FITZPATRICK

A new year has begun, and I am reminded that there is something to be said for not looking back &ndash; for letting the past be the past... If 2015 taught us anything, it was to pay attention to the city around us. While the art world goes on about its business of being mostly about itself, nearly 400 of our citizens have died at the end of a gun; 20% live below the poverty level. Our public schools are a mess. These subjects used to be red meat for artists &ndash; there was a time when artists routinely engaged as social commentators; not everything was about fashion and celebrity and art fairs.

There are certainly artists here hard at work engaging and bettering communities. I hope that more are motivated to tackle large issues and push for meaningful changes. I cannot think of an example almost anywhere of an artist who does more than Theaster Gates, a man whose vision (and very capable team) is almost single-handedly revitalizing neighborhoods on Chicago&rsquo;s south side. Central to Gates&rsquo;s practice is finding transcendent moments in a community&rsquo;s history. Music, books, buildings are all cultural artifacts; he gathers them like a historian and shares them with neighbors and the world.

I also applaud all of the artists out there who work with children, and in particular I marvel at the work that southside artist James Jankowiak has achieved with his students. Jankowiak is a fantastic, under-the-radar artist who has been so good for so long. His work is a retinal mix of street art, op-art, and formal abstraction. I&rsquo;m always excited just to see what he posts on Facebook and to keep up with his art and his work with local students.

I&rsquo;m a fan of Facebook as a place for artists to share their work and ideas. For all of the nasty bitch-biting and 6th grade idiocy, the one benefit of this time-vacuum is that it allows artists who&rsquo;d have never otherwise known each other to have a dialogue. As a result I have artist friends in Finland, Tokyo, Joshua Tree, and Montreal.

Out of those global dialogues could come real change, though some times we will still see more pictures of cats or breakfast muffins. Facebook can bring out the 12 year old in people.

Putting certain technologies to work in the service of a better city and society is what I&rsquo;m driving at. Chicago is a luminous, beautiful city, full of grace and poetry. It is also a city of ugliness and great cruelty, classism, racism and inequity. To acknowledge one vision of our city, we must own the other. Examining both sides is where artists can do a great deal of good; we can mitigate some of the misery.

In this coming year, I want to push artists (certainly others too, but I&rsquo;ll pick on artists first, since I am one) to do one thing for their community. It doesn&rsquo;t have to be monumental.

Be the &ldquo;Picture Person&rdquo; and take some photos, or donate some art supplies to a public school. Participate in art therapy for those in hospitals or assisted living facilities. Tutor kids, not only in art, but also in reading, math, the 
sciences and computer skills. Donate (or sponsor) art in local hospitals, 
hospice facilities and old folks&rsquo; residences. You will be surprised at how much this means to patients in those places. Artists shouldn&rsquo;t be afraid to make themselves available. Collaborate with students to make their own art, like my pal James Jankowiak.

I see art as a means to celebrate life and elevate us above some grim realities; the best art does something for the artist and the viewer; it helps us reckon with those same sad facts. Artists may not be super heroes, but to make art in the face of what has been our city&rsquo;s recent, dominant narrative is a triumph of optimism over reality.

Together the many participants in the art world can hold out a hand, sharing art&rsquo;s possibilities with others. It might save us from ourselves.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/tony.fitzpatrick">https://www.facebook.com/tony.fitzpatrick</a>

Pictured: James Jankowiak with Chicago students
<style type="text/css">
</style>

Artist Tony Fitzpatrick on what matters right now

Happy F*ing New Year, Chicago

By ALISON REILLY

This past weekend the Art Institute of Chicago reopened their contemporary galleries with a new layout that&nbsp;incorporates&nbsp;Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson&#39;s donation of 44 major works. The gift, estimated at $400 million, is the largest in the museum&#39;s history and showcases artists like Damien Hirst, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons,&nbsp;Roy Lichtenstein,&nbsp;Robert Rauschenberg,&nbsp;Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, and Andy Warhol.&nbsp;

Warhol&#39;s iconic&nbsp;Mao&nbsp;is no longer&nbsp;on display but instead are nine new additions to the collection including Twelve Jackies,&nbsp;Liz #3 [Early-Colored Liz]&nbsp;(the face of the&nbsp;New Contemporary&nbsp;campaign),&nbsp;two self-portraits and a red and green electric chair. Other favorites like Gerhard Richter&#39;s&nbsp;Woman Descending the Staircase&nbsp;are certainly missed in the reinstallation (it&#39;s on loan through next year), but the removal of these works offers an&nbsp;opportunity to see a number of early sixties works not previously on display including Yayoi Kusama&#39;s&nbsp;No. IZ, Lygia Clark&#39;s&nbsp;Bicho - Monumento a Todas as Situa&ccedil;&otilde;es, and Gutai artist Shiraga Kazuo&#39;s&nbsp;Chikatsusei Maunkinshi (Golden Wings Brushing the Clouds Incarnated from Earthly Wide Star).

Damien Hirst&#39;s Still is another compelling addition to the collection. An array of surgical instruments are meticulously installed in an enormous glass cabinet prompting viewers to question if and how these instruments were actually used in medical practice.

For more information&nbsp;visit: <a href="http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/new-contemporary">The New Contemporary</a>.

Top image:&nbsp;Andy Warhol.&nbsp;Twelve Jackies,&nbsp;1964. The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Edlis/Neeson Collection. &copy; 2015 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc./Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

<img alt="" data-caption="Roy Lichtenstein. &lt;i&gt;Woman III&lt;/i&gt;, 1982. The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Edlis/Neeson Collection. © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein" data-rich-file-id="896" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/896/original/lichtenstein-womaniii-1982.jpg" />

<img alt="" data-caption="Jeff Koons. &lt;i&gt;Bourgeois Bust – Jeff and Ilona&lt;/i&gt;, 1991. The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Edlis/Neeson Collection. © Jeff Koons" data-rich-file-id="897" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/897/original/jeff-koons-bourgeois-bust-jeff-and-ilona.jpg" />

<img alt="" data-caption="Richard Prince. &lt;i&gt;Untitled (fashion)&lt;/i&gt;, 1982-84. The Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Edlis/Neeson Collection. © Richard Prince" data-rich-file-id="898" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/898/original/prince-untitled-fashion-1982-84.jpg" />

The New Contemporary

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418210/bj6amv3bnunbiiln8fop.jpg"></figure>By KEVIN NANCEJudith Tullman has a special name for the Art Loft, the office/clubhouse/gallery space of her husband, the entrepreneur, venture capitalist and prolific art collector Howard Tullman. She calls it “The Breast Home.”No wonder. Perhaps one-third of the roughly 1,200 pieces on display in the 6,000-square-foot loft are paintings and drawings of nudes. The vast majority of them are female, and most are naturalistic in style, including several photorealistic pieces lifelike enough to appear in Playboy.Overall, Tullman’s collection is merrily eclectic, if almost exclusively figurative, and includes sculpture, paintings and works on paper. Most of the pieces are by young and/or emerging artists from Chicago and around the world (especially Germany and Mexico) who exude a youthful, often alternative or outsider sensibility. Several are witty, impish riffs on pop-culture figures, including David Hevel’s sculptures of Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson made of taxidermied animals, and Lizabeth Eva Rossof’s faux-Chinese warriors referencing Batman and Bart Simpson. One large painting, I’ll Have What She’s Having by John Jacobsmeyer, is a Renaissance-fair parody of the famous scene from&nbsp;Rob Reiner’s romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally…,” with Linda Lovelace, Harry Reems and other 1970s pornography stars acting out the parts. (The exception is the director’s mother, Estelle, who appears in the painting in her original role as the speaker of the title phrase.)But there’s also an elephant in the room, and she is bodacious indeed. Visitors to the Art Loft are routinely dazzled by the display of pulchritude—which is housed at the loft, rather than at Tullman’s home, out of deference to the wishes of his wife and co-collector, Judith, whose artistic tastes lie elsewhere. &nbsp;&nbsp;Would it be accurate to classify Tullman, 70, as an admirer of the female form?“Yeah, I’d say that,” he concedes with a you-got-me smile during a recent visit. “But I also have to say, what I really admire is the execution of a lot of these artists; it is quite extraordinary.”Tullman isn’t kidding. Gazing at a realistic painting by New York artist Jenny Morgan of a young nude woman standing in a swimming pool, he says the most interesting part of the work for him is the highly accomplished way Morgan has rendered the water in the pool. “Now, I realize that that’s like saying you read Playboy for the articles, but it’s true,” he says. In front of a different painting—this of a young woman kneeling in a bathtub, presenting her glistening derriere to the viewer—Tullman focuses on the bathtub rather than its occupant. “That’s someone’s rear end, I get that,” he says. “[But] the most complicated thing for the artist is to represent water and motion.”To some extent, Tullman’s focus on the figure is an outgrowth of his desire to narrow the choices he’s forced to make as a busy executive who also happens to be an art collector. “I think it’s almost impossible to keep on top of what’s going on in the art world across all its different dimensions,” he says. “One of the ways I’ve addressed the glut—just the sheer volume—has been to say to the galleries I work with, ‘Please don’t send me an abstract piece or a landscape.’ My philosophy has been that I want to see the world’s best examples of realist, figurative representations. That’s how I’ve made my life more manageable as a collector, and that’s how I explain the concentration. Certainly I don’t acquire things to aggravate my wife or make her life more difficult.”At the same time, Tullman—a restless business innovator whose latest enterprise is a technology startup incubator called 1871, whose offices at the Merchandise Mart now house parts of his art collection—seems to enjoy his reputation as a sort of art-world Hugh Hefner. He tells with evident pleasure an anecdote of the president of a company who was photographed at the loft, but the next day, a member of his staff called and said, “Can we come back? We need to take different pictures.”&nbsp; All of the artwork shown in the background, it turned out, featured nude female figures, perky as can be.*Tullman’s interest in the figure dates back to his early years as a collector when, as a young corporate lawyer, he and his wife came to know several of the Chicago Imagists, the Pop-and-Surrealist-influenced group that included Ed Paschke, Roger Brown, Jim Nutt, Gladys Nilsson and others. The Tullmans amassed a significant collection of Imagist painting, almost all of it figurative, before donating most of it to the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art about two decades ago.Tullman then found himself attracted primarily to photorealism—again with the figure front and center—before drifting away from that genre, which he came to regard as too technical, in favor of somewhat less naturalistically drawn or painted works with greater subjectivity, drama and storytelling. “Over the years, photorealism became a little boring,” he says. “These things were pristine but had no story, no particular emotion. After a while, they didn’t seem as alive as some of the pieces which are a little looser in technique but have more personality and more narrative.”During the past decade or so, Tullman has increasingly bought sculpture—much of which, in high contrast to the naturalism of the two-dimensional work in the collection, is decidedly non-realistic. Examples include works by two Chicago artists: Joe Seigenthaler’s Fly Dog, a striking male figure with a canine face hovering mournfully at the top of a ladder near Tullman’s desk, and another large piece, by Christophe Roberts, resembling a neon orange lion made from Nike shoeboxes carved up with an X-Acto knife.In these choices, as in so many others, Tullman sometimes differs from his wife. At one art fair, a quirky sculpture of a policeman prompted Judith Tullman to ask, “Who in the world would buy that?” The answer, she later discovered, was her husband.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;“Howard has a taste for the bizarre,” says Linda Warren, one of three Chicago art dealers—the others are Ann Nathan and Carl Hammer—with whom Tullman works most often. “He likes a lot of things that are just weird. He likes nudes, he likes eroticism, and he likes things that reflect subcultures: young people, people with tattoos, people with a very 21st-century mentality. He also likes very strong images that are almost iconic from the beginning; there’s not a lot of subtlety in what he goes for. You walk in there and go, ‘Whoa! This guy’s a wild man.’ But there’s nothing amateur about the work he collects; there’s a cohesiveness to the insanity. And you know, he wouldn’t be where he is today if he didn’t think outside of the box all the time.”*The other major element that has shaped Tullman’s collection is his commitment to supporting young and emerging artists (the latter group including several painters and sculptors who turned to making art after long careers in other fields). Unlike many collectors in Chicago and elsewhere who keep artists at arm’s length by dealing exclusively with gallerists, the Tullmans are in direct, regular contact with many of the artists they collect.“As a young lawyer and having friends who were struggling artists, it seemed reasonable that we should spend some of the money we were earning to support what they were doing, which we thought was (a) more fun and (b) certainly more rewarding than being a corporate lawyer,” Tullman recalls. “That’s how we got connected with some of the earlier Imagists. They were trying to make a go of it, practicing their art, and it was a very challenging time. It’s always been a challenging time for young artists.”Today, the Tullmans work with about 20 galleries around the world that “regularly keep us in the loop on new work by artists that we have and, more importantly, work by artists that they think we should see,” he says. “Most of the artists in the collection keep us abreast of what they’re doing. A number of them are also teachers, so they feel free, and sort of make it their business, to call our attention to new artists that they think are worthy. Sometimes these artists are their students, or just young artists they’ve been exposed to one way or another.”It’s that generosity, in part, that has earned the Tullmans the respect and affection of much of the Chicago art community. “Unlike a lot of collectors, Howard doesn’t feel like he has to have a lot of blue-chip artists hanging on his walls,” Hammer says. “He’s more interested in taking risks, taking a chance, and expressing confidence in the new artists coming along. Here’s a guy who can afford pieces by established artists, but he seems to have this vision of moving the next generation along, which is a great thing.”Unlike many collectors who acquire pieces only after lengthy deliberation, Tullman is known for his quick trigger finger. “Someone comes along and he makes an acquaintance with them, or he sees their work somewhere, and he just buys it,” Hammer says. Adds Warren: “I told one artist, ‘Howard Tullman’s going to buy this.’ And the second he got the exhibit invitation, Howard picked up the phone and said, ‘How much is that?’”It helps, of course, if the piece features a figure. If she’s not overly burdened with clothing, so much the better.Top image: Howard Tullman at ease among his art. Photo: Kevin Nance.12/17/15:&nbsp;Editor’s note: Because of inaccurate information given to reporter Kevin Nance, an earlier, printed version of this article in the January-April 2016 issue of CGN misattributed the phrase “Breast Home.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

An interview with art collector Howard Tullman

An Art World Figure: Howard Tullman

<figure class="image"><img></figure>&nbsp;By FRANCK MERCURIO“I never really enjoyed going to galleries,” confesses Patrick Hull, 45, owner and director of Vertical Gallery. “I always felt like I’d walk in, and it wasn’t the right environment for me.”That all changed, however, when Hull became enamored with street art and began visiting galleries in San Francisco that featured the work of prominent urban artists. The vibe, for Hull, in these specialized galleries was different from those that sold more conventional art.“I found [the atmosphere] very approachable,” explains Hull. “You could go to the openings and meet the artists. It really spoke to me that they were allowing everybody to see their art—it wasn’t exclusive.”Hull is a former marketing VP for Birkenstock and Woodruff-Sawyer &amp; Co., and by all accounts, was tremendously successful in his previous career. But three years ago, he left the corporate world, bid farewell to his long-time home in San Francisco, and moved across the country to establish Vertical Gallery in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood.Vertical features a constantly changing roster of urban and street artists, some of whom are just getting established and others with international prominence. It’s a mix that Hull felt was missing from the Chicago art scene.“Even though there were some galleries exhibiting this type of art [in Chicago], I didn’t feel like they were showing what I was seeing in London, Paris, New York, LA, or San Francisco,” explains Hull. “So, I decided to bring this hybrid of local, national, and international urban street artists here.”Since opening Vertical in 2013, Hull has shown the work of many well known artists, including Ben EINE, OAKOAK, Shepard Fairey, and StinkFish. Perhaps Hull’s most famous local artist is Hebru Brantley, whose public murals are popping-up around the city. Brantley has even designed shoes for Nike’s Jordan Brand.“Hebru is primarily a gallery artist, but he loves getting out on the street,” says Hull, referring to Brantley’s public murals. “He’s done graffiti before in the past, and then went into film, and now he’s a full-time artist. We did a very successful, sold-out solo show with him in June.”Which begs the question, how does one sell “street” art—a genre that is typically created for free for public consumption—within a gallery context?“Some of the artists we work with are definitely studio artists, like Hebru,” explains Hull. “While Ben EINE is a graffiti artist, he has a whole body of [outdoor public] work that he’s transformed to be shown in a gallery space.”“I wasn’t exactly sure how OAKOAK would interpret his art for the gallery space,” adds Hull, referring to the French street artist known for his clever public interventions featuring visual puns. “But I think it’s brilliant what he’s done with composition, making his art interactive within a frame.”Indeed, in OAKOAK’s recent solo show at Vertical Gallery, cartoon like figures physically bust through mats that surround his images. In other works, gargantuan movie monsters—including Godzilla and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man—invade the ready-made landscapes of vintage French posters. Even though these smaller works are made for commercial consumption, they stay true to the intentions of OAKOAK’s signature public works.In addition to bringing street artists from around the world to Chicago, Hull also helps coordinate public commissions of their work here in the city. He’s connected to private building owners, as well as business and non-profit organizations, such as the West Town Chamber of Commerce and the Wabash Arts Corridor, who commission large-scale mural installations. Recently, Hull has helped facilitate public murals by Ben EINE, Never2501, and Hebru Brantley. Four more are planned for 2016, including murals by Collin van der Sluijs, Seth Globepainter, HERA, and a second by Ben EINE.“When I work with the artist, I try to find out what kind of space they want, scale-wise, and try to get some funding and get their work out there,” says Hull. “It’s great PR—I mean, a smart artist will definitely realize that ‘If I get a 240-foot-long mural, that’s going to mean a million people will see my work who never knew my work existed.’”April 2016 marks the third anniversary of Vertical Gallery, and Hull is planning a special group exhibition featuring three well-known artist duos: Jana and JS, Ella and Pitr, and Expanded Eye. An opening reception will take place Saturday, April&nbsp; 2, 6-10pm. Upcoming solo shows will feature Collin van der Sluijs, Greg Gossel, and HERA, perhaps the best known female street artist working today. All exhibition openings will incorporate Hull’s welcoming, accessible approach to visitors.“If you come to one of our openings, you will see a wide range of people in one room, and it’s really great,” says Hull. “I love that we can bring people together.”Vertical Gallery 1016 N. Western, Chicago (60622) <a href="http://www.verticalgallery.com">www.verticalgallery.com</a>

An interview with art dealer Patrick Hull

Dealer Patrick Hull’s Street Art Gallery

By&nbsp;Evangeline PolitisA holiday tradition at<a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/institutions/loyola-university-museum-of-art-luma--2"> Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA)</a> since 2009, Art and Faith of the Crèche: The Collection of James and Emilia Govan this year features more than 70 crèches. Running through January 10, the current exhibition has an emphasis on Latin America crèches and a special Crèche of the Year from Italy. Curated from more than 500 works donated to the museum by collectors James and Emilia Govan, the collection includes work created by artists from 100 countries illustrating how artists across the globe depict the Nativity scene.Commemorating Pope Francis’s recent visit to the US, the 2015 Crèche of the Year celebrates the great tradition of praesepe (crèches) in Italy. The terra cotta crèche depicts a dynamic scene as the three kings are greeted by a welcoming shepherd and an angel guides them toward the infant. Created by Sicilian artist Francesco Scarlatella, the work is a small masterpiece that honors Italian heritage. Since the mid-1980s, Scarlatella has devoted himself to creating crèches, and two of his pieces are in the collection at the Vatican Museum.This year will also be marked by a supplemental exhibition of 25 Latin American crèches, ranging geographically from Mexico to Brazil. Dating back to the late 15th century Latin America has been a hub of global exchange, a crossroads of trade between Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia. Despite the dominance of European styles, the artistic traditions of the pre-Columbian peoples still survive. Motifs and materials art subtly adapted from these diverse influences to create the distinctive regional and national styles seen in the western room of the exhibition.In a Guatemalan crèche by Erick Zamora, local saint San Hermano Pedro leads the Holy Family in procession. A pair of crèches, one by leading Mexican ceramicists Irene Aguilar, celebrates the country’s ancient custom of ceramic arts. The works’ materials also reflect local resources and traditions, ranging from coffee beans to bread dough.“The pieces in this year’s exhibition span from the colonial work by the Brazilian Avila brothers to folk art reflecting indigenous styles and devotional practices,” said Pamela Ambrose, director of cultural affairs at Loyola University Chicago. “Visitors will see how artists from Latin American cultures and across the globe depict the Nativity through their own cultural lenses that incorporate native clothing, art, and architecture.”The exhibition continues through January 10.Caption for above image: Josefina Aguilar, Mexico, n.d., painted clay and string, The James and Emilia Govan Crèche Collection

Art and Faith of the Crèche: The Collection of James and Emilia Govan at LUMA

Art and Faith of the Crèche: The Collection of James and Emilia Govan

Chicago Gallery News&nbsp;is sad to share the news that Sidney Block, co-director of Printworks Gallery for thirty-five years, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 25&nbsp;with his co-director and close friend Bob Hiebert at his side.&nbsp;

The gallery&#39;s 35th anniversary show, <a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/calendar/return-of-the-exquisite-corpse-35th-anniversary-exhibition">The Return of the Exquisite Corpse</a>, opens this Friday, December 4. Plans for this special exhibition began two years ago, and the show&nbsp;will feature 35 works with contributions from 105 artists.

Sidney and Bob have been warm neighbors to CGN over the years in River North, and we&nbsp;congratulate the gallery&nbsp;on 35 wonderful years of business, terrific exhibitions, and true friendship.&nbsp;Our hearts go out to our dear friends at Printworks Gallery during this difficult time. Sidney will be missed by many.&nbsp;

A memorial service is pending.

<a href="http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=sidney-block&amp;pid=176718120&amp;fhid=16222.">Obituary</a>

<img alt="" data-caption="&lt;i&gt;Sidney Block&lt;/i&gt;" data-rich-file-id="892" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/892/original/sidney-block.gif" />

Top image: December 2005 from the Chicago Reader&#39;s article, <a href="http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-odd-couple/Content?oid=920721">The Odd Couple</a>:&nbsp;

<blockquote class="pull-right">Bob Hiebert and Sidney Block have been in business together longer than many people have been married, and as with many couples their friends tend to think of them as inseparable--Sid and Bob, Bob and Sid. It&#39;s been 25 years since they opened Printworks, still the city&#39;s only gallery dedicated exclusively to works on paper--contemporary prints, drawings, artists&#39; books, and the occasional painting or photograph. For the past 15--five days a week, nearly every week of the year--they&#39;ve sat on opposite sides of a single desk in their cramped, 600-square-foot space in River North...</blockquote>

Sidney Block: A True Friend

By FRANCK MERCURIO

Known for its signature Santiago Calatrava-designed Quadracci Pavilion (2001), the Milwaukee Art Museum recently completed a major renovation of its two older buildings: the Eero Saarinen&ndash;designed War Memorial Center (1957) and the David Kahler&ndash;designed addition (1975). When the galleries reopen to the public on&nbsp;November 24, they will feature 2,500 works of art from a permanent collection of 30,000.

<img alt="" data-rich-file-id="882" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/882/original/7.jpg" />

The museum&rsquo;s director, Dan Keegan, oversaw the 14-month, $34 million renovation. &ldquo;We wanted to fundamentally change the visitor experience and showcase the collection like never before,&rdquo; explained Keegan during the museum&rsquo;s recent press preview. &ldquo;We wanted to match the beauty of the Calatrava addition with how we present the art itself.&rdquo;

The expansion allows for a more comprehensive display of the museum&rsquo;s encyclopedic collection, including the full narrative arc of American art from colonial times to the present day. It also presents opportunities for showcasing some of the museum&rsquo;s previously underplayed collection areas, such as photography, self-taught and folk art, and 20th century design.

<img alt="" data-caption="Tom Wesselman, Still Life #51, 1964" data-rich-file-id="881" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/881/original/6.jpg" />

The new installation begins with Tom Wesselman&rsquo;s&nbsp;Still Life #51&nbsp;(1964). This monumental painting&mdash;featuring an eight-foot-tall can of Pabst Blue Ribbon&mdash;greets visitors as they enter into the newly renovated Kahler-designed addition. The Wesselman serves as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Milwaukee and a fitting starting point for the museum&rsquo;s re-installed Modern and Contemporary Art Galleries.&nbsp;

<img alt="" data-caption="Donald Judd, Untitled, 1981" data-rich-file-id="878" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/878/original/5.jpg" />

From here, visitors encounter a series of large, light-filled galleries featuring iconic works by the likes of Warhol, Wiley, and Judd, but also a number of impressive pieces by contemporary women artists, such as Claire Zeisler, Elizabeth Murray, and Cornelia Parker.&nbsp;Throughout the main level, several east-west &ldquo;all&eacute;es&rdquo; cut-through the new gallery spaces, providing views into other parts of the museum and glimpses of classic visitor favorites, such as Edwin Landseer&rsquo;s&nbsp;Jocko and the Hedgehog&nbsp;(1828).

<img alt="" data-caption="Georgia O'Keeffe, Poppies, 1950" data-rich-file-id="879" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/879/original/3.jpg" />&nbsp;<img alt="" data-caption="Nardo di Cione, Madonna and Child, ca. 1350" data-rich-file-id="877" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/877/original/2.jpg" />

The new 10,000-square-foot Herzfeld Center for Photography and Media Arts resides on the museum&rsquo;s lower level. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve never had a dedicated space of this scale,&rdquo; explains Lisa Sutcliffe, Curator of Photography and Media Arts. &ldquo;The idea is to create a broader context for understanding photography and other light based media&mdash;film, video, light installations&mdash;and show them together so visitors can understand them as part of a larger whole.&rdquo;

The Herzfeld Center&rsquo;s inaugural exhibition,&nbsp;Light Borne in Darkness, features nearly 180 works from the museum&rsquo;s extensive photography collection. Highlights include Edward Weston&rsquo;s breathtaking&nbsp;Bad Water, Death Valley&nbsp;(1938)&mdash;the first work of photography acquired by the museum&mdash;and an immersive installation by contemporary British artist Anthony McCall titled&nbsp;You and I, Horizontal (II)&nbsp;(2006).&nbsp;

<img alt="" data-caption="Stanley Landsman, &quot;Walk-in Infinity Chamber&quot;, 1968, wood, glass, lightbulbs and electric circuitry, " data-rich-file-id="880" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/880/original/4.jpg" />&nbsp;<img alt="" data-rich-file-id="876" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/876/original/1.jpg" />

The renovation also includes a new east fa&ccedil;ade that overlooks Lake Michigan and reconnects the Kahler-designed addition to the lakefront. Visitor amenities include a second entryway into the museum, a wine bar, and lounges with stunning views of the lake. The east end also contains the new Bradley Family Gallery, a 4,000-square-foot special exhibition space, currently featuring&nbsp;Sam Francis: Master Printmaker, an inaugural exhibition of the Abstract Expressionist&rsquo;s works on paper.

For more information about the Milwaukee Art Museum&rsquo;s renovated galleries, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.mam.org">www.mam.org</a>

&nbsp;

CGN reports the installation of the new galleries at the Milwaukee Art Museum 

A New View of The Milwaukee Art Museum

By MIA DIMEO

Now through January 10, 2016&nbsp;the <a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/institutions/smart-museum-of-art">Smart Museum of Art</a> will celebrate a century of Expressionism with an exhibition of more than 80 pieces from the collection. Expressionist Impulses charts the style in its many forms through prominent movements spanning the twentieth century Die Br&uuml;cke (1905&ndash;1914), Der Blaue Reiter (1911&ndash;1914), New Objectivity (1920s) and Neo-Expressionism (1960&ndash;80s). Focusing on Germany and Central Europe, the exhibition includes artworks by George Grosz, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and others working before WWI, mid-century abstractionists Joseph Albers and Hans Hoffman and later practitioners such as Martin Kippenberger and J&ouml;rg Immendorff.

<img alt="" data-caption="Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Dodo in the Studio, 1910, Pastel on paper. Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago, Gift of Paul and Susan Freehling in memory of Mrs. Edna Freehling, 2002.70." data-rich-file-id="857" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/857/original/smart-kirchner.jpg" />

The diverse list of artists presented under the Expressionist umbrella share a rejection of naturalism, and are bound by their impulse to create subjective worlds where color, line and form are used to achieve maximum emotion. Their work is often linked to political movements and Utopian ideas, but no one theme persists. Highlights include a bold-lined pastel portrait by Kirchner and a colorful oil composition attributed to Wassily Kandinsky.

<img alt="" data-caption="Max Pechstein, Head of a Girl, 1910, Oil on canvas. Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Randall Shapiro, 1992.19." data-rich-file-id="858" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/858/original/smart-pechstein.jpg" />&nbsp;<img alt="" data-caption="Attributed to Wassily Kandinsky, Composition, 1914, Oil on canvas. Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago, Gift of Dolores and Donn Shapiro in honor of Jory Shapiro, 2012.51." data-rich-file-id="856" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/856/original/smart-kandinsky.jpg" />

Related exhibitions on view include To See in Black and White: German and Central European Photography, 1920s&ndash;1950s and Expressionist, New Objectivity, and Constructivist Prints, 1905&ndash;1925: Recent Acquisitions with photos and prints by Max Beckmann, Hannah H&ouml;ch and L&aacute;szl&oacute; Moholy-Nagy. Just in time for Halloween, programming also includes a screening of the 1922 Expressionist vampire film Nosferatu on October 26 complete with live organ accompaniment.

&nbsp;

For details please visit the Smart Museum <a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/institutions/smart-museum-of-art">website</a>&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Top image:&nbsp;A screenshot of the 1922 film,&nbsp;Nosferatu

&nbsp;

The Smart Museum of Art celebrates a century of Expressionism

Expressionist Impulses: German and Central European Art, 1890-1990 at the Smart Museum of Art

By Khephra Burns

&ldquo;An artistically vibrant community, Chicago is emblematic of the creativity that exists wherever black people gather to express the joy and beauty of being black.&rdquo;

Opening October 29 and continuing through November 1, the Harlem Fine Arts Shown (HFAS) returns to Chicago. How could it not? Chicago rivals Harlem for its rich history as a center for African American creativity in the arts. While the Harlem Renaissance is widely celebrated for the flowering of art and literature that gave birth to a new black consciousness in the 1920&rsquo;s, another, less-well publicized, black renaissance began to flourish on Chicago&#39;s South Side in the midst of the Great Depression. It was led, one could argue, by painter Archibald Motley and grew to include such seminal figures as William Edouard Scott, Charles White and&nbsp;Eldzier Cortor, Elizabeth Catlett, Richmond Barth&eacute;,&nbsp;Margaret Taylor Burroughs (cofounder of the DuSable Museum) and others whose names today loom large in the constellation of African American masters.

Motley, who had been working since the 1920&#39;s, prefigured Alain Locke&#39;s &quot;New Negro&quot; in both the content and style of early works like Barbecue (1934) and The Liar (1936), in which he celebrated the surging vitality of inner-city black social life in a district now known as Bronzeville. It was Motley in fact who is credited with coining the name Bronzeville. As an artist, he was the first to focus on the urgency of black nightlife in paintings like Syncopation (1925) and Stomp (1927). &quot;Nothing like it had been seen in American painting,&quot; observed artist Romare Bearden.

<img alt="" data-caption="Archibald J. Motley Jr., Barbecue, c. 1934. Oil on canvas, 39 x 44 inches (99.1 x 111.76 cm). Collection of the Howard University Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. © Valerie Gerrard Browne." data-rich-file-id="854" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/854/original/web-barbecue1934.jpg" />

The Chicago-based progeny of the Motleys, Catletts and Burroughs include such noted contemporary artists as Dawoud Bey, Barbara Jones Hogu, Kerry James Marshall, Theaster Gates, Wadsworth Jarrell, Gerald Griffin and the late Allen Stringfellow.

As you might expect, given its wealth of talent and history, Chicago is home to a strong community of collectors, cultivated in no small part by the&nbsp;South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC), which celebrates its 75th Anniversary beginning in December of 2015.

<img alt="" data-caption="Gerald Griffin" data-rich-file-id="855" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/855/original/gerald-griffin-facing-the-rising-sun.jpg" />

Throughout the country, a burgeoning interest among African Americans in fine art that speaks to their history and culture can be credited to the greater exposure that has come courtesy of institutions like the SSCAC, art fairs and expos like the annual HFAS. Founded in 2009, the HFAS travels annually between Harlem, Martha&#39;s Vineyard, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and now, for the second consecutive year,&nbsp;Chicago. It is a venue for the serious collector of works by artists of African descent, as well as a point of entry for the novice collector and the curious looking to see something of themselves rendered artistically on canvas.

For many the HFAS represents their first exposure to fine art reflecting the breadth and depth of the African Diaspora. It is the mission of HFAS to provide that kind of exposure to new generations in urban centers across the nation.

&nbsp;

The 2nd Harlem Fine Art Show takes place in Chicago October 29-November 1.

<a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/calendar/harlem-fine-arts-show">Click here</a> for details about show hours, special events and tickets.&nbsp;

HFAS&nbsp;is the largest traveling African Diasporic art show in the United States. Since its inception in 2009, HFAS has had over 60,000+ visitors, traveled to 10+ cities as well as showcased 100+ artists and galleries

The Harlem Fine Art Show returns to Chicago 

HFAS Celebrates Arts in Chicago

BY GINNY VAN ALYEA

I took a weekend trip to Rockford recently, to visit family and to see the new Phyllis Bramson Retrospective at the Rockford Art Museum. My family had quite an adventure exploring the area, including the beautiful and serene Anderson Japanese Gardens, and making it out to the museum for this show really was a treat for all. &nbsp;

<img alt="" data-caption="Phyllis Bramson" data-rich-file-id="850" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/850/original/img-4521.jpg" />

Phyllis Bramson is well-known in the Chicago art community (and beyond) as she has been producing her distinctive work for decades. Seeing so many of her large paintings and unique constructions together in the elegant RAM space was a rare experience, and an enlightening one.&nbsp;The museum&#39;s main exhibition space, devoted to Bramson&#39;s work for Phyllis Bramson: In Praise of Folly &ndash; A Retrospective, 1985&ndash;2015, was larger than I expected, and the dark gray walls showed Bramson&#39;s paintings well, highlighting her bold use of color and the varied use of found materials.&nbsp;

<img alt="" data-caption="Reluctant Bride, 2008 60&quot; × 70&quot; mixed media and collage on canvas" data-rich-file-id="851" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/851/original/img-4524.jpg" />

The works in the show are from the second half of Bramson&#39;s career and they demonstrate her signature use of imagery - female images, Asian references and environments, and plenty of eroticisim and surreal scenes. The viewer takes a different trip with each work of art, following Bramson&#39;s use of collage, saturated colors, fantastic landscapes and juxtaposed childhood and fairytale references. &nbsp;

<img alt="" data-caption="Stories Before Bedtimes (tales of love), 2015 Sculpture/Objects: 21&quot; × 21&quot; × 12&quot; Scroll: 53&quot; × 21&quot; Mixed media" data-rich-file-id="849" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/849/original/img-4523.jpg" />

Bramson&#39;s sculptures, or scroll drawings, incorporate ceramic figures and teapots with more found materials and often Asian emboridery, as well as delicate paper materials. The images applied to the scrolls that bellow from below the teapots and characters lead viewers into another immersive experience. I wanted to know more about what each piece meant and what stories were told from one work to the next. My two year old daughter desperately wanted to touch each piece and have a tea party... For both of us Bramson&#39;s work is a complete experience that asks more questions than can be answered.

<img alt="" data-caption="Female-Lovemaking at the end of Springtime, 2006 Sculpture/Objects: 21&quot; × 18&quot; × 10&quot; Scroll: 82&quot; × 10&quot; Mixed media" data-rich-file-id="848" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/848/original/img-4522.jpg" />

In the lower level of the museum, many works from the permanent collection were on view, but a highlight was a collection of prints by Warrington Colescott. The artist&#39;s History of Printmaking series tells a tounge-in-cheek story about the art world through&nbsp;Colescott&#39;s active figures, suspended in conversation with one another while sending messages off the page to the viewer. Warrington Colescott: Collective Follies&nbsp;closed Oct. 18 but many other works are still on view at the museum this fall.&nbsp;

<img alt="" data-caption="Warrington Colescott, (American, b. 1921) The History of Printmaking: Picasso at the Zoo, 1978" data-rich-file-id="853" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/853/original/img-4526.jpg" />

<a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/calendar/phyllis-bramson-retrospective">Phyllis Bramson: In Praise of Folly &ndash; A Retrospective, 1985&ndash;2015</a> in on view at the <a href="http://www.chicagogallerynews.com/institutions/rockford-art-museum">Rockford Art Museum</a> through January 31, 2016, The exhibition is&nbsp;organized by Rockford Art Museum, curated by RAM Curator Carrie Johnson. This exhibition and its related educational programming are sponsored by BMO Private Bank, and partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and by the Armer Ahlstrand Charitable Foundation. All education programs are sponsored in part by Women&rsquo;s Art Board

Key image at top of page: Phyllis Bramson,&nbsp;Shipwrecked,&nbsp;1987,&nbsp;72&quot; &times; 96&quot; oil on canvas

Phyllis Bramson at the Rockford Art Museum and Warrington Colescott

Phyllis Bramson Retrospective at Rockford Art Museum

BY MARY DEYOE

House music, quilting, collaborative dance performances and architectural model-making are just a handful of the art forms you may experience during Chicago Artists Month. While there is no shortage of arts to discover throughout the year, what CAM has continued to do well for the past 20 years is draw our attention to neighborhoods, artists, and art forms with which we may be less familiar.

&ldquo;CAM seems to encourage a flurry of artistic production on top of what&#39;s already happening in Chicago,&rdquo; said CAM Featured Artist Victoria Bradford. &ldquo;It engenders cross-pollination of audiences across genre and geography. And it gives artists an opportunity to convene and communicate.&rdquo;

An initiative of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, CAM features events that are independently produced by artists and organizations spread throughout the city&rsquo;s neighborhoods from Hyde Park to Humboldt Park to Edgewater. While CAM always aims to engage the city from all corners, this is particularly central to this year&rsquo;s theme &ndash; The City as Studio. The EL Train, front porches, abandoned structures and the space below the expressway all figure prominently among the 2015 Featured Events.

Vacancy at the Glass Curtain Gallery at Columbia College features work by artists and architects who use empty, abandoned spaces in the city to imagine new possibilities and to change the notion of &ldquo;empty&rdquo; to &ldquo;open.&rdquo; Under the Freeway, conceived&nbsp;by artists Connie Noyes and Marvin Tate was a one-night, clandestine event. In order to attend, guests were challenged to find their way to the location by completing tasks and following guidelines created by the artists.

<img alt="" data-caption="Under the El installation" data-rich-file-id="845" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/845/original/under-the-freeway-dining.jpg" />

&ldquo;I wanted people to wonder where they might be going for the night, said Noyes, much in the same way many displaced people do every night.&rdquo;

The evening included installations created by Noyes and a performance by cellist Lilianna Wosko. &ldquo;Wosko&#39;s cello added a classic energy and ambiance to the deeply-rooted, macro-society under a small part to the freeway,&rdquo; said Noyes.

<img alt="" data-caption="Installation by Noyes and Tate" data-rich-file-id="846" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/846/original/noyesinstallation1.jpg" />

Notable this year are the number of performances and workshops on the subjects of dance and music. Until recently Chicago Artists Month focused primarily on the visual arts. Coming on the heels of EXPO Chicago and in the midst of the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial, it is refreshing to see these other art forms take the stage.

Neighborhood Dances asks participants to record daily &ldquo;micro-dances&rdquo; from September 18-24, staged in front of buildings, residences and other architectural structures throughout the city. The performances are open to the public and each will yield a 15-second video. All of the videos will be combined, and, over the course of a week, workshopped and choreographed into a performance to be showcased on October 24 at Defibrillator Performance Art Gallery. &nbsp;This project was born out of an ongoing series by Victoria Bradford, who is a current resident at Defibrillator.

<img alt="" data-caption="Part of Neighborhood Dances" data-rich-file-id="847" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/chigal/rich/rich_files/rich_files/847/original/img-3310.jpg" />

&ldquo;Every day I wake up, knowing that somewhere that day, someplace in the city, I&rsquo;m going to make a dance,&rdquo; said Bradford. &ldquo;This city is as much where I ask questions and take risks as where I perform.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Chicago Artist Month runs from October 1 &ndash; November 15, 2015

For a complete list of events, visit <a href="http://www.chicagoartistsmonth.org">www.chicagoartistsmonth.org</a>

Highlights from Chicago Artists Month 2015

Chicago Artists Month 2015 - The City as Studio

BY ERIN CULLEN

In case there was any doubt that fall is the season for art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is bringing back one of their most highly-anticipated and spectacular events on October 23. After a five year hiatus, the 17th iteration of the museum&rsquo;s Benefit Art Auction returns and seems to be bigger and better than ever.

Boasting both a silent and live auction led by Sotheby&rsquo;s Deputy Chairman Oliver Barker, the auctions together will feature more than 100 spectacular works of art by artists from all over the world including renowned and distinguished contemporary artists Takashi Murakami, Sterling Ruby, Alfredo Jarr, Doris Salcedo and Hugh Scott-Douglas, among others.&nbsp; Highlighting the auction, and in advance of his spring exhibition at the MCA, celebrated artist Kerry James Marshall is creating a special piece specifically for the live auction. Artist Nick Cave will also create a custom piece for the auction. From hanging installations to sculptures the event will have something for everyone.&nbsp;

One of the very special parts of the benefit is MCA&rsquo;s support for Chicago based artists. Theaster Gates, Jessica Labatte, Jose Lerma, Cody Hudson and Jennifer Reeder are among the talented group of Chicago artists who will have work featured in this year&rsquo;s Benefit Art Auction.

Each piece auctioned off supports the MCA&rsquo;s exhibits and public programs. A special preview will be held on Wednesday, October 21 at 6pm. A public online preview is currently available through Paddle8 and will be open to bidders through October 23. To purchase tickets or for more information on the Benefit Art Auction, visit <a href="http://www2.mcachicago.org/exhibition/benefit-art-auction/">mcachicago.org</a>

A preview of the upcoming Museum of Contemporary Art auction featuring work for sale by big-name artists

Paddles Ready – MCA Benefit Art Auction is Back!

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418548/zzxbal3vp2oyktkjk4ds.jpg"></figure>BY REBECCA WOANThis post is courtesy of Chicago-based Chartwell Insurance. Please visit <a href="https://www.chartwellins.com/">www.chartwellins.com</a> for more information about your art insurance needs.&nbsp;Art consignment can be generally described as a work of art being delivered by its owner —the consignor— to a specialist art vendor —the consignee— for the purpose of being sold at some time in the future. Vendors include art dealers and auction houses. Owners might prefer that the vendor actually purchases the work outright, but the consignment system provides owners with the professional services of the vendor, who should have an extensive client list of possible customers as well as a much better publicity and distribution system than owners could typically achieve unaided. Vendors usually do not charge owners for accepting works on consignment, making their money from a commission in the event of a sale.Cautionary tales from consignment:When it works as planned —and it typically does— consignment is a convenient way for owners of art works to have the works sold in an efficient and effective manner, and a low-cost method of providing art vendors with inventory. However, things can go horribly wrong.&nbsp;Art works can be sold by unscrupulous vendors without notifying the owner. When this is discovered the vendor may apologize profusely and remit the proceeds, but in the meantime has had access to those funds. Worse, the artwork may have been sold, the money spent, and the vendor is unable to pay the owner. This may constitute fraud and result in criminal prosecution, but that will be of little comfort to an owner who has lost both the art and the money.The artwork can be lost, damaged or even destroyed while under consignment. When that happens, a close reading of the consignment agreement —hitherto probably ignored by the owner— might reveal that the vendor no responsibility or limited responsibility for insurance. To make matters worse, the owner’s insurance policy might (and probably will) exclude losses arising while the work is on consignment.&nbsp;Practical considerations for consignment:• Art consignment is a common practice for the good reason that it benefits both parties to the agreement. However, artwork is frequently consigned and then ignored by the owners. Here are some basic considerations for owners contemplating consignment:•&nbsp;Before consigning artwork a seller should determine the most appropriate venue for sale, whether it should be a gallery, a private dealer or an auction house. Art consultants can assist with this decision, and Chartwell Insurance Services would be pleased to provide a list of consultants, from whom Chartwell receives no payment.•&nbsp;Consign with a reputable vendor. Find out if the dealer has any liens, lawsuits or pending judgments.•&nbsp;Demand a strongly written consignment agreement which includes your right to sell, a description of the work, the term of the agreement (typically no more than one year, and preferably for six months) an agreed upon sales price, the agreed commission split, when and how payment is to be remitted, and when the seller is to be notified of a sale.•&nbsp;Notify your insurer prior to the consignment.•&nbsp;Arrange for an inspection of the art every six months to ensure that the artwork has not been sold or damaged. In some instances consignors learned of sales of their art works years after the sale. If an actual inspection is not practical consider a “face-time” call to view the art.•&nbsp;Perfect your consignment rights by filing UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) financing statements. (A right is perfected by registering it with appropriate statutory authority so that it is made legally enforceable and any subsequent claim on that asset is given a junior status.) A UCC filing may not provide recourse when proceeds of a sale are not remitted but they will help prevent the seizure of artwork by creditors of a gallery. To protect privacy sellers may want to consider the use of an LLC when filing a UCC statement. The help of an attorney experienced in the art world is recommended.•&nbsp;Explore whether there is a possibility of an escrow account for a sale. An escrow account helps ensure that valid payment has been made and immediately distributes the sales proceeds to a seller. This is not customary, but some banks may agree.Chartwell Bulletins are produced by&nbsp;<a href="http://chartwellins.com/">Chartwell Insurance Services</a>&nbsp;an independent insurance broker specializing in the personal asset protection of high net worth individuals.&nbsp;Chartwell Bulletins address issues of general interest and since coverages vary by company and by state should not be taken as an interpretation of a particular policy or advice on any individual situation.To discuss this issue or others related to insurance, please contact&nbsp;Rebecca Korach Woan:&nbsp;312-645-1200 or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chartwellins.com/contact/">rwoan@chartwellins.com</a></body></html>