Please join us for a special exhibition by ENGAGE Projects at SoNa Chicago Contemporary Art. The exhibition series invites artists to transform the gallery into an extension of the studio. Featuring finished works alongside works in progress, the exhibition offers visitors a deeper understanding of artistic process, material experimentation, and the evolving nature of a practice. Rather than a performative studio reconstruction, Studio Sessions creates space for intimacy, conversation, and close looking—encouraging collectors, curators, and the broader community to engage with artists beyond the finished object. Each participating artist will present one to three completed works alongside a developing piece from the studio, offering insight into the decisions, revisions, and thinking that shape the work over time.

Participating artists include Nick Albertson, bARBER, Matthew Gibson, Noel Mercado, and Margaret Welsh. Throughout the exhibition, ENGAGE Projects and SoNa Chicago will host a series of public programs, including artist conversations, panel discussions, and special events designed to further expand dialogue around artistic practice and studio culture. Participating artists will also be invited to take part in week-long Instagram takeovers on the ENGAGE Projects account, offering additional opportunities to share process, inspiration, and perspectives from the studio.

About ENGAGE Projects: In pursuit of the continued study of the arts and support of community-led progress, ENGAGE Projects’ vision is centered around engagement with artists, communities, and patrons. See more about ENGAGE Projects here

About SoNa Chicago Contemporary Art: SoNa Chicago highlights primarily contemporary artists from Chicago. Although we will put a spotlight on Chicago artists, we want the dialogue between artists in the gallery to be global. We view our space as a venue for conversation, community, and a celebration of the arts. View more about SoNa Chicago here