West Town, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Kinzie Corridor, Humboldt Park

West Town

Wisconsin

IL • MI • IN

West Loop, Fulton Market, East Garfield Park

West Loop and West Side

Evanston, The North Shore, Northern, Western and Southern Suburbs

Suburbs

Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Uptown, Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park

North Side

Michigan Avenue, Streeterville, The Gold Coast, The Loop, and South Loop

Michigan Avenue

Pilsen, Bridgeport, Chinatown, plus Hyde Park, Jackson Park/Dorchester, and Bronzeville

South Side

Superior and Franklin streets, West Chicago Ave, and down to Merchandise Mart and the River

River North

The Hairy Who: Selections from the Chicago Imagists

PATRON announces&nbsp;Garden of Prayer, our second solo exhibition with New York-based artist Nour Malas (b. 1995, Cannes, France). Borrowing its title from a 1971 song by Max Roach and The J.C. White Singers, the exhibition invokes jazz’s improvisational exploration of form and gospel’s devotional intensity, through a series of expansive paintings and pastel works on linen, paper, and silk fabric. Over the past five years Malas has developed a physical, poetic practice, driven by an inert impulse to give form to the emotional states of being alive. Spending her formative years between Europe and the Middle East, before studying in London and Chicago, Malas’s work is informed by her experience of cultural hybridity, transforming diverse legacies of song, poetry, music, and visual culture into abstraction.&nbsp;Shaped memories of place, mood, architecture, and drawing on an intimate knowledge of art history,&nbsp;Garden of Prayer&nbsp;marks a considerable shift in Malas’s practice over the past year. Developed over the last five months, the work in the exhibition results from a perspective of turning inward, holding, honoring, and communing with personal history and familial lineages, as spaces in which possible realities may be lived. The result is a corpus of expansive landscapes of alternative states, transcendent yet accessible, outside shared human experiences of suffering, otherworldly, yet deeply familiar.&nbsp;In&nbsp;L’âme de L’âme&nbsp;(2026), the first painting Malas completed of this body of work, celestial bursts of pigment unfurl in gestural swirls. Deep purples, blues, reds, and greens gather into a spiritual atmosphere recalling the spiritually evocative scenes of 16th century Italian painters such as Titian. Barely perceivable, spectral silhouettes appear and recede. The painting is a space of ascension, where earth meets spirit. The title, French for “soul of the soul,” also echoes the Arabic phrase Ruh al-Ruh, suggesting an innermost essence—something tender, sacred, and inseparable from love.At the heart of Malas’s work is the spirit of her grandmother, who the artist attributes as being her spiritual guide. A continued embodiment of a childhood sense of nature, care, and safety, Malas’s ancestor personifies a space within the real world in which the artist, as a child, could retreat. In speaking to how she continues to communicate with her grandmother through dreams, Malas suggests how paintings can be portals into parallel, spiritual worlds. Conjuring new spaces with pigment, Malas is compelled to create sites of care, where imagination and magic can exist. In&nbsp;Sweetness and Light&nbsp;the artist’s grandmother, mother, and sister appear in turn as spectral figures or, as in the expansive landscape of&nbsp;Spiritual Wasteland, as memories, or personified emotions. A return to her roots as a sculptor, Malas’s world building unfolds into the gallery’s architecture through an installation of painted silk,&nbsp;Long Division&nbsp;(2026). Suspended six-foot panels of fabric envelop the viewer, undulating as one passes through the space. Embracing and enveloping the viewer,&nbsp;Long Division&nbsp;creates an impermeable space out of time, where we can, at least temporarily, be held.Claiming “there is a sense of duty in painting a different picture,” Malas’s practice emerges from her own ineffable impulse to channel the emotional weight of existence. Considering how her own experience of revolution and war was in part channeled through the lives of family members, Malas’s practice relies on our ability to transport through time, and feel, viscerally alternative aspects of the same reality. This impulse transforms pigment into emotional, social residues, giving form to sites that exist on the other side of grief, in which we can escape and imagine a different present, and future.

Nour Malas: Garden of Prayer

Enter the world of photographer Sandro Miller with a unique exhibition coming to The Art Center Highland Park from May 8 to June 14. “Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller” is an intimate portrait of the historic Steppenwolf theatre through the lens of a celebrated photographer and visual artist. This series will debut for a first-look at The Center’s Spring Benefit on May 8.Join us for the free public reception on May 15, with a special performance from musical guest Kahil El’Zabar.

Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller

Ann Toebbe’s ongoing series,&nbsp;Cooler by the Lake,&nbsp;is set in Hyde Park. For nearly two decades, Toebbe has lived in this Southside Chicago neighborhood with her husband, working and raising her two daughters and stepson. Toebbe’s domestic paintings explore the people, places, culture, and climate that are woven into her daily routine as a working artist and mother—home, garden, studio, grocery store, bakery, park, and local school. Her densely composed multi-point-of-view vignettes capture the sensory impressions and memory layers accumulated in hours and days spent in Hyde Park, meditating on the realization that this is the neighborhood her children know as home and where Toebbe and her husband will grow old.

Ann Toebbe: Cooler by the Lake

Sign up for a one-day collaborative painting workshop on June 14! This collaborative abstract painting workshop is all about experimentation, exploration, and shared creation. Through a mix of individual exercises and large-scale collective works, you’ll embrace surprise, let go of control, and learn to respond to instinct, emotion, and movement rather than technical perfection. Step out of your head... and into the chaos! You can sign up for summer art camps and summer classes on our website. If cost is an obstacle, apply for a scholarship for a class or camp!

Summer Painting Workshop

The storied city of Djenné, a center of Islamic learning, study, and scholarship since the twelfth century, is the hometown of Bamako-based photographer&nbsp;Hamdia Traoré&nbsp;(b. 1992, Mali).&nbsp;The thirty portraits in Traore’s series&nbsp;Des marabouts de Djenné (Marabouts of Jenne)&nbsp;reflect his intimate connections to the city’s people and deep history. Learned and devout, marabouts teach in Djenné’s over 50 Qur’anic schools, offer spiritual guidance, and treat ailments through their knowledge of the Qur’an.Made during a time of political and social upheaval in Mali, these portraits reflect enduring cultural resilience. Each image depicts a marabout seated with the tools of his practice—books, Qur’an boards, amulets, and prayer beads—framed by the architecture and atmosphere of Djenné. The consistent format underscores their collective identity, while individual poses and captions highlight personal roles and neighborhoods.Traoré’s work will be shown alongside mid-20th-century black-and-white portraits of marabouts by Malian photographers&nbsp;Mamadou Cissé, Abdourahmane Sakaly, and&nbsp;Tijani Sitou. Drawn from the Archive of Malian Photography, these earlier images share visual parallels and deepen the historical context.&nbsp;Together, these images illuminate evolving perspectives on spiritual authority, identity, and visual representation in Mali.This exhibition is developed in collaboration with the artist and professor Candace Keller, co-founder of the&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://amp.matrix.msu.edu/" target="_blank">Archive of Malian Photography</a>.

Hamdia Traoré’s “Des marabouts de Djenné” and Muslim Portraiture in Mali

With origins dating from 1875, the art collection at the University of Notre Dame is one of the oldest and most esteemed academic collections in the United States. To&nbsp;celebrate the 150th anniversary of the collection,&nbsp;the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art is hosting a major exhibition that highlights many of the recent gifts it has received to commemorate the anniversary.&nbsp;The gifts range from single works of art to entire collections. Virtually every part of the permanent collection has benefited from the generosity of devoted alumni, supporters, and friends from across the country and worldwide. Iconic paintings from Thomas Gainsborough to John Singer Sargent, Georges Rouault to Julie Mehretu are included, as are prints and drawings ranging from Martin Schongauer to Pablo Picasso, among many others. Works from across the Indigenous Americas are represented by Veracruz sculptures and Cuzco altarpieces, as well as recent work by Diego Romero and Jaime Okuma. Photographs by such canonical figures as Andreas Gursky, and Marilyn Minter will also be exhibited.&nbsp; This monumental exhibition, on view from February 17 to June 14, 2026, will be presented in the temporary exhibition galleries and sited in select permanent collection spaces across the Museum and in the Charles B. Hayes Family Sculpture Park.&nbsp;Bridging Time and Place&nbsp;is a highlight of a sesquicentennial celebration of exhibitions and events that will run from August&nbsp;2025 through&nbsp;December 2026.&nbsp; The Exhibition and Sesquicentennial Celebration are made possible by the Sesquicentennial Fund and The Friends of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art.&nbsp;Additional support comes from the Marilynn and James W. Alsdorf Endowment, the Ashbaugh Endowment, the Alice Tully Endowment, and the Susan and Justin Driscoll Endowment.&nbsp; Image: Hippolyte Petijean (French, 1854–1929)Notre Dame, 1895Oil on canvas21 3/4 x 28 in. (55.25 x 71.12 cm)Bequest of Ernestine Morris Carmichael Raclin2024.008.025

Bridging Time and Place: The 150th Anniversary of the University of Notre Dame Art Museum

Chicago’s legendary&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oldtownartfair.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Old Town Art Fair</a>&nbsp;returns to the heart of the historic Old&nbsp;Town&nbsp;Triangle&nbsp;Historic&nbsp;District (Main Gate at the intersection of Lincoln and Wisconsin Streets) on Saturday and Sunday,&nbsp;June 13 and 14, 2026.&nbsp;Established in 1948, the Old Town Art Fair is one of Chicago’s oldest juried art fairs and one of the first fine art fairs of its kind in the country. For fifty years, two events have been held in Old Town on the second weekend in June; the Old Town Art Fair and the Wells Street Art Festival are separate events.Organized by the non-profit&nbsp;Old Town Triangle Association&nbsp;and completely volunteer-run, this year’s Fair will be the most festive in its milestone 76-year history, attracting over 230 artists from across the country plus live music on two stages; an array of classic Chicago food and beverage options from local vendors; a dedicated Children’s Corner featuring interactive activities and crafts for kids; and the return of self-guided Garden Walks in over 50 gardens in the Old Town Triangle neighborhood.&nbsp;Annually, the Fair introduces artists to an estimated 30,000 art lovers over the course of the two-day event.&nbsp;Matthew Langer, Old Town Art Fair 2026 Chair, says, “I couldn’t be more excited to join as this year’s Chair of such an incredible gem of arts and culture in our great city. After breaking records at our 75thannual fair last year, we look forward to returning bigger and better this year… there will be something for everyone to discover in this year’s Fair!”&nbsp;The Old Town Art Fair will take place, rain or shine, Saturday, June 13, from 10am-7pm, and Sunday, June 14, from 10am-6pm. Proceeds from the suggested donation of $13 for adults (free for children) go&nbsp;directly back into local schools, arts, and cultural programs in the area, including historic and architectural preservation clubs; the Menomonee Club; and the Old Town Triangle Association.Selected by a jury of local art professionals, including gallery owners, museum curators, and artists, the Fair features a dynamic mix of artists working across media, including paintings, sculpture, photography, printmaking, ceramics, glass, fiber, jewelry, and more. Over 700 artists apply each year for a coveted spot within the Fair.Along with the visual art offerings, the Garden Walk--an attendee-favorite year after year--offers visitors the opportunity to tour over 50 gardens, many of which are private and only viewable during the Art Fair. Organizers provide historical information, fun facts, and anecdotes about the homes, architecture, and past and present residents. Old Town’s quaint green spaces make the neighborhood a charming and delightful destination for locals and tourists alike.&nbsp;For&nbsp;more&nbsp;information,&nbsp;please&nbsp;visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.oldtownartfair.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">oldtownartfair.org</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;follow&nbsp;along&nbsp;on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/oldtownartfair/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OldTownArtFair/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.ABOUT&nbsp;THE&nbsp;OLD&nbsp;TOWN&nbsp;TRIANGLE&nbsp;ASSOCIATIONThe Old Town Triangle Association (OTTA) is a community-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated&nbsp;toenhancing&nbsp;the&nbsp;quality&nbsp;of&nbsp;life&nbsp;for&nbsp;neighbors&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;historic&nbsp;Old&nbsp;Town&nbsp;Triangle&nbsp;District on Chicago’s north side. The&nbsp;OTTA&nbsp;hosts&nbsp;the&nbsp;Old&nbsp;Town&nbsp;Art&nbsp;Fair&nbsp;along&nbsp;with&nbsp;many&nbsp;other&nbsp;neighborhood&nbsp;initiatives&nbsp;and works to maintain the historic, landmarked buildings that make Old Town a unique and wonderful community. The“Triangle&nbsp;Building”&nbsp;at&nbsp;1763&nbsp;N.&nbsp;North&nbsp;Park&nbsp;serves&nbsp;as&nbsp;OTTA’s&nbsp;community&nbsp;center,&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;place, and neighborhood resource.

Old Town Art Fair 2026

An exhibition exploring how images of luxury obscure the labor and extraction behind consumer culture.Sammy Baloji’s monumental diptych&nbsp;Raccord #1: Cite de Kawama&nbsp;stages a sharp visual contrast between a Congolese temporary mining settlement and an advertisement for an idealized resort. The advertising image is not merely decorative, but is part of an economic system that manufactures longing, offering miners and their families a fantasy of leisure and mobility even as they remain excluded from the wealth it fuels.Building from Baloji’s photograph, recently acquired by The Block Museum of Art, this exhibition reminds us that beneath the surfaces of leisure, consumption, and profit lie histories of exploitation and environmental damage.&nbsp;Beneath the Surface&nbsp;brings together artworks and advertising from The Block&nbsp;collection and the&nbsp;<a href="https://northwestern.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=904f932038284b4d9eea69636&amp;id=31838cac8b&amp;e=ec81127d70" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Herskovits Library of African Studies</a>&nbsp;to make us think about how extractive industries rely on visual strategies to promote consumption, obscure labor, and elevate luxury. By presenting these works side by side, the exhibition invites viewers to consider how our own desires, shaped by photographs and advertisements, are linked to hidden processes of extraction, exploitation, and environmental harm.Beneath the Surface&nbsp;is presented in conversation with&nbsp;<a href="https://northwestern.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=904f932038284b4d9eea69636&amp;id=b8f5be7060&amp;e=ec81127d70" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Teresa Montoya’s Tó Łitso (Yellow Water): Ten Years after the Gold King Mine Spill,</a>&nbsp;on view in the main gallery. Together, the projects underscore how the impacts of extraction link distant communities.<a href="https://northwestern.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=904f932038284b4d9eea69636&amp;id=0a7ea9386c&amp;e=ec81127d70" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">READ MORE</a> The exhibition is curated by Uche Okpa-Iroha, 2025‒2026 Art History Graduate Fellow, in consultation with Corinne Granof, Academic Curator. It is generously supported by the Illinois Arts Council Agency and The Graduate School (TGS), Northwestern University. Additional in-kind support is provided by Northwestern University Libraries. Image:&nbsp;Sammy Beloji,&nbsp;Raccord #1, Cité de Kawama, 2011. Digital inkjet print on Baryta paper. Copyright of the artist.

Beneath the Surface: Labor and Consumerism

On August 5, 2015, the rupture of the abandoned Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, released more than three million gallons of toxic wastewater into the Animas River, turning its waters a shocking shade of yellow. In the following year, artist and anthropologist&nbsp;Teresa Montoya&nbsp;(Diné, born 1984) embarked on a road trip from Silverton to Shiprock, New Mexico, retracing the path of the contaminated water and documenting its ongoing cultural, spiritual, and material effects on the Navajo Nation and other Indigenous communities downstream.Marking the ten-year anniversary of the disaster, The Block Museum of Art partners with Montoya to revisit this journey.&nbsp;Tó Łitso (Yellow Water)&nbsp;explores the enduring consequences of the Gold King Mine spill through photography, sound recordings, water samples, and cartographic data.&nbsp;Combining documentary photographs with scientific data and poetic reflection,&nbsp;Tó Łitso&nbsp;invites viewers to consider water not only as a life-sustaining resource but also as a conduit for histories, stories, and harm. In doing so, the exhibition challenges extractive frameworks of land use, centering Indigenous knowledge and resilience. Through Montoya’s interdisciplinary practice,&nbsp;Tó Łitso (Yellow Water)&nbsp;offers a powerful meditation on environmental and cultural justice in the Southwest and beyond."The 2015 spill had discharged more than three million gallons of acidic mine waste fluid into Cement Creek before joining the Animas River and eventually into the San Juan River, which flows directly across the Navajo Nation. Through my photographic journey, I make explicit the enduring presence of toxicity across multiple landscapes and territories. Sometimes it appears beautiful, other times haunting.&nbsp;The images highlight the relationships that various communities sustain through water/tó&nbsp;despite the occurrence of repeated and enduring contamination from upstream locales.&nbsp;The Gold King Mine Spill shows us this, even in that, which cannot be readily seen." – Teresa MontoyaPronounce:&nbsp;<a href="https://navajowotd.com/word/to/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tó</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://navajowotd.com/word/litso/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Łitso</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Teresa Montoya’s Tó Łitso (Yellow Water): Ten Years after the Gold King Mine Spill&nbsp;was curated by Kathleen Bickford Berzock, Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs, and Marisa Cruz Branco (Isleta Pueblo/Portuguese), Terra Foundation Fellow, in collaboration with the artist. It was supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. Ahéhee' (thank you) to Janene Yazzie, John Hosteen, Wade Campbell, and Andrew Curley for Diné language and curatorial guidance. Image: Teresa Montoya (Diné, born 1984), Tó Łitso #22 (Yellow Water #22), from the series Tó Łitso (Yellow Water), 2016, Inkjet print. Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University, Block Board of Advisors Endowment Fund purchase. Image courtesy of the artist

Teresa Montoya’s Tó Łitso (Yellow Water): Ten Years after the Gold King Mine Spill

Each spring The Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University is pleased to present the work of the Masters of Fine Arts candidates in the&nbsp;<a href="https://art.northwestern.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(78, 42, 132);" target="_blank">Department of Art Theory &amp; Practice</a>. Th 2026 exhibition,&nbsp;We can make any two stories touch, showcases the diverse accomplishments of five international artists: Lamia Abukhadra, Pegah Bahador, Gabby Banks, naakita f.k. and Przemek Pyszczek. Reflecting the intensive research undertaken during their two-year residency at Northwestern, the thesis projects brought together in&nbsp;We can make any two stories touch&nbsp;encompass a range of material and methodological approaches, posing fresh lines of inquiry into the conditions giving shape to the present moment. The exhibition marks an early milestone in these artists' careers, and also offers a glimpse into the future of contemporary art. Opening Reception, Thursday, May 7, 5PM-8PM&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/opening-celebration-we-can-make-any-two-stories-touch-tickets-1985590581881?utm-campaign=social&amp;utm-content=attendeeshare&amp;utm-medium=discovery&amp;utm-term=listing&amp;utm-source=cp&amp;aff=ebdsshcopyurl?_eboga=false?_eboga=false" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(78, 42, 132);" target="_blank">(RSVP)</a>&nbsp;This exhibition and the associated events are co-organized by the Department of Art Theory and Practice and the Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University. The Block acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council, the Norton S. Walbridge Fund, the Myers Foundations, the Jerrold Loebl Fund for the Arts, and the Alsdorf Endowment.

We can make any two stories touch: 2026 Art Theory and Practice MFA Thesis Exhibition

Please join us on Sunday, June 14th at 4pm for the next in our series of free "Perspectives on Photography" lectures. We are delighted to welcome&nbsp;<a href="https://www.janefultonalt.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" target="_blank">Jane Fulton Alt</a>&nbsp;to our gallery for this in-person event, titled "Threading the Needle: The Camera as Companion".After the discussion, Alt will be signing copies of her latest book,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.janefultonalt.com/purchase-still-life" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" target="_blank">"Still Life: A Photographer's Journey Through Grief and Gardening"</a>. Following the unexpected death of her husband, Howard, Alt assumed responsibility for the nascent ecosystem&nbsp;he had planted in response to his growing concern over climate change. What began as daily stewardship gradually became a source of creative focus and sustenance amid mourning."I was never a gardener," writes Alt, a statement that marks her abrupt turn toward caring for a landscape still in formation. If the garden represents new terrain, the camera remains constant,&nbsp;"a&nbsp;potent combination in adjusting to this new life." Together the photographs, and accompanying texts, form a body of work in which&nbsp;personal loss finds expression through close attention to the living world.Born in Chicago, Alt is an award-winning photographer who explores the universality of the human condition and the non-material world. Alt received a BA from the University of Michigan and an MA from the University of Chicago. She studied at the Evanston Art Center&nbsp;as well as at Columbia College and the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work is held&nbsp;in numerous permanent and private collections, both&nbsp;in the US and overseas, as well as in many special library collections. She is also the author of several books. Alt resides in Evanston and,&nbsp;her beloved adopted city, New Orleans.Image:"Persian Buttercup"

Threading the Needle: The Camera as Companion

Wednesday, June 17&nbsp;•&nbsp;4:30 PM - 7 PM Join us with Craig Bergmann to celebrate his new release, The Art of Fine Gardening. Enjoy an evening of conversation with Craig and sip a cocktail inspired by his gardens. Copies of&nbsp;The Art of Fine Gardening&nbsp;will be available for purchase. Landscape Design by Craig Bergmann &amp; Photography by Scott Shigley "Craig brought his life’s work and design philosophy to the page with the publication of&nbsp;The Art of Fine Gardening, co-authored with CBLD [Craig Bergmann Landscape Design] Director of Horticulture Russell Buvala. Equal parts monograph and practical manual, the book guides readers through a range of garden styles and offers insight into how to author a garden from initial concept through full maturity. It is an essential resource for design professionals, passionate gardeners, and anyone who loves the beauty of a well-crafted outdoor space." Read more on&nbsp;<a href="https://craigbergmann.com/meet-craig/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(54, 89, 227);" target="_blank">Craig Bergmann's website</a>...

Craig Bergmann Book Signing

<a href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-AyuHMeFW3lREHV41VYkX-HsvsKSTe-TOXRN_hhl7etEdhSUVhtYAe70g_PVPyI0vFfmz2MVVacIXQRtQtK_wXksMklY-uC4lbOEXaJeYqrTsini80rxdgP9JZxLyus684o_vaFbyfpsiAnL2xnwZ_k9-Q4qvZ-C2oxXoEwlCCdJ5fBJ3IF5TVskUoSHEDrCcSlAerCTl4-wO1VnKgWrRg==&amp;c=wB0z5d7Pqxdd7DfIDY0H4Z4sWpRZZtQl8p7vB1KMpHFESPXc1sJFxQ==&amp;ch=PH7frpLvTMZEJtLk7cZ2FuL99-6FNPA7RLlyH77WuWTTzAlef0VdAw==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(44, 116, 255);" target="_blank">homeward (un)bound</a>, a three-person exhibition by 2024-26 Artist Residents&nbsp;<a href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-AyuHMeFW3lREHV41VYkX-HsvsKSTe-TOXRN_hhl7etEdhSUVhtYAe70g_PVPyI0yFe07UT3uphqVJ1u3870CL8eInpBZMfGfaDz_DEV0dxzTybaYiFjnn5m3iCsGCG-jhPwlN_ANpDheiu7lahv_AXVSNYWREYlxVW5sf7tRRiyLtr1El432S7PNaREMoCBi0q3AFQIHQiz90TEO-LjwscqYHjPXhDLxlYBqwxvg8cfj-hiB34faNKnJKNhe_08vm73ALPg03hxqVnL_QTgpRL41Ghmsjc1tu7E-ETs5oAhFTToEmwF62EHO24IWROMnQGOLSzkMuylqkcyf7D5hroSJM9UWQQAdc9QUoqeVsVhejwqJkNgRsrbD0P8Lwksr-OAj0i_Lq633KiuJ7nXRLMtHjug75hpSa5eXJS4tN9ScgBZc6eeaO0Uzf2IYNHV&amp;c=wB0z5d7Pqxdd7DfIDY0H4Z4sWpRZZtQl8p7vB1KMpHFESPXc1sJFxQ==&amp;ch=PH7frpLvTMZEJtLk7cZ2FuL99-6FNPA7RLlyH77WuWTTzAlef0VdAw==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(44, 116, 255);" target="_blank">Maryam Faridani</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-AyuHMeFW3lREHV41VYkX-HsvsKSTe-TOXRN_hhl7etEdhSUVhtYAe70g_PVPyI0eKweQiPtinscmzTgSMitOzVhWCeYSEKOATs4K4zql7bbSn5nJ7S-t1Tlb6Nbm_RR4a1-tp4pCOIzjrKASQGrxfICOgb2PNgZ&amp;c=wB0z5d7Pqxdd7DfIDY0H4Z4sWpRZZtQl8p7vB1KMpHFESPXc1sJFxQ==&amp;ch=PH7frpLvTMZEJtLk7cZ2FuL99-6FNPA7RLlyH77WuWTTzAlef0VdAw==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(44, 116, 255);" target="_blank">Jairo Granados-Cardenas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-AyuHMeFW3lREHV41VYkX-HsvsKSTe-TOXRN_hhl7etEdhSUVhtYAe70g_PVPyI0aTg_hjekkcPOnbPEqrlF1G3u2UL3Dn5UAMzfDHOGT9RrpVnTirk5emY6FPxL1a7LQNY7_AbcS4rfQSP-wBhx0NdhcFqcYKoy&amp;c=wB0z5d7Pqxdd7DfIDY0H4Z4sWpRZZtQl8p7vB1KMpHFESPXc1sJFxQ==&amp;ch=PH7frpLvTMZEJtLk7cZ2FuL99-6FNPA7RLlyH77WuWTTzAlef0VdAw==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(44, 116, 255);" target="_blank">Martha Osornio Ruiz</a>,curated by 2024-26 Curatorial Resident&nbsp;<a href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-AyuHMeFW3lREHV41VYkX-HsvsKSTe-TOXRN_hhl7etEdhSUVhtYAe70g_PVPyI0lPvnA0KwECcQmoagxOzk-mg2BEeGMSxpih3-lonaQ6Ce7VvFME2Ko2mrKQKjLoGtcQ9mkM5Hk8z6dKRgFYa8xOao89yZSzORpBSeUs143Dr0K4x7aIFKcJ-0b2cqPDY2iN1TzvIZ_H-JWk9_vA6kM3UgmFrVZs9sDNRMPprHYc1HYNrxLR-b7xjxQapc-uBqo3YjtrlGsgdBae4ZuANs-l_-j0wsVu4k62Y-z8F3rmq8kcGHjbVsHn22kmDBI9mswDjZ_mLJbCrGuZUuIPbe1W_oI6xq5CxjHJT3W3-vXOTPVln2Vw4wNv1oF7C0P1rsQDfCWFkA6e8B9Q-roC1PqLsyxa3pY39_mXAKIrOm5yRzwaI3gVgeKdJM6LvynH5Yyr_KlNfBg08=&amp;c=wB0z5d7Pqxdd7DfIDY0H4Z4sWpRZZtQl8p7vB1KMpHFESPXc1sJFxQ==&amp;ch=PH7frpLvTMZEJtLk7cZ2FuL99-6FNPA7RLlyH77WuWTTzAlef0VdAw==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(44, 116, 255);" target="_blank">gordon fung</a>. Gallery Hours:Wednesdays from 11am-4pmSaturdays from 12-4pmBy advance appointment

homeward (un)bound

Our spring show, New Works: A Group Show, opens today! Stop in to see a dynamic collection of new works by several of our gallery artists, including Pamela Crady, Ruth Hamill, Takefumi Hori, Fontaine Scarelli, Charles Shotwell and Cat Tesla.New Works will be on view through June 20th.

New Works: A Group Show

Woman Made Gallery is pleased to announce&nbsp;Bodies Luminous&nbsp;is a group exhibition bringing together 27 women and non-binary artists whose work was inspired by Diamond Forde's poem&nbsp;"Fat Girl Dances with a Stranger at a Block Party."Curated by Madeline McConico, Sarah Peecher, and Ren Buchness, the exhibition also features six artist-poet collaborations creating installations that explore our complex, evolving, and deeply personal relationships to our bodies. Embracing expressions of joy,&nbsp;Bodies Luminous&nbsp;fosters a space where all bodies are seen, celebrated, and luminous.<ul><li>Opening Reception on Saturday, May 23, from 6–8 p.m.,</li><li>Closing Reception &amp; Artist Walkthrough on Saturday, June 20, from 2–4 p.m.</li></ul>All events are free and open to the public.Exhibiting Artists:&nbsp;Julieta Beltran Lazo, Maura Benson, Molly Borth, Liya Du, Sarah Gerbasi, Julie Glass, Erin Gleason, Amy Hanks, London Heist, Hippo Artz, Anke Huyben, Mia Johnson, Lili Jones, Dahye Jung, Yuliya Klochan, Laurie LeBreton, Teresa Magana, Glenda Mah, Kathie Foley-Meyer, Mercury.N, Jacqueline W. Nuzzo, Kayla D. Smith, Daun Suh, Susanne Swanson Bernard, Skye Terry, Jennifer Warren, Leni Mae WiegandArt and Poetry Pairs:&nbsp;Izzy Cho &amp;&nbsp;Dawn Angelicca Barcelona,&nbsp;Xakilah Daniel &amp;&nbsp;Deanna Whitlow,&nbsp;Nitya Mehrotra &amp;&nbsp;Tanya Leon-Moreno,&nbsp;Kinsey Nelson &amp;&nbsp;Kala Wahl,&nbsp;Mariana Noreña &amp;&nbsp;Alyx Chandler,&nbsp;Emi O’Brochta &amp;&nbsp;Bea Forkan<a href="https://womanmade.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=77610ec6940e4a7c0d652a863&amp;id=cd697e8d4e&amp;e=a3993dd90f" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SEE THEIR WORK AND STATEMENTS</a>

Bodies Luminous

Opening Saturday, June 6, "A Modest Pile" marks&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thehway/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@thehway</a> return to Chicago Truborn with a focused presentation of new work that blends Renaissance painting, street culture, found objects, and a dry sense of humor into something entirely his own. Born and based in Chicago, Hannaway is known for transforming ornate rococo mirrors from the 1960s into richly layered paintings. At first glance, the work carries the weight of classical portraiture and religious iconography. Spend a little more time with it, however, and the jokes begin to reveal themselves. Headlines, advertisements, fragments of contemporary culture, and subtle visual gags are embedded throughout the paintings, creating a tension between reverence and irreverence that feels uniquely Hannaway. "A Modest Pile" is also an exciting new format for Chicago Truborn. For the first time in the gallery's history, this exhibition will run for only two weeks!! ✨&nbsp; The presentation is intentionally concise, featuring an exclusive and highly curated selection of works that rewards up close looking.&nbsp; Join us June 6, from 2–6 PM for the opening reception and experience a show that is equal parts masterful painting, cultural remix, and deadpan comedy. Sign up for the collectors preview now by dming your email address...These. Will. Sell. Out.&nbsp; A Modest PileSean Patrick Hannaway Opening Reception: Sat, June 6 2–6 PMOn View Through June 20 Chicago Truborn 1741 W Chicago Ave Chicago, IL4d

A Modest Pile: Sean Patrick Hannaway

Vibrance is an exhibition illuminated by movement, identity, and the electric pulse of human connection. Featuring four Chicago based artists, photography, paintings, and neon glass sculptures transform the gallery into a living atmosphere, one saturated with color, rhythm, intimacy, and unapologetic presence. Presented during Pride Month, Vibrance serves as both celebration and declaration: an affirmation of life, visibility, and the triumphs continually forged through collective resilience and self-expression. Spencer Gale constructs abstract neon sculptures that bend light into emotional architecture. His luminous and organic forms activate the surrounding environment, dissolving the boundary between object and observer.&nbsp;Photographer Francisco Malave turns his lens toward the nightlife culture. Navigating the dim corners of clubs and gay bars, Malave captures fleeting moments often hidden from public memory. His photographs reveal beauty within spaces society deems to remain unseen, preserving the spirit of nightlife not as spectacle, but as sanctuary. Painter Devon James approaches the human form as both landscape and language. Through fluorescent palettes, layered patterns, and intertwined humanoid figures, the work explores intimacy, coexistence, and the beauty found within human connection. Bodies merge and interlock within surreal compositions, suggesting the fragile yet powerful ways individuals influence and shape one another. Interdisciplinary artist Connor Young, presents paintings from his ongoing series, Killer Queen, a response to the right wing’s legislative attacks on Drag performers, queer spaces and forms of expression. In response to this, Young leans into the stereotypes that conservatives project onto Drag performers, depicting drag queens and queer icons in bright, saturated colors, with exaggerated, and often humorous poses and features.&nbsp; Together, these artists construct a bright dialogue centered on visibility, liberation, and communal energy. Vibrance explores the conditions that allow individuals to express themselves most freely, while honoring the cultural spaces, histories, and creative communities that make such expression possible. Rooted within the spirit of Chicago, the exhibition invites viewers into a world where light becomes language, color becomes emotion, and difference becomes connection.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Vibrance

My biomorphic imagery in this exhibition hinges on the comic with its gestural, voluminous – yet ambiguous forms. It is an inner world that is dreamlike – you know what it might be, but you’re not sure. The narratives are riddles with no clearly defined answer, allowing the interpretation of the viewer to be singular and as correct as the next.I have included a variety of sizes of panels in this exhibition to not only show my range, but also because I like the rhythmical play created by the juxtaposition of works. Viewers may also notice a cohesive thread of color between all the paintings. This was achieved by working on several works at the same time – carrying over colors from one panel to the next.-Denise PresnellMy current work contains two series: “Unrestrained Ambiguity” and “Extreme Makeovers – Painting Edition. Both series share some common threads, such as color palette, biomorphic forms, gestural lines, and a strong sense of motion. The subject matter is up for grabs – it’s all in the eye of the beholder. I’ve learned that what I see as a ‘horse’ is a ‘kitty’ to others. I am okay with the open interpretation. I like offering an open invitation for the viewer to explore the work from their imagination.Using a limited palette ties one work to another. I’ve developed a deeper relationship with color as a powerful vehicle of emotion. I’ve taken cues from the masters of color- Rothko, Matisse, Bonnard, and many more. Equally powerful in my method is the use of automatic, gestural line. Compositions are found through the automatic lines without a preconceived image or plan. Working from this standpoint has been extremely freeing for me.I enjoy working on panels that have many older paintings under them, leaving something from the older work in the newest iteration. It’s a family of paintings. I like using oil and cold wax on panel because of the ability to dig down through the painted surfaces. My love for tactile surfaces harkens back to my years of intaglio printmaking.Denise&nbsp;is a painter originally from Nebraska, currently living in Sheboygan, WI. She earned a BFA in Printmaking from the University of Nebraska and an MFA in Painting from the Pennsylvania State University. Graduate school was followed by a career of teaching art on the college level. Denise’s artwork has been exhibited in over 300 exhibitions, which include solo, invitational, group, and juried exhibitions in the United States, Tokyo, Botswana, Kenya, and Shanghai. Her work is in numerous private collections in the United States and abroad. GALLERY HOURS &amp; VISITOR INFORMATIONThis exhibition will be held in the Second Floor Gallery of the Evanston Art Center (EAC). Masks are optional but strongly recommended for students, visitors, and staff.Gallery HoursMonday–Thursday: 9am–6pmFriday: 9am–5pmSaturday–Sunday: 9am–4pmHOW TO PURCHASE ARTWORKArtwork sale proceeds benefit both the artist and the Evanston Art Center.&nbsp;If you are interested in purchasing artwork on display, please contact&nbsp;Emma Rose Gudewicz, Director of Development and Exhibitions, at&nbsp;egudewicz@evanstonartcenter.org&nbsp;or (847) 475-5300 x 102.This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.Image Credits: Denise Presnell, "Sparks Are Flying," oil and cold wax on panel

Unrestrained Ambiguity | Denise Presnell

“I start with a line–anywhere. A desire to open the space to uncover the reality living deep within.”&nbsp;-Barbara Nessim&nbsp;Since the 1960s, Barbara Nessim (b. 1939) has developed a unique visual language in painting and drawing that challenges traditional gender norms. As one of the first women to gain prominence in the male-dominated world of commercial art and illustration, Nessim’s work confronts stereotypes about femininity and sexuality, while also celebrating the agency of women. In every facet of her work—whether as a visual artist, illustrator, designer, teacher, or archivist—Nessim’s practice is guided by an insatiable curiosity, driving her to continually explore new ideas, techniques, and mediums. A pioneer in computer art during the 1980s, Nessim has had an impact far beyond the art world, including fashion, advertising, and pop culture. By consistently challenging norms and pushing the boundaries of artistic expression, Nessim continues creating work that is as relevant and resonant today as it was when she first began her career.&nbsp;Barbara Nessim’s solo exhibition at DePaul Art Museum—her first one in Chicago—includes paintings, drawings, computer art prints, a site specific installation, with special emphasis on the artist’s sketchbooks or her “forever books,” as she calls them, which have been instrumental to her creative process. “The books tell the story, they see it all, the good parts, the bad, and the ugly. Nothing escapes. Nothing edited. It’s the rule [...] It must have a beginning and an end, just as I live my life.”&nbsp;Barbara Nessim: My Compass Is the Line&nbsp;is organized by DePaul Art Museum and curated by Ionit Behar, PhD.&nbsp;Image: Barbara Nessim,&nbsp;Women with Mask,&nbsp;1966. Photo by David Smith.&nbsp;

Barbara Nessim: My Compass Is the Line

Louis De Guzman (b. 1989) is a Filipino-American award-winning visual artist and designer who creates artwork that merges his past with his present. Over the last decade, De Guzman has proved himself as a true multidisciplinary artist by blending both traditional and experimental techniques in his work. His signature geometric abstraction style often blends together images and stories that represent his family's immigrant journey, as well as his own experience as a second-generation Filipino American. De Guzman's career has led him to create well-received original bodies of work as well as interpretations of licensed intellectual property.“The idea for this exhibition stems from the sentiment that as individuals, we all carry ideas within our core memories. I wanted to share visual anecdotes—specifically from our studio—for attendees to walk into a space to get a glimpse into ambience that the team and I are surrounded by each and every day. Each piece carries over a story, a memory, and a notch in the timeline from where it all started, where it’s been, and where it’ll all ultimately lead.”This exhibition will be held in the Second Floor Gallery of the Evanston Art Center (EAC). Masks are optional but strongly recommended for students, visitors and staff.Gallery HoursMonday–Thursday: 9am–6pmFriday: 9am–5pmSaturday–Sunday: 9am–4pmArtwork sale proceeds benefit both the artist and the Evanston Art Center.&nbsp;If you are interested in purchasing artwork on display, please contact&nbsp;Emma Rose Gudewicz, Director of Development and Exhibition Manager, at&nbsp;egudewicz@evanstonartcenter.org&nbsp;or (847) 475-5300 x 102.This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Excerpts of Imagination | Louis De Guzman

What is the difference between “looking” and “seeing”? How is meaning made and how do forms signify? These questions have concerned Chicago-based artist Alice Tippit (b. 1975) for more than a decade. Her paintings and works on paper generate multiple layers of meaning through poetic techniques like metaphor, serving as indirect references rather than clear, straightforward representations. The images in Tippit’s paintings float between the familiar and the enigmatic––recognizable forms and shapes are removed from any clear context or obvious meaning. Included in this exhibition are a selection of Tippit’s works from the past ten years as well as new commissioned works.&nbsp;This exhibition is Alice Tippit’s first museum solo presentation and is accompanied by a fully-illustrated catalog published by DePaul Art Museum, distributed by the University of Chicago Press, designed by Omnivore, with essays from Ionit Behar, Johanna Fateman, and Mary Simpson.Alice Tippit: Rose Obsolete&nbsp;is organized by DePaul Art Museum and curated by Ionit Behar, PhD. ​<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://patrongallery.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=fe9966abed200e47655a01bab&amp;id=18119f4d8e&amp;e=9e3563b61b" target="_blank">More Information</a> Image: ALICE TIPPIT, Fool, 2022, Oil on canvas, 13" x 10" x 1"

Alice Tippit: Rose Obsolete

Opening Reception: June 5, 2026 · 5–8:00 PM, Lawrence Schiller will be in attendance.&nbsp; <h2><a href="https://hiltoncontemporary.com/exhibitions/lawrence-schiller-motion-pictures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" target="_blank">Motion Pictures</a></h2><h4>Lawrence Schiller</h4> Photography and cinematic storytelling through the lens of Lawrence Schiller. <a href="https://hiltoncontemporary.com/exhibitions/lawrence-schiller-motion-pictures/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Details</a>

Motion Pictures: Lawrence Schiller

You are cordially invited to&nbsp;BAC's14th Annual Art Competition.&nbsp;This competition was created to showcase the exceptional talents and abilities of Chicago area artists.

Calendar

Chicago Gallery News