<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764906395/d6rch3f72ee3rug7rszh.jpg">Ten years of CGN Arts Guides. Artists from left: Carlos Rolon, Scott Reeder, Judy Ledgerwood, Bethany Collins, Tony Tasset, Andrew Holmquist, Amanda Williams, Christina Ramberg, Jonathan Higgins, Diego Marcon In 2018, when we published our second edition of the Arts Guide, we evolved our founding name, Chicago Gallery News, to the more inclusive CGN. This was partly to indicate that we not only include arts programming and events in galleries in our coverage but we also highlight museums, auction houses, studios, sculpture gardens and other places where art exists. It was also time to signal that our reach extends beyond Chicago’s city limits. The name CGN represents an evolution of key aspects of the publication while keeping our supportive mission very much the same. CGN has been around for over 43 years. This is the 10th edition of the annual Arts Guide, which we launched in 2017 as a replacement for our winter magazine. Celebrating milestones is also bittersweet. Some spaces listed&nbsp;in 2017 have closed their doors, but many more are still here, while others have opened and showcase new gallery and institutional models to promote the artists they champion and engage their communities. The staying power of CGN’s Arts Guide has become an important visual and physical representation of the art, creativity and culture that happens each year in Chicago’s neighborhoods, its suburbs and throughout the near-Midwest.&nbsp; * Continuing in print is part of CGN’s commitment to being a contemporary resource as well as a repository of decades’ worth of names and places recorded for history. Paging through past issues, you can look up who was open when and in which part of town, or point to which artists showed where, and what art fairs came and went. Future arts researchers can will trace institutional and gallery changes in the context of the local art scene at a particular moment–when Young Hoffman parted ways to become Donald Young and Rhona Hoffman; when the 1987 market crash shuttered many doors, and when the 1989 River North fire jumbled addresses and new districts were established. These ten editions of the Arts Guide complement our other, more editorial magazines. They stack up–annual volumes of art in the Midwest.&nbsp; Each year I am proud of what we produce in CGN. There is tremendous history and innovation in Chicago to draw from and an exciting next generation to engage with and support. Thank you for your support of CGN, and of the art community! Subscribe to the 2026 Arts Guide and to CGN all year long <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. &nbsp;– Ginny Van Alyea

Publisher's Letter: The CGN Arts Guide Turns Ten

<h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/museums/2025/12/02/dusable-black-history-museum-chicago-director-kim-dulaney-whistleblower-lawsuit-perri-irmer" target="_blank">DuSable Black History Museum, CEO misused public funds, whistleblower alleges</a></h3> An ex-employee of the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center has filed a lawsuit against the institution and its president and CEO, Perri Irmer, alleging misuse of public funds, harassment and retaliation. The lawsuit is the latest in an ongoing whistleblower campaign by Kim Dulaney, a retired Chicago State University professor who joined the South Side museum in 2021 as director of education and programs. She later became the vice president of the same department. Via WBEZ <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/louvre-leak-strike-2725275" target="_blank">Louvre Workers Announce Strike After Water Leak Drenches Egyptian Archives</a></h3> Last month, a water pipe at the Musée de Louvre rained unexpectedly on scores of archival documents relating to Egyptian history. The Parisian museum’s latest misfortune has marked a breaking point. Today, employees announced their plans to strike. Via Artnet <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/arts/design/frank-gehry-buildings-photos.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7U8.Klvq.PlbVeHekki-B&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">Frank Gehry: 12 Essential, Stunning Projects</a></h3> The most celebrated architect of his age, a wry, pugnacious, singular genius, Frank Gehry, who&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/arts/design/frank-gehry-dead.html" target="_blank">died Friday at 96</a>, redefined American architecture and became so famous that he was even a character on “The Simpsons.” In Bilbao and Berlin, New York and, especially, Los Angeles — where the Canadian-born Gehry settled and became inseparable from the city — he left behind playful, polarizing, materially and technologically stunning buildings.&nbsp; Via NYT Image: Frank Bienewald/LightRocket, via Getty Images <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/martin-parr-dead-photographer-magnum-1234765602/" target="_blank">Martin Parr, Photographer of Tourists with a Wry Sense of Humor, Dies at 73</a></h3> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(229, 75, 39);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/martin-parr/" target="_blank">Martin Parr</a>, a photographer known for pictures of tourists that were both genuinely curious explorations of their lifestyle and wry indictments of it, has died on December 6 at his home in Bristol, England. His death, at age 73, was announced on Sunday by the namesake foundation that he founded in Bristol in 2017. Via ARTnews

What We're Reading: 12/9/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255901/jjhbatvicsygw0eytp1o.jpg"> By CGN Staff This season, we’re highlighting some of our favorite places to find artful, meaningful gifts — all while supporting Chicago’s independent galleries and cultural institutions. Part 2 here focuses on museum stores and markets offering unique objects, books, prints, memberships and curiosities. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/2025-cgn-holiday-gift-guide-part-1-museum-stores-markets" target="_blank">Part 1</a> spotlights museum stores and area markets. These sources offer gifts and works of art for even the toughest gift recipients on your list and buying art or shopping at local institutions also supports artists and other members of the cultural community. Of course it's wonderful to enjoy and buy art any time of year, not just during the holidays! You can also purchase a copy of CGN"s new 2026 Arts Guide or share an annual <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/products/cgn-gift-card" target="_blank">gift subscription</a> with someone! *<h2> </h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255902/yl9xfkyvfu2mxaxhp0ez.jpg"> <h2>McCormick Gallery</h2> McCormick gallery hosts its Annual Holiday Sale with 50 works and terrific discounts, up to 50% through December 19 Pictured above is a work by Roy Lichtenstein&nbsp;(1923-1997), As I Opened Fire...color offset lithograph on heavy wove paper, 1966. Full price is $6,000. Sale Price $4,000. You can visit the gallery's website for the complete list of available deals and pricing. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thomasmccormick.com/exhibitions/164" target="_blank">Shop here</a> <h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255903/vsrjpgpiknkhkc2bfwcw.jpg"></h2> <h2>Kim Storage Gallery</h2> Kim Storage in Milwaukee's Third Ward is hosting a holiday sale and exhibition through December 20. Pictured above is a piece by Hector Acuna,&nbsp;12/30, Egg tempera on panel, 5 x 4”, $200. You can visit the gallery's website for the complete list of available deals and pricing. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://kimstoragegallery.com/show/kim-storage-gallery-the-holiday-gift-guide-2025" target="_blank">Shop here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255905/fxaizmnwdmaopnvxldu9.jpg">Bunnie Reiss, Flower Magic, $450 <h2>Joy Machine </h2> This gallery's name makes it a happy place to find an artful gift. it's not too late to stop by&nbsp;General Strike, their inaugural matchbox show, up through December 20!&nbsp;If you're looking for a special gift this holiday season, the gallery has several&nbsp;works under $500 to make a certain recipient extremely excited. Scroll down to see the collection. And don't forget, they also have a selection of&nbsp;phenomenal silkscreen prints&nbsp;available in conjunction with The Jaunt.&nbsp;&nbsp; <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joymachine.art/" target="_blank">Shop here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255905/xohueyjuujgulrm3osng.jpg"> <h2>Oliva Gallery </h2> The Logan Square gallery's Timeless Bodies Holiday Gift Party is set for Friday, Dec 19, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM Timeless Bodies&nbsp;interprets the human form through sculptural realism and abstraction. Throughout history, the human form has been symbolized as a container of life, emotion, and spirit, reflecting both fragility and resilience. How does the body hold and convey our stories, memories, or cultural history? Artists were encouraged to celebrate the interplay of form and storytelling in clay. <a style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/timeless-bodies-holiday-gift-party" target="_blank">Details</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255906/vpjkqe3l4wi5570sbkrp.jpg"> <h2>The Grove Gallery </h2> This gallery in Evanston just celebrated their first anniversary and is celebrating with a Small Works Holiday Show thru Dec 22 Celebrate the holidays by shopping for unique, affordable, small works of art handmade by local artists.&nbsp;This curated selection of paintings, drawings and prints range from abstraction, Impressionist landscapes, interiors and figurative work. Made to fit any budget.&nbsp;The gallery is collaborating with Evanston Made, a local arts nonprofit which celebrates community.&nbsp; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/small-works-holiday-show" target="_blank">Details</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255907/rvq7f12yqccebc1vlaeq.png"> <h2>Woman Made Gallery</h2> Woman Made Gallery's (WMG) 2025&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(45, 79, 101);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://womanmade.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=77610ec6940e4a7c0d652a863&amp;id=859054d66c&amp;e=a3993dd90f" target="_blank">Small Works Members Show</a> is an annual exhibition celebrating the creativity and achievements of WMG’s vibrant community of artists. Curated by&nbsp;Astrid Houzé&nbsp;de l’Aulnoit&nbsp;and&nbsp;Mary King, this year’s exhibition features an exceptional selection of small-scale works by&nbsp;107 member artists. Artworks measure under 20 inches, showcasing the power of intimate expression across diverse mediums—including painting, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, fiber, and photography. All works are priced at&nbsp;$400 or less, offering an ideal opportunity for art lovers and new collectors to acquire original pieces from local and regional artists. Closing Reception: December 20, 2025 | 2–4 p.m.&nbsp; <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/small-works-members-show" target="_blank">Details</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765255908/i6c58hvkboapfhlyidmi.png"> <h2>Evanston Art Center</h2> EAC's 23rd Annual Winter Arts &amp; Crafts Expo is on through Dec 20. The&nbsp;Winter Arts &amp; Crafts Expo&nbsp;includes original, handmade works of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, mixed media, and more. All proceeds from the Expo will benefit the ongoing exhibition, education, and outreach programs at the Art Center. The Winter Expo is also the perfect opportunity for families to shop for everyone on their holiday gift list. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/23rd-annual-winter-arts-crafts-expo" target="_blank">Details</a>

2025 CGN Holiday Gift Guide, Part 2: Galleries

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966263/cobu9aumhxqdqapxlgxo.jpg"> By CGN Staff This season, we’re highlighting some of our favorite places to find artful, meaningful gifts — all while supporting Chicago’s independent galleries and cultural institutions. Part 1 here focuses on museum stores and markets offering unique objects, books, prints, memberships and curiosities. Part 2 (coming soon!) will spotlight galleries across the region. These sources offer gifts and works of art for even the toughest gift recipients on your list and buying art or shopping at local institutions also supports artists and other members of the cultural community. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966263/adsolsf9whpmxk7os0jy.jpg"> <h2>Intuit Art Museum</h2>Intuit reopened this spring, welcoming visitors back into refreshed galleries dedicated to the world of self-taught art. Their store is filled with original artwork, handmade jewelry, books, zines, and exclusive merchandise. You can also give a gift membership to the museum, which offers year-round access and supports exhibitions and programs.&nbsp;Visit in person Wednesday through Sunday, 11 am–6 pm. Also check for holiday hours <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://art.org/store" target="_blank">Shop here</a> <h2> </h2> <h2><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966264/le4fvserjh6aixjrqcvd.jpg"></h2>Little Christmas, mezzotint by Kouki Tsuritani <h2>Chicago Printmakers Collaborative</h2>CPC’s beloved Holiday Sale and Small Print Show is a must for print lovers. Browse original, hand-pulled prints in a wide range of styles and prices. It’s an accessible way to collect or give handmade artwork directly from Chicago printmakers. This is the 36th year of this incredible small print show and CPC is excited to show new prints created by CPC members, gallery artists, and faculty. Small prints make the perfect gift for the holidays or for yourself. Artist-made cards, books, jewelry and other stocking-stuffer goodies will also be available. Sip delicious spiced cider and graze the famous CPC holiday snack table while you peruse the gorgeous array of affordable, small handmade prints from around the globe. A great event the whole family can enjoy. Preview the Show: Friday, December 5th, 12-5pmOpening Reception &amp; Holiday Party: Saturday &amp; Sunday, December 6th &amp; 7th, 11am-7pm <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoprintmakers.com/" target="_blank">Details here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966266/pz4tjvirvcb06cntygip.jpg"> <h2>Randolph Street Holiday Market</h2> Fun any time of year Randolph Street's Holiday Market is a treasure-hunt in overdrive. Part shopping mecca, all party, here you can shop the&nbsp;most&nbsp;coveted&nbsp;goods&nbsp;from the past, present and future, explore&nbsp;125 mini-boutiques&nbsp;featuring&nbsp;posh&nbsp;vintage, modern, handcrafted treasures for gifting, wearing, entertaining and decorating.&nbsp;Bring the whole family and ring in the season with&nbsp;creative cocktails,&nbsp;fancy foods, informal modeling, DJ, Little Elves Workshop, and the&nbsp;most unusual and stylishly curated mix&nbsp;of&nbsp;shopping for men, women and children.&nbsp; FREE onsite parking, gift wrapping and personal shopping assistance too. December 13 and 14. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://randolphstreetmarket.com/" target="_blank">Details here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966270/en1ro72r6sldggz5qurs.jpg"> <h2>Museum of Contemporary Art Store</h2>The MCA Store delivers design-driven gifts that reflect the museum’s contemporary spirit. From home objects and accessories to books and inventive art-related items, it’s a reliable destination for fresh, smart holiday gifting. You can find artful menorahs, beautiful coffee-table books, MCA-themed gloves and hats, artistic jewelry and much more. It's hard to get out of here without buying something for yourself, let alone the art lovers in your life. Online you can even shop by color. If the new Jellycat store line is too long for you at Nordstrom, guess what, no line at the MCA! Plus museum members always get 10% off. <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mcachicagostore.org/" target="_blank">Shop here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966270/wxr3ypjizsxajpbnbgi1.jpg"> <h2>The Driehaus Museum</h2>The Driehaus Museum’s charming shop features unusual, beautifully made gifts inspired by the museum’s Gilded Age setting. Expect elegant objects and refined keepsakes with historical character. There is Vintage Jewelry, beaded velvet purses, Chicago-themed books, Gilded-age inspired hand-blown vases, and Christmas collectibles and unique ornaments. You can also visit Santa or stop into the museum halls decked like no other! AND there is a special Drie-Cember Market on Saturday, December 6. Details <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://driehausmuseum.org/programs/detail/drie-cember-market?mc_cid=586f90d296&amp;mc_eid=d1db3f815c" target="_blank">here</a>. Shop the museum store <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://shop.driehausmuseum.org/" target="_blank">here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764966271/ndb5dpiygxscnyeoeags.jpg"><a style="color: rgb(41, 150, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://zpzl839y.r.us-west-2.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Fsqclick.com%2Foutreach%2Ft%2FqH8FzDMfH51d%2Fhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fsurgicalmuseumchicago.square.site%25252Fproduct%25252Falter-egos-plague-doctor-druid-plush%25252FV5UQ26KWWKQXBEHHTI4LTMOW%25253Futm_source%25253Dsqmktg_email%3Fs=jlOo7LGPRAS3dI1DBRwoknCIKBNdyGrm0HA6-nL3eto/2/0101019ac2869ce6-d1250005-b496-4ec2-9280-20ee4180317c-000000/YJAUnzi8nGkvdoTCc9yfU0JE_co=455" target="_blank">Alter Egos Plague Doctor Druid Plush</a> – $20.00 <h2>International Museum of Surgical Science</h2>For the curious and the quirky: the IMSS shop offers medical-history-inflected gifts, anatomical oddities and unexpected treasures perfect for the science-minded or anyone who enjoys an offbeat holiday pick. You will find Edward Gorey Christmas decor as well as plague-focused stuffed animals. There are pins, mugs, puzzles and finds that are exclusive to the museum as well as other items by local artists. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://surgicalmuseumchicago.square.site/" target="_blank">Shop here</a> # Stay tuned for Part 2, featuring galleries offering special holiday exhibitions and offerings, from Chicago to Wisconsin and Michigan.

2025 CGN Holiday Gift Guide, Part 1: Museum Stores & Markets

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764887343/jal6u6iit6jrwpvygi6r.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jane-feely-in-japan-with-a-beginners-mind" target="_blank">Jane Feely: In Japan: With a Beginner's Mind</a>Opening: Saturday, December 6, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764887344/zndw0ejmsktiqdpepvls.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/peter-lupkin-breaking" target="_blank">Peter Lupkin: Breaking</a>Opening: Friday, December 5, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMGallery Victor&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764887344/vuwdgqrvdplsloh87fhn.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/michael-cuadrado-gonzalez" target="_blank">Michael Cuadrado Gonzalez: Entangled Forces</a>Exhibit begins December 565GRAND <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764887345/hlibxha5mkvpqm1etxjl.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/36th-annual-small-print-exhibition-holiday-sale" target="_blank">36th Annual Small Print Exhibition &amp; Holiday Sale</a>Opening: Saturday, December 6, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PMChicago Printmakers Collaborative <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764887346/ugbxfrwzwr0t8utgfomm.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/small-works-holiday-show" target="_blank">Small Works Holiday Show</a>Opening: Saturday, December 6, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PMThe Grove Gallery

New Exhibitions Beginning December 6

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764896819/bhqfmpot52ptyydix03e.png"> Via PR In its 15th year, the residency program offers support to artists, curators and scholars from Poland, Ireland, Taiwan, California, Minnesota, and Chicago, whose work addresses a wide range of social issues&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a>, the renowned organization for contemporary art located on Chicago’s vibrant South Side, proudly announces the 2026 cohort of resident artists and curators on the fifteenth anniversary of its Jackman Goldwasser Residency. The program offers supportive residencies of varying lengths to local, national, and international artists and curators who work across disciplines to address a wide range of social issues. A new initiative in partnership with 3Arts, Beyond Bodies of Work, is added to the program, offering six-month studio residencies at the Art Center for Deaf and disabled artists.Developed in partnership with 3Arts, the “Beyond Bodies of Work: A 3Arts + Hyde Park Art Center Residency” builds on the existing 3Arts/Bodies of Work Residency, which provides three-month residencies and monthly stipends tailored to Deaf and disabled artists, and is open to alumni of that program. The first resident artist will be Pooja Pittie, a self-taught painter and fiber artist based in Chicago who will have a studio space at the Art Center from June 1 to December 1, 2026. Living with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy, Pittie’s work draws on the dynamics of a slowing body and an active, curious mind.&nbsp;Gabriel Chalfin-Piney-González, Art Center Exhibitions and Residency Manager, shares: “In putting together the cohort, I was thrilled by the clear intersections between the expansive practices of our incoming residents. Each artist and curator is at a pivotal point in their career. Artists are working across expansive mediums from craft and papermaking to performance and installation. Their practices explore bodily and environmental ecologies, integrating tactile and interactive methodologies, as well as deep commitments to the impact of art, history and justice across their communities. I feel privileged to support, engage, and learn from the community of artists with disabilities through our new partnership with 3Arts. ”For over a decade, the Jackman Goldwasser Residency at Hyde Park Art Center has connected artists deeply with their own practice in the context of Chicago’s vibrant, multifaceted community. Each year, the Residency invites international, national, and local artists and curators to complement their mode of production with increased attention towards reflection, connection, and research to spark new ideas and considerations of local and global art practices. The Residency offers high-quality, free studio space where artists make work, research new projects, access the Art Center’s broad international network of artists and resources, and connect with a dynamic public.&nbsp;&nbsp;The participants in the 2026 cohort of the Jackman Goldwasser Residency program are: <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764896821/tl50mexvae3p3q8txemt.png"> Chicago Artists&nbsp;ebere agwuncha (yearlong resident) is an Igbo-American craftsperson and educator. Their work embodies the histories of various Igbo (an ethnic group of Nigeria) sites, objects, and architectures, paying homage to the traditional collective crafting practice of Nigerian women.&nbsp;Carlos Flores (yearlong resident) is an interdisciplinary artist and cultural worker whose practice bridges collective construction, performance, and environmental organizing. His work is rooted in the city’s Southwest neighborhoods and explores how public art and community action can counter environmental harm and displacement.&nbsp;Cydney M. Lewis (yearlong resident) is a multimedia artist working in collage, assemblage, and installation. Her practice transforms everyday materials into explorations of adaptation, spirituality, and the possibility of balance between the natural and human-made worlds. Yoonshin Park (January 15-May 25) is a Chicago-based artist, educator, and curator whose work reflects on the transience and hybridity of identity through everyday gestures and the experience of in-betweenness across language and place. Rooted in the tactile processes of papermaking and bookbinding, her practice merges material experimentation with quiet meditations on space and self.&nbsp;Beyond Bodies of Work Resident: Pooja Pittie (June 1-December 1) is a self-taught painter and fiber artist based in Chicago. Living with a progressive form of muscular dystrophy, Pittie’s work draws on the dynamics of a slowing body and an active, curious mind. Through abstract painting and fiber art, she weaves together personal memories, cultural heritage, motherhood, and her experiences of disability, creating intricate compositions that speak to resilience and identity.&nbsp;A public program introducing some of the Chicago artists will take place at the Art Center on February 27th at 6 p.m., with agwuncha, Flores, Lewis, and Park. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764896822/ieyx9mw56afv1djhykhp.png">&nbsp; National &amp; International Artists&nbsp;Fidencio Fifield-Perez (August 1-31) is based in Northern California, where he is an Assistant Professor of Painting at the University of California Davis. Through his work, he examines borders, edges, and the people who must traverse them, centering the materiality of paper ephemera.&nbsp;Sam Gould (July 16-27) is a Minneapolis, Minnesota based artist and publisher whose work sits at the intersection of co-education, the social, and the movement of power in day-to-day life. He is the director and co-founder of “Confluence: An East Lake Studio for Community Design,” a vehicle to research, examine and celebrate the material and social structure of Minneapolis’ 9th Ward and beyond. Fidencio Fifield-Perez and Sam Gould’s residencies are made possible through the generous support of the McKnight Foundation and Artist Communities Alliance. Aleksandra Kędziorek (September 14-28) is a Poland-based art historian, curator and researcher working at the intersection of architecture, design, and visual arts. Kędziorek&nbsp;historically-conditioned curation seeks inspiration and creative responses in the past for the challenges of the present. Two residency exchange programs will be announced in the coming months with Askeaton Contemporary Art (Ireland) and Grand View Art Village (Taiwan). In both exchanges, in addition to the Art Center hosting international residents, alumni of the Jackman Goldwasser Residency will travel abroad to participate in the Art Center’s partners’ residency programs.For more information on the Jackman Goldwasser Residency, please visit<a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank"> </a><a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">www.hydeparkart.org</a> or email Gabriel Chalfin-Piney-González at ggonzalez@hydeparkart.orgThe Jackman Goldwasser Residency is funded by: Abakanowicz Arts and Culture Charitable Foundation Research and Production Fund, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Artist Communities Alliance, The David C. &amp; Sarajean Ruttenberg Art Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The Joyce Foundation.&nbsp;About Hyde Park Art CenterHyde Park Art Center, at 5020 South Cornell Avenue on Chicago’s vibrant South Side, is a hub for contemporary arts in Chicago, serving as a gathering, production, and exhibition space for artists and the broader community to cultivate ideas, impact social change, and connect with new networks. Since its inception in 1939, Hyde Park Art Center has grown from a small collective of artists to establishing a strong legacy of risk-taking and experimentation, emerging as a unique Chicago arts institution with social impact. Today, the Art Center offers a diverse suite of programs for artists and art lovers of all backgrounds, ages, and stages in their careers including: contemporary art exhibitions in six galleries; an open-access community-based school with 2,000 annual enrollments; weekly arts education to 1,000 elementary school students in public schools; weekly and summer teen programs for 100 teen artists; professional-advancement programs for artists; a local and international artist residency; and public programs that connect residents with Chicago art and artists. The Art Center’s Oakman Clinton School + Studio is the nation’s first fully contribute-what-you-can visual art school for all ages. The Art Center functions as an amplifier for creative voices of today and tomorrow, providing the space to cultivate new work and connections. For more information about Hyde Park Art Center, please visit <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">www.hydeparkart.org</a>.

Hyde Park Art Center announces 2026 resident artists and a new partnership with 3Arts for disabled artists

<h3>Curated Highlights for What’s Ahead in Chicago’s Art Scene</h3><h3> </h3><h3>December is here and a very busy end to 2025 is upon us. Amidst an already full calendar of holiday to-dos I hope you find time to enjoy some art as well! </h3><h3> </h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Subscribe</a> here to receive a print copy in the mail of the new 2026 arts guide this month, and be sure to share all the events and news with friends.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>• Exhibitions</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907749/vqpgzwatywktmcizcxvo.jpg"> <h2>Luftwerk: The Sun Standing Still</h2><h3> </h3>Dec 12, 2025 - Feb 28, 2026Opening: Friday, Dec 12, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/secrist-beach" target="_blank">Secrist | Beach</a> this&nbsp;exhibition features a suite of new sculptures, wall reliefs, and a site-specific installation by Luftwerk that investigate the dynamic interplay between sunlight and the Earth’s revolution. This exhibition is presented concurrently with&nbsp;Luminous Matter, an invitational survey co-organized with Luftwerk and featuring 8 artists. Both exhibitions open Friday, December 5 from 5–8 PM and remain on view through February 14, 2026. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/luftwerk-the-sun-standing-still" target="_blank">More info ›</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907750/zezu4koqfjwbvzdyxsjc.jpg"> <h2>Michael Cuadrado Gonzalez: Entangled Forces</h2> Dec 5, 2025 - Jan 10, 2026<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/65grand" target="_blank">65GRAND</a> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.65grand.com/current" target="_blank">More info ›</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907752/mazzdb1v9pwafcljdnol.jpg"> <h2>CSI Project Space: Little, but Bold!</h2> Dec 13, 2025 - Jan 30, 2026<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/chicago-sculpture-international-csi" target="_blank">Chicago Sculpture International (CSI)</a> Little, But Bold is in celebration of all things unmonumental. Often flying under the radar, small things have the special ability to bridge private and public spaces. Within the sculpture field, there has been a projected narrative that bigger is better. This exhibition states that small things can hold the same importance as the largest monument. Special Ornament Exchange:In the giving spirit of the holidays, please bring in a custom-made ornament or small object to trade with fellow sculptors. <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagosculpture.org/exhibition-files/little-but-bold-2025" target="_blank">More info ›</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907753/yoyiboww0ylccwvrohyq.jpg"> <h2>Mutuality</h2> Dec 13, 2025 - Mar 22, 2026<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/hyde-park-art-center" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a> Mutuality is a group exhibition of new works culminating the Art Center’s biennial&nbsp;Center Program, a professional development program for the elevation of emerging and mid-career artists, now in its 11th edition. Curated by writer, curator, and art administrator&nbsp;Teresa Silva, this exhibition will occupy the entire first floor galleries from&nbsp;December 12, 2025 – March 8, 2026, featuring works by twenty artists from Center Program’s 2025 cohort. <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mutuality" target="_blank">More info ›</a> <h3>• Auctions</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907754/aa5xxene8jh2luzvltu2.png"> <h2>Design</h2> Tuesday, Dec 9, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/wright" target="_blank">Wright</a> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wright20.com/auctions/2025/12/design/info?utm_campaign=%5B1195%5D_Auction_Now_Online&amp;utm_content=info_button&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=mailchimp" target="_blank">More info ›</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907755/xfd4gklqvyz56a5ylxbu.jpg"> <h2>Early 20th Century Design</h2> Wednesday, Dec 10, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/toomey-co-auctioneers" target="_blank">Toomey &amp; Co. Auctioneers</a> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/early-20th-century-design-dec-25" target="_blank">More info ›</a> <h3>• Classes / Talks / Tours</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764907756/n8ex5ea9uhrxl2jb8lpj.jpg"> <h2>Timeless Bodies Figure Drawing Class</h2> Sunday, Dec 7, 2025 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/oliva-gallery" target="_blank">Oliva Gallery</a> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/timeless-bodies-figure-drawing" target="_blank">More info ›</a> Stay tuned for CGN's two-part feature on holiday shopping in galleries, museums and art studios! To view the full CGN calendar <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">click here</a>

CGN Art Preview: December 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764712054/sduoptyt76ree3uigjg6.jpg">Sabina Ott, “the weight of air”, 2016. Polystyrene, plastic, cloth, canvas, mirror, gauche, and spray enamel, 24 x 20 x 3 inches. Collection of Vincent Uribe. © Estate of Sabina Ott. Image courtesy of Jeroen Nelemans. By JEFFERSON GODARD How many artists have their first solo show at a museum (Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, 1983) just one year after finishing college and then go on to have an almost forty-year career all while influencing so many others in the process? Sabina Ott is the culprit here, and she is currently being celebrated at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in all this and not ordinary, the first solo presentation of her work since she left our material world in 2018. Sabina Ott was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles. Her first works were large figurative oil paintings that depicted natural settings with theoretical and poetic references. Some of these early works would become part of institutional collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Los Angeles County Museum of Art amongst many others. As her career progressed, Ott moved beyond painting to create installations, videos, screen prints, and sculptural works. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764712055/l4zkityhxvyt8wfzccvh.jpg">Installation view of Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 2025. Photo by Mariah Monedah, courtesy of MMoCA.&nbsp; Throughout her career, Sabina was never one to focus on one material alone and often pivoted between media that included oil, acrylic, ink, video, encaustic, and polystyrene. all this and not ordinary focuses on polystyrene-based works that she first began showing at The Great Poor Farm Experiment I (2009) at Michelle Grabner’s The Poor Farm, an experimental residency and exhibition space in Manawa, Wisconsin. In polystyrene, she loved the malleable and lightweight properties as well as the ability to layer on it. Often, she would layer canvas, spray foam, and mirror, but she also layered meaning. In this regard, Sabina often turned to poetry and specifically Gertrude Stein for inspiration. In fact, all of this and not ordinary is also a line from Stein’s poem A Carafe, that is a Blind Glass. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764712056/ikb70fvpztsrjxqm1xvo.jpg">Installation view of Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 2025. Photo by Mariah Monedah, courtesy of MMoCA.&nbsp; all this and not ordinary focuses on works that were created in the last eight years of her life and includes printed excerpts from Gertrude Stein poems on the walls. These decisions were prompted both by the influence of Stein in her work but also echo Sabina’s own teaching practice. Sabina was a mentor to so many students at the institutions such as Columbia College Chicago, Washington University, San Francisco Art Institute, ArtCenter College of Design, California State University, and the Melbourne Royal Institute of Technology in Australia. Sabina not only charted a storied artistic and academic career that had international reverberations, but she left her most lasting mark on Chicago, the city that she called home for the last 13 years of her life. Mentoring students at Columbia College, where she served for over a decade, she wanted to do more for her community. In 2011, Sabina founded Terrain Exhibitions, an experimental exhibition space that ran out of her Oak Part home and hosted some ambitious artworks from acclaimed artists. One of the first iterations of the now storied Graft series from Edra Soto enveloped Sabina's porch, a sculptural painting installation from Michelle Wasson’s Red, Yellow, Blue began on top ofthe roof slowly dripping and landing on the front lawn, a 10-foot pink unicorn horn, Struck, was supplanted on the front yard by Iris Bernblum, and Cauleen Smith’s banner extolling Gwendolyn Brooks’ Conduct your Blooming, that now resides in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, all had their first showing at Terrain. Artist Tom Burtonwood continued Terrain after Sabina’s passing, and the Terrain Biennial still maintains an international presence today. Aside from his steadfast support of Terrain, I must also make mention that if not for the efforts of Tom and his collaborator Holly Holmes, many of the works included in this exhibition would not have been available to us. Thank you both for all of the hard work that you continue to do to cement Sabina’s legacy. # all this and not ordinary continues at the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mmoca.org/events/sabinaott/" target="_blank">Madison Museum of Contemporary Art</a> through February 15, 2026, and will have an opening celebration on December 12th, 2025, from 6:00-9:00 pm, with a gallery talk by Chicago-based artist Michelle Wasson on December13th at 1:00. Please consult the museum’s website for more details. Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary&nbsp;is organized by the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and co-curated by Paul Baker Prindle, MFA and Jefferson Godard, M.Arch. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764712056/faswwefndtzi6j3ds1x2.jpg">Installation view of Sabina Ott: all this and not ordinary, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 2025. Photo by Mariah Monedah, courtesy of MMoCA.&nbsp;

An Exhibition in Madison Shows Artist Sabina Ott is Not Forgotten

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764777128/lidy2ijlo2emvn3jyyyc.jpg">Mike Rea, The Woods are Lovely Deep and Dank, I have Miles to Go and Bongs to Rip Before I Sleep (detail) By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE Photos by Bertran Productions Learning that Chicago native Mike Rea, now teaching at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, was presenting a monumental solo show in Philadelphia necessitated a pilgrimage. Having followed his wild creative process for two years, seeing the culmination of three years of studio magic in “Mature Works” at Bertrand Productions was an unmissable event. It was a worthwhile trek. Words struggle to do the show's brilliance justice, but I will attempt to capture its essence by focusing on several standout pieces. In Rea's world, nothing is unintentional. The long, convoluted titles—nods to famous poems, novels, song lyrics, etc.—serve as a key entry point, leaving a delicious trail of breadcrumbs that hint at the intricate layers of meaning within each piece if you're willing to follow the path; indeed, a whole review could be written about the titles themselves. Ultimately, the exhibition functions as a form of personal storytelling, with a few pieces serving as subtle self-portraits offering viewers a glimpse into Rea’s very being. His defining characteristic, above the rich symbolism and historical allusions, is an absolute mastery of craft; he&nbsp;meticulously executes every detail with zero compromise, elevating the work through sheer technical precision.&nbsp; Tucked away in a former textile factory in the artsy Fishtown neighborhood, Bertrand Productions uses its raw architectural character—lofty ceilings and concrete floors—as a perfect backdrop for Rea’s show. This&nbsp;spacious, industrial-style&nbsp;venue, run by Joseph Leroux and his wife, Stacey Lee Webber, provides the necessary room for Rea’s sizable, grandiose, and mesmerizing pieces to breathe and command attention.&nbsp; Step inside, and you're immediately face-to-face with two towering, commanding sculptures. Their striking height and vibrant colors pop with the same larger-than-life energy as Rea himself, perfectly setting the stage for his signature, attention-grabbing style. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764777129/okqerakovontutsghlnb.jpg">Mike Rea, High Tuffness Rea’s prior works have mostly been natural wood sculptures, making this intense color addition a new and surprising direction. For several standout pieces, he fully embraces “vivid veneers and garish paint finishes,” resulting in high-saturation, high-gloss surfaces with a brilliant, synthetic shine. The glass-like vibrancy is a "sugary spectacle," reminding me of glossy old-school candies like Skittles and Jolly Ranchers. This exciting shift bridges his established style with a fresh aesthetic, likely resonating with longtime admirers. While purists might find the color overshadows the wood's subtlety, within the current context, the color seems exactly apropos. First up, Rea delivers a witty, 'Giacometti-esque' punch with his emaciated figure, titled The Woods are Lovely, Deep, and Dank; I Have Miles to go and Bongs to Rip&nbsp;Before I Sleep. The 85” tall sculpture consists of approximately 46 carved, vivid bongs, with cannabis in the bowls (the piece is made of poplar and pine coated in shiny paints, dye, and polyurethane). Fondly known as the 'Walking Bong Man,' this figure might be interpreted as a lighthearted self-portrait referencing one of Rea’s favorite pastimes—what he refers to as a way of 'rounding the corners of the day.' This inspired work elevates mundane objects and countercultural themes, leveraging the visual language of a revered master in an unexpected way. While some viewers might miss the artistic and cultural commentary, the work successfully integrates pop culture with high art in an engaging way. Now, meet the legend: High Tuffness, a 16" x 16" x 27” dog sculpture also made entirely of bongs. This smaller companion piece is Rea's&nbsp;heartfelt—and aptly hazy—tribute to his most loyal canine companion, Doctor Tuffy. Mounted on a platform and accented with a wooden lighter, this cheeky sculpture perfectly encapsulates their inseparable bond. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764777130/yqlzpvrhg7adpclqxu61.jpg">Mike Rea, Everything Needs Something Holy Ghost Oxford Commas (A Simple Heart) Arguably the show's most intricate and deeply personal work is Everything Needs Something Holy Ghost Oxford Commas (A Simple Heart). Reaching an impressive 10 feet, 1 inch in height (32” x 23” at the base), this tantalizing sculpture alludes to a bold and unapologetic intimate experience. Its foundation is rooted in Rea's own anatomy, with the base created from four vivid blue replicas of his left leg that he cast himself, each detailed with a subtly sexy fishnet imprint. These 'legs' support a structure that evokes a BDSM or restraint-focused apparatus; a wooden vibrator sits centered atop the bench. The sculpture pulses with layered symbolism. While the tennis rackets are personal symbols of Rea's hobby, they could just as easily be interpreted as paddles. At the top sits an exotic parrot, wings spread, seemingly captured in a moment of intense excitement or pure ecstasy. The sculpture operates on multiple levels of intent; Rea notes the piece is “bound together aesthetically and literally structurally,” making it a compelling—and visually potent—focal point within the exhibition. The work is an audacious, unblinking piece that compels a reaction from every viewer. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764777131/pomd6muhvzmt8kfpsxcs.jpg"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1764777132/vhqsyzfhxo9vl4cwnyrd.jpg">Mike Rea, Goal, Is É Sin an Saol (detail) Finally, Goal, Is É Sin an Saol stands out as an elegant, mysterious replica of Ned Kelly's iconic suit of armor, meticulously crafted by Rea from pine, steel, birch, and other materials. The title, Irish Gaelic for "Such is life," creates a poignant link between the artist's own heritage and the fatalistic phrase widely attributed to the Australian bushranger just before his 1880 execution. The sculpture invites interaction: viewers who peek inside the armor will discover words carved into its interior—perhaps Rea's private thoughts, perhaps other Gaelic phrases. This piece follows a historical practice of embedding messages in art, resulting in yet another deeply personal work by Rea that might serve as a meditation on both protection and vulnerability. The entire body of work pulses with life, demanding reflection and drawing on the artist’s authenticity and his eclectic library of influences. That potent energy lingered with me throughout my Philadelphia visit, right up to the final chaotic hours of my stay. A 1:30 AM fire alarm at the historic Penn View Hotel prompted a frantic evacuation; disoriented guests spilled onto the street in various stages of undress, creating a scene of unexpected commotion that, in its own unique way, mirrored the kinetic intensity of Rea’s dynamic exhibition. Both the show and the incident were intense and undeniably "lit." "Mature Works" successfully highlighted Rea's confident mastery just shy of his 50th birthday, bringing a powerful exhibition to Bertrand Productions and Philly. If you have an opportunity to see any of these pieces in the future, seize it: Just do it! Mike Rea earned a B.S., Education, Northern Illinois University; an M.A., Sculpture, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and an M.F.A., Sculpture, University of Wisconsin Madison. He lives and works in DeKalb, IL.&nbsp; Bertrand Productions4500 Worth StreetPhiladelphia, PA&nbsp; “Mature Works,” by Mike Rea ran from September 20 – November 7th, 2025.&nbsp;

Roadtrip to Philadephia: A Visit to See Mike Rea's "Mature Works"

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672149/wqghrtgyn7qdn6lqisdg.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/knots-ann-latinovich-ans-eli-pla" target="_blank">KNOTS: Ann Latinovich and Eli Pla</a>Opening: Thursday, November 20, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMT. Mari Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672151/ss46mhi8wi4nb7i0jyev.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/show-guest-curated-by-margaret-crowley-tim-callahan" target="_blank">Hail Mary</a>Nov 21, 2025 - Jan 9, 2026Opening: Friday, November 21, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMCircle Contemporary (Arts of Life) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672153/bbblwygpdaoxjjvx4sl5.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/bright-lights-small-treasures" target="_blank">Bright Lights, Small Treasures</a>Opening: Friday, November 21, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMLily Pad | West <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672154/jrcuatj2jxgscnlmwymt.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/general-strike" target="_blank">General Strike</a>Opening: Friday, November 21, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMJoy Machine <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672155/wz7iiotoazpshcgk7cc6.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/2025-community-members-show" target="_blank">2025 Community ⇄ Members’ Show</a>Opening: Friday, November 21, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMKrasl Art Center

New Exhibitions Beginning November 20 - 22 (Part I)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672837/wsjwy8mwgagihprnkjc0.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/faceted-fiber" target="_blank">Faceted Fiber</a>Opening: Friday, November 21, 2025 7:00 PM – 10:00 PMBridgeport Art Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672838/jh2infupnvee57gugyw7.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/holiday-ornament-art-workshop" target="_blank">Holiday Ornament Art Workshop&nbsp;</a>Saturday, November 22, 2025 11:00 AM – 1:00 PMThe National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts &amp; Culture (NMPRAC) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672839/avchaldthdtajdd1dvbw.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ellen-lustig" target="_blank">Ellen Lustig</a>Opening: Saturday, November 22, 2025 12:00 PM – 4:00 PMUkrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA) ﻿ <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763672840/jakkoey4b4whfkeljmu1.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/gallery-seven-holiday-gift-show" target="_blank">Gallery Seven Holiday Gift Show</a>Begins November 22Gallery Seven

New Exhibitions Beginning November 20 - 22 (Part II)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763423364/mh4aljxkmuutz2xjjjlu.jpg">Maurizio Cattelan, photo by Alberto Zanetti. Via PR The Renaissance Society is thrilled to announce that artist Maurizio Cattelan will conceive and orchestrate RenBen 2026, taking place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during Chicago's EXPO Art Week.&nbsp; Known for his provocative and darkly humorous approach to contemporary art, Cattelan has spent four decades creating works that spark conversation, to say the least. From his infamous solid gold toilet America to his hyperrealistic sculptures, Cattelan's work consistently captivates audiences while questioning authority, religion, celebrity, and the art world itself.&nbsp; RenBen is the Renaissance Society’s annual artist-centered gala and the institution’s most important fundraising event, vital to sustaining its experimental exhibitions and programs throughout the year. Each edition invites a single artist to design every aspect of the evening, from the space and performances to the food and choreography. Past editions have been conceived by Meriem Bennani (2025), Kevin Beasley (2024), Adam Linder (2023), and Piero Golia (2022), each expanding what an artist-driven benefit can be.&nbsp; For RenBen 2026, Cattelan will draw on his established signature forms of playful inversion, surprise, and surrealist elegance. Guests can expect his subversive wit and theatrical sensibility. “BEING AN ARTIST IS NOT A JOB, IT'S A MALFUNCTION,” he shared.&nbsp; Maurizio Cattelan's work has been featured in major museums and exhibitions worldwide, including solo shows at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and the Beyeler Foundation in Basel. His collaborations through Toiletpaper magazine and with brands including Kenzo, Berluti, Longchamp, and Seletti—demonstrate his ability to merge high art with popular culture, making him an ideal artist to reimagine RenBen.&nbsp; All proceeds from RenBen 2026 support the Renaissance Society's program of exhibitions, Intermissions, concerts, public programs, and publications—all free and open to the public.&nbsp; RenBen 2026 takes place during Chicago's EXPO Art Week, in alignment with EXPO CHICAGO contemporary art fair, attracting cultural figures from around the globe.&nbsp;﻿Additional details will be announced in early 2026.&nbsp; Corporate sponsorships and in-kind gift opportunities are available. Please contact Polina Kasian at pkasian@renaissancesociety.org for more information.&nbsp; Underwriter and Benefactor sponsorships and individual tickets are now available <a style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/TqGCpLmdPWCEh8kci33nKQ" target="_blank">here</a>.

Maurizio Cattelan will Conceive and Orchestrate RenBen 2026 in April 2026

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147466/fhzfubhh1y6zxixw76qh.jpg">Esmé's light fixtures already resemble blank canvases. Photos by CGN. By GINNY VAN ALYEA On a warm Chicago evening earlier this fall, stepping into a Lincoln Park restaurant felt more like crossing the threshold of a gallery than a restaurant. Most of my days as&nbsp;publisher of CGN are spent in proximity to art, and I do eat at restaurants, but I can’t say I’ve had a meal or art experience quite like the one I had at Esmé. That is the point. From its earliest days, Esmé has set out to merge food, art, and philanthropy in an ambitious experiment. Now, with an Apple TV+ docuseries running and Michelin inspectors circling once again, the restaurant finds itself back in the spotlight. I had heard about Esmé since it was awarded a Michelin star in 2022, less than year after it opened in 2021. Esmé is the culinary artistic-collaboration of husband-and-wife duo Chef Jenner Tomaska and Katrina Bravo, who opened the restaurant as both a fine-dining destination and a mission-driven project. Their vision was that a restaurant could be more than an elevated place to eat — it could also be a civic space, an art gallery, and a philanthropic engine all at once. Esmé’s tasting menus change with each artist-in-residence collaboration, transforming both the dishes and the dining room into a temporary exhibition. Previous artist collaborations have been with Emmy Star Brown, Raspy Rivera, and Meghan Borah, and others. Proceeds from these seasons often benefit local nonprofits, creating a direct tie between indulgence and community impact. The current collaboration features Chicago-born, L.A. artist Lefty Out There (Franco Campanella), known for his looping, interlocking “polymorph” motifs. His work, which began in graffiti and street art, now spans textiles, sculpture, and digital installations — a rhythmic visual language that feels both infinite and playful. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147466/cpmjb50gkzxmyhutytnq.jpg">The surprise amuse: Meringue - Tomato, Peanut, and Osetra Caviar. At Esmé, Lefty’s work is hung salon-style on the wall when you first enter the space. While I waited for my dinner date to arrive, I was greeted by Chris, who offered a sparkling wine with fall-appropriate cherry incorporated – a bright, pink palate preparation to enjoy while I had a chance to look around the space, first at Lefty's art, including a projection piece, then at the professional staff moving quietly and efficiently among the tables and back and forth to the open kitchen. In the dining room large, white fixtures – flat panels suspended from the ceiling that resemble canvases – act as blank spaces that reflect light back onto where the art really was, on the tables and plates.&nbsp; Once my friend arrived we were presented with what we thought was a mutually favorite hors d’oeuvre: deviled eggs. In fact this was just the first surprise of the night, as it was not an egg, but a tomato meringue with caviar, peanut and delicate, edible flowers. There were two, placed atop a thick, gilded picture frame.&nbsp;The presentation of this first bite made the art-links of Esme’s menu apparent, but once we were seated at our table the unique collaboration with Lefty Out There was unmistakable. The current tasting menu–which began in August and it set to continue until March 1, 2026–is inspired by Lefty’s hallmark polymorphic shapes.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147467/ganuvecjknigracwfq56.jpg">A custom designed tray built from wood and moss serves Tuna — peach jam, otoro, sake sabayon, and tuna bone marrow, Uni — nori, sunchoke purée, fried kelp, and kelp oil, and Foie — whipped foie with hoja santa, cherry, nasturtium, and a butterfly tuile — a reflection of the land above. There is color, detail, intricacy in each dish, with many being served on custom made dishware and plates. A custom sculpture Hassun Tray built by Lefty from layered wood and moss draws on Lefty’s experience using LiDAR digital mapping and references contours that mirror map elevations and topography. As you eat each introductory bite you move through nature, from sea (tuna, also nori, kelp) onto land (whipped foie, cherry, nasturtium). The art presented in the tray’s design remains after each bite is gone.&nbsp; A two-bite course of smoked grapes, latticed over king crab-filling, is topped with fennel and presented atop a 3-D printed copper-hued dome that resembled a brain, though not in an unappetizing way. The serving piece looked like it would be heavy, made of metal, but it’s very light. The dish was the same, it looked heavy but was in fact delicate.&nbsp; Colors. Detail. Intricacy. Lefty’s art lends itself to repetition –&nbsp;certain shapes and curves are like disciplined doodles. You can’t quite always identify an exact pattern but you can pick out the shapes. The artist has broad experience in multiple mediums, from 3D printing and murals to fiber and painting. At Esmé you see Lefty’s presence everywhere.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147468/biyjuk4farsik5dqdota.jpg"> Lefty's designs in clay. A dish of squab, foie, plum, tamarind, celery root and nihari. Photo by Sara Wright. For a dish of squab with plum, the vibrant tamarind sauce that accompanied it was baked in celery root inside of a clay vessel featuring Lefty’s squiggle designs. Our server used a special hammer to break open the clay and reveal the sauce. Next we had Wagyu beef, beet mole and charred lettuce, accompanied by an unusual, Italian-style wine from Mexico. Other dishes we had didn’t directly draw from Lefty’s art but still incorporated the creativity of local artists. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes of caviar and ice cream, with white chocolate and some sort of savory pepper paste, was served in a custom designed, ostrich-sized ceramic egg, chilled to best present and preserve the coolness of the ice cream.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147469/g4qvvs1bmu633bjfkt09.jpg">Shareable ice cream and caviar mid-meal. Mother of pearl — peanut miso, celery hot sauce, sweet potato ice cream, white chocolate, osetra caviar. Desert was part art heist, part treat, all surprise: cake was concealed beneath printed rice paper made to resemble a painting on canvas, framed in gold. To get to the sweet cake, I had to destroy the canvas.&nbsp; Each effect is immersive and unique: dishes appear not just plated, but staged, like performers in an abstract set. Signature forms ripple across everything, from custom placemats (more than two dozen in total, hand-sewn with 88,000 stitches), to laser-cut tray designs, and even the plating itself. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147470/rpcrzvaukulr1dratxoj.jpg">Dessert is behind the rice paper canvas: blackberry vanilla opera cake, oat crumble, anise hyssop ice cream * To expand on where Lefty Out There’s art fits in a dining space, Allan Weinberger, director of VSG Contemporary, which represents Lefty, describes how this project is not unlike other collaborations and is well suited for an art experience.&nbsp; “Franco Campanella, Lefty’s formal name, loves integrating his art into culturally adjacent moments,” says Weinberger. “He’s collaborated extensively with John Summit on music projection mapping, Miami nightclub E11even, Formula 1, the Chicago Half Marathon and various fashion brands. His visual language adapts well to different environments. For the diner, the experience is unique and engaging, you get to learn about and be inspired by an artist while enjoying a meal. It’s immersive, playful, and unlike a traditional art encounter.” For Esmé’s latest residency Weinberger describes the partnership as a natural extension of the artist’s trajectory. “Since opening, Esmé has developed a Michelin-starred dining experience that deeply integrates art into its courses,” he says. “The restaurant transforms several times a year with new artist collaborations. Lefty Out There elevated this concept further, introducing custom design elements across the space, from windows and placemats to dishes, while curating the gallery with a selection of new works alongside pieces returning from his 2023 London exhibition, many of which had never been shown in the United States.” When I asked Weinberger how he would describe the partnership of having an artist exhibit in a dining setting, he explained, “As an art dealer, I’m not usually drawn to showing work outside spaces made for art. If people aren’t coming in conditioned to see art, the work rarely lands, and it definitely doesn’t sell. We looked at this opportunity carefully and felt that, with the right planning, it could really work. We just wanted to ensure it was presented as an art show.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147470/rhj9mqqvccrhrecm9tzr.jpg">Lefty Out There works are installed in the front of the restaurant salon-style That was easy, he says, because of the creative leaders behind Esmé. “Jenner Tomaska is more than a chef, he’s a brilliant culinary artist and his collaboration with Lefty Out There felt like a genuine creative match. They both care deeply about their craft and it’s more than a business. At one point, while producing custom plates for a dish, they simultaneously decided the quality wasn’t good enough for service and the plates were pulled.&nbsp;This partnership wouldn’t work with just any restaurant; it had to be an exceptional one, like Esmé. Our goal was to make the presentation feel intentional and artistic, not just like restaurant décor.” Exhibiting art outside of a formal gallery space always takes creativity, but hopefully it results in many rewards because it invites and allows a different kind of access and has the potential to engage a new audience. I asked Weinberger what the challenges have been as well as unexpected outcomes of this kind of collaboration.&nbsp; “The biggest challenge was managing the logistics—shipping, installation, and planning for a project that’s inherently speculative. If the art doesn’t sell, it can be a tough financial situation. Fortunately, with the support of Frame Chicago, who helped curate the partnership, the opening week went very well in terms of sales, setting a strong tone for the rest of the collaboration. The collector response to this show has exceeded expectations and we’re thrilled. For years, Alisha, Shafiq, and Firoz have witnessed the transformation of the contemporary art scene, evolving Frame Chicago from a casual framing shop into a cultural hub. They have a pulse on what’s happening in the art world, and both Lefty and I deeply admire the artistic excellence they represent.”&nbsp; * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147471/wnnjjvbzkkuw4prbsqs9.jpg">Cheese coral – aerated Epoisses and Gruyere, taiyaki, and honeycomb The Esmé dining room feels alive with visual rhythm. One late-meal course, dubbed “Cheese Coral”, arrives as a sculptural reef of airy cheese, honeycomb and red Taiyaki pastry shaped like a coy fish, simultaneously fragile and abundant. Another paired turbot with melon and corn, a geometric interplay of textures and tones that echoes Lefty’s looping patterns. These are not just bites; they’re compositions — edible artistic choices meant to be admired and then consumed. As a diner the specific presence of art forces you to sense details — the cut of a vegetable, the texture of a sauce, the angle of a garnish. Esmé transforms eating into something closer to observing. I thought about how each dish would be if it weren’t part of a chef + artist partnership and wondered why there aren’t more like it, since the creative synergy felt so natural. I also wondered, since this partnership with Lefty is so complete - on the walls, on the plates, in the serving pieces – what would other collaborations be like? Would they all be as successful? * This fall, Esmé’s story has been on the plate as well as the screen. On October 10th Apple TV+ debuted Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, an eight-part docuseries that follows chefs worldwide as they pursue, retain, or risk losing their Michelin standing. Esmé is one of the featured restaurants. The series aims to reveal the unseen side of fine dining: the relentless precision, the anxiety of inspection, the personal toll of an elusive rating system. For Tomaska and Bravo, the cameras arrive at a high-stakes moment. Michelin will announce its 2025 ratings next week on November 18th, when Esmé will learn whether it keeps (or loses) its single star — or potentially ascends to the coveted two-star echelon. With the recent news that a fellow Chicago restaurant, Alinea, has lost one of its three stars and now will boast two, the pressure is on for Esmé to move up and maintain the city’s overall star count.&nbsp; While diners at Esmé experience a serene, gallery-like dining room each week, viewers worldwide are tuning in to glimpse the sweat, tension, and vulnerability behind its closed doors. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763147472/vr6qgez4333q3zig9lgy.jpg">Wagyu - Red beet mole, romaine sauce, golden beet puree, pickled mulberries, confit beets What’s striking about Esmé is how seamlessly it toggles between the intimacy of fine dining and the spectacle needed to gain and keep global attention. On one hand, a dish like the turbot with melon feels like a deeply personal of the chef— the kind of course that asks for quiet. On the other, the entire concept of collaborating with an artist is inherently performative, begging for documentation and a wider audience. The docuseries heightens this duality. How does a restaurant designed to be immersive for those in the room translate when broadcast to millions of viewers? Will the art-dining fusion appear as sincere as it feels in the moment, or risk seeming contrived under the harsh gaze of editing? This is the tension at Esmé’s heart: the space between experience and performance, authenticity and ambition. *Esmé’s significance goes beyond its four walls. In spotlighting Chicago artists, and funneling resources into local causes, the restaurant positions itself as a civic player in the city’s cultural ecosystem. In Lefty Out There, Esmé found a collaborator whose Chicago roots mirror its own, creating a uniquely local resonance in a global fine-dining landscape. As Weinberger suggests, by placing Lefty’s work on dining tables instead of gallery walls, Esmé underscores Chicago’s ability to redefine the boundaries of cultural experience. Art was on the walls, certainly on the table, and in each dish. Maybe best of all, I had an inventive, magical setting for a long overdue catchup with a dear friend on a lovely fall evening in one of the world’s most creative cities.&nbsp; View past menus and artistic collaborations at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.esmechicago.com/our-food" target="_blank">esmechicago.com</a> and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/esme_chicago/" target="_blank">@Esme_Chicago</a> Follow Lefty Out There <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/leftyoutthere/" target="_blank">@LeftyOutThere </a> #

Art, Ambition, and the Weight of Stars: Dining at Esmé in Chicago

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613392/jreapcye9mklfzu8fm0q.jpg">A view of Mathieu Lehanneur’s Olympic Cauldron in Paris in the Jardin des Tuileries, with the Musee D’Orsay, the Left Bank and the Eiffel Tower beyond. Photo by CGN. By GINNY VAN ALYEA My family and I traveled to France this summer, right after school let out, starting in Paris and winding our way down to Provence and then back to Paris. The occasion was to meet up and celebrate a dear friend’s birthday, but my planning also quickly focused on art. This was not my first time to France but it would be for our two children, who are young but also old enough to be excellent travelers. My husband and I wanted to share the highlights of a first encouter but also go beyond what we ourselves had explored previously. We visited many iconic and historic sites, but the trip offered something more: a repeated and often unplanned engagement with contemporary art in historic places. As someone who lives around and writes about art, I was attuned to these juxtapositions—but seeing them through the lens of family travel gave them a different kind of resonance. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613393/n5zbdqnbjcvmnelbzngk.jpg">The newly restored interior of Notre Dame Cathedral. We decided to divide our time between Paris on the Left Bank, followed by a week in Provence with our friends, and two nights back in Paris on the Right Bank. It sounded like plenty of time, but while we realized quickly that there is never enough time to see it all, we still had a lot to do and enjoy.&nbsp; On our first afternoon in Paris, we visited the interior of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which reopened in December 2024 following the 2019 fire. Lucky enough to grab free, timed entry tickets while still in the taxi in from the airport, we didn’t have to wait long to see the cathedral’s restoration work up close. Once inside we marveled at how the centuries old stone is clean and light, practically aglow. Outside on the river-side, towering crains and scaffolding show that there is more work being done to continue the restoration. The kids will never know for themselves how the fire that ravaged Notre Dame horrified the world. For me it was amazing to behold the difference before and after. After our visit, a walk to ice cream on Ile St. Louis allowed us to enjoy our arrival after so much planning and to look forward to what’s next. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613394/tf4yfftyaqelsvcuobm2.jpg">The exterior of Fondation Louis Vuitton, designed by Frank Ghery. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613395/yob8ctdkmnvhm3xqeawd.jpg">A David Hockney self-portrait <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613396/gci0vyht7xr21o0q5wqt.jpg">A room filled with spring images by David Hockney <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613397/kbsjxadjwfis6qalbjzl.jpg">Hockney's opera sets animated in an immersive room The next morning, we climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe—still one of the best views of Paris—and we spent time taking pictures as well as visiting the small museum devoted to military history at the top of the monument. Down on the ground again, amidst the city’s famous traffic, we took the navette (shuttle) out to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in the Bois de Boulogne, where friends joined us for David Hockney 25. The Fondation’s building, designed by Frank Gehry, resembles waves or a lotus blossom. We waited in line while holding custom white umbrellas, due to the intense heat at noon, our reserved entry time. My son had protested going inside to a museum with contemporary art (I have heard this before) but in the first gallery, taking in the large, bright canvases by Hockney from the ‘60s he turned to me and said, “Oh, I actually like this art.” The kids, joined by two friends we met up with, hopped from gallery bench to bench, taking every chance to sit but also observe the crowds and admire the art. They were very interested in Hockney’s iPad landscapes and his portraits of so many different faces done in appealing, cheerful colors. The highlight, though, was the chance for the us to find our own giant beanbag in the darkened, long gallery featuring projections of Hockney’s opera stage designs from over the years, including one for Puccini’s Turnadot, performed at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 1992. Looking skyward, hearing captivating music and watching saturated, moving scenes tied painting and music together in a memorable way.&nbsp; After two hours in the air conditioned exhibition, we returned to the heat to unwind and find lunch nearby in the charming Jardin d’Acclimatation, an idyllic Parisian amusement park recommended by friends that offered good food, peacocks, a roller coaster, and shade. Great America this was not. The proximity of contemporary art to such a delightful outdoor destination that also appeals to children made me wish we had such a stimulating pair of sites at home.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613398/z4wzrinri8shlvxoxdku.jpg">Visiting the Grand Trianon, where there were hardly any crowds. Day three took us out to Versailles by train, where we rented bikes and explored the grounds—starting with a picnic made from provisions we picked out at the market in the town of Versailles. We took our time visiting the royal properties in reverse, first the Grand Trianon, then the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s hamlet, and ending at the main palace. After a few hours in the heat on our bikes, the children briefly marveled at the gleaming gilt all around the gates and eaves of the palace, but by the time we reached the Hall of Mirrors, we had stood too close to too many people for too long.&nbsp; Our little bike group was no match for the throngs of bused-in, guided tourists who spilled in from the parking lot.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613399/yhc6kml0qe4rh1pyyyqv.jpg">Inside the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, where the crowd was massive. Back in Paris that same evening, we took a long walk home after dinner and stopped to take photos by the Louvre’s now iconic glass pyramid, beautifully lit and relatively empty in the late evening. Being mid-June it was still twilight. Turning away from the Louvre’s courtyard and towards the direction of the Eiffel Tower and the Jardin des Tuileries we were delighted by the glow of Mathieu Lehanneur’s Olympic Cauldron, which has remained in place since 2024’s summer games, when it would rise 60 meters into sky and its design symbolized France’s national motto, “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”.&nbsp; The cauldron is made of a 23 ft. diameter ring suspended from a helium balloon (also a hallmark of France’s innovation). The cauldron’s glow is not from actual flames but LED lights, which emit flame-like wisps because of 40 lamps backlit by mist from by 200 water jets. In a city with so many old icons, this is undoubtedly a new one. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613400/ht7jn1bl4dicchqsvdph.jpg">Waiting to tour the Palais des Papes When we boarded the train to Avignon, our trip began to shift. In town the Palais des Papes, a massive Gothic structure near the Rhône river, dominates the city center. We considered a minute whether or not to buy tickets to tour the building, as the kids had been on the train or in the car for most of the day, but we were very glad we did, as we came away with quite a bit of knowledge about the time when the center of the Catholic Church was not in Rome but in France. The former fortress and palace is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it was here that six papal conclaves were held in the 14th century. We also were lucky to visit the installation of work by Jean-Michel Othoniel to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the city of Avignon’s designation as European Capital of Culture and the 30th anniversary of its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On view through January 4, 2026, OTHONIEL COSMOS or the Ghosts of Love, is an expansive, artistic immersion hailed as the artist’s largest project ever conceived and the first on a national scale, spread across 10 unique locations, with more than 260 works for Avignon. Mirrored glass sculptures, iridescent aquamarine bricks and graphic interventions animated the medieval interior. The tension between old and new wasn’t just thematic—it was spatial, visual, and palpable. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613401/wxgjyvwxb3qlfvbcn60b.jpg">An installation by Jean-Michel Othoniel <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613402/vbh0vm48hxpexzx1gsfq.jpg">An installation by Jean-Michel Othoniel on the Pont Saint-Benezet in Avignon The following days in Provence were spent resting a little more, adjusting to the southern pace and letting the kids recover from the more intense museum time. We still found ourselves busy each morning, setting out ahead of the heat explore the Luberon on planned trips to experience local food and culture, spontaneously jumping out to see the lavender fields or hiking around Roussillon and its Mars-like hills (where ochre, humankind’s first pigment used in art likely came from). Everywhere there was history, and there was art. We visited Château de Lourmarin, where I came across a library room featuring a collaboration between the Fondation des Treilles and the Fondation de Lourmarin Laurent-Vibert. Contemporary photography by international artists with portraits of everyday people in arresting natural settings were on display—quietly, without fanfare. The children were off on a scavenger hunt in the château with others from our group, which gave me time to enjoy the vaulted stone space uninterrupted. The town of Lourmarin itself was quirky and full of life: artisan boutiques, antiques, and a kind of layered charm you hope for in small towns but don’t always find. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613403/zteqvpqnfgndtdahw8aj.jpg">The interns posing for another photo at the top of the hill in Lacoste <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613404/trbbbclfo2r1jgt8ok2j.jpg">A surprise installation in Lacoste In the hilltop town of Lacoste, we wound up the stone streets overlooking the Vaucluse and to the Château that was once the home of the infamous and exiled Marquis de Sade. The Château ruins were purchased by the late fashion designer Pierre Cardin in 2001, and today there is an arts festival that takes place in the town each summer. I did not know before our visit that the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) has a campus in the tiny town. Though student residents were between installations, an American art school in this Provencal village felt both surreal and fitting. I thought how nice it would be to be a student again and reside in this creative, energetic place where centuries-old architecture was inspiring 21st century textile work juxtaposed with LED sculptures. It was a serendipitous travel moment, entirely unrepeatable.&nbsp; A day later on the way to Les Baux-de-Provence, we stopped at Glanum in the Alpilles, where ruins of what was once a wealthy city, including its spring and a triumphal arch, remain remarkably intact. It was a hands-on history lesson—city plans and advanced infrastructure visible in 2,000 year old stone, accessible without barriers. The kids were allowed to roam and interpret on their own. We wondered what it would have been like for citizens to abandon the walls and monuments they built by hand, stone by stone.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613405/iqyklxywzpp1kgstrlby.jpg">The Maison Carrée in Nîmes Our last full day in Provence was spent in Nîmes, where we saw the Maison Carrée, a nearly pristine Roman temple thought to be from the 1st century AD. Opposite the temple square is the glass, steel and concrete Carré d’art, opened in 1993 and designed by British architect Norman Foster. Though the building is nine stories, half of it is below ground to maintain scale with its temple neighbor. A short walk away is the city’s famous, 2,000 year old amphitheater, which continues to host performances today. These monuments were reminders of the scale and durability of Roman urban planning—and the continued effort France invests in preserving as well as using them. On our drive home my husband pleaded with our kids to stop one more place–no small ask since everyone was eager to return to the pool as soon as possible. We stopped at Pont du Gard, where hundreds of people swam below the aqueduct, families gathering along the riverbanks and wading into the water. There are few places I have seen where ancient engineering so seamlessly accommodates 21st-century summer vacationers. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613405/hooiu8zv7yur5gwgevhx.jpg">Aya Brown at Galerie Gomis in Paris The following morning we were up early in order to catch the train back for a full day in Paris. We dropped our bags and went straight to Marche Des Enfants Rouges for lunch. We stood shoulder to shoulder with everyone else who was hot and thirsty on a Saturday afternoon and opted for a delicious Japanese meal—cool udon, ramen, and beer—and then strolled home, gelato in hand, via galleries in the Marais. I stopped into Galerie Gomis when I unexpectedly noticed Aya Brown’s work on view as part of girls! girls!! girls!!! Brown recently exhibited her prints as part of a group show at Anthony Gallery in Chicago. The connection felt like a full-circle art moment. We made some museum choices for this trip because we had the kids along. Had it just been my husband and me we would have covered more ground. Being an introductory trip, we chose the Louvre over the Musee d’Orsay. On our last full morning in Paris, we walked to the Louvre, feeling grateful that we avoided a museum strike a few days earlier. The crowd seemed even a little lighter than usual. In the spirit of first-timing, my daughter insisted we see the Mona Lisa. We found her easily, initially thinking we were in the wrong room because the crowd was small. There was a sign posted politely reminding visitors to be respectful to gallery staff. Once we had seen the famous smile we were free to wander to see many more highlights by artists such as Delacroix, Ingres as well as The Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Egyptian antiquities in the basement.&nbsp;We even got to peek at France's Crown Jewels. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613406/dmsnzem4qomwjxf2l5lb.jpg">The Crown Jewels at the Louvre <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613407/xpxge4curnuzeoqpqvwy.jpg">The perfect send-off on our final day in France. One of our last quiet moments in Paris came on our final day, when we visited the Tuileries Garden and spontaneously rented a petit bateau—a little sailboat the kids pushed around the fountain with sticks. They named her Mona. The simplicity of the kids free in a park, eating gelato and people-watching, while afternoon sun reflects off the water was a reminder that delight in Paris will find you suddenly. It won’t be on a check-list or in a fancy restaurant. It can’t be planned.&nbsp; That evening, after excellent Roman pizza at a tiny place in the Marais, we walked home through warm city streets, past the glowing Bourse de Commerce. We hadn’t made it inside this trip, but we knew we have more to look forward to next time. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1763613408/hgjloiqx7m1lyx8b2pkn.jpg">Our Invader finds * One more thread that ran through our adventure: before we arrived in Paris a friend recommended that we track the Invader tiles. The French street artist known as Invader has placed thousands of mosaic tile works across France (and beyond), each resembling an 8-bit alien character from the classic arcade game Space Invaders. Unlike Banksy, whose fame can overshadow the work, Invader’s pieces blend into their surroundings. You might see one tucked above a bakery, or high on a stone wall in Avignon. Our son in particular&nbsp;became a sharp-eyed scout, spotting Invaders everywhere—some chipped, some pristine, others invalid fakes. It was the kind of organic art experience that felt personal and earned.The discovery was better than any guided tour we could have planned or tourist trinket we could have bought. Our family’s trip wasn’t structured just around art, but art was definitely a thru-line—everywhere from cathedrals and palaces, to gardens and châteaux, in contemporary interventions and ancient ruins. The blend of contemporary art in historic spaces wasn’t always announced. But those contrasts—between old and new, formal and spontaneous, monumental and small-scale—are what stuck with me. They reminded me that culture is a living continuum, not an itinerary or social media post.&nbsp; When you travel with kids, those moments can matter most when you stumble into them together as well as at your own pace. They have the potential to leave the impression that you cannot travel without enjoying art (sorry Tommy.) In fact, art makes the trip better. #

French Encounters: A Family Trip Through Art and History

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762461786/ne9jdgmjmoickseuvhph.jpg">Kate Sierzputowski Portrait. Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius By CGN Staff Frieze has announced the appointment of Kate Sierzputowski as Director and Essence Harden as Curator of EXPO CHICAGO, marking the next phase of the fair’s development under Frieze’s leadership. Both appointments take effect immediately. Longtime followers of Chicago’s art scene will recognize Sierzputowski’s name — she has been a central figure in EXPO CHICAGO’s curatorial and programming initiatives since 2020, most recently serving as Artistic Director. Harden, a Los Angeles–based curator with an extensive exhibition history at institutions, including the Hammer Museum and the California African American Museum, brings a national perspective and a strong record of collaboration with artists and cultural organizations. As Director, Sierzputowski will guide the fair’s overall strategy and programming, continuing to cultivate relationships with galleries and collectors. Harden will help define EXPO CHICAGO’s evolving curatorial voice and expand its institutional partnerships. Tony Karman, EXPO's founder who <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/expo-founder-tony-karman-to-step-down-as-director" target="_blank">stepped down earlier this year as Director</a>, will continue as President of EXPO CHICAGO in an advisory role. The appointments come as the fair prepares for its 2026 edition at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall (April 9–12), presented by Northern Trust. Alongside changes in leadership, the upcoming edition will introduce a more focused fair with a smaller floorplan, designed to highlight the strongest work and ideas. This refined format reflects EXPO CHICAGO’s evolution emphasizing quality, connection and programming, bringing fresh perspectives to its strategic development. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762461787/sodeuo4ngzwmiqznripj.jpg">Essence Harden Portrait. Photo Credit: Barrington Darius <blockquote>“Kate and Essence embody the collaborative and forward-thinking spirit that defines Chicago’s art world,” said Kristell Chadé, Executive Director of Fairs at Frieze. “Their leadership marks an exciting moment of renewal for EXPO CHICAGO.”</blockquote> Sierzputowski has most recently served as Artistic Director of EXPO CHICAGO, where she has been instrumental in championing the next generation of galleries, curators and collectors. Since joining in 2020, she has developed the fair’s curatorial and public programming in which she has brought major curators and institutional leaders to the fair, offering meaningful moments for engagement. In addition, she has led in developing the fair’s EXPOSURE section and managed key gallery relationships that have helpedstrengthen the fair. A long-time contributor to Chicago’s arts landscape, she was previously co-director of artist-run space Julius Caesar and was also the Senior Editor at Colossal. She has collaborated on projects with the Tremaine Foundation, Terra Foundation, Hyde Park Art Center, as well as local and national galleries. Kate graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism and is frequently featured as a guest lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. “It’s an honor to build on EXPO CHICAGO’s deep connection to the city that inspires it,” said Sierzputowski. “Chicago thrives on experimentation and generosity – I’m excited to expand how the fair reflects that creative energy and risk taking, while continuing to position it as a site for bold dialogue and exchange.” Frieze acquired <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPO CHICAGO</a> in 2023, expanding its global network of art fairs to include Chicago alongside London, New York, Los Angeles, and Seoul. CGN has covered EXPO since its founding in 2012 and will continue to follow its evolution as it enters this new chapter under Frieze. #

Frieze Names New Fair Director and Lead Curator for EXPO CHICAGO

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762460434/slocalu9y6asa3nljehi.jpg">ROGER BROWN (1941–1997)Couple Progressing Toward Mount Rincon, 1997Oil on canvas48 × 72 inches121.9 × 182.9 cm By CGN Staff GRAY has announced global representation of the Estate of Roger Brown (1941–1997), a seminal artist whose distinctive vision helped define the Chicago Imagists movement and left a lasting impact on contemporary American art.A leading figure among the Imagists, Brown was known for merging social commentary with a bold, stylized visual language that reflected both wit and critique. His works from the 1960s through the 1990s examine the intersections of popular culture, politics, and the built environment, forming a deeply personal yet incisive portrait of American life. <blockquote>“Roger Brown dared to confront the complex politics of an America he cared deeply for with a sharply critical eye, but also with a grace, wit, and style that distinguishes his contribution to twentieth-century painting,” said Valerie Carberry, CEO and President of GRAY. “His powerful critique continues to resonate in our present time, and GRAY looks forward to expanding the audience for his work in new contexts and dialogues.”</blockquote> Currently, Brown’s work is featured in two major museum exhibitions:<ul><li>Sixties Surreal at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York (through January 19, 2026)</li><li>City in a Garden at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (through May 31, 2026)</li></ul> GRAY will also highlight Brown’s work in the Kabinett sector at Art Basel Miami Beach this December and present a monographic exhibition titled Weathervane at GRAY Chicago in April 2026, focusing on Brown’s engagement with environmental themes and his fascination with weather systems. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762460434/nepfghhjkparcdxahweh.jpg"> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762460435/owgzsf1cg6qdwn73sawd.jpg">ROGER BROWN (1941–1997)Cattails and Cardinal Flowers, 1980Oil on canvas44 × 66 1⁄2 inches111.8 × 168.9 cm <h3>About Roger Brown</h3> Roger Brown (1941–1997) was a pioneering painter, sculptor, and collector whose work bridged the personal and political. Born in rural Alabama, Brown moved to Chicago to study at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (BFA 1968, MFA 1970), where he became a central figure among the Chicago Imagists under the mentorship of Ray Yoshida and Whitney Halstead. Drawing from influences as diverse as folk art, Surrealism, Modernist architecture, and self-taught traditions, Brown created a visual vocabulary that explored themes of urban isolation, natural disasters, and social satire, often with dark humor and empathy. His art reflects a keen awareness of contemporary contradictions and a unique perspective shaped by his identity as a queer Southern artist. Brown’s works are held in major museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York; the Art Institute of Chicago and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; and international institutions such as Fondazione Prada (Milan), Museo Reina Sofía (Madrid), and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Edinburgh). For more information, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.richardgraygallery.com/" target="_blank">GRAY</a>. Images Courtesy of GRAY Chicago/New York. © The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Brown Family.

GRAY Announces Representation of the Estate of Roger Brown

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388795/lp6qsin4g0wnquxeikgh.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/solo-exhibition" target="_blank">Solo Exhibition</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMAddington Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388796/wapsrhloqtcprejv0xpk.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/timeless-bodies" target="_blank">Timeless Bodies</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PMOliva Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388797/u0hessv9on1wjv4o0tqv.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lusa-jacinto" target="_blank">Luísa Jacinto: Things change quickly</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMDOCUMENT <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388798/gpuvttxdws0k00lxnbyh.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/matt-olson" target="_blank">OOIEE after RO/LU w/ Matt Olson: What We Knew Before Knowing</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVolume Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388798/kb4u0tkssxu4kmybmbsk.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/yang-lu-becomings" target="_blank">Yang Lu: Becomings</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMChicago Grand Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388799/lp8svttccdmzylfthaxt.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/stephen-williams-and-the-far-off-flutter-of-smoke-stained-wings" target="_blank">Stephen Williams: "...and the far off flutter of smoke stained wings."</a>Opening: Saturday, November 8, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMOS Projects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388800/brvtw7devke5ve1azyxf.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/tom-torluemke-sorted-sheets" target="_blank">Tom Torluemke: Sorted Sheets</a>Opening: Saturday, November 8, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMBert Green Fine Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762388801/tcvzbrisvoshm2b2qvzz.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/at-ease-in-nature" target="_blank">At Ease In Nature</a>Opening: Sunday, November 9, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMBrushwood Center at Ryerson Woods

New Exhibitions Beginning November 5 - 9 (Part II)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762385922/xna6dawdpc9ibry0grro.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/elaine-byrne-drifting-sovereignty" target="_blank">Elaine Byrne: Drifting Sovereignty</a>Opening: Wednesday, November 5, 5:30 PM – 7:00 PMJohn David Mooney Foundation <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762385923/iibbdbllszxuwkveajto.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/devin-ingram" target="_blank">Devin Ingram</a>November 6Wadsworth Family Gallery at Lewis University <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762385925/j3o8vygyalins0xdmgo7.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lee-stanton-lost-words" target="_blank">Lee Stanton: Lost Words</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762385925/ln16s4ghthwums6yiaqt.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/melanie-pankau-new-works" target="_blank">Melanie Pankau: The Many Are One</a>Opening: Thursday, November 6, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMMcCormick Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762385926/jsbpd85uk235ak0aatia.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/magalie-gurin-shape-acts" target="_blank">Magalie Guérin: Shape Acts</a>Opening: Thursday, November 6, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMCorbett vs. Dempsey <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762385927/novp2nbjpqujp95rhx1z.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/sebastian-thomas" target="_blank">Sebastian Thomas</a>Opening: Friday, November 7, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMZolla / Lieberman Gallery

New Exhibitions Beginning November 5 - 9 (Part I)

<h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/louvre-jewel-heist-petty-criminals-1234759819/" target="_blank">Louvre Jewel Heist Was Not Carried Out by Professionals, Prosecutor Says</a></h3> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/louvre-museum-robbery-napoleon-jewel-heist-2025-1234757862/" target="_blank">The heist of the French crown jewels</a>&nbsp;at the&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/louvre/" target="_blank">Louvre</a>&nbsp;Museum in Paris is now believed to have been&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/louvre-heist-work-petty-criminals-not-organised-crime-prosecutor-says-2025-11-02/" target="_blank">carried out by petty criminals</a>&nbsp;rather than organized crime professionals, according to Paris’s prosecutor. “This is not quite everyday delinquency … but it is a type of delinquency that we do not generally associate with the upper echelons of organized crime,” Laure Beccuau told&nbsp;France Info Radio.Via ARTnews <h3> </h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/nick-cave-2701589" target="_blank">Nick Cave’s New Monument Is for the Birds—Literally</a></h3> On paper, a description of Nick Cave’s bronze sculpture&nbsp;Amalgam (Origin)&nbsp;(2024) might be interpreted as Lovecraftian horror. A humanoid figure looming 26 feet tall, with skin wrapped in organic patterns and, in place of a head, a spray of logs and branches on which all manner of birds sit perched, preternaturally still. But, standing in its presence, the effect is quite the opposite. Amalgam (Origin)&nbsp;marks the artist’s first public outdoor sculpture, recently installed at the sweeping 158-acre main campus of the&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.meijergardens.org/nickcave/" target="_blank">Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park</a>&nbsp;and joining the institution’s permanent collection of over 300 sculptures as its largest figurative work. A creative evolution of his iconic “Soundsuits,” the towering bronze figure conveys a powerful sense of calm and solemn composure—an otherworldly sentinel that, through compositional and material weightiness, evokes themes of protection and sanctuary.Via Artnet <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762284858/ugljmrmlm3admlm3sefg.jpg">Maurizio Cattelan, “America” (2016) (image courtesy Sotheby's) <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://hyperallergic.com/1053882/maurizio-cattelans-gold-toilet-can-soon-be-yours/" target="_blank">Maurizio Cattelan’s Gold Toilet Can Soon Be Yours</a></h3> Exactly one year after “Comedian” (2019), the cursed banana duct-taped to the wall, went under the hammer at Sotheby’s and down Chinese crypto billionaire&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/29/crypto-entrepreneur-justin-sun-eats-banana-art-he-bought-for-6m-dollars" target="_blank">Justin Sun’s gullet</a>&nbsp;for a&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://hyperallergic.com/967962/banana-artwork-sells-for-6-2-million/" target="_blank">whopping $6.2 million</a>, Maurizio Cattelan returns like clockwork to play in our faces once again. Cattelan’s functional, 18-karat gold toilet “America” (2016) will lead Sotheby’s “The Now and Contemporary” evening sale on November 18, with starting bids expected at around $10.2 million on account of the toilet weighing in at just over 223lbs (101.2kg).Via Hyperallergic

What We're Reading: November 4, 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762268685/pymmrobzv8ld5ever7ck.jpg">The cover of New Sculpture By BIANCA BOVA In the Summer of 1986 the Renaissance Society mounted an exhibition entitled New Sculpture, featuring the work of three artists: Robert Gober, Jeff Koons, and Haim Steinbach. Curator Gary Garrels (who acknowledges having benefited from the assistance of an astonishing trifecta of counselors to the show: Richard Hoblock, Jerry Saltz, and Christopher Wool) characterizes it as follows: “There is a continuum set down here with Gober and Steinbach anchoring the ends and Koons balanced in the middle.” This is as discernable in the catalog as it seems to have been in the exhibition itself [n.b. I did not see this exhibition firsthand. Not having been born until 1992 I, once again, missed the party].&nbsp; The best catalogs are not just repositories of the collected photographs, images, and essays from a show, printed and bound. They are something at once companionate and singular. They carry the exhibition title, and at least something of its spirit. They are often the only record that remains after the show has closed.&nbsp; The catalog for New Sculpture is slim and strange, and my copy of it numbers among the prized possessions of my bookshelf. Measuring at 12 ⅜” by 6” it is a staple-bound and tightly delimited ten pages, inclusive of acknowledgements; a staff and board directory; a curatorial essay; the artists’ curricula vitae; and six black-and-white images, two of which are luscious full-page, full-bleed images of Gober’s The Ascending Sink and Koons’ New Hoover Convertible.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762268686/s2vhskddpx6eemgvh2x2.jpg">Top: Haim Steinbach, security and serenity, 1985Bottom: Haim Steinbach, lead part, 1986 It was designed by the late Michael Glass, a seminal and dominant force in shaping the aesthetic identity of the Chicago art world in the late twentieth century. His influence remains legible in the iterative identities of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; in the logo that graced the entryway to Rhona Hoffman Gallery until the day it closed; and in the decades of work produced by his protégé, the late Jason Pickleman. The catalog for New Sculpture is as thoughtful a piece of his work as ever was made. The brush of the capital “S” in Sculpture against the lower edge of the cover, the unbroken rhythm of the two-column layout that repeats what it faces in Gober’s sinks, Koons’s vacuum cleaners, and Steinbach’s rubber Dracula heads, the austerity of the sans-serif fonts used throughout (which my untrained eye is too dull to correctly identify)–all thoughtful, careful gestures, executed with precision by the teams at Word City typesetters and Thomas Graphics printers. Its spareness begets clarity, its clarity is from where its communicative authority derives.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762268687/xjpewpduhl8gcddnud6f.jpg">&nbsp;Robert Gober, The Ascending Sink, 1985&nbsp; The acknowledgements, penned by longtime Renaissance Society Director Suzanne Ghez (who was then roughly a decade into her tenure) buries the lede somewhat. New Sculpture constituted the first museum showing in the Midwest of these three artists. The lenders list is a veritable who’s who of relevant galleries of the day: Paula Cooper; International With Monument; Feature; Rhona Hoffman; Donald Young; the list goes on. Likewise, the CV’s of the artists are an astonishing snapshot of early achievement. Koons has just five solo shows to his name, and Gober only three, while Steinbach’s entry (the senior of the group) reflects his just-recent accession into the Saatchi collection. To read through them is to observe careers on the brink of tipping into greatness, poised to claim their place in the vast swathe of art history that would come to define those years at the end of the century. &nbsp;	 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762268688/jsoadql7rcrsppytxihj.jpg">Jeff Koons, New Hoover Convertible, 1980 Garrells’ catalog essay is rigorously researched, conceptually airtight, and littered with quotes from the three artists that it’s noted are “taken from informal conversations between the artists and the author” in March of the year of the exhibition. These cut through the antiseptic overtones of the publication keenly.&nbsp; “It’s a prerequisite that good art demands that you wonder, ‘what the hell is this?’” Gober says, “People are afraid to enter that state, and so they come up really fast with reasons, equations for things.” On the subject of connoisseurship of consumer goods, Steinbach pushes gently back with the declaration, “I’m not involved with that kind of thing.”&nbsp; Koons, for his part, notes, “If I feel I can preserve the integrity [of an object], or most of it, then I say go ahead. If not, then I just have to work in another medium or find a different object.”&nbsp; Herein lies the balance; the stark power of Glass’ design and the harmony of Garrells’ curatorial eye anchoring the ends, and the humanizing inclusion of the artists’ own casual voices (all too frequently absent from these publications, then as is unfortunately, equally true now) holding fast in the center. A final twin, a mirror to the spectrum of Gober-Koons-Steinbach as Garrels articulates it. The catalog for New Sculpture is a self-contained unit; an all-encompassing gesture that serves conceptually as both complete sentence and as punctuation.&nbsp; # New SculptureThe Renaissance Society&nbsp;at the University of Chicago1986, 10 pp., 6 b/w illustrations, paperbackISBN 0-941548-11-2OUT OF PRINT Download a free PDF <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://renaissancesociety.org/media/files/NewSculpture.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>&nbsp;

Book Report “New Sculpture” – Time Travel to The Renaissance Society and the Summer of 1986

The evening celebrated Rhona Hoffman’s lasting influence and raised vital funds to bring more professional artists into Chicago Public Schools. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271556/rxbfvbqermu5vcgbfcnt.jpg">Artists in Public Schools Founder Suzette Bross speaks at the Arts Club By GINNY VAN ALYEA On October 23 a gala at The Arts Club of Chicago was a night to remember — raising the highest amount in Artists in Public Schools’ history. A packed and engaged crowd of art collectors, gallerists, curators, museum leaders, and longtime friends of honoree Rhona Hoffman came together to celebrate creativity, community, and the power of art in education. Executive Director Suzette Bross reflected on the organization’s growth and the artists who helped shape its vision. “When I first shared this idea with my mentor and friend, photographer Jay Wolke, he thought I was a little nuts,” she recalled with a smile. “But then he said, Let’s do it. Jay became one of our first artists-in-residence, creating extraordinary work that continues today. He believed in this vision from the very beginning.” Bross shared stories of the program’s impact across Chicago Public Schools, from schools like Namaste Elementary Charter School, where community pride and enrollment flourished after a residency, to students like Nicole, who discovered her creative voice and went on to earn a Daniel Murphy Scholarship for high school. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271557/cseydwjo8duahiv7l6l5.jpg">Honoree Rhona Hoffman and APS Founder Suzette Bross “By cultivating artist residencies inside schools, we create space for art that’s authentic, student-centered, and community-driven,” Bross said. “It’s not pre-programmed — it’s created with the community, not for it.” Since its founding, Artists in Public Schools has partnered with more than 90 artists, working in 93 schools across 61 neighborhoods, and reaching over 57,000 students citywide. The evening paid tribute to Hoffman, a trailblazing leader in the art world whose impact on Chicago’s cultural landscape and arts education is profound. Her belief that art belongs to everyone continues to shape how art is created, shared and experienced. Lisa Key, Director of The Richard H. Driehaus Museum, and Gary Metzner of Sotheby’s introduced Hoffman to the audience, highlighting her enduring influence and commitment to the arts. Hoffman shared that she immediately accepted Bross's award honor because of the organization's mission of paying artists to teach in the public schools, which serve 634 schools and 325,00 students. Hoffman said she grew up knowing that music, dance and art were an integral part of the lives of lucky children with financial means, but she believes it seems possible and is hopeful that the rest of the children will be able to enjoy the arts in the public school system because of programs like this. "Many people still do not understand the value and necessity," Hoffman emphasized, "of having art taught by an artist. Art provides a powerful outlet for self expression and teaches creativity and problem solving. Art is part of the whole learning process." Funds raised from the event will directly support programs that bring professional artists into Chicago Public Schools (CPS). Through these collaborations, students gain access to the arts, amplify their voices, and engage in creative projects that strengthen their school communities. The initiative also inspires CPS students to envision futures in the arts — helping to shape Chicago’s next generation of creators. “Your support fuels every residency, every student story, and every piece of art that brings our mission to life,” Suzette told attendees. As Hoffman shared, "I hope you understand how important this project could be for many hundreds of thousands of kids without money [to enjoy art education] and I hope you give freely!" After the event Bross said that the organization is close to reaching its fundraising goal and aims to connect 1,000 more students with artist residencies next year. Donations can still be made at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artistsinpublicschools.org/donate" target="_blank">artistsinpublicschools.org/donate</a>. * <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271558/ehhsz9mjdh8wyghewqag.jpg"> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762271559/cnfk0zdjfjbv6ltmdqxa.jpg">Guests browsed the extensive silent auction at the event

 Community, Creativity, and Impact: Artists in Public Schools Gala Honors Rhona Hoffman

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760473460/mjhopqwxbx7lrwauht3l.jpg">Leadership Advisory Committee members from left: Denise Gardner, Leah Hope, Joan Small,&nbsp;Elizabeth Catlett, and Isobel Neal at the presentation of the LCA Award to Catlett at the Art Institute in 2005. “I showed Elizabeth Catlett’s work several times in my space in Chicago, Isobel Neal Gallery, years ago, so I am very excited to see a new exhibition of her art coming to Chicago. It’s a collaboration between the Brooklyn Museum, The National Gallery of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. Elizabeth Catlett: “A Black Revolutionary Artist And All That It Implies” is an exciting retrospective exhibition of over 100 sculptures and prints by Catlett that opens at the Art Institute on August 30, 2025 and runs through January 4, 2026. Long known and world-recognized for her strong imagery of women, children and social concerns, her work continues to be immensely contemporary and relevant today. It’s been wonderful to follow her career for years and to see this extraordinary exhibition come together for everyone to enjoy.”

CGN Collector Stories: Isobel Neal

<h3>At its heart CGN is a unique resource devoted to&nbsp;exploring and supporting the contemporary art market by listening to collectors and gallerists, promoting living artists and by educating new and future collectors.&nbsp;</h3><h3> </h3><h3>One of the ways we keep this exploration interesting is to regularly examine the various art collections in our midst. No collection is the same and each is as unique as its steward. CGN has conducted dozens of interviews over the years with collectors who have generously shared their stories, homes and treasured pieces with us.&nbsp;Collecting art is fulfilling pursuit, but there are bound to be delightful moments as well as inevitable challenges. We asked a handful of collectors to share their own stories or lessons learned, as well as some insight into what has kept them going and what may inspire the next generation of collectors who are so important to the future of the art market and today’s working artists. Keep up with CGN to read more collector stories and interviews.</h3><h3> </h3><h3>– CGN</h3> <h3>To purchase a copy of the fall print edition&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here.</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760474850/hp5ao05yl1ydzgf1wjed.jpg">The couple pictured at the opening of the Christina Ramberg show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in February 2025. In the background is&nbsp;“Belle Reve”, (1969) on loan from their collection for the show, one of two pieces by Ramberg that was loaned to the show. “Our collecting continues to be focused on post-war and contemporary Chicago-based artists as we fill in gaps in our collection. It is always a thrill when a piece by an artist in our collection is borrowed for a major exhibition, such as the recent Christina Ramberg retrospective, which traveled from Chicago to LA, then to Philadelphia. Attending the openings is enormously gratifying and is a great way to meet other curators, collectors, and arts patrons from around the country.”

CGN Collecting Stories: Michael Robertson and Christopher Slapak

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018248/wmwcpgazpjgu5l1tfvm1.jpg">The exterior of Addington Gallery on Wells Street in River North By JACQUELINE LEWIS This year marks the 25th anniversary of <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://danaddington.com/addingtongallery/" target="_blank">Addington Gallery</a>, a fixture in Chicago’s River North Arts District and a reflection of founder Dan Addington’s unique role as both artist and gallerist. Since opening its doors, the gallery has navigated major shifts in the neighborhood’s landscape, from changes in the retail environment and art market to a steadily growing residential population, attracted to the area’s artistic reputation but simultaneously pricing galleries out of it. Through it all, Addington and his gallery have remained passionate about showcasing thoughtful, process-driven art that people can afford. As River North keeps evolving, Addington Gallery remains a welcoming space where creativity and community come together. * CGN: Let’s start with a bit of background.&nbsp;What led you to your home in River North at&nbsp;Addington Gallery? Dan Addington: I grew up in the western U.S., in Colorado, Montana, and Alaska, but our family eventually returned to our Midwestern roots. I went to high school and college in Iowa. I double majored in art and theater at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, followed by a master’s degree in art and art history at Arkansas State, and an MFA in painting at Illinois State University. Immediately after graduate school, I moved to Chicago and began exhibiting my own work right away. CGN: How did your past experience lead to Addington Gallery? DA: My original intent was to continue exhibiting my work and eventually teach art at the college level. I had taught classes as a graduate student and knew that I loved that interaction. I had also worked at the campus galleries at Arkansas State and Illinois State. I worked side-by-side with Director Barry Blinderman at ISU designing art catalogues and organizing and installing exhibitions. During that time, I also spent time with well-known artists Barry brought in from New York, where he had previously owned and operated Semaphore Gallery. Working so closely with notable artists over those years and talking to Barry about his time as an art dealer had an indelible effect on me. I was intrigued by the idea of working in galleries. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018249/k7ea8bmeaqy1riushnsz.jpg">Dan Addington, pictured in his gallery circa 2010 CGN: You’re celebrating 25 years of Addington Gallery in River North this year. How has the gallery changed and evolved over the past quarter century? DA: I spent the first six of those 25 years working in other spaces, meeting dealers, and learning as much as I could about the process. My first full-time gallery job was with Eva Cohen Gallery in both Highland Park and River North. I split my time between the two locations and eventually became the director of the downtown space on Superior Street. Eva was a great teacher. It was a challenging job, and I learned very quickly that you had to get good at everything. One day I was helping curate a show and learning the physical techniques associated with preparing and installing artwork. The next day I was meeting new clients, learning to be responsive to their needs, deciphering their ideas, going to their homes, negotiating acquisitions, and installing on site. I loved all of it, but what kept me most excited was working with artists and feeling like I was part of a team helping facilitate their vision in the world.&nbsp; Around the same time, I began exhibiting in commercial galleries in other cities and found that I had a unique rapport with the dealers who represented my work. Gwenda Jay Gallery was the first to represent my work in Chicago, and Gwenda was a great mentor to me. After Eva Cohen retired, I became director at Gwenda’s gallery, and eventually a partner. Gwenda Jay / Addington Gallery opened in 2000–that’s the 25 year anniversary being celebrated this year. Operating the gallery day-to-day gave me the experience that ultimately convinced me to open my own space in 2007, Addington Gallery, where I started showing many of the artists Gwenda and I had represented together. The challenge of opening a gallery and the excitement of becoming a parent for the first time happened within a year of each other. Looking back to 2007, those 18 years have been thrilling. I’ve loved exhibiting each artist and have learned from every one who has hung art on these walls. The gallery has grown too, and every time a new artist shows here, it brings new life and vision into the space. The gallery is a kind of macro-vision of the values I believe in as an artist. Being an artist and a curator intermingle and inform one another. In many ways, the gallery is a physical manifestation of the creative concepts I care most deeply about, and it comes to life through relationships and collaboration. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018250/nses1ywessmukwgxkxxd.jpg">Gallery visitors view work by Robin Deneven CGN: You’ve been in the center of River North for many years. Can you speak to the changes you’ve seen? What do you think the future holds for the neighborhood? DA: Wells Street has seen a lot of development, especially in the past 10 to 12 years. Businesses come and go, and COVID was tough on small retailers. But many restaurants in the area have persevered since 2020, and more have joined them. The same is true of galleries. Those that have closed in River North have typically done so because an owner retired, while some new galleries have also opened. Meanwhile, a large number of new residential buildings continue to go up across the neighborhood, and Wells Street has never been as active as it is today. When I first started here, the vast majority of art deliveries I made were to the North Shore and western suburbs. Now, most of our deliveries go to homes in the city, especially the area from downtown Chicago up through the upper North Side. The River North Arts District remains a thriving center for the arts in Chicago. CGN: Have you ever considered moving the gallery? DA: I’ve looked at other spaces, but I love the walk through traffic we get here, and I like our space. River North is easily accessible, more people live in the area than ever, and there are many visitor in nearby hotels around Michigan Avenue. The number of galleries within walking distance makes it a destination for art lovers. Opening nights happen every other month, usually on the first Friday, and they’re always fun and well attended. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018251/a6vyg1d9mavzjebxmkhb.jpg">A view of work by Howard Hersh at the gallery in early years. CGN: With all these years under your belt, what do you consider to be some of the most important aspects of managing your gallery? DA: Every exhibition we mount still feels important and exciting to us, and we continue to get better at curating and installing them. You know that anticipation you feel when a musician or band you love releases a new album, and the excitement of listening to it for the first time? That’s how I feel when an artist brings in a new series of paintings. It’s exciting every single time. As an artist myself, I make it my business to understand how each painting is made—the materials, the process—but even more importantly, why the artist made those choices. Every artist has a story. It’s embedded in the work, and it’s my job to help communicate that. It’s thrilling to see people who visit the gallery connect deeply with the work, whether it’s on a gut level, a spiritual level, or an intellectual level. Some are young people walking in for the first time, and others are seasoned collectors. I’m constantly reminded how meaningful a career in the arts is when someone tells me how moved or affected they were by what they saw here. I’m also fascinated by process-oriented abstraction and the materiality of the medium, and I value drawing and the skill of observation. I’ve pursued these ideas in my own work for years, and I’m always interested in how they emerge in other painters’ work. At the gallery, it’s not unusual to see artists who chart their own course between these two sensibilities. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1761018252/qnt2bfbhq4efddctqwfe.jpg">From left: Dan's wife Steph, Dan, son Aedric, and artist Makoto Fujimura during his exhibition reception at the gallery in 2011. CGN: With this year’s milestone, do you have anything special planned?&nbsp; DA: While we’re always working to develop new, exciting, and visually compelling exhibitions, we also continue to look outward to the community. I regularly guest curate exhibitions at other venues across the city and work with local community art centers. We recently launched the Young Curators Initiative, in which we turn over the gallery space to curatorial studies students with a focus on women of color. We work with their advisors to support them as they curate their first public exhibition in a professional setting. This summer, we launched Sketchbooks for Kids, where we give a quality 8x10” sketchpad and dual-tip pen to any child 15 or younger who visits the gallery with a parent or guardian. These were the tools I loved most as a child, the ones I carried everywhere, and they’re what started me on this journey. It’s a small but meaningful way to pay that forward. Both of these programs flow directly from my own experiences. We love to encourage the artist, and the art viewer, within each person at every age. * After 25 years, Dan Addington’s dedication to art and community remains at the heart of the gallery. As River North continues to change, Addington Gallery stands strong as a space where artists and audiences come together. This milestone marks not just an achievement, but a continuing journey. Addington Gallery744 N. WellsChicago, IL 60654<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://danaddington.com/addingtongallery/" target="_blank">addingtongallery.com</a> View Dan’s work at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://danaddington.com/" target="_blank">danaddington.com</a>