<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768501966/ycrrx2vvrbims2w6bfw1.jpg">Left: Amanda Williams. Right: Esther Grimm. Photo by&nbsp;Z Marciniak for Bob. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768501967/zvffp0zskb854ugp1ar0.jpg">Left: Amanda Williams and Nora Daley. Right: Esther Grimm and Norman Teague. Photo by&nbsp;Z Marciniak for Bob. By GINNY VAN ALYEA In the busy lead up to the holidays, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/gala/" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a> hosted its 86th annual gala at the Center on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The lively event honored arts leader&nbsp;Esther Grimm&nbsp;and artist&nbsp;Amanda Williams,&nbsp;and was co-chaired by&nbsp;Mirja Spooner Haffner, Founder of The Laksmi Project,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Christy MacLear,&nbsp;President of&nbsp;Good Chaos.&nbsp; More than 300 attendees wore&nbsp;“creative cocktail” attire and mingled with collectors, curators, arts supporters and of course artists. Cocktail hour was a chance to peek into&nbsp;resident artist open studios and explore various spaces on both floors of HPAC.&nbsp;At a packed, seated dinner in the Art Center’s main space, and amidst a buzzy, celebratory atmosphere&nbsp;Art Center leadership shared remarks about HPAC’s storied history of supporting artists at key moments in their career and how they have come to be one of the most significant creative incubators on the South Side and throughout the city.&nbsp;The large crowd was accommodated with seating in a large white tent that temporarily expanded HPAC's main gallery 1 space. When it came time to honor Grimm and Williams, both women were equally excited to be in each other’s company, with Grimm sharing how&nbsp;deeply humbled but also giddy she felt to be on stage with Williams. Williams emphasized just how important it is to watch what happens at Hyde Park Art Center. "Supporting artists makes this city&nbsp;great,” she said. “I can&nbsp;imagine no other&nbsp;pairing of organizations that have been as important 3arts and Hyde Park Art Center.&nbsp;We are so spoiled in Chicago. This is where it happens before it’s cute.” Williams pointed out that she got her first big award from HPAC in 2015, and that she hasn’t slept since. She said she’s not the only one, pointing to other artists like Edra Soto, Sabina Ott, Turtel Onli, Joyce Owens and Kerry James Marshall, all of whom were championed and invested in locally before gaining national reputations. “Things happen here,” Williams said.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768501968/dewrbhsbxy0h8t2ykbpc.jpg">Aaron Rodgers and Jeannette Tremblay Chambers. Photo by&nbsp;Z Marciniak for Bob.&nbsp;During the event, the Art Center’s co-Executive Directors&nbsp;Jeannette Tremblay Chambers&nbsp;and&nbsp;Aaron Rodgers&nbsp;announced a partnership with 3Arts on a new residency program at the Art Center.&nbsp;Beyond Bodies of Work, a six-month residency for artists with disabilities who have previously completed a 3Arts/Bodies of Work Residency, will be held at the Art Center starting in 2026. Its first resident,&nbsp;Pooja Pittie, 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.&nbsp;The event saw its largest attendance since before the pandemic and also raised&nbsp;$515,000. According to the Hyde Park Herald, this significant number is particularly notable and needed, considering HPAC's decision in 2025 not to apply for funding from the National Endowment for the Arts because of federal guidelines that prohibit funding organizations that offer diversity, equity and inclusion programs. As a result HPAC knew they would grapple with a $100,000 funding deficit. The gala has a reputation as one of the city’s most “hands-on” art parties, and though I didn’t stay for the after-party in collaboration with Lumpen Radio, many others did, continuing the revelry and participating in Interactive Artist Interventions, enjoying&nbsp;performances, DJs, and late-night bites. The chance to be together was a night to celebrate artists as well as this special South Side institution and its impact for years to come.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768501969/mjhf92m2qjd1r67y6kda.jpg">Artists in a HPAC studio space. Photo by&nbsp;Z Marciniak for Bob. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768501970/m4pfbc85e1ci1bgtokko.jpg">Photo by&nbsp;CGN

Hyde Park Art Center Honors Amanda Williams and Esther Grimm at Annual Gala

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768236483/eyp9nkvjejiy6iqwmcoy.jpg"> Via PR Chicago - Mariah Keller&nbsp;will become the new Executive Director of Wrightwood 659, an arts space in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Tadao Ando. Founded in 2018, Wrightwood 659&nbsp;hosts exhibitions on socially engaged art and architecture, on issues facing LGBTQ+ communities, and on Asian art and architecture.“We are thrilled to welcome Mariah Keller as the new Executive Director of Wrightwood 659,” says&nbsp;Fred Eychaner, Co-Founder, Wrightwood 659. “Mariah brings a wealth of experience from respected cultural institutions, and her leadership, vision, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our goals. We are confident her expertise will guide Wrightwood 659 into an exciting new chapter.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768236484/x2xdd35siw7sn1kpurnl.jpg"> Keller notes, “I am delighted to be joining this extraordinary gem in Chicago. The museum’s commitment to socially engaged art and architecture, its leadership in presenting exhibitions addressing issues facing LGBTQ+ communities, and its deep engagement with Asian art and architecture make it a truly singular place. I look forward to working alongside the dedicated and deeply committed staff as we continue to expand its impact and reach.”Prior to her appointment, Keller held several leadership roles at the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University Bloomington, a 112,000-square-foot museum designed by I.M. Pei. She was most recently interim director where she led the museum’s academic research and teaching collaborations, day-to-day operations, and the execution of a robust exhibition program and acquisitions strategy. During her tenure there since 2016, Keller oversaw publishing, marketing and communications, graphic design, photography and museum technology and also served as a member of the museum’s senior leadership team, contributing to strategic planning and management of the operating budget. Keller also served as Head of Publications and Digital Media at the Saint Louis Art Museum, and, as founder of Keller Editing, successfully shepherded more than 50 books to completion from concept to print. Earlier in her career, Keller was senior editor at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, editor at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and a program assistant at the National Gallery of Art.&nbsp;Keller succeeds&nbsp;Jan Kallish, who has led Wrightwood 659 since 2021, and who is retiring and returning to entrepreneurial projects in theatre and the performing arts. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Jan for her four years of dedicated leadership,” says Eychaner. “Jan joined us full time while the world was still emerging from COVID&nbsp;and did a remarkable job stabilizing and expanding our footprint, leading our talented staff to mount 20 successful exhibitions. Her energy and enthusiasm will never be forgotten, and she has promised she will remain&nbsp;engaged with Wrightwood 659 as she returns to her first love—the theatre.” In addition to her work on critically acclaimed exhibitions, Kallish expanded Wrightwood 659’s industry-leading Educator program, which trains early-career participants to serve as gallery guides and conversation partners.&nbsp;&nbsp;Next at Wrightwood 659 will be two exhibitions on view April 17 – July 18, 2026:&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org/exhibitions/martin-wong-chinatown-usa/" target="_blank">Martin Wong: Chinatown USA</a>, the first U.S. monographic museum exhibition since 2017 of Chinese American artist Martin Wong (1946–1999), and&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org/exhibitions/dispossessions-in-the-americas/" target="_blank">Dispossessions in the Americas: The Extraction of Bodies, Land, and Heritage from La Conquista to the Present</a>, bringing together over 40 works by 36 contemporary artists from across Latin America whose work broadly seeks to critique and unsettle the long-standing politics of dispossession. For more information, please visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___http:/www.wrightwood659.org___.YzJ1OmFscGhhd29vZGZvdW5kYXRpb246YzpvOjhkYzMwMzk1YjYyMWI0Njc1NmM3YWNjOWQxMDc5NTdmOjc6NjVmYTozOTJmNGE3ZjY4OGFlMDkyMTY5MGVjZTg5NGMxZDJmNmFjZTBjZDlkZDc2NThlYWI0MjE3ZjZmM2Q5MzdmZThlOnA6VDpG" target="_blank">www.wrightwood659.org</a>.

Mariah Keller Named New Executive Director of Wrightwood 659

CGN adds to its <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">calendar of art events</a> daily, and there is no shortage of new exhibitions, openings, art fairs, talks and family art events to explore. We have put together a preview of what is coming up the rest of this month. Even though it's winter and we are looking to stay in and cozy, there is plenty to see and enjoy throughout the city. Events happen throughout the city as well as in the suburbs and within a day's drive. Whether you have an hour after work or you are looking for a weekend road trip, take a look and do a little planning in order to take a step into the world of art. Everyone is welcome! Highlights are organized by event type. Dates vary and are subject to change. –&nbsp;GinnyCGN Publisher <h3>• Exhibitions</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237167/ncx7gcseriuego9rrxsc.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/housewarming" target="_blank">Housewarming</a></h4> On view as of January 9, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/elise-seigenthaler-gallery" target="_blank">Elise Seigenthaler Gallery</a> “Housewarming” marks the inaugural exhibition at Elise Seigenthaler Gallery, with works by Amira Diaw, Rebekka Federle, Ava Peterson, and Olivia Porter. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237168/hna8yzwi3tw56fdlsuge.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/leah-ke-yi-zheng-change" target="_blank">Leah Ke Yi Zheng: Change</a></h4> Thru Apr 12, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-renaissance-society" target="_blank">The Renaissance Society</a> Leah Ke Yi Zheng’s upcoming exhibition presents a complete series of 64 paintings based on the hexagrams of the&nbsp; I Ching (Book of Changes), a foundational text in Chinese philosophy that offers insights into the changing nature of existence. Each painting reflects on a hexagram not through literal representation, but through an evolving visual language shaped by abstraction, intuition, and the interplay of light and material. As she works with silk and hand-built hardwood stretchers, in continual difference, the exhibition becomes a meditation on change itself: how it is read, made visible, and experienced through painting.Zheng’s practice brings together traditional Chinese materialities and conceptual art methodologies to explore transformation, multiplicity, and the logic of variation. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237169/e8a2fkwzudlh3qlgesu5.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mocp-at-50-collecting-through-the-decades" target="_blank">MoCP at 50: Collecting Through the Decades</a></h4> Jan 22, 2026 - May 16, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/museum-of-contemporary-photography-mocp" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP)</a> Since opening in 1976 and initiating collecting in 1979, MoCP has acquired over 18,000 objects by more than 2,000 artists, representing a broad scope of aesthetics, technologies, and processes. The variety of artworks collected has allowed the museum to engage in conversations across political, social, and cultural landscapes. To celebrate this milestone,&nbsp;MoCP at Fifty&nbsp;examines the evolving practice of building a dynamic collection, presenting a range of objects, from the rarely exhibited to newly acquired works. Together, these selections question and reflect on the role cultural institutions play in shaping the photographic canon. Each of the museum’s five galleries represents a decade of collecting, beginning with the most recent acquisitions (2016-2026) in the first gallery, then moving backwards through time. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237169/dn2l2jza3n3fh5zgdddr.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/the-92nd-exhibition-of-visual-artist-members" target="_blank">The 92nd Exhibition of Visual Artist Members</a></h4> Jan 23, 2026 - Mar 7, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-arts-club-of-chicago" target="_blank">The Arts Club of Chicago</a> The Arts Club’s Exhibition of Visual Artist Members is a beloved tradition that brings great pride and prestige to the institution and its membership. Following an inaugural exhibition of paintings by John Singer Sargent in 1916, the second exhibition ever mounted at The Arts Club was of work by our members. Although its structure has changed over the past century, the goal of the exhibition remains the same: to celebrate and showcase the creative efforts of our artist members across a range of media, styles, genres, and forms. To continue The Arts Club’s tradition of showcasing a current and dynamic representation of our members’ practices, participants are asked to submit works completed within the past two years. Some of the artists members are participating in this exhibition for the first time; others have participated for several decades. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237170/heokzukxrrafprukkhql.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/living-with-modernism-kelli-connell" target="_blank">Living with Modernism: Kelli Connell</a></h4> Jan 24, 2026 - Apr 27, 2026 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/elmhurst-art-museum" target="_blank">Elmhurst Art Museum</a> Presenting two series by the Chicago-based artist, Connell’s nationally traveling exhibition&nbsp;Pictures for Charis&nbsp;responds to the iconic photographs of Highland Park-born artist&nbsp;Edward Weston&nbsp;through a queer, feminist lens. Her second major body of work—Double Life—explores the evolution of intimate relationships shaped by the changing nature of identity over time, and features new commissions responding to the architecture of the&nbsp;Mies van der Rohe-designed McCormick House. The exhibition marks the largest presentation of Connell’s work in Chicago, placing queerness, power structures, and shifting ecologies in the twenty-first century in conversation with two giants of modernism. <h3>• Special Events</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237171/wdnoliiizbhux5jhbzzo.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mlk-day-2026-chaos-or-community" target="_blank">MLK Day 2026: Chaos or Community?</a></h4> Monday, Jan 19, 2026 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/hyde-park-art-center" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a> HPAC proudly presents&nbsp;a free public Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration&nbsp;MLK DAY 2026: CHAOS OR COMMUNITY&nbsp;on&nbsp;Monday, January 19, from 11 AM – 4 PM&nbsp;at 5020 South Cornell Avenue. Eclectic programming for all ages blends live music, thought-provoking film, artmaking, and meditation, to highlight art as a vessel for collective memory, liberation, and joy, while reflecting on Dr. King’s profound impact on social justice and cultural movements. Registration is recommended at&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">HydeParkArt.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237172/hahgupw0ivh58qezd1rk.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/winter-newberryfest" target="_blank">Winter NewberryFest</a></h4> Saturday, Jan 24, 2026 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/newberry-library" target="_blank">Newberry Library</a> The Newberry will hold an event on Saturday, January 24, designed to help both new and returning visitors learn more about the independent research library in Chicago’s Gold Coast.&nbsp;“Winter NewberryFest”&nbsp;is an open house-style event that will lean into the library’s extensive collection of maps, dating from the 1500s through present.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237173/fyoucgr9exi09zqnvnsi.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/chicago-museum-member-swap-weekend" target="_blank">Chicago Museum Member Swap Weekend</a></h4> Jan 29, 2026 - Feb 1, 2026 Chicago’s first Museum Member Swap Weekend takes place during the last weekend of January. Members of the following museums can visit 11 other museums around the city with a single member card free of charge.&nbsp; Participating institutions include: <ul><li>American Writers Museum</li><li>Driehaus Museum</li><li>Glessner House</li><li>Illinois Holocaust Museum presents Experience360</li><li>International Museum of Surgical Science</li><li>Intuit Art Museum</li><li>Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago</li><li>National Museum of Mexican Art</li><li>National Public Housing Museum</li><li>National Hellenic Museum</li><li>Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art</li></ul> <h3>• CGN News </h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768237174/q9309bixjo9wlox0cboc.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/publishers-letter-the-cgn-arts-guide-turns-ten" target="_blank">2026: The CGN Arts Guide Turns Ten</a></h4> <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/publishers-letter-the-cgn-arts-guide-turns-ten" target="_blank">Ten years of</a> 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

CGN Art Preview: January 2026

We received the following message from Justin Witte, Dir. at Cleve Carney Museum of Art and are sharing this news in case some of you would like to help artist Andi Crist following a fire at her home on January 1, 2026.– GV <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768413311/wq32loxgx6hiinca9ezb.jpg">Andi Crist, Installation view of Live, Laugh, Labor, 2025 at CCMA From Justin WitteDirector and Curator<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-cleve-carney-museum-of-art-ccma" target="_blank">Cleve Carney Museum of Art</a> Last week at the very start of 2026, our current featured artist,&nbsp;Andi Crist, and her family experienced an unimaginable loss. On New Year’s Day, their Chicago home was destroyed by fire.Beyond the loss of a house, Andi and her family lost the artworks, personal objects, and everyday items that made it a home. Like so many artists, her work and her living space were intertwined, making this loss both personal and professional. As Andi and her family begin the long process of rebuilding and moving forward, they are facing enormous challenges. A GoFundMe has been created to help cover immediate needs and support their recovery during this difficult time. If you are able, we encourage you to consider donating. Any contribution, large or small, makes a real difference, and sharing the campaign helps extend that support even further.Thank you for being part of a community that shows up for artists not only in moments of celebration, but also in moments of need. <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://q8w2.engage.squarespace-mail.com/r?m=695ea4685353385de97e8b7e&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gofundme.com%2Ff%2Fhelp-jp-andi-and-ollie-rebuild-after-house-fire&amp;w=610a97870a7b92681378bfb2&amp;c=b_695e9fef5353385de97dca75&amp;l=en-US&amp;s=7O-3GCWFcX_lvMueSavv97UGz_8%3D" target="_blank">Donate to Andi Crist’s GoFundMe</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1768413312/tsd4h2xtt3uwel1fsoqu.jpg"> Image of Andi Crist’s home after the January 1, 2026 fire

Call to Support Artist Andi Crist After Fire Loss

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819548/asw1lj8aylcz9zibgxmw.jpg"></h3><h3> </h3><h3>MoCP's DARKROOM Tickets are on Sale</h3> Celebrate MoCP and the museum's 50th anniversary at their annual benefit auction party next month, DARKROOM taking place February 26, 2026. DARKROOM brings together hundreds of photography enthusiasts, artists, and arts patrons for an evening to support the museum. This year, MoCP honors photographer Joel Sternfeld with the Silver Camera Award while showcasing nearly 50 artists in the auction and offering one-of-a-kind live arts experiences on-site at DARKROOM. Purchase DARKROOM Tickets <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/events/darkroom2026/?mc_cid=040406e83c&amp;mc_eid=d76e1da35a" target="_blank">here</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819549/q2tigiuca0di5arhbmnl.png"> <h3>Chicago Museum Member Swap Coming Up Jan 29–Feb 1</h3> A perk of being a member at many of Chicago's smaller museums and institutions is that you can explore Chicago’s incredible collection of museums with the new Chicago Museum Member Swap weekend event!&nbsp;&nbsp;From January 29-February 1, present your participating membership card at any of the participating Chicago museums, and enjoy free admission!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Participating museums are&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90PRQKYH8MKR1nVKKK4TFStE4Le6scGH7vmAnZMI547Ea-ZFruVXAarmQwxkCwm9ydST3f9fW2dDVDVPPGrJC45xa5B8Cdt1yBjjyanMS-NDAH6KuZzwhT6beUQszoeceHFvjv5KtqcKXnp4esrCvvJP-W5NGBb8EsRGrt2gIU0uDd0KK-m-LQ4E7c0_ZPxXVQ&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">American Writers Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90JV23JouDolcchK7epsZbK7Y58l8hL0NBwfi-je6-nTnRmMyDZLdjcNXgZXIkj22PEALIOm2mWCnu22eCZOtvsXT0y6jG4J3t&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Driehaus Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90RLwrpxePtgodJ9Yi___mHtex1PbJwJbCRuurf9D1975mQ9Y9CHnWLIriwx7pNBDjxgwYHqT4GElm8ZoxrEwmrD4L8zPIsA9R&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Glessner House</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90-2XXo0eC_e497mtys7lSsrfB9ZzIh_eVgNzGP7wHJQIjfla0W8ChVdJJ0aEcMkFVcugxeLS8VKGJumJ_EvQLDOyMNxPEFKTEKdk76muypu_hv6aucogvTB2nPgvXIODReCYJJTDtW4U=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Illinois Holocaust Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90ON2EETql2hW9_WS9yE2lTBDCybjqdZedbkOCjV1p7xg3oGRRPpBQr8CQuKI4afwbkrWxCxJxXvaEIOVkiFDOUg==&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Art</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90GpgNKW4CLsf0SgrFeYh7VZtvEIpl3bIkdvmW5KMKi02f9lkJkyQU2SkFBgP44rBzpQD7WMMbQno=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Museum of Surgical Science</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90YlGcjYUhEQJL8ghDjNfWek0lhl3oLdwZIsXiYVfHdD-Svp92EtQhO03djnBSCuBqPNoqgLEgwKxoTSsUnNtUkT6G0tT9cVlNSeCkLZQ9qt0=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">National Museum of Mexican Art</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90O0LZvpTGGRitgl7XhCDpnGE3jTw6AsICDqeoU5p9s6BK4NwFc6540iucMW2xbsG5WPAprQIiI6U=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">National Public Housing Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbu55NZ3YwL90iohySwS5gvaNy2fZjrPuqx6oI4pch8DHOLd6S6nyIPTu3qrt4lD3t46trpEmT2W64U65AxhyqU34Dux1xA_A_ACIosVVBzIjKVmGSWR3SuQ=&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">National Hellenic Museum</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://qjxtjxbbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pnbMEVkcmkHzK3idzbXYR6qBJSkn0bnErij3f1Jm8P8nPYtUxzIwbj8-81TJC5nR3Jjl_sxAka_fb4in2O5JIFKOow65jcnrDJiYEth-WvFWAlkDP92umQbM_B1IZ4kqfRJsxiqLY2ERumVQfv5skQ==&amp;c=eVJ9DkFpR4800twZBA4W7PkFajvj6SE2ZJ6jNYrLIAB2cENj2FBoSg==&amp;ch=QzF5M7FjeYXXWJjjXG7UAq65EfSzTag7sOfxNdCQ_LvgAQjeUiI-gg==" target="_blank">Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art</a> and the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://art.org/" target="_blank">Intuit Museum of Art</a>&nbsp;The offer extends to the cardholding member plus one guest and any children 16 years old and younger.&nbsp;Check participating&nbsp;museums’&nbsp;websites&nbsp;for expectations around&nbsp;advance registration&nbsp;or walk-in visits. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819550/mzgpdqies3xgrvoslt8y.jpg"> <h3>Les Enluminures Closing New York Location but Keeping Chicago and Paris</h3> Founder Sandra Hindman shared: As of February 1, we will be closing the New York gallery of <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lesenluminures.com/" target="_blank">Les Enluminures</a>. Since we opened there 14 years ago, we have met so many wonderful people and hosted many exhibitions and special events, With the opening of our new space on the Palais Royal in Paris, we have decided it’s time to narrow our focus to our two “home” spaces – Paris where the business began and Chicago where I am based and which is increasingly active.&nbsp; Please be assured that we will still have a presence in New York. We will continue to participate in the Winter Show in January and the New York Antiquarian Book Fair in the Spring, as well as other ad hoc events. And -- New York is a mere 1 ½ hours away from Chicago by air! <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819551/ju5nghk2ozct2u3jvnpr.jpg"> <h3>Newberry Library Announces Winter NewberryFest January 24</h3> The Newberry will hold an event on Saturday, January 24, 12-3pm designed to help both new and returning visitors learn more about the independent research library in Chicago’s Gold Coast.&nbsp; “Winter NewberryFest”&nbsp;is an open house-style event that will lean into the library’s extensive collection of maps, dating from the 1500s through present. NewberryFest arrives as a current exhibition,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/mapping-outside-the-lines" target="_blank">Mapping Outside the Lines</a>, takes visitors through a vast array of maps from mundane textbooks to avant garde art. Winter NewberryFest&nbsp;will take place on the first floor of the library (60 West Walton Place, Chicago) with a wide variety of activities that are free and open to all, including: <ul><li>Coming face-to-face with extraordinary maps and related items&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/collection" target="_blank">from our collections</a> and having questions answered by our expert librarians and curators.</li><li>Learning from our map curator about how to find and enjoy materials in our collection in a half-hour session, 12-12:30pm.</li><li>Making map-inspired art through collage and papermaking from 1-3pm.</li><li>Shopping a used book sale, which promises to offer literary treasures at low prices.</li><li>Visiting our latest exhibitions,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/mapping-outside-the-lines" target="_blank">Mapping Outside the Lines</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/from-page-to-pixel" target="_blank">From Page to Pixel: Discovering the Digital Newberry</a>.</li><li>Joining a docent-led building tour to learn about the library's nearly 140-year history.&nbsp;</li><li>Visiting the&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.bookshop.newberry.org/" target="_blank">Newberry Bookshop</a>, which includes much more than just books. All attendees receive 10% off their purchase.</li><li> </li></ul><a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/newberryfest" target="_blank">Registration is encouraged to receive updates and reminders about the event.</a>

CGN Art World Recap: 1.7.26

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884805/tq4ndklu7iv9m0fcxwna.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/housewarming" target="_blank">Housewarming</a>Opening: Friday, January 9, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMElise Seigenthaler Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884806/owlnckroi57i9znbsyey.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/spaces-for-people-systems-for-spaces" target="_blank">Spaces for People, Systems for Spaces</a>Opening: Friday, January 9, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMWestern Exhibitions <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884807/mpdwhuipmj7wiewtzcnm.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/from-its-own-ashes" target="_blank">From Its Own Ashes</a>Opening: Friday, January 9, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMChicago Artists Coalition (CAC) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884808/wnnwnbwhhivnxbbbeocv.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jimmy-desana-and-paul-mpagi-sepuya" target="_blank">Jimmy DeSana and Paul Mpagi Sepuya</a>Opening: Friday, Jan 9, 2026 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMDOCUMENT <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884809/lydqpg6b8ku3wkx0efhc.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/goldilocks-moment" target="_blank">Goldilocks Moment</a>Opening: Friday, January 9, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSoNa Chicago Contemporary Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884811/uaswjnz4dkg1bdbyzkgg.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/leah-ke-yi-zheng-change" target="_blank">Leah Ke Yi Zheng: Change</a>Opening: Saturday, January 10, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PMThe Renaissance Society <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884812/segz4ojripx7jfg4i12z.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/triptych-kate-berry-brown-vanessa-filley-and-darren-oberto" target="_blank">Triptych: Kate Berry-Brown, Vanessa Filley and Darren Oberto</a>Opening: Saturday, January 10, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMThe Grove Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767884813/j31as0x64ka0hhp6ynrj.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/william-harper-fugue" target="_blank">William Harper: Fugue</a>Opening: Saturday, January 10, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery

New Exhibitions Opening January 9 & 10

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1767819536/vp4zmqmcqdgnmjetf3km.jpg"></h3>A bell inside the Dom Tower in Utrecht, the Netherlands. Thousands of Dutch church bells were destroyed by the Nazis, melted down for weapons and ammunition. A few of the oldest were protected as monuments, marked with an “M.”<h3> </h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/27/arts/nazis-church-bells-ww2.html" target="_blank">The Nazi Plunder of Church Bells Changed the Sound of Europe</a></h3> In a diary entry in the summer of 1943, Anne Frank wrote that she had lost all sense of time. The bells in Amsterdam’s tallest church tower, the Westertoren, right next to her own attic hiding place in a canal house, had stopped ringing. During World War II, Hitler’s Germany requisitioned some 175,000 church bells from across Europe, so that they could extract their metal components, mostly copper and tin. Via NYT<h3> </h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/01/05/how-much-should-art-cost-the-pitfalls-and-paradoxes-of-pricing-works" target="_blank">How much should art cost? The pitfalls and paradoxes of pricing works</a></h3> In the cyclical booms and busts of the art market, downturns tend to reverse prevailing trends. In 2015, for example, the reign of the Zombie Formalism trend died of a 7% contraction in global sales. In Miami that year, Jeffrey Deitch and Larry Gagosian mounted the figurative group show&nbsp;Unrealism&nbsp;in its wake, officially anointing figuration as the art market’s next big thing. The art economy recovered, and figuration ascended until the next inflection point in 2022, when, with rising interest rates, prevailing trends again began to reverse. Confident collectors became cautious, expanding galleries downsized, and during this year’s autumn fairs, headlines boasted of Millennials’ rising interest in Old Masters, the ultimate referendum to the ultra-contemporary bubble that just burst. Via The Art Newspaper <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/art-world-insiders-2026-market-predictions-new-years-1234768290/" target="_blank">Art World Insiders Make Their New Year’s Predictions for 2026</a></h3> 2025 was a disorienting and destabilizing year, both in the art market and farther afield. But amid all the doom and gloom of gallery closures, tariff announcements, and Trump proclamations, there were hints of brighter days ahead. For every gallery that shut its doors, another opened, and this fall saw the art market seemingly spring to life after a dismaying first six months.2026, then, offers much to look forward to. Art Basel and Frieze will launch new fairs in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, respectively, and two of the most anticipated biennials—the Whitney Biennial and the Venice Biennale—will return. If nothing else, the new year will likely reveal whether the art world’s pivot to the Gulf, and auction houses’ deepening emphasis on luxury categories, were good choices. Via ARTnews <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://hyperallergic.com/in-2026-democracy-needs-museums/" target="_blank">In 2026, Democracy Needs Museums</a></h3> Believe it or not, the future of our nation may rest on how museums in the United States perform in 2026.&nbsp; We must deliver content about the 250th anniversary of our nation and its democracy that is thoughtful and comprehensive. We must make access to museums within reach of all Americans. And finally, museums must issue a challenge to the communities we serve: It’s time to know your nation’s history, if for no other reason than that it is our only path to building a more perfect union. It’s tempting to be dispirited as a museum professional these days. Headlines about a highly partisan political environment, a cynical public, and a tidal wave of industrial and cultural change driven by AI might lead one to think that museums have been relegated to the sidelines of our nation’s future.&nbsp;&nbsp; Via Hyperallergic

What We're Reading 1.5.26

<h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/12/18/independent-and-nimble-art-fairs-are-redrawing-the-art-market-map" target="_blank">In 2025, new ‘independent and nimble’ art fairs began redrawing the market map</a></h3> Although gallery closures and tepid auction results loom largest, art fair casualties have been another signal of the market’s challenges in 2025. The Art Dealers Association of America postponed the 37th edition of its Manhattan fair, the Art Show, this summer, days before Taipei Dangdai’s 2026 iteration was called off. The forthcoming editions of Photofairs Hong Kong, the India Art Fair’s Mumbai expo and the Baltimore Fine Art Print &amp; Photo Fair were all cancelled, too.Amid these retrenchments, however, 2025 brought alternative fairs from Paris to the Berkshires.&nbsp; Via The Art Newspaper <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/arts/design/louvre-heist-thief-museum-security.html" target="_blank">After the Louvre Heist, Museums Look for Lessons to Help Stop Thieves</a></h3> The brazen&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/world/europe/louvre-paris-robbery.html" target="_blank">daylight heist</a>&nbsp;at the Louvre has left many American museums reassessing their security measures, focusing on perimeter control, the adequacy of their security cameras and the timely availability of armed responders, security consultants and museum officials say. Like all crimes, the Paris theft had its idiosyncratic factors, but all three of these elements&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/30/world/europe/inside-louvre-jewel-heist.html" target="_blank">played a crucial part</a>&nbsp;at the Louvre, where thieves drove a stolen truck up to the museum on a quiet Sunday morning, extended an electric ladder to a second-floor window and broke in. They used disc grinders to extract jewelry valued at about 88 million euros, or $102 million, from cases in the gilded Apollo Gallery. None of the stolen material has been recovered. “The biggest takeaway is, ‘Are your security people watching your perimeter aware of who is working at the museum?’” Via NYTimes <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-bites-mona-lisa-louvre-heist-2708512" target="_blank">The Theft That Made the Mona Lisa Famous</a></h3> The robbery that took place at the Louvre on October 19, 2025—when thieves disguised as construction workers&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/louvre-robbery-2701689" target="_blank">stole</a>&nbsp;$102 million in French crown jewels—has already gone down as one of the most infamous art heists in recent history. However, it hardly holds a candle to the scandal that rocked Paris in 1911, when criminals took off with the museum’s most treasured possession: Leonardo da Vinci’s&nbsp;Mona Lisa. Like the recent heist, the 1911 robbery was similarly cartoonish in its&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thecollector.com/how-did-vincenzo-peruggia-steal-the-mona-lisa/" target="_blank">execution</a>. The main culprit, an Italian handyman and museum employee named Vicenzo Peruggia, hid inside a supply closet until closing time.&nbsp; Via Artnet Top photo: Courtesy of CGN <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artforum.com/news/white-house-reiterates-funding-threat-against-smithsonian-1234741259/" target="_blank">White House Intensifies Funding Threats Against Smithsonian</a></h3> The Trump administration, which&nbsp;<a style="color: currentcolor;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artforum.com/news/smithsonian-exhibitions-white-house-scrutiny-1234733703/" target="_blank">this past August announced that it would review</a>&nbsp;current and forthcoming Smithsonian exhibitions “to assess tone, historical framing and alignment with American ideals,” has reiterated its threat to pull funding if the Smithsonian does not comply. Although the Smithsonian provided the White House with documentation in September, Domestic Policy Council director Vince Haley and White House budget director Russell Vought on December 18&nbsp;<a style="color: currentcolor;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Smithsonian-Letter-20251218.pdf" target="_blank">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to Smithsonian secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III complaining that what was sent “fell far short of what was requested,” according to a&nbsp;<a style="color: currentcolor;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/art/2025/12/20/trump-smithsonian-funding-withhold-content-review/" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>&nbsp;report.&nbsp; Via Art Forum

What We're Reading: 12.29.25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950862/kkgymz6ljogamnnnqmuo.jpg"> By CGN Staff There will be a lot to see at home and on the road this year. Highlights for 2026 include a wealth of under-the-radar shows, anniversary celebrations, international art fairs, and shining&nbsp;moments for artists throughout the Midwest. The Obama Presidential Center will finally open, a famed local museum turns 50, and this fall visitors to the Art Institute will see an Impressionist in a new light. There are also many shows yet to be announced in the galleries, and events are&nbsp;frequently added to <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming" target="_blank">chicagogallerynews.com</a> To stay up to date with galleries and museums in 2026&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to CGN or purchase a copy</a>&nbsp;of the print edition of our annual Arts Guide, out now. Happy 2026! <h3> </h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950863/hjlteljenlqliljlmd3f.jpg"> <h3>• MoCP at 50:&nbsp;Collecting Through the Decades</h3> Since opening in 1976 and initiating collecting in 1979, the Museum of Contemporary Photography has acquired over 18,000 objects by more than 2,000 artists and engaged in conversations across political, social, and cultural landscapes. To celebrate MoCP at 50 examines the evolving practice of building a dynamic collection. Together, these selections question and reflect on the role of cultural institutions in shaping the photographic canon. Museum of Contemporary PhotographyJan 22–May 16, 2026 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/" target="_blank">mocp.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950864/mc2c01qkez8xeapxsxav.jpg"> <h3>• Edra Soto: The Place of Dwelling</h3> Edra Soto alters and recontextualizes common functional objects—wrought-iron screens, plastic lawn furniture, and electric fans, ubiquitous in her native Puerto Rico—to create objects and environments that celebrate the voices of working-class communities. Soto’s installation, the place of dwelling, is commissioned for Kemper Museum’s tenth annual Atrium Project and invests the space with personal memories of her Catholic upbringing, a gesture that both questions methods of colonial indoctrination and celebrates sacred sites filled with signs and symbols offering guidance and direction. Kemper Museum of Art, Kansas City, MOJanuary 30, 2026—January 2, 2027<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.kemperart.org/exhibition/edra-soto-the-place-of-dwelling" target="_blank">kemperart.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950864/xy5lfdud2hmkmjkfhf75.jpg">Left: Alex Chitty; right: Norman Teague. <h3>• Chair-ish: Alex Chitty and Norman Teague</h3> Chair-ish is an exhibition of Chicago-based artists Alex Chitty and Norman Teague. Working together for the first time, in this exhibition Chitty and Teague explore material, memory, and spatial dialogue through distinct yet complementary practices. While Chitty’s sculptural investigations often disrupt perception and gesture toward the poetic in the everyday, Teague’s work draws on vernacular design, cultural heritage, and the social histories embedded in form. Cleve Carney Museum of ArtJan 22–Apr 11, 2026 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theccma.org/" target="_blank">theccma.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950865/yj5i6ps10nn7yaz2ntpm.jpg">Andrea Carlson, Red Exit, 2019, acrylic, ink, oil, gouache, watercolor, colored pencil, marker and graphite on paper, 10’ x 14’. Collection of Whitney Museum of Art <h3>• Andrea Carlson: Endless Sunshine</h3> Through a practice that combines intergenerational history, archival research, and the histories and theories of art and film, Andrea Carlson (b. 1979) creates incisive works of resistance and sovereignty that disempower colonial storytelling and practices of erasure. A descendant of the Grand Portage Ojibwe and Scandinavian settlers, Carlson centers an institutional critique and perspective that has been systematically excluded from or historically romanticized in narratives, practices, and presentations of American art. Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAMSTL)Mar 6 – Aug 9, 2026 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://camstl.org/exhibitions/andrea-carlson-endless-sunshine/" target="_blank">camstl.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950866/nqg17p40fbf7gynvtone.jpg">Orin Pinhassi, Truth Teller (detail), 2024. Steel, burlap, sand,&nbsp;polymer and rock. 93 x 30 x 24 in (236.2 x 76.2 x 60.9 cm). Photo by Elisabeth Bernstein. Courtesy of&nbsp;the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery. <h3>• Oren Pinhassi</h3> Artist Oren Pinhassi sculpts anthropomorphic forms at great scale that appeal to the senses and intellect at once. He brings to The Arts Club a series of figural/architectural works that occupy the gallery in an encompassing configuration, aiming to trigger the physical engagements of desire and fragility. Pinhassi’s towering or sprawling creatures draw upon such ordinary materials as sand, stone, or vinyl. In a process he has named “erotic construction,” Pinhassi uses sensual appeal, rough texture, suggestive pose, and intimate detail to press against the confines of a restrictive society. Mar 31–Aug 8, 2026 • The Arts Club of&nbsp;Chicago • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artsclubchicago.org/" target="_blank">artsclubchicago.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950867/n6jdkhsnuj9q6m7bwiup.jpg"> <h3>• RenBen: Maurizio Cattelan</h3> Maurizio Cattelan will conceive and orchestrate The Renaissance Society’s RenBen 2026 during Chicago’s EXPO Art Week. RenBen is the institution’s annual artist-centered gala and most important fundraising event. Each edition invites a single artist to design every aspect of the evening, from the space and performances to the food and choreography. The Renaissance SocietyApril 8, 2026 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://renaissancesociety.org/" target="_blank">renaissancesociety.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950867/evgoz5sgff0v5x2owrka.jpg"> <h3>• EXPO&nbsp;CHICAGO</h3> Under the vaulted architecture of Navy Pier’s&nbsp;Festival Hall, and under the new leadership of Director Kate Sierzputowski and Curator Essence Harden, EXPO CHICAGO will bring together&nbsp;global galleries and unrivaled programming,&nbsp;alongside unforgettable events citywide. Festival Hall, Navy Pier&nbsp;April 9–12, 2026 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">expochicago.com</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950868/rgbotnxhf9wicoyl6txj.jpg"> <h3>• The Opening of the Obama Center</h3> The much anticipated opening of President Barack Obama's Obama Presidential Center in the heart of the South Side of Chicago will be a defining event in Chicago this spring. Bits and pieces about the opening, as well as the artists who have been commissioned to create various works and installations for the Center, have been arriving regularly leading up to the actual opening. The Center is touted to be a lively community hub, economic anchor, and beacon of democracy on the South Side, bolstering a great deal of the cultural nexus in the city for years to come. Spring 2026<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.obama.org/presidential-center/" target="_blank">obama.org/presidential-center</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766950868/oxlqebclpykn52mlvolu.jpg">Mary Cassatt, Sleepy Nicolle,&nbsp;c. 1900 <h3>• Mary Cassatt:&nbsp;After Impressionism</h3> Marking the centennial of her death, Mary Cassatt: After Impressionism examines her paintings, pastels, and prints when she took her art making in new directions. In the prime years of her career—the late 1880s through the early 1900s—Cassatt explored the theme of mothers and caretakers with children, creating complex color prints, and undertaking a mural commission for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The Art Institute of ChicagoSept 6, 2026–Jan 3, 2027&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10487/mary-cassatt-after-impressionism" target="_blank">artic.edu</a> # <h3>View CGN's full calendar of art events, updated daily, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">here</a>.</h3>

CGN's 2026 Culture List

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766530987/kgtcnpz00e9hz0106zfg.jpg"></h4><h4> </h4><h4>2025 was a year. Whether you look back on it wondering where the time went, or how you made it through, there were notable events, milestones and passings in Chicago's art community and beyond. CGN covered much of what happened locally and also explored art further afield. It was a year of transition. We even lost some dear friends, whose impact will last for years to come.&nbsp;</h4><h4> </h4><h4>CGN interviewed artists, collectors and gallery figures, and we shared hundreds of exhibitions, openings and events all year long. All of this makes up 12 months to remember, while we prepare to meet a new year of art and culture. Following are some of our top interviews and articles from a full year.</h4><h4> </h4><h4>Thank you to our readers, partners and supporters who help us continue to grow and share CGN each year. In 2026 we celebrate 44 years of promoting the visual arts.</h4><h4> </h4><h4>To purchase a copy or subscribe to the 2026 edition of the CGN Arts Guide,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(9, 78, 192);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>.&nbsp;</h4><h4> </h4><h4>Happy new year, and see you in the galleries!&nbsp;</h4><h4> </h4><h4>– Ginny Van Alyea, CGN Publisher</h4> <h3> </h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766530989/wyffpcjl3jpd4ctd9xhl.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/carl-hammer-gallery-announces-closing-after-45-years" target="_blank">Carl Hammer Gallery Announces Closing after 45 Years</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766530992/l04qbkgqj0qvwuzuad7m.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/connecting-change-through-the-decades-rhona-hoffman" target="_blank">Connecting Change Through the Decades: Rhona Hoffman</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766530994/m2qzrmfjeocdwucti4q8.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/amanda-williams-her-kind-of-blue" target="_blank">Amanda Williams: Her Kind of Blue</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766530998/iknq1x85e1ll1xlz83yg.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/landscape-survey-whats-on-in-chicagos-outer-spaces-minionotics-at-weatherproof" target="_blank">Landscape survey: What's on in Chicago's Outer Spaces: Miniotics at Weatherproof</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766530999/e0dpboxto3mqhbazicxi.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/ari-emanuels-new-company-buys-frieze-owner-of-expo-chicago" target="_blank">Ari Emanuel's New Company Buys Frieze, Owner of EXPO CHICAGO</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531001/i0hf1eyu0pj8cugufwgu.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/designs-on-collecting-architect-dirk-denison" target="_blank">Designs on Collecting: Architect Dirk Denison</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531003/b47cgpopkaoxmjhbfuhx.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/jonathan-worcester-painting-with-creative-precision" target="_blank">Jonathan Worcester: Painting with Creative Precision</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531005/jancoqrian7epddetd7m.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/expo-founder-tony-karman-to-step-down-as-director" target="_blank">EXPO Founder Tony Karman to Step Down As Director</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531007/ncqt6mwemgnmzdmvmouw.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/intuit-art-museum-reopens-to-welcome-the-public-inside" target="_blank">Intuit Art Museum Reopens to Welcome the Public Inside</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531008/qy3elt75yhhjqnhhviqm.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/jacqueline-surdell-an-artists-voice-helps-scale-her-art" target="_blank">Jacqueline Surdell: An Artist’s Voice Helps Scale Her Art</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531012/pvcdtwky6cwwkh2yvtyl.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dedicated to Collecting: Melissa Weber and Jay Dandy</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531041/yqu7td1oxhbhonjahpsl.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="Art, Ambition, and the Weight of Stars: Dining at Esmé in Chicago" target="_blank">Art, Ambition, and the Weight of Stars: Dining at Esmé in Chicago</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531044/t8ogtgeynfrcrz3lzwb6.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/french-encounters-a-family-trip-through-art-and-history" target="_blank">French Encounters: A Family Trip Through Art and History</a></h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531047/zvtlagouszznrjgkfhy1.png"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/commissioner-of-cultural-affairs-clinee-hedspeth-resigns" target="_blank">Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Clinee Hedspeth Resigns</a></h3> <h3> </h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1766531049/c9qwvcvdleqyabzxvjrj.gif"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/artist-tony-fitzpatrick-has-died-at-age-66" target="_blank">Artist Tony Fitzpatrick Has Died at 66</a></h3> <h3>Read all of CGN's news <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles" target="_blank">here</a></h3> #

2025: CGN's Year in Review

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765944744/k521rkf5yvcjm7twtp3z.jpg">Theaster Gates, Photo by Akilah Townsend, Courtesy of The Obama Foundation. By CGN Staff The Obama Foundation has announced a major new commission by GRAY artist Theaster Gates for the Hadiya Pendleton Atrium at the forthcoming Obama Presidential Center, slated to open in 2026. The new installation will draw from photographic material housed in the Johnson Publishing Company image archive and the personal collection of photographer Howard Simmons. Continuing Gates’s longstanding artistic practice, the work elevates and preserves Black cultural legacies through the care of archives and everyday materials, bringing renewed attention to the stories, creativity, and collective memory that have shaped American life. “I’ve known Theaster since his days as the first transit arts planner for the Chicago Transit Authority 25 years ago, and he is the ideal artist for this marquee space,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation. “His boundless creativity, commitment to public art, passion for educating and sharing art with others, and gift for translating history into the present make him a singular talent. People from around the world will be awestruck by his work—but just as importantly, those of us from the South Side will see our community continue to be elevated to the world-class status it has always deserved.” Gates expressed deep personal and professional resonance with the commission. “I am deeply honored to be commissioned to create a new artwork for the Obama Presidential Center, a beacon of democracy, just a couple of blocks from where my nonprofit, Rebuild Foundation, has invested in land and cultural assets as tools for creative self-determination for over two decades,” he said. “This opportunity moves me to bring forward the photographic legacies that capture moments of great strength and elegance from the Johnson Publishing Company archive—images by Moneta Sleet, Jr. and Isaac Sutton—as well as the personal archive of photographer Howard Simmons.” “My hope,” Gates continued, “is to ground the power of these visual histories in a new context, reminding us of the collective resolve that shapes our communities. At a time when artists are increasingly playing a critical role in protecting memory and contributing to the democratic ideals that shape who we are and what we strive to become, it is deeply meaningful to contribute to this historic space.” The Hadiya Pendleton Atrium is located within the Forum Building, a public gathering space named in honor of Hadiya Pendleton, the 15-year-old Chicago student who marched in President Obama’s second inauguration parade and was tragically killed a week later as a result of gun violence. The atrium stands as a powerful symbol of community, strength, and civic action. Gates’s installation reflects on collective resilience while honoring the everyday individuals whose lives and practices sustain movements for justice and social change.Built into the landscape of Jackson Park, the Forum Building will serve as a welcoming hub for the local community. In addition to the atrium, it will house the Elie Wiesel Auditorium, a restaurant, a Media Suite, Democracy in Action Lab (DIAL) Program Rooms, and staff offices. Drawing on imagery from the Johnson Publishing Company Archives—an archive Gates has engaged with and honored through his artistic practice for more than a decade—and the personal archive of Howard Simmons, a former staff photographer at Johnson Publishing Company, the installation celebrates the power and intimacy of Black life as seen in the pages of Ebony and Jet. These publications helped define the visual and cultural language of the 20th century. Rendered on industrial aluminum and extending more than 175 feet, the installation foregrounds images of crowds and Black women, honoring the collective labor, energy, care, and collaboration that continue to propel movements forward. In 2016, Gates began archiving and working with approximately 20,000 photographs from the Johnson Publishing Company Archives, ensuring that this vital visual record of Black cultural heritage could continue to generate new value and remain a source of creative and entrepreneurial inspiration for Chicago’s South Side. His stewardship of these materials reflects a broader mission to preserve and reimagine historical records through art, architecture, and civic space—an approach that closely aligns with the Obama Presidential Center’s commitment to empowerment and community building.

The Obama Foundation Commissions Major New Installation by Theaster Gates

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916387/ddvytipt342stkisuj5i.jpg"> By CGN StaffHyde Park Art Center has announced the sixth round of its Artists Run Chicago Fund, awarding $104,000 in unrestricted grants to 13 independent artist-run platforms across Chicago. Each recipient receives $8,000 to support operations, programming, and artist-led initiatives.Launched in 2021, the regranting initiative has now distributed more than $1.2 million to over 100 artist-run platforms, prioritizing organizations led by BIPOC artists and those providing critical infrastructure for Chicago’s contemporary art community. <h3>2025 Grant Recipients</h3>This year’s grantees include performance venues, exhibition programs, festivals, publications, and a podcast:Tangential Unspace Art Lab; Arts at First; Blanc Gallery; Chuquimarca; Fourtunehouse Art Center; Inga; Jupiter Magazine; Little Village Arts Festival; LMRM; Mayfield; noseyAF podcast; Tala; and Terrain Exhibitions. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916388/nldtovwzcspimn4evmhh.jpg"> <h3>Impact of the Fund</h3>Artists Run Chicago Fund provides flexible, unrestricted support to artist-run platforms—spaces operated by artists to create opportunities for other artists through exhibitions, public programs, and experimental projects. The fund strengthens artist-to-artist networks and helps sustain work that might not fit within traditional institutional models.Several recipients shared how the grant will support upcoming work. Little Village Arts Festival noted the funding brings the organization closer to securing a permanent gallery space ahead of its 20th anniversary. Terrain Exhibitions plans to use the grant to support its Artist-in-Residence program and future public programming, while LMRM cited the funding as essential to rebuilding capacity following a period of organizational growth and transition. noseyAF podcast will use the support to expand its archive of artist interviews and conversations. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916389/odgpxsvivo48spia1zwo.jpg"> <h3>Funders and Jury</h3>The 2025 Artists Run Chicago Fund is supported by the Good Chaos Foundation and the Local South Foundation. This year’s jury included Jada-Amina, Max Li, and Kitty Rauth, all affiliated with longstanding artist-run initiatives in Chicago.Since its launch during the COVID-19 pandemic, Artists Run Chicago Fund has provided critical financial relief to artist-run platforms, reinforcing Hyde Park Art Center’s long-term commitment to Chicago’s independent art ecosystem. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1765916390/z21nf9rmj82mqkyx0sn0.jpg"> Top: Photo: LMRMPatric McCoy's Exhibition at Blanc Gallery, Photo by Danielle Austin.jpgMisael Jose Oquendo Opening&nbsp;at Tala, photo by Steven Piper (@prezpipe).jpg

 Hyde Park Art Center Awards $104K to Artist-Run Spaces

<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/v1766002069/rvtemprd9p8nhtyoe4wt.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/v1766002070/pxoplims4aoki5gjfowh.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/v1766002070/igagkua0pea9gjqj49fb.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 of the 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/v1766002071/ymr8rjjbau6hxaknjmk8.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>.