<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743475162/axlr6nyxftvnd7ldn41u.jpg">In foreground: Daniel Champion, Lying Down, 2025, XPS foam, casting resin, 8.5 x 13 x 24”. On wall: Jeffrey Charles, Ghouls, Oil on canvas, 36 x 48” By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE SAWHORSE – Morality Play Step right up! There’s a new gallery in town and a new fantastical show to come see. Come one, come all!&nbsp; Welcome to yet another new gallery and curatorial space in Chicago. SAWHORSE, located on West Fullerton Avenue in the lively Hermosa neighborhood, is a cozy and inviting store-front space with large windows drenching it in sunlight. Founded and directed by Molly Sheffield and Jack Spector-Bishop, both native Chicagoans who met years ago at Oberlin College, SAWHORSE opened in January 2025 “motivated by craft, community, curiosity, &amp; collaboration.” The name SAWHORSE, as Sheffield notes, “was from thinking about an object that is a platform for initiating creation. It is also one of the first things people learn to make when they are starting a woodworking craft, and craft is something we want to highlight in our space.”&nbsp;Morality Play, the gallery’s second exhibition, is a two-person exhibition of works by Daniel Champion and Jeffrey Charles, currently on view through April 20, 2025. The partnering of sculptures by Champion and paintings by Charles works well, in an oddly beautiful and primitive sort of way. So, what do you get when you pair art school-educated interdisciplinary artist Daniel Champion with experimental rock musician, and self-taught artist, Jeffrey Charles? <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743475163/n9tltgoo0xp6jr6rrf30.jpg">Left: Daniel Champion, Elephant, 2025, XPS foam, casting resin, 24 x 38 x 8 inches; Right: Daniel Champion, Untitled, 2025, XPS foam, casting resin, 51.5 x 6 x 10 inches FIRST ACT Champion, a 27-year-old SAIC grad, known mostly as a painter and set director, is exhibiting crudely formed figurative sculptures for the first time. The works are set atop pedestals hand-carved by the artist, a meticulous contrast to the rough-hewn sculptures themselves. Much like the pastel palette of his paintings, Champion chose a soft-hued coloration for these objects. They are a pleasing, pinkish purple–think mauve–formed of XPS foam board and casting resin, making them lightweight, with a sheen. Champion seems to have drawn from his film and set directing skills, as his sculptures give off drama vibes and could easily double as theater props. They’re chunky, chiseled, charming, sultry, and enigmatic.&nbsp; In the gallery’s front window are four miniature sculptures, measuring 10” high, in distinguishable poses, such as two people embracing, The Passionate Friends, and a person in a baseball cap sitting cross-legged, The Beach #2. They are tender and though small in scale, they hit hard. But it is the six more substantial sculptures in the main gallery space that really pack a punch. They are curious figures, nude humans and animals, with an absence of facial expressions in ordinary, offbeat, or intertwined sexy poses. I was captivated by the 51.5” tall stoic standing woman, Untitled. Her blank eyes reveal nothing, yet you feel something. Lying Down, a figure of a woman reclining on her side in a fetal position, is simple but striking. The four layers of foam add visual interest, and the focus on the soles of her rough feet was strangely appealing. Communion, a woman in a fully reclining position on top of a donkey is sensuous and beautiful. Each of Champion’s sculptures are captivating and every one is as good as the other. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743475164/dblnoitrhqprxqsnn4kd.jpg"> SECOND ACT Charles, a 64-year-old experimental musician and self-taught artist, learned and honed his drawing and painting craft over the past 23 years. Charles has worked under-the-radar, seemingly using art as a form of therapy, helping to exorcise his childhood traumas. While we are not privy to all his past traumas, Charles offers glimpses through the surreal and formidable scenes he creates. If you’re afraid of creepy clowns and lecherous gazes, then buckle up and prepare to be jolted. These very personal drawings and oil on canvas paintings are based on memories of his childhood reality. They tell a story of abuse, pain and neglect, colorfully featuring ghoulish adults with leering smiles, as if warning us they can’t be trusted. Many paintings feature recurring images of a man in a baseball uniform, bodies singed with cigarettes, the text “burn me,” musical instruments, and penises. Charles describes his semi autobiographical art as “ID vomit.” This is his first commercial gallery foray, and the largest exhibition of his work to date. The show includes four small drawings and seven paintings dating from 2002–2023.&nbsp; The four 8.5 x 11” ink on paper drawings are hung together on a small wall as you enter the space. One is a study for a large painting included in the show, Study for Fathers. It’s easy to pass by these quiet pieces, since the larger, boldly-colored paintings are immediately eye-catching. But if you pause for a moment, you get sucked into their miniature freakish worlds. Peanut-headed Salamander includes nude and semi-clad cartoonish characters, screaming people and others with their mouths sewn shut, bondage elements, torture instruments, and more. Charles renders disturbing scenes that are grotesque yet fascinating gems.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743475164/qcdcq3sgeuayngjj2h6b.jpg">Jeffrey Charles, Ascension, Oil on canvas, 60" x 48" The seven paintings in the show are well-crafted and chock full of terrifying and terrified misfits, humanlike cigarettes, creepy clowns, and dreamlike narratives. The paintings range in scale from 18 x 24” to the largest at 60 x 48.” Ascension, the focal point and the largest piece, hits you in the face as you walk into the gallery. Most of the people in this painting look lecherous with their crooked smiles or appear to be in pain or have mouths agape, as if in shock. A few are calmly smoking. Two men are masturbating, ejaculating in red. Everyone is eerily staring out at the viewer or ogling each other. I felt like viewing Charles’s paintings is akin to watching a circus freak show. Each one is unique, but with recurring elements, so pick your poison when trying to choose a favorite. Personally I am drawn to Auntie, which is simpler than the others. It still has a creepy clown, and a weird green face with an open mouth. The focus is an oversized female head in front of a bright blue curtain. You see her breasts, her disproportionately tiny arms with matches for fingers, and cigarette stubs for legs. Her smeared red&nbsp;lipstick, and crooked bangs and eyebrows have just the right amount of otherworldliness. In all of these paintings, Charles sprinkles cheekiness. It brings to mind the lyrics of a Jimmy Buffet song, “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.”&nbsp; Pairing Champion and Charles in Morality Play, you get a multigenerational, kick-ass exhibition of expressionistic oddities, with a side of humor and theatrics.&nbsp; # Morality Play, on view thru April 20SAWHORSE • 4222 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL 60639<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sawhorsespace.net/" target="_blank">sawhorsespace.net</a>Instagram <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/saw___horse/" target="_blank">@saw___horse</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743475165/i1ywxvpxxtesqhzh8sqc.jpg">The exterior of SAWHORSE <h6> </h6><h6>This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of CGN. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Click here to subscribe</a> and receive the print edition in early April. Subscriptions help support independent print media and Chicago's art community. </h6> Publisher's Note: I met Susan Gescheidle when I first moved to Chicago and started working at&nbsp;Chicago Gallery News&nbsp;in 2002. At the time the CGN office was located around the corner from the River North gallery, called&nbsp;gescheidle,&nbsp;Susan had just opened after working at Lyons Wier Gallery for a time.&nbsp;Susan&nbsp;eventually relocated her gallery to Peoria Street in the burgeoning West Loop, then relocated to Lake Street before closing in the fall of 2008. In fall 2024 I ran into Susan again after many years. We chatted about CGN, as well as how Susan had recently found her way back to being immersed in Chicago's gallery scene, in particular visiting the city's smaller, newer spaces. After following her art outings on&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/susangescheidle/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;for a couple months, I asked Susan if she'd ever consider sharing her personal and informal dispatches with CGN readers in order to help spotlight and support these spaces, and she graciously accepted.&nbsp; – Ginny Van Alyea

Landscape survey: What's on in Chicago's Outer Spaces: SAWHORSE

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748038097/lzcp79edyjx9ikt9fxm9.png"> Via PR Chicago Artists Coalition will have a new home in April.The best part is, we're not going far! We're&nbsp;moving&nbsp;to a beautiful second story West Town/West Loop loft space with views of the skyline that is better aligned with our current organizational needs.Our new location will be&nbsp;1431&nbsp;W&nbsp;Hubbard&nbsp;St, Ste 201, Chicago, IL 60642.We have several events in late April surrounding this year's Newcity Breakout Artists and EXPO CHICAGO, which will be hosted at our&nbsp;new&nbsp;location. Newcity Breakout Artists Exhibition Opening Wednesday, April 23 from 5-8pm<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001nI8zFJ1FBkBglBnnbI6oEqXkO8cdBLfsiKwaiVU61COvONT8BtWRfsyWmdOOZtYgE_totrOMpNk-Xgh_qxed6HdIld4t4ysL7S9WmwHo09CYRfBDdzVoOWkbGCxlRs-y4zj5jKabB26JD8_JFjsTknlHHQ0dSARbYUIONqApsFJIXXpc_rE3sbgnZxwgzQ-v-x34gIY4d_BiLtQ-F1Dotl7Yney1N9pJUMTMuFvNaq6hgcXaF6hMmJizQVxmknqsSqmbe_JV_rek3ht4uTR6n85H9hSH5h-ybvERA3i5Uo0=&amp;c=LCaFiP4J41jk6mkLcaMLkki8e80vQwMdgkkruIm_n1nkZsOd8mNIpQ==&amp;ch=5P6MEmEdtvUq0Q-QJydKoXAEt8FhoJ_uRtwpN5DQQOMa3fdfwkLo5g==" target="_blank">RSVP HERE</a> Annual Breakfast + Open Studios Friday, April 25 from 9am-12pm<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://tnxbinhbb.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001nI8zFJ1FBkBglBnnbI6oEqXkO8cdBLfsiKwaiVU61COvONT8BtWRfsyWmdOOZtYgix4A_lDSgNNWU_gV5cceLR0xXQzsbCfLi0zl-dVVH9ARJzP7pltN_LvFx5XG5WdyqB_c4eKEglo6NtZZDcgivxITewvX2vh7G8YnCMlXSJ1LbAQsA35b2aoSUbNesgXX1SnCePzwrpzbkTA4R7zmWV9SlSJ1jF05zqY2EICJ-5eRc09hpVdvXqmEq14r5cQqroou8xcvRvA=&amp;c=LCaFiP4J41jk6mkLcaMLkki8e80vQwMdgkkruIm_n1nkZsOd8mNIpQ==&amp;ch=5P6MEmEdtvUq0Q-QJydKoXAEt8FhoJ_uRtwpN5DQQOMa3fdfwkLo5g==" target="_blank">RSVP HERE</a> Enjoy the photos below of our team getting the new space ready for public viewing!We are so excited to share this space with you and make memories for years to come as part of the next step in CAC's story. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748038098/hbhqprweszebr5uolc1s.jpg">

Chicago Artists Coalition Is Moving

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036086/joyrowvsuas6b4kctc0q.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/rochelle-zell-playing-with-light" target="_blank">Rochelle Zell: Playing With Light</a>Opening: Wednesday, March 26, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PMThe Art Center Highland Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036089/vbiufhtlnho9wbkffiyc.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lennart-anderson-a-retrospective" target="_blank">Lennart Anderson: A Retrospective</a>Opening: Thursday, March 27, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMJohn David Mooney Foundation <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036090/ggw2o66qcowe12ecgn1f.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/reception-for-altered-states-plastics-transformed" target="_blank">Reception for Altered States: Plastics Transformed</a>Thursday, March 27, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMPistachios Contemporary Art Jewelry and Objects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036091/nztw6qrjwyd6zcdwhzuf.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/opening-reception-for-synthesize" target="_blank">Synthesize</a>Opening: Thursday, March 27, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PMMadron Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036091/lxfuugrhfyy4nzmp4up8.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/what-they-said" target="_blank">What they said</a>Opening: Friday, March 28, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMCircle Contemporary (Arts of Life) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036093/v2trjauuzpizsd0zikzr.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lindsay-olson-manufactured-river" target="_blank">Lindsay Olson: Manufactured River</a>Opening: Friday, Mar 28, 2025 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMEpiphany Center for the Arts

New Exhibitions Opening March 26 - 28

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037108/dhazwykt3yspdzdldkvb.jpg">Installation view of Miniotics at Weatherproof By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE WEATHERPROOF – Miniotics Whatever you do between now and April 13th, visit Weatherproof to see Miniotics! It’s a wackadoodle group exhibition of roughly 140 artists. The gallery is jammed floor to ceiling (literally art is hung on the ceiling!) with Minion-inspired pieces of all sizes and mediums. It will be worth your time to check it out. I promise.&nbsp;A show like this strikes me as representative of Chicago’s young galleries / curatorial spaces right now–showing art by friends and peers without really giving a damn about making money, though of course they need it, and they still should be taken seriously. Young gallerists are trying fresh new things as the mood strikes, and it’s exciting to encounter.&nbsp; Weatherproof is a gallery and curatorial space founded in 2022 and run by Milo Christie and Sam Dybeck. Miniotics is presented by Pop Gun, an artist-run project space in New York City and curated by the New York City duo of Gunner Dongieux and Trinity Bavaria. Dongieux is an artist and Founder and Co-Director of Pop Gun. Bavaria, also an artist, lives and works in New York City and has exhibited at Pop Gun, as well as Cleaner Gallery + Projects here in Chicago.&nbsp; Dongieux and Bavaria invited artists from around the world to participate. As the curatorial statement says, it’s “a synaptic mapping of Pop Gun’s art-world.” It’s heavy on New York City and Chicago representation, understandably so. But I spied San Francisco, Los Angeles, Stockholm and beyond. The work runs the gamut from serious to cheesy, good to less good, and large to small. The artists took their Minion assignments semi-seriously and brought their A-games (or at least their B-games.) It’s a fun and dizzying experience of yellow and blue, bananas and Minion references.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037109/jgaz5dbxf2m7svdjmfqn.jpg">Installation view of Miniotics at Weatherproof. Courtesy Weatherproof. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037110/nmwgr2qf7ccqh8amiptd.jpg">Installation view of Miniotics at Weatherproof. Courtesy Weatherproof. It’s nearly impossible to pick a favorite piece, because they’re all so different. The three largest pieces warrant a shoutout, however. You can’t miss Tyler Dobson’s giant Minion, a Rothko-esque painting in yellow and blue. Hanging on the ceiling is, American Minion, a vinyl banner with painted Minions and flags by Trinity Bavaria. And then there’s Eve, a bright yellow sculpture of a reclining nude female by New York City artist, and Co-Director of Pop Gun, Karla Zurita. “All materials were found or bought on West Lawrence Ave,” she reveals, “It’s my love letter to Chicago.” Other interesting pieces, in no particular order, are: CJ Shaw’s BANANA FISH, a small oil, graphite, and inkjet print on canvas. David Colosi’s, The Return, a luscious colored pencil drawing of a large group of water-Minions hard at work. Ari Norris’s tiny, understated yellow and blue outlet cover, Minion Outlet. Braden Skelton’s, The Crisis of Nihilism, a Minion cushion holding a plaster face of Nietzsche. The list of hits goes on and on. The gallery is a literal candy store of art. The range of talent is impressive, including the likes of Allegra Harvard, Reece Francis Perkins, and heavy-hitters like Richard Hull and Scott Reeder. There’s something for everyone in this show: video to sculpture to toys to mosaics, and even to…urine.&nbsp; The curators say the artists ‘speak to common experience in Minionese.’ With around 140 artists exhibiting together in such a small space, that’s one loud conversation. So, pop in, and find out how Miniotics speaks to you.&nbsp; Miniotics, on view thru April 13&nbsp;Weatherproof3336 W. Lawrence Ave, Ste. 303, 60625Open Saturdays 1–4pm during shows.<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://weatherproof.zone/" target="_blank">weatherproof.zone</a>Instagram <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/weather_proof/" target="_blank">@weather_proof&nbsp;</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037111/q2wegdzsx9pjycahmixd.jpg">Karla Zurita, Eve (detail), loofah, latex, fruit, photographs, mannequin, Ecuador flag,&nbsp;pikachu, goggles, laserprints. Courtesy Weatherproof. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037111/b46w8dcmrety9szmetg2.jpg">Installation view of Miniotics at Weatherproof. Courtesy Weatherproof. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037112/pznfva4jmco53rtz8lwl.jpg">David Colosi, The Return This article appears in the Spring/Summer 2025 issue of CGN. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">Click here to subscribe</a> and receive the print edition in early April. Subscriptions help support independent print media and Chicago's art community. <h6>Publisher's Note: I met Susan Gescheidle when I first moved to Chicago and started working at&nbsp;Chicago Gallery News&nbsp;in 2002. At the time the CGN office was located around the corner from the River North gallery, called&nbsp;gescheidle,&nbsp;Susan had just opened after working at Lyons Wier Gallery for a time.&nbsp;Susan&nbsp;eventually relocated her gallery to Peoria Street in the burgeoning West Loop, then relocated to Lake Street before closing in the fall of 2008.</h6><h6 class="ql-align-justify"> </h6><h6 class="ql-align-justify">In fall 2024 I ran into Susan again after many years. We chatted about CGN, as well as how Susan had recently found her way back to being immersed in Chicago's gallery scene, in particular visiting the city's smaller, newer spaces. After following her art outings on&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/susangescheidle/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>&nbsp;for a couple months, I asked Susan if she'd ever consider sharing her personal and informal dispatches with CGN readers in order to help spotlight and support these spaces, and she graciously accepted.&nbsp;</h6><h6 class="ql-align-justify"> </h6><h6 class="ql-align-justify">– Ginny Van Alyea</h6>

Landscape survey: What's on in Chicago's Outer Spaces: Miniotics at Weatherproof

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035984/vycdr2jftyu8u3scakyv.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/2025-annual-student-exhibition" target="_blank">2025 Annual Student Exhibition</a>Opening: Thursday, March 20, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PMThe Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035984/xy60nrledi6bltz0mjbb.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/christina-fernandez-multiple-exposures" target="_blank">Christina Fernandez: Multiple Exposures</a>Opening: Thursday, March 20, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMDePaul University Art Museum (DPAM) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035985/o6cuq3mvydwbdqgkfcbx.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/truth-or-dare-a-reality-show" target="_blank">Truth or Dare: A Reality Show</a>Opening: Friday, March 21, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM21c Museum Hotel Chicago <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035986/au1sjqnipixiau9giluo.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/louise-pappageorge-feral-laces-and-off-the-wall-doilies" target="_blank">Louise Pappageorge: Feral Laces And Off the Wall Doilies</a>Opening: Friday, March 21, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMEpiphany Center for the Arts

New Exhibitions Opening March 20 & 21

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035960/kydiko1nurekupxuvejv.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pieces-collage-and-assemblage-from-rams-collection" target="_blank">Pieces: Collage and Assemblage from RAM’s Collection</a>Begins March 12Racine Art Museum <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035960/ixfw1cl6vtgprpjchkg3.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/group-exhibition" target="_blank">Group Exhibition</a>Opening: Friday, March 14, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMRhona Hoffman Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035961/pkh4nvpmldf2g79wec8r.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/new-friends-9th-annual-cranbrook-x-saic-ceramics-exhibition" target="_blank">New Friends: 9th Annual Cranbrook x SAIC Ceramics Exhibition</a>Opening: Friday, Mar 14, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMOld Friends Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035963/osdonbaoghgrfgmosm4c.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pao-houa-her-the-imaginative-landscape" target="_blank">Pao Houa Her: The Imaginative Landscape</a>Begins March 15John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035964/spciowc0fzqhlqvs4zqd.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/farah-salem-uninhibited-people-of-the-earth" target="_blank">Farah Salem: Uninhibited People of the Earth</a>Begins March 15Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC)

New Exhibitions Opening March 12 - 15

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744226099/fofzf351afvcbvrpxusg.jpg"></h4>“Martha and Mary Magdalene,” by Caravaggio, from the Detroit Institute of Arts.Credit: Detroit Institute of Arts/Bridgeman Images <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/arts/design/caravaggio-palazzo-barberini.html" target="_blank">Caravaggio, Baroque’s Bad Boy, Gets a Blockbuster Show in Rome</a></h4> Some 430 years after the Lombard artist Michelangelo Merisi, better known as Caravaggio, swept into Rome to enchant, and land, well-placed patrons with his bold yet intimate artistry, Caravaggio is again grabbing the spotlight, with a blockbuster exhibition at the National Gallery of Ancient Art at Palazzo Barberini. Vis NYT <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/notre-dame-raffles-stones-to-support-religious-heritage-in-france-1234735017/" target="_blank">Notre Dame Raffles Stones to Support Religious Heritage in France</a></h4><h4> </h4>If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of&nbsp;Notre Dame Cathedral&nbsp;in Paris, now is your chance!In an effort to raise funds to support France’s endangered religious landmarks and heritage sites, the medieval Catholic cathedral is raffling off around 50 stones from the iconic building. The stones, which were too badly damaged in the fire to reuse, weigh roughly 800 grams each and have been engraved with the silhouette of the iconic structure’s main façade. Via Artnews <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/dali-inspired-surreal-soiree-trend-2616612" target="_blank">What Is the ‘Salvador Dali Aesthetic’ and Why Is It Trending?</a></h4><h4> </h4>Planning a dinner party to welcome the spring? If you hope to signal to your friends and any new acquaintances that you are up to date with the latest trends, then it’s time to put together a Dalí-inspired “surreal soirée.” According to the social media site Pinterest, this is&nbsp;the&nbsp;most coveted&nbsp;tablescaping look for 2025. Via Artnet <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/03/10/the-big-slowdown-why-museums-and-galleries-are-putting-on-fewer-shows" target="_blank">The big slowdown: why museums and galleries are putting on fewer shows</a></h4> Could the art world be entering its mindful era? After a challenging year in which international galleries, auction houses and museums have been forced to scale back their operations and make redundancies on an alarming scale, what is emerging is a slower, more considered approach to business: longer, more in-depth exhibitions and bespoke events concerned with authentic connection over flashy spectacle. Artists, too, are saying no to gruelling production schedules, while both dealers and collectors are becoming choosier about the art fairs they attend every year. Via the Art Newspaper

What We're Reading: 3/10/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035910/srao8ndpwcrmlzv7lxrr.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/visionary-by-aaron-becker" target="_blank">Visionary by Aaron Becker</a>Opening: Friday, March 7, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PMOliva Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035913/lxrkyx12qebkgxyjmlwd.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/arch-connelly-the-future-reflected-wallworks-19811991" target="_blank">Arch Connelly: The Future Reflected, Wallworks 1981–1991</a>Opening: Friday, March 7, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMCorbett vs. Dempsey <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035913/r6qcgxbgkoz18kzyjsvw.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/nicole-havekost-proliferate" target="_blank">Nicole Havekost: Proliferate&nbsp;</a>Opening: Friday, March 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035914/mxac7bn9vkp4awuz5jhf.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/troy-lee-we-from-the-heavens" target="_blank">Troy Lee: We From the Heavens</a>Opening: Friday, March 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVertical Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035915/hdmaciv2sijg1co2ksfg.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/echoes-and-locations" target="_blank">Echoes and Locations</a>Opening: Friday, March 7, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMVivid Art Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035916/vkflpukg3drnz4vccelx.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/joan-geary-and-rebecca-stahr-echoes-of-earth-and-sky" target="_blank">Joan Geary and Rebecca Stahr: Echoes of Earth and Sky</a>Opening: Friday, March 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMAddington Gallery

New Exhibitions Opening March 7 - 9 (Part I)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035935/q5hbk0wwhvlb7lc7dl3y.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lens-2025" target="_blank">LENS 2025</a>Opening: Saturday, March 8, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035936/fnyn4w3beie0t83dnexl.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jordan-scott-connections" target="_blank">Jordan Scott: Connections</a>Opening: Saturday, March 8, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMKim Storage Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035938/nti7sigwh99znfqzeuv6.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jack-austin-spiritual-journey" target="_blank">Jack Austin | Spiritual Journey</a>Opening: Sunday, March 9, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PMEvanston Art Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035939/eatcncfxqmfqrahy4svo.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/opening-reception-for-mwangi-hutter-you-begin-to-see-the-signs" target="_blank">Mwangi Hutter: You Begin to See the Signs</a>Opening: Saturday, March 8, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMMariane Ibrahim <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035939/n45fs2ndjkksx2k73kk4.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/works-in-progress" target="_blank">Works in Progress</a>Opening: Sunday, March 9, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMSouth Shore Arts

New Exhibitions Opening March 7 - 9 (Part II)

Publisher's Note: I met Susan Gescheidle when I first moved to Chicago and started working at Chicago Gallery News in 2002. At the time the CGN office was located around the corner from the River North gallery, called gescheidle, Susan had just opened after working at Lyons Wier Gallery for a time.&nbsp;Susan eventually relocated her gallery to Peoria Street in the burgeoning West Loop, then relocated to Lake Street before closing in the fall of 2008. Last fall I ran into Susan again after many years. We chatted about CGN, as well as how Susan had recently found her way back to being immersed in Chicago's gallery scene, in particular visiting the city's smaller, newer spaces. After following her art outings on <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/susangescheidle/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for a couple months, I asked Susan if she'd ever consider sharing her personal and informal dispatches with CGN readers in order to help spotlight and support these spaces, and she graciously accepted.&nbsp; – Ginny Van Alyea By SUSAN GESCHEIDLE Imperfectly Perfect: 4 paintings, a photograph, and a video&nbsp;Review of Smuggle: Milo Christie, Ludwig Siegele, and John Smith. Let’s talk about Letters to Nora, a small artist-run gallery on the fourth floor of the Midland Building. Smuggle, their current exhibition featuring work by Milo Christie, Ludwig Siegele, and John Smith, is set in the serene gallery space, and the contemplative atmosphere around the art combines to make the viewing experience even more pleasing. Christie, who is just 24, is an avid reader, poet, and co-director of Weatherproof. For Smuggle Christie teamed up with gallerists Julian Van der Moere and Megan Foy to frame his engaging artist statement that sets the scene for the exhibition. Foy chose references from Jean-Luc Nancy’s book The Fall of Sleep, focusing on memory and dreamland, while Van der Moere steals lines from books that have a relationship to the show in some way, or which Christie simply likes, embellishing with intentional misspellings and substitutions. Christie says he then “played demonic editor in the margins.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741038473/buexqhqruasbf1zhxdfk.jpg">Milo Christie,&nbsp;1781 Personen, 2024, acrylic, charcoal, chalk pastel, gouache, fermented latex paint, wax crayon, india ink,, graphite, conté and plastic trophy part on paper, canvas and linen, 26 x 28 in.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741038474/cdtkj2fpacfl26keyxe4.jpg">Milo Christie,&nbsp;2100 Personen, 2024, acrylic, charcoal, chalk pastel, empty tape on linen, 10 x 8 in. The exhibit primarily consists of four of Christie's paintings, which are joined by two pieces serving as responses to his work. Christie chose one response–a photograph created by his father, Ludwig Siegele, a journalist, and photographer. A video by British avant-garde filmmaker, John Smith, was the second response, selected by the gallerists. The photo and video are quiet, meditative pieces and work well in conjunction with Christie’s calm muted-palette paintings. Christie’s mixed media paintings on canvas and linen are beautifully rendered, and imperfect by design. 1781 Personen, the focal point of the show, has tufts of linen visible on the corners, in Untitled (field) Christie leaves a sliver of unpainted linen around the edges, and Untitled has several nails protruding from the side of the painting. The piece is installed strategically in the front room so you can’t miss seeing the raw side when exiting the main gallery. Christie’s intentional scruffiness brings perfection. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741038475/e6x1yb1q0bin9jw9aymy.jpg">Milo Christie,&nbsp;Untitled (field), 2024, acrylic, charcoal, fermented latex paint, aluminum tape on linen, 18 x 20 in. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741038476/ftgggwwkmysp0yyvekdn.jpg">John Smith,&nbsp;Leading Light, 1975, 11 mins. There are unexpected elements in Christie’s smart paintings that are pleasant surprises. The nursery rhyme and children’s book, I Spy With My Little Eye, comes to mind as I explore each piece. Christie paints tiny peepholes, embeds nails, and in 1781 Personen incorporates a plastic gold trophy on paper, unifying his fondness for sculpture and painting.&nbsp; It's worth noting that Christie is a curator as well, and that influence is evident in the way he and the gallerists present the works. 1781 Personen is intentionally placed off center on a large wall, while the smallest painting, 2100 Personen, is tucked into a back corner like a precious easter egg to be hunted. Then, the monitor for John Smith’s video is hung low to the floor. Each perfect, imperfect installation decision adds interest to Smuggle as a whole and to each work that is part of it, resulting in a curated collaboration best viewed leisurely to explore the numerous complexities the show offers. Smuggle, Milo Christie, Ludwig Siegele, and John Smith is on view at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.letterstonora.com/entry" target="_blank">Letters to Nora</a>, 1500 S. Western Ave, Ste. 407, through April 5, 2025

Susan Gescheidle writes for Chicago Gallery News about a recent visit to Letters to Nora

Imperfectly Perfect: 4 paintings, a photograph, and a video, at Letters to Nora

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037064/jphtk2zbvsybadtshxpq.jpg"> CGN adds to its calendar of art events 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. Events happen throughout the city as well as in the suburbs and within a days 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>• Exhibition Highlights</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037064/joykerxslirjdtiqvl2o.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mwangi-hutter-you-begin-to-see-the-signs" target="_blank">Mwangi Hutter: You Begin to See the Signs</a></h4><h6> </h6>Mar 4–Apr 16, 2025Mariane IbrahimMariane Ibrahim presents an exhibition featuring the artist duo Mwangi Hutter, entitled&nbsp;You Begin to See the Signs. This is the artists' third solo exhibition with the gallery and first in Chicago.The exhibition will be on view in tandem with the group exhibition&nbsp;Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica&nbsp;at the Art Institute Chicago, which includes&nbsp;Static Drift&nbsp;(2001),&nbsp;part of the museum's permanent collection. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037065/new9ybvaq18htgynkjsa.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jill-wells-sewn-from-resistance" target="_blank">Jill Wells: Sewn From Resistance</a></h4> Mar 7–Mar 28, 2025Opening: Friday, Mar 7, 2025 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC GallerySEWN FROM RESISTANCE: Deconstructing Black Disability Narratives in America&nbsp;is a site-specific, multi-sensory installation by Jill Wells that critically examines the intersection of Black and Disability histories within the American context. This work challenges stereotypical portrayals of Black disability identities while celebrating the resilience and resistance embedded within these lived experiences. Through a fusion of installation, painting, sound, and tactile sculpture, Wells engages sensory elements that shape how individuals' access and engage with information.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037066/sxoseudfxbxz6ipbwenz.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/christina-fernandez-multiple-exposures" target="_blank">Christina Fernandez: Multiple Exposures</a></h4> Mar 20–Aug 3, 2025Opening: Thursday, Mar 20, 2025 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMDePaul University Art Museum (DPAM)Christina Fernandez: Multiple Exposures surveys the work of Fernandez, a Los Angeles-based artist who from the late 1980s to the present has conducted a rich exploration of migration, labor, gender, and her Mexican American identity through photography. “Multiple Exposures” will open March 20 and run until Aug. 3 at the museum, located on DePaul University’s Lincoln Park Campus.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037067/ivfxwq3tytqtbzpbprci.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/expanding-the-50th-shared-stories" target="_blank">Expanding the 50th: Shared Stories</a></h4> Mar 25–Jul 13, 2025Opening: Friday, Mar 28, 2025 5:00 PM – 7:30 PMSmart Museum of ArtThis second iteration of the 50th exhibition continues to trace the layered, sometimes hidden, histories that have made up the Smart Museum of Art, including newly commissioned artwork. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037067/rrithpavkzxvcroikofq.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/farah-salem-uninhibited-people-of-the-earth" target="_blank">Farah Salem: Uninhibited People of the Earth</a></h4> Mar 15–Jul 13, 2025Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC)People throughout the Arabian Peninsula are taught to live in relationship with spirits that live beneath the earth called&nbsp;“ahl al ‘arth,”&nbsp;(people of the earth). Kuwaiti-Iraqi artist and art therapist&nbsp;Farah Salem&nbsp;grew up aware of regular interactions with these spirits. The knowledge that we don’t “exist alone, but rather in relationship with plants, rocks, animals, and unseen forces” drives her artistic practice. This exhibition presents new and existing sculpture, photography and installation work that continue the artist’s study and reinterpretation of healing and ceremonial migratory practices of people of the Arabian Peninsula that seek to repair one’s relationship with oneself, the earth, and other beings.&nbsp; <h4>• Auctions and Previews</h4> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037068/jfoc9ntbrge2lkugji2w.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/essential-design" target="_blank">Essential Design</a></h4> Thursday, Mar 13, 2025 11:00 AM – 1:30 PMWrightTwice a year,&nbsp;Essential Design&nbsp;brings an exciting mix of our favorite designs to auction. From classic mid-century works&nbsp;to innovative&nbsp;contemporary pieces, the collection travels the globe to present&nbsp;works&nbsp;at a variety of price points to add something special to any interior. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037069/dgxw06p4fnk2i6cnrzbv.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/important-jewelry" target="_blank">Important Jewelry</a></h4> Thursday, Mar 20, 2025 10:00 AM – 1:00 PMFreeman's | Hindman <h4 class="ql-align-justify">• Talks and Special Events</h4> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037070/nkpn1woq7mr0e7nm8rsr.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/conversation-with-cosmo-whyte-and-jeremiah-matthew-davis" target="_blank">Conversation with Cosmo Whyte and Jeremiah Matthew Davis</a></h4> Saturday, Mar 8, 2025 1–2:00 PMThe Arts Club of ChicagoCoinciding with the citywide celebration of Panafrica Weekend, artist Cosmo Whyte will be in conversation with longtime colleague and director emeritus of Oklahoma Contemporary Jeremiah Matthew Davis. The two will explore the three distinct bodies of work present in&nbsp;The Mother's Tongue, Pressed to the Grinding Stone.&nbsp;From his roots in painting to his experiments in sound art and performance, to his ongoing posthumous collaboration with his father's unrealized architectural designs, the conversation will trace the arc of his artistic practice from Bennington College to The Arts Club of Chicago. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037071/uhhrlbmrwyhooxsel5jz.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lucy-railton" target="_blank">Lucy Railton</a></h4> Saturday, Mar 15, 2025 8–9:00 PMThe Renaissance SocietyBritish cellist and composer Lucy Railton presents a visceral live set drawing on music from her Modern Love release&nbsp;Corner Dancer, bridging experimental electronic and electroacoustic practices with the conventions of new music. Employing a deep consideration of sound and its properties, the work implements cello and antiquated string instruments, analog and digital synthesizers, drum machines and voice, and explores alternate tuning systems, psychoacoustic phenomena, and timbral control. <h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037071/vmf8toroxulvtciz00bg.png"></h1> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/reception-for-altered-states-plastics-transformed" target="_blank">Reception for Altered States: Plastics Transformed</a></h4> Thursday, Mar 27, 2025 4–7:00 PMPistachios Contemporary Art Jewelry and ObjectsWith work from Jennifer Merchant, Emiko Oye and Nikki Couppee, the exhibition features three artists that are transforming plastic into wearable works of art. Plastic is undoubtedly a part of our everyday lives, and is an often overlooked material for jewelry. But this transformation from ordinary to something spectacular calls into question: how do we place value on objects? What is cherished? Each artist has their own unique way of interpreting these questions and reinventing the material by tapping into intuition, with color remaining a key component to the work. # <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">View the full CGN Calendar here</a></h5>

CGN Art Preview: March 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016097/cao4ohhqnklv8enggec5.jpg"> By BIANCA BOVA Inside a classic Chicago walk-up apartment on Logan Boulevard, characterized by warm woodwork, high ceilings, and wavy glass windows offset by thoughtfully selected Italian modernist furnishings,&nbsp;is where Tom Guenther and Kerry Grace Herllihy reside and where an art collection is as telling of its owners’ taste as it is of the city’s.&nbsp; Guenther and Herlihy lived on the West and East Coasts respectively, before settling down together in Logan Square. Guenther is a Full time Preparator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, who has also worked in turns for the Art Institute of Chicago; under the auspices of Terry Dowd International; and for hire at art fairs around the country, in addition to holding posts at various galleries along the way. Herlihy on the other hand, works in tech in Enterprise Customer Solutions.&nbsp; “We have the feeling Chicago is where we're going to stay, and investing in Chicago artists is really important to us,” notes Herlihy, “I've been fortunate. My grandma really turned me onto art when I was young. She was a representative for small artists in Tampa, Florida. My dad was a pilot, so I was able to travel a lot with my family, so collecting for me was about finding art from different places that just felt right at first. But now, I feel like we have more of a focus, and it is a local focus in many ways.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016098/mr2je0eflmvipjf30r7p.jpg"> “I worked as an art assistant when I was still living in Oakland, California,” says Guenther, “and I started collecting little knick-knacks from artists that have come and gone over the years, things by people I worked for or with. But when it came to collecting seriously, I kept thinking, ’Oakland? Am I really gonna be here for forever?’ So I stuck with collecting a lot of books and zines with artists’ signatures, and small, compact sort of works. Like Kerry said, now that we’re here, it feels like we can be a little more ambitious with it.” Guenther then adds with a laugh, “Plus once we moved in together, it was kind of tight that we both had someone to go in on art 50/50 with!”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016100/lorpghwzcfabdwwtwhgo.jpg"> The collection unfolds thoughtfully, (if not densely) throughout the couple’s space. In an especially stunning instance, a Naomi Nakazato acrylic work is suspended from wires in a bespoke frame in front of the windows that look out onto the apartment’s sleeping porch. (“The benefits of living with an art handler!” quips Herlihy). Adjacent, alongside the Saporiti Missoni-upholstered couch, Mexican folk art figurines, and fragments of kiln-blown Theaster Gates pottery, hangs a mirror etched with Monikers and doodles, a playful homage to the couples’ artistic loves.&nbsp; “​​There’s some Cy Twombly in there, all sorts of things. There are titles to Karl Wirsum paintings, and there are some Christina Ramberg drawings hidden too,” Guenther says, “It’s just a fun thing for us–a way to incorporate some of our favorites.” A deep enthusiasm for Chicago’s Imagists is a dominant thread in the collection. In the foyer of the apartment hangs its crown jewel, an Errol Ortiz painting, The Runaway House (1983) the couple acquired from Who Modern in Skokie, Illinois. Part of a larger series of 12 works by the artist, it hangs companionably with two blind-object wire hands that project from the corner wall.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016101/uhctasztmfpiafmfbseq.jpg"> “The Imagists are really where it started for me,” says Guenther, ”About 12 years ago, I was living here in Chicago and working as a bike messenger. I was out in a rainstorm, and I was delivering a letter to a place between Superior and Ohio streets. There was a Zack Wirsum painting hanging in the front of Jean Albano Gallery. I saw it and decided to go in. Jean was there, and she was very welcoming. She started to tell me, ‘This guy's dad was really great. I got some of his paintings in the back that are from the '80s. They were sold in Japan, and I'm gonna show them in the US for the first time ever!’&nbsp;So she brought me to the back and started showing me these Karl Wirsum paintings that hadn't been shown in the States yet. And I just thought that was so cool–the work of course, but also that she did that. Biking around, you see a lot of public art, and I started to notice all the Roger Brown pieces. There's one famous mosaic on LaSalle, the two Angel men, you know, right by the courthouse. NBC Tower had one, and the building next to the Chicago Architecture Center. It all made a real impression on me.” At the entry of the apartment, the front door is flanked on one wall by a work on corrugated metal by graffiti artist Riggs (“It’s a strange one,” notes Guenther, “it has rope that has epoxy on the back–that’s what you hung it from. Of course the rope’s going to dissolve long before the epoxy does.”) and on another by a painting by Chicago artist Jonathan Worcester. The latter was acquired from a 2024 exhibition at Cleaner Gallery.&nbsp; “I really hadn't seen Jonathan's work until we went to the University Club,” Herlihy says, “When I saw that show, I was blown away.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016102/ajukuoyiakzidzku1t6h.jpg">Jonathan Worcester “We’re also big fans of Cleaner, of Ari Norris and Ryan Burns, the owners,” says Guenther, “so when we saw Jonathan’s show there, the next day I texted him about a painting. It’s heavy as hell, but man we got a good one. He’s such a good guy too, I knew him from working at the Art Institute.” “That’s really our ideal situation,” continues Herlihy, “buying a work of art we really love in a way that supports Chicago artists and galleries, who are also just people who we really, genuinely like. We don’t think about market value too much or try to be speculators. I mean of course you want to see the artists you like succeed, but more importantly, you want to believe that something holds value just because we love it so much.”&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016103/dmsulblzeg5qlxuzi55j.jpg"> Around the corner, the kitchen contains a cheeky mix of Juan Palacios paintings, H.C. Westermann photos, and work by Guenther (“I don’t really make much anymore,” he shrugs modestly, “mostly gifts for friends or family.”). Deeper into the apartment, one finds an increasingly eclectic mix–a 1980s ceramic wall piece acquired at auction that was once modified into a clock, Sean Gannon drawings, folk paintings on tin from the Mercado la Venia in Mexico City, a textile piece by Norman Laliberté passed down from Herlihy’s grandmother outfitted with custom cherrywood brackets built by Guenther. Alongside the neo-Imagist and folk aspects, an interest in outsider art is legible in the collection. One such piece that stands out is a framed work of mail art. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1741016104/s1f5ow8dze7gqyeu4ah8.jpg"> “It’s a work by Buzz Blur. He was the Moniker writer Colossus of Roads. We were selling his art at a gallery I worked at in 2015, in the West, called SubTerra that existed for like, six to eight years. He wrote this letter to me, and in it was an alias of his real name, and his brother's age–that’s circled. He handmade and would print these off these stamps, and they would actually go through the mail. It's crazy. He lived on a train line in Arkansas. He writes and also would speak in this kind of poetic, Victorian-esque way. He was so kind. The Massillon Museum in Ohio acquired most of the work from that show. I’m grateful for the letter as a memento,” says Guenther.&nbsp; It is this attitude and approach that leads one to believe that though Guenther and Herlihy’s collection is young (as are they themselves), one can see clearly in their enthusiasm, sincerity, and respect for Chicago’s art historical legacies the wider footprint it is sure to eventually fill out.&nbsp; #

An interview with Chicago art collectors Tom Guenther and Kerry Herlihy

Collector Profile: Tom Guenther and Kerry Herlihy

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743783607/nesmtg1s7kva3h34uvw0.jpg"> Via CGN Staff The Art Institute of Chicago is open on Wednesdays again, starting next week, March 5. Now, the museum will offer access to its expansive collection and landmark exhibitions six days a week.&nbsp;It is still closed on Tuesdays. “The Art Institute is proud to be part of the thriving cultural community in downtown Chicago,” said James Rondeau President and Eloise W. Martin Director of the Art Institute of Chicago. “Our updated schedule demonstrates the museum’s commitment to making our iconic collection more accessible to the city’s residents and visitors from around the world.” The new schedule coincides with the final days of 2025 Free Winter Weekdays, sponsored by Health Care Service Corporate (HCSC), allowing Illinois residents to visit the museum for free on Wednesdays, March 5, and March 12. Free Winter Weekdays offers Illinois residents free admission every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday—all day long until March 14. So if you find yourself in a mid-week slump, you now can stop into the Art Institute to lift your spirits and your mind. Visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/" target="_blank">Artic.edu</a> for details

Six Days a Week: Art Institute of Chicago Announces Wednesday Hours

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036005/quhehwsjtxa7vlmqfkff.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pedro-vaz" target="_blank">Pedro Vaz</a>Opening: Friday, February 28, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMDOCUMENT <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036005/lb0o1au8vjh9jyb2bqxv.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/nicole-gordon-postmemory" target="_blank">Nicole Gordon: Postmemory</a>Opening: Friday, February 28, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PMThe Art Center Highland Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036006/g0bxno5njwrqulnmingg.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/memory-is-a-verb-exploring-time-and-transience" target="_blank">Memory Is a Verb: Exploring Time and Transience</a>Opening: Friday, February 28, 5:30 PM – 8:00 PMThe Art Center Highland Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036007/vwhn9ueduiwyqbn3qzuh.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/bob-hooper" target="_blank">Bob Hooper</a>February 2865GRAND <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036008/nx7kba4wjcgpe6gna0jm.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/sung-jang-shape-of-land" target="_blank">Sung Jang: Shape of Land</a>Opening: Friday, February 28, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVolume Gallery

New Exhibitions Opening February 28th - March 4th (Part 1)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036030/vobtkpg8soiwcmws325x.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/group-exhibition-thats-what-she-said" target="_blank">Group Exhibition: That's What She Said</a>Opening: Friday, February 28, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMJackson Junge Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036031/h7pemrrzepllyquqt2tn.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/shadows" target="_blank">Shadows</a>Opening: Saturday, March 1, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMChicago Sculpture International (CSI) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036032/b7cgnoippgcrtdejinta.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/wakaliga-uganda-if-uganda-was-america" target="_blank">Wakaliga Uganda: If Uganda Was America</a>Opening: Saturday, March 1, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMThe Renaissance Society <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036033/rarrb23dsxwcfk963lnp.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/an-eclectic-expression-iii" target="_blank">An Eclectic Expression - III</a>Opening: Sunday, March 2, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMGallery Seven

New Exhibitions Opening February 28th - March 4th (Part 2)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036054/oovd1lplns5mr0biv1vz.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/radiance" target="_blank">Radiance</a>Opening: Sunday, March 1, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMThe Grove Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036054/xcnxin9iukw4ofcijmd3.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/26th-international-open" target="_blank">26th International Open</a>Opening: Sunday, March 1, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMWoman Made Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036055/jthtab97iteucpknxex8.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/unbounded-territories-where-to-imagine" target="_blank">Unbounded Territories: Where to Imagine</a>Opening: Sunday, March 2, 1:00 – 4:00 PMEvanston Art Center <h1> </h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036056/p3vle5npfjcydj3urcld.png"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/synthesize" target="_blank">Synthesize</a>Exhibition begins March 3Madron Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036056/uj9varhckzhc3z0slksv.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mwangi-hutter-you-begin-to-see-the-signs" target="_blank">Mwangi Hutter: You Begin to See the Signs</a>Exhibition begins March 4Mariane Ibrahim

New Exhibitions Opening February 28th - March 4th (Part 3)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036184/ridhm9tesn8kdz9ywnpo.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA DARKROOM&nbsp;is the Museum of Contemporary Photograph's annual renowned benefit auction featuring premier artworks and one-of-a-kind arts experiences by emerging and established contemporary artists from around the world. It's also a really good party. Taking place on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at Columbia College in Chicago's South Loop, this year's event will once again by a festive night in support of MoCP's important programming. When an event takes place year after year, we want to know what will make this year's event different from the rest. I asked MoCP Director Natasha Egan and this year's DARKROOM co-chairs, Gary Metzner and Scott Johnson what we can expect and look forward to - from great art, an important photography award, and some old-school bidding. <h6>CGN: Tell us what we can expect from this year’s DARKROOM benefit.</h6>Expect to step into an immersive atmosphere where light and color blend, shift, and interact, creating a vibrant, ever-changing experience. Dynamic projections and fluid hues will set the stage for an unforgettable evening of art, community, and celebration—all in support of MoCP. A lively auction will feature stunning photographic works from artists across the globe, alongside fantastic food from The Gage, drinks from Orin Swift and Sovereign Brands, and sweet treats from Pretty Cool and Sugar Bliss—all generously sponsored by our partners. SmartBar’s DJ Alejandro Zerah will keep the night flowing with the perfect mix of beats and atmosphere. Whether you're bidding, mingling, or simply soaking it all in, DARKROOM 2025 promises to be a night you won’t want to miss. <h6>CGN: Why is the museum’s fundraiser more important than ever this year?</h6>The arts are facing some complicated headwinds—funding challenges, shifting priorities, and an ever-evolving cultural landscape. But one thing remains clear: spaces like MoCP are more vital than ever. DARKROOM directly supports the museum’s ability to showcase groundbreaking photography, offer free exhibitions and programs, and champion artists at every stage of their careers. Your support ensures that MoCP continues to be a thriving hub for creativity, conversation, and visual literacy in Chicago and beyond. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036184/au6xg8bdktiyoh1fslss.jpg"> <h6>CGN: I hear clipboards and indecipherable handwriting are back in style. Will I be able to put my phone away at this party?</h6>Absolutely! We’re embracing the old-school thrill of paper bid sheets—so get ready for some dramatic last-minute scribbling and friendly elbowing at the auction. But if you spot something you must have and don’t want to risk a bidding war, you can still snag it instantly with our “Buy It Now” option…on your phone. Otherwise, let’s keep the digital distractions to a minimum—after all, nothing beats the excitement of watching your friends panic as they try to outbid you with a pen! <h6>CGN: What if someone has to miss the big night, but they really want to bid on a work in the auction?</h6>No problem! You can still be part of the action. If you can’t attend in person but have your eye on something special, contact Jaclyn Silverman at jsilverman@colum.edu, and she’ll work with you to place an absentee bid. Or, if you’re the decisive type, you can use the Buy It Now option online—and 25% of the purchase price will be tax-deductible! Don’t miss your chance to take home a stunning work of photography while supporting MoCP. <h6>CGN: Please share a little about this year’s Silver Camera award recipient, Vera Lutter.</h6>Vera Lutter is a visionary artist who quite literally sees the world through a different lens—transforming entire rooms and shipping containers into massive pinhole cameras. Using the camera obscura technique (which, fittingly, translates to darkroom), she creates large-scale, inverted images that challenge our perception of time, space, and memory. She’s a trailblazer in the field of photography, and we are thrilled to honor her with this year’s Silver Camera Award. <h6>CGN: Anything else you’re dying to tell us about DARKROOM 2025?</h6>Yes! If you haven’t yet, get your tickets now—because you won’t want to miss this one. And come ready to celebrate, bid, and maybe even leave with a new piece of photographic history. For all the details on tickets, the auction, and how to participate, visit <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/events/darkroom-2025/" target="_blank">mocp.org/events/darkroom-2025/</a> now! # <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748036185/ncerglobgnvjinze8lpi.png">

MoCP's Darkroom Returns February 27

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1740177620/syvoivokisp1ow92s5be.jpg">Carl Hammer By CGN Staff After four and a half decades in business, Chicago mainstay Carl Hammer is closing his eponymous River North gallery in just a few weeks on April 1, 2025. CGN Publisher Ginny Van Alyea interviewed Hammer this past fall. You can <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/carl-hammer-45-years-of-steady-change" target="_blank">read the interview here</a>. In a shared statement this week, the gallery announced, "The Carl Hammer Gallery will close on April 1, and the current exhibition provides a historic representation of what Hammer envisioned for his gallery forty-five years ago. He opened the Hammer &amp; Hammer Gallery at 620 North Michigan in Chicago in 1979 while maintaining a full-time English teaching position at Evanston Township High School.” His “singular vision for the gallery was to present the very best of American folk and outsider art to a public that had limited knowledge or appreciation of such material. Carl haunted flea markets and antique shops, in and beyond the upper Midwest, becoming known for his discriminating eye, finding extraordinary examples of folk art and material culture.” With the work that he found—”examples of tramp art, memory jugs, objects made by inmates, one-of-a-kind shop signs, sideshow banners, waterfowl decoys and unique handmade objects”—many examples of the folk art were by artists who were unidentified, and others didn’t refer to themselves as artists. Carl represented them all with the utmost respect. The gallery soon became a gathering place for the growing community of Chicagoans intrigued by and embracing art from beyond the mainframe.” Early shows included Bill Traylor, S.L. Jones, Minnie Evans, Frank Jones, and other self-taught artists, but he promoted Chicago’s homegrown talent, including Gregory Warmack (aka Mr. Imagination), Albert Zahn, Joseph Yoakum, Lee Godie, William Dawson, Aldo Piacenza and Lee Godie. In the 1990s Carl represented the Henry Darger estate and expanded beyond the genre of self-taught artists.” He also drew from emerging artists at Chicago art schools, including Hollis Sigler, Ken Warneke, Chris Ware, Fred Stonehouse, Mary Lou Zelazney, ‘CJ’ Pyle, Martin Mull, Vanessa German, David Sharpe and Elizabeth Shreve. The gallery also showed Chicago Imagist artists and work by Roger Brown, Karl Wirsum, Ed Paschke and other Chicago artists. Hammer “extends his heartfelt thanks to the uncountable people–artists, fellow gallerists, clients, critics, curators, educators, scholars and students for their unequivocal support and for sharing in the years and joys of Carl Hammer Gallery.”

Carl Hammer Gallery Announces Closing after 45 Years

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037043/eebwotazz8pnue1rawjq.jpg">Image:&nbsp;Jennifer Armetta, CAB Executive Director. Courtesy Chicago Architecture Biennial. Photo: Noah Sheldon. By CGN Staff Jennifer Armetta, a Chicago-based gallery owner, has just been named the new Executive Director of the Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB). Armetta is well-known in Chicago, since for three decades Armetta she has been actively working with artists, collectors and others in the art world. She founded her first gallery in Chicago in 1996, Jennifer Armetta Fine Art, before moving to Los Angeles in 2000, where she continued her work as an art advisor. In 2004, Armetta returning to Chicago. Around that time she served as one of the founding members of the MCA Chicago’s acquisition board, Emerge, which is dedicated to bringing emerging artists into the museum’s permanent collection. In 2020 Armetta took on the role of Owner and Director of Aspect/Ratio Projects in Chicago, a gallery founded in 2012, by Jefferson Godard. Initially founded as a gallery focused on video art, Armetta oversaw the evolution of its programming to include emerging and mid-career, interdisciplinary artists focused on painting, photography and sculpture. In fall of 2021 Aspect/Ratio Projects changed its name to ENGAGE Projects, highlighting Jennifer’s personal mission of engaging with artists, communities and patrons in order to make art and its community more accessible to everyone. Armetta maintains deep and long-standing ties to the civic, fine arts and business communities in Chicago. She holds a seat on a number of boards, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago; the Chicago Artists Coalition; The Chicago History Museum Costume Council and Artists in Public Schools.&nbsp; As the Executive Director of CAB, Armetta will leverage her extensive and wide-ranging experience working in both the fine arts and corporate sectors as she spearheads fundraising and programming initiatives along with securing new corporate and public sponsorships. Each facet of her role will remain oriented towards both solidifying CAB’s international presence and expanding its impact on and contribution to the city of Chicago. CAB 6 will be open to the public and on view from September 12, 2025 through February 28, 2026. The hub of the Biennial will once again be the Chicago Cultural Center, located in downtown Chicago.&nbsp;To learn more about Jennifer's appointment,&nbsp;please visit CAB's&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(109, 198, 221);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoarchitecturebiennial.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=51d9a79e08fd7f7dbb49c27a6&amp;id=d4f70e5617&amp;e=3dc58ca038" target="_blank">website</a>.

Jennifer Armetta, Chicago-based gallery owner, named Chicago Architecture Biennial (CAB) Exec. Dir.

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035845/y7nvlkjykgilcfdboscq.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/on-fire-part-ii-surveying-women-in-glass-in-the-late-twentieth-century" target="_blank">On Fire Part II: Surveying Women in Glass in the Late-Twentieth Century</a>Exhibition begins February 19Racine Art Museum <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035846/tdd0dlitb3uclzrxu9hv.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/new-works-by-michael-hedges" target="_blank">New Works by Michael Hedges</a>Exhibition begins February 20McCormick Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035847/ibl84phplblfzvgxfhsh.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/alberto-aguilar-a-factual-accont" target="_blank">Alberto Aguilar: a factual accont</a>Opening: Friday, February 21, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMENGAGE Projects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035847/qibaqainshrrwhwxyea3.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pipilotti-rist-supersubjektiv" target="_blank">Pipilotti Rist: Supersubjektiv</a>Exhibition begins February 22Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035849/ocganktn9hqkef8dmzwj.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/picturing-community-stories-in-photographs-with-the-evanston-history-center" target="_blank">Picturing Community: Stories in Photographs | with the Evanston History Center</a>Opening: Sunday, February 23, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PMEvanston Art Center

New Exhibitions Opening February 19 - 23

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748035872/nxnzaaebzkahkxulu0l1.jpg"></h4>Chicago artist Caroline Kent poses for a portrait at her studio in Humboldt Park on Jan. 29, 2025. Kent is the talent behind a large, site-specific mural in Chicago’s Union Station and forthcoming exhibitions at the Smart Museum and Patron Gallery.&nbsp;Manuel Martinez/WBEZ<h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/arts/2025/02/12/chicago-art-caroline-kent-abstract-union-station-mural?utm_source=Newsletter_Weekly-Non-Member&amp;utm_medium=WBEZEmail&amp;utm_campaign=News_Newsletter_Weekly-Rundown_News_20250215&amp;utm_content=2/15/2025&amp;DE=WBEZEmail" target="_blank">Meet artist Caroline Kent, whose bold mural is transforming Chicago’s Union Station</a></h4> Caroline Kent stands in the center of her Humboldt Park home studio, surrounded by works in progress. Along one wall, four massive abstract paintings are partially complete, while smaller linen canvases sit scattered across her worktables. Nearby, adding to the vibrant energy of the space, is a collection of cut-paper shapes: experiments for a new project.But at the moment, Kent, 49, isn’t discussing her to-do list. Instead, she trains her eye on her cat, precariously perched above the studio space atop a partition wall. Via WBEZ Read CGN's fall 2024 profile of Kent <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/caroline-kent-confidence-on-canvas" target="_blank">here</a> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/02/14/art-institute-chicago-french-old-masters-gift-jeffrey-carol-horvitz" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago gifted more than 2,200 French Old Masters</a></h4> The&nbsp;<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 254, 250); color: inherit;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/keywords/art-institute-of-chicago" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago</a>&nbsp;(AIC) has received a massive gift of French art from the collectors Jeffrey and Carol Horvitz. Comprised of almost 2,000 drawings, 200 paintings and 50 sculptures by legendary artists like Jacques-Louis David and François Boucher, the donation reflects the scope and depth of the Horvitz collection, renowned as the largest privately held trove of French Old Master works in the US. Via The Art Newspaper <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/13/artist-s-work-pulses-new-life-after-open-heart-surgery-and-series-hallucinations" target="_blank">Artist’s Work Pulses With New Life After Open-Heart Surgery and a Series of Hallucinations</a></h4> A serious health scare became an unexpected catalyst for change for a Chicago-based artist. While recovering from open-heart surgery in 2021,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(20, 78, 150);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sharcoulson.com/" target="_blank">Shar Coulson</a>&nbsp;experienced trippy visions that ultimately shaped her artwork. The paintings she made are the focus of&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(20, 78, 150);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://imss.org/nightsight-shar-coulson/" target="_blank">“NIGHT SIGHT: Illuminating the Mind’s Eye Through Darkness,”</a>&nbsp;an exhibition at the&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(20, 78, 150);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://imss.org/" target="_blank">International Museum of Surgical Science</a>&nbsp;— the Gold Coast museum of medicine that also boasts a healthy contemporary art program. Coulson spoke with WTTW News about her unusual encounter with the healing powers of art and science. Via WTTW

What We are Reading: 2/18/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037514/qapkblggdd1uxws9qzub.jpg">Gallery view at Griffin MSI By GINNY VAN ALYEA An especially creative and inviting opportunity to visit, or return to, if you haven't been in awhile, the newly renamed Griffin MSI, formerly the Museum of Science and Industry, is to experience an expansive, multi-generational visual arts exhibit that has been displayed annually at Griffin MSI since 1970.&nbsp;Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition&nbsp;features paintings, drawings, fine art prints, sculpture, mixed-media, ceramics and photography by African Americans, including youth artists between the ages of 14 and 17. The exhibition opened earlier this month, and the crowds in attendance on a cold Sunday when I visited with my family, were significant and energetic. Though all the works in this year's exhibition are viewable online, the chance to see them in person and in proximity to other works will only be possible through the end of April. There are works by very young artists and pieces by professional, older artists. abstract works juxtaposed with figurative ones, and serenely lit sculptures encased in acrylic. Each work is also, if available, for sale. The museum's website makes it possible to contact individual artists directly, as well as see which works received <a style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/black-creativity-juried-art-exhibition/awards" target="_blank">awards</a> this year. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037514/xme1qe2dgq2xs4uy3zsl.jpg">Alice Aida AyersLIBATIONSHand sewn quilt, fabric, beads, threads<a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.aliceaida.com/" target="_blank">Artist info</a> The art exhibition is but one part of Griffin MSI's celebration of African American achievement in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics through its Black Creativity program. Black Creativity offers a wide range of targeted, culturally relevant STEAM education programming supported by the Museum’s&nbsp;education initiatives, reaching over 10,000 students, their teachers, and their families in underserved Chicago neighborhoods each year. MSI says it aims to achieve four main goals through the program:<ul><li>Provide exposure for African-American youth to careers, educational pathways, and other opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art and math.</li><li>Deepen students’ engagement with STEAM through hands-on learning.</li><li>Increase access to Griffin MSI and its resources to African-American students and their families.</li><li>Showcase African Americans and their contributions, past and current, to the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.</li></ul> Between now and the end of April, make the trip to visit Griffin MSI to see Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition as well as all the museum has to offer both visitors to the city as well as locals. This exhibition&nbsp;is now open through April 27, 2025 and&nbsp;is included in Museum Entry. Note: On Feb. 15 and March 15 the museum offers an opportunity to enroll young innovators in a one-day&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(254, 80, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://msichicago.emlnk1.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDDV6Gd558v0_5MhORr3XAjjdHzjMY2X5TGJIXL55WtyUy.0OJy23Jzit9vjNYxbHPHJXOe" target="_blank">Curiosity Camp</a>&nbsp;about the trailblazing pilot Bessie Coleman. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037515/xh9vkodfvhz7xa7mb8na.jpg">Kevin WestWhen Sunday ComesOil<a style="color: rgb(136, 136, 136); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://kwestfineart.com/" target="_blank">Artist info</a> ﻿

"Black Creativity" Returns for Annual Viewing at Griffin MSI

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037842/je6uspovotdywj3mj9k0.png">Cynthia Burr By ABBEY KOT Since 2016, Vivid Art Gallery has given the community of Winnetka an opportunity to view and learn about an array of artists and mediums, giving prospective buyers the unique opportunity to further curate their spaces through their selections. This week we discuss the business model and practice with owner and curator, Cynthia Burr.&nbsp; Chicago Gallery News: Vivid Art Gallery offers visitors a unique viewing experience, with multiple artists always on display. How do you feel this model has impacted your visitors’ experiences over the years? Cynthia Burr: Many galleries are located in art districts or tourist areas where customers stroll leisurely and, if they happen to see a piece they like, they buy it.&nbsp;Here on the North Shore, the experience is more intentional.&nbsp;People come in because they are looking for a painting for over the mantle, for example.&nbsp;So if we have only one artist’s work on the walls, the probability that there will be a fit is not great.&nbsp;But with examples of 25 artists’ work hanging in the gallery, there is a better chance that they will find artwork that speaks to them.&nbsp;Having multiple artists’ work hanging in the gallery also exposes people to art that they might not want in their home but that they find interesting and want to learn more about.&nbsp;We represent artists working in oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache, mixed media, thread, scratchboard, lithography, photography, and ceramics.&nbsp;This provides visitors with the opportunity to be educated about many different art forms if they are interested in learning. CGN: A business which offers multiple services also takes strict management of all departments to ensure that customers are receiving the best possible experience. Have there been any challenges or learning experiences that stand out to you when it comes to overseeing numerous aspects of the gallery? CB: Obviously, I had a lot to learn about the art business when I opened the gallery!&nbsp;I think that forming partnerships with key collaborators has been important to making sure that customers have a great experience, from framers to installers to shippers. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037844/harhqu7ptssbdl4orrna.jpg">A view of the gallery CGN: &nbsp;A large part of your mission is to promote community and conversation about art in Chicago’s North Shore Neighborhood. Why do you feel it is so important to foster creativity and a love for the arts? CB: It seems that so many people on the North Shore are uncomfortable walking into a gallery, much less buying art. They don’t feel knowledgeable about art, and that takes them out of their comfort zone.&nbsp;It’s so important to make art accessible, and we have worked hard to create a “safe” place for people to come in, look around, and ask questions.&nbsp;Sometimes they buy, sometimes they don’t, but they will have had an experience that makes them more comfortable going into the next gallery. Our goal is to make art approachable, so that more people will experience it and interact with it.&nbsp;&nbsp; CGN: Have you noticed any overarching themes in your career that you feel have shaped you and your current business practices?&nbsp; CB: Professionalism, personal relationships, and going the extra mile are keys to success in any business.&nbsp; CGN: Your professional background is not in the art world, but rather working with nonprofits and major corporations. Is there any advice you would give to those looking to make a career change into a field that aligns with their passions?&nbsp; CB: Do it!&nbsp;The skills and knowledge that accrue during someone’s career are almost always translatable to their passion. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://vividartgallery.net/" target="_blank">VIVID Gallery</a> is located at 895 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, IL

An interview with local art dealer Cynthia Burr of Vivid Gallery in Winnetka, IL