Expo Chicago has finally arrived and we’re anxious to see the inaugural fair and all that comes with it.  Chicago’s gallery districts will welcome fair visitors and locals alike by extending business hours, hosting special events and receptions this week and weekend.  Take advantage of this exciting time in Chicago by visiting the new fair and the city’s galleries!

Complimentary shuttles will run Thursday, September 20 – Saturday, September 22 during Expo Chicago, making stops at Navy Pier, River North, West Loop and the MCA.  Shuttles will run continuously each day from 2-8pm; please anticipate some wait time at pickup locations.  Shuttles are sponsored by Expo Chicago, the MCA, participating galleries and Chicago Gallery News. 

Shuttle Stops:

• River North Gallery District  (Superior + Franklin: on the hour / half hour)
• West Loop Gallery District  (Fulton Market + Aberdeen;  Peoria + Washington:  15 minutes before  / after hour)
• Expo Chicago / Navy Pier  (Entrance 2: 15 minutes before / after)
• Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)  (220 E. Chicago: on the hour / half hour)     
  

Hours of Operation:

• Thursday, September 20:  Expo Chicago 11am-7pm;  Shuttle 2-8pm
• Friday, September 21:  Expo Chicago 11am-7pm;  Shuttle 2-8pm
• Saturday, September 22:  Expo Chicago 11am-7pm;  Shuttle 2-8pm
• Sunday, September 23: Expo Chicago 12-6pm;  (No shuttle on Sunday)

From 5-8pm on Saturday, September 22, check out the River North Gallery District for art, music, drinks & food in participating galleries and businesses.  Select galleries will also offer extended business hours during the fair.  See the postcard below and contact galleries for more details.

Gallery Weekend Chicago is back for its second year, running September 21-23, offering a range of events, talks and receptions.  Click here for more details and a list of upcoming events.

Within Expo Chicago, there will be a full schedule of programs and events taking place including panel discussions, conversations with leading artists, curators, designers and arts professionals.  Learn more about Expo’s programming here.

It’s almost here…  Chicago’s BIG opening night is just a week away.  Friday, September 7 promises to be a night jam-packed with fresh exhibitions, art and energy – found all over the city.  CGN’s Openings page has over three dozen gallery receptions listed, and there will be even more art-activity buzzing all around the city all night long.

September 7 will be a huge opening night with a ‘back-to-school’ feeling for galleries and art spaces after the summer months, and it’s just the start of a busy art-filled fall here in Chicago.  Later in the month, the city will welcome Expo Chicago to Navy Pier, September 20-23.  Stay tuned for more details on related programming during the fair including complimentary shuttles, special events, receptions and more. 

October is Chicago Artists Month (CAM), and we’re looking forward to this year’s range of events planned city-wide.  The 17^th annual CAM featured artists include Andrew Arvanetes, Hebru Brantley, Brandy Barker, Mary Ellen Croteau, Jim Duignan, Ian Ferguson, Ben Foch + Chelsea Culp, Sergio Gomez, Seana Higgins, Regin Igloria, Preston Jackson, Jeremiah Lee, Victoria Martinez, Anne McNamee, Dobrila Pintar, John Preus, Laura Shaeffer, and Selina Trepp. 

Save the date for two special CGN Saturday Gallery Tours taking place Saturday, October 13.  The River North and West Loop tours are featured CAM events including galleries that will be exhibiting work done by Chicago artists including William Conger, Betty Cleeland, Gladys Nilsson, Casey Gunschel, Brenda Moore, David Reninger and others.  See the full list of CAM events here.   

Also taking place in October is the 23rd International Sculpture Conference: Process, Patron, Public; October 4-6 at the Chicago Cultural Center and at The School of the Art Institue of Chicago.  The Antiques + Modernsim Winnetka show will run October 19-21 at the Winnetka Community House. 

We’ll head back to Navy Pier in November for the 19^th annual SOFA CHICAGO 2012 exposition.  SOFA will run November 2-4 showcasing masterworks of contemporary and modern art and design, sculpture, functional art, outsider, ethnographic, folk and visionary art, in addition to a lecture series, demos, and related programming.  Many galleries will also host opening receptions during the fair, and CGN will once again help coordinate complimentary shuttles to assist fair visitors in more easily exploring the city’s art destinations. 

In addition to these major art events this fall, CGN’s list of openings and art events is full all season long, and we’ll be adding more entries each week.  Browse the Openings and Calendar pages, pick your favorites and add them to your own calendar.  

We’ll see you in the galleries!

Navy Pier, Chicago, IL; View from above

With three weeks until Exposition Chicago debuts at Navy Pier, planned programming and special events continue to build anticipation for the opening of the fair.   

Vernissage kicks it all off on Wednesday, September 19 from 4-9pm.  Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and made possible with support from the MCA Trustees and the Women’s Board, Vernissage is the opening night benefit event that offers a first look at the fair during an evening of food, drinks and entertainment.  For more details and to purchase tickets online, click here.

Expo Chicago will showcase 100 of the top contemporary and modern art galleries from around the world and will be open to the public from Thursday, September 20 – Sunday, September 23.  In addition to the impressive exhibitor list, there are several programming highlights and special events to look forward to, including:

COMPLIMENTARY SHUTTLES, organized by Chicago Gallery News and EXPO Chicago, will run during the fair (Thursday – Saturday) providing transportation between Navy Pier, the MCA, River North and the West Loop.  Shuttles will be provided complimentary as a way for fair visitors to more easily explore Chicago’s art destinations and galleries.  Stay tuned to CGN for more details on shuttle information, receptions, galleries with extended hours and more! 

EXPOSURE exhibitors include an additional twenty young galleries that have been in business up to five years.  Visitors, curators and collectors will have the chance to see fresh, emerging work from Exposure exhibitors.

IN/SITU exhibition spaces will be arranged throughout the fair, providing exhibiting galleries the opportunity to showcase large-scale installations, site-specific and performative works by leading international artists.  Organized by writer and independent curator Michael Ned Holte, IN/SITU will feature work by Robert Barry, Fiona Connor, Theaster Gates, Tony Feher, Roy McMakin, Sarah Rara, Steve Roden and Jan Tichy. Additional pieces by Jaume Plensa, Dzine and Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle will also be on view.

Other special exhibitions and programming will be on view around the show floor from art organizations including the International Sculpture Center, Marwen, Chicago Sculpture Center, The Renaissance Society, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Bad at Sports, the Aperture Foundation, among others. 

DIALOGUES is a series of panel discussions and conversations with leading artists, curators, designers and arts professionals, presented in partnership with The School of the Art Institue of Chicago (SAIC).  Highlights include a talk by art critic Jerry Saltz on Thursday, September 20;  a conversation between artist Sterling Ruby and art advisor Todd Levin on Friday, September 21; a panel discussion between curators Michael Darling (MCA), Lisa Dorin (Art Institute of Chicago) and Dominic Molon (Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis); a conversation between artist Byron Kim and critic / SAIC professor James Elkins.  See the full schedule and more details here. 

EXPO Chicago is produced by Art Expositions, LLC, under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman.  Studio Gang Architects, led by MacArthur Fellow Jeanne Gang, is designing the interior environment for the fair.  For additional details and ticket/visitor info, click here.