“I feel that in art there are no limits for the creator among any kind of expression. For me, what I am asking in my world is to bring the deepest elements of my existence up to the surface and transfer all the hidden personal codes to bring my personal signature to the universal and global world. As the Ancient Greek philosopher, Heraklitos said, everything is fluid, and as a subscriber to this philosophy, I believe in global logos. It is very important for me to jump from painting to sculpture and from sculpture to music and to any other kind of art in order to find the traces, which will drive me to the global truth. I think that this is a very fundamental reason for someone to live, to exist.”               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 -Kostis Georgiou

In the latest exhibition at Hilton|Asmus Contemporary, Greek sculptor and painter Kostis Georgiou presents Pixels.  The show opened Friday, February 15, welcoming over 200 visitors excited to see some of Georgiou’s work. A pixel is the smallest element of an image that can be illuminated or darkened, and Georgiou’s works fill the gallery with brightly colored paintings and sculptures of simple detail and beautiful forms that boast a vitality that is very welcome in the dreary days of this Chicago February.

 Georgiou, known for his sculptural work in which he creates small figures – on view now at Hilton|Asmus Contemporary – as well as large works that can be up to 9 meters tall- as seen in France’s Peyrassol Vineyards. These simple form sculptures have a fluidity that can only come from the aforementioned global logos- this plan that governs all, passing from one form to another, just as his sculptures pass from one shape to another. With a focus on the simplistic shape Georgiou attempts to represent deep elements of his human existence, while creating works that boast beauty in both movement and form.

 Though known for his sculptures, it was Georgiou’s paintings that first caught my eye. They are brightly colored, with a very surreal and dreamlike sense to them. With thick, quick brushstrokes, moving around the canvas like a dance or song, each painting causes the viewing to travel around the work quickly, still understanding what is represented. Each one tells its own story and calls the viewer to stop and contemplate what the subject is thinking, doing or believing.

 It takes a talented artist to find success in representing his own existence in both painting and sculpture, and Georgiou does so with flair. From his 9 meter tall sculptures, which could easily be found in a large open space such as Millennium Park, to his colorful paintings of subjects swimming under the night moon, Georgiou’s work was able to take me into the artist’s world and I hope you will be able to stop by Hilton|Asmus Contemporary so his work may sweep you up as well.

Hilton|Asmus 

716 N. Wells St.

Chicago, IL 60654

312-475-1788

www.hilton-asmus.com

Below are some photos of Georgiou's work as the gallery.

In my first blog post for this series, I explored the basic definition of what an art consultant is. With this post I’ll discuss the variety of buyers for whom the advisor works and how an art consultant works between the employer and the artist. Though the work can be fairly straightforward, it may change in many aspects when the buyer is a private collector compared to a large business.

The biggest difference between art consultants revolves around the demographic of the buyer. Some advisors work primarily with privately owned and more personal collections, whereas others work mainly with bigger companies to fill office space or build investment portfolios. This means that an art consultant may work for a certain individual wishing to redecorate a house to a large multi-million dollar company wishing to invest in art for an office building.

Starting out on a new job with a private buyer, the advisor first meets with the buyer, learns their likes dislikes, notes their budget and the space in which the buyer hopes to place the art, be it a home, store or office. The advisor will then begin to look for pieces discussed or described that best fit the needs of the client. The consultant can visit auctions and galleries to find artists that fit with what the buyer might like, and then presents that work to the buyer.  A more hands-on client may come along to auctions or meet with artists.

Some larger companies have an in-house art consultant, and others may hire a freelance worker. Either way, it is the advisor’s job to find artworks that are consistent with the company’s mission statement, history, and vision for the future of the company. The works are usually cohesive throughout the office, and there are often large amounts of artwork assembled for a collection.

Here I have covered the range of different employers for whom an art consultant may work as well as a basic schedule of how they communicate with the buyer and the artists. No matter the client of scope of the project, an art consultant’s job is always the same: to work with the buyer to find what fits their needs best. Although I have laid out what an art consultant does, one may still be wondering why someone really needs such advising in the modern art world, but that is a topic you will just have to wait to find out. 

If you’re like me, you have been anxiously anticipating the day that Chicago’s government would take its art and culture more seriously into consideration as vital resources for rejuvenating and revamping the city’s social economy and community. Well, the time has finally come; and it looks like my prayers (and perhaps yours, too) have been thoughtfully acknowledged and answered. Starting in February, Chicago has begun the Chicago Cultural Plan 2012, a process that has taken the intiative to examine the structural set up of arts in Chicago. The plan strives to engage the community in a conversation that addresses building a stronger cultural plan to further enhance the city and its development.

For the first time, since former Mayor Washington’s administration, in over 20 years, current Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Department of Cultural Affairs is asking residents to come together and share thoughts and ideas on strategic methods for action regarding how to best position art and culture in such a way that will strengthen neighborhood community and refocus attention to Chicago as a major art center and attractive destination for the arts. While the last plan in 1986 made some groundbreaking adjustments, such as the renovation of Navy Pier, transformation of downtown’s Randolph Street into a theater district, and created more incentive and opportunities for film projects, a more consistent and contemporary inspection of Chicago’s cultural capital has since been overdue. Much to my own surprise, Chicago impressively holds the 3^rd largest creative economy in the U.S., generating over $2 billion a year, with 24,000 art enterprises, and over 600 non-profit organizations.

This first step could be an exciting and revolutionary transgression to integrating notoriously segregated communities, improving the quality of education and demand for art in schools, and bringing vibrancy to both thriving and still developing areas in Chicago. As a creative thinker and avid participant in art and art-making here in Chicago, I, for one, am most enthusiastic and looking forward to the growth and improvement of my home city. I find it especially encouraging that the people of Chicago are continuing to be persistent with voicing and expressing their opinions and concerns for what's happening in their own backyards. 

Below I’ve listed the next few upcoming meetings with Chicago Cultural Plan: 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Douglas Park - Field House
1401 S. Sacramento Dr.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012
4:00 - 5:00 PM Student Conversation
6:00 - 8:00 PM Community Conversation
DePaul University
Lincoln Park Student Center LPSC Room 120 B
2250 North Sheffield Ave.

Thursday, March 15, 2012
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Austin Town Hall Park
5610 W. Lake St.

To become a part of these fundamentally crucial conversations, visit the Chicago Cultural Plan’s website and reserve yourself (and a friend!) a ticket.
I just reserved mine.
All events are free of admission.
http://www.chicagoculturalplan2012.com

As we promised CGN is here to update you on the next batch of “don’t miss” events in honor of Chicago Artists Month. The events got off to a great start on September 30^th during a weekend packed with opening exhibitions, artwalks, open houses, and much more. Theres something about excess when it comes to art events that just gets everyone excited to be out there and squeezed into the same space with other gallery hoppers.... So, the offerings continue, and it’s already week two. Since we’re trying to be helpful, we thought that highlighting a few opportunities would be key in scheduling your art-filled week. More events will be added regularly.

October 9-16:

Open Studios

• Fine Arts Building – Michigan Ave.

Chicago Artists Month offers great opportunities to visit with and explore the works of local artists, which is what the celebration is all about. An open studio is an intimate invitation for art viewers to step into an artist’s creative space and look at art with the creator, which is always an enlightening experience. The Fine Arts Building on S. Michigan Ave. is a landmark for local artists, and it is one of the last remaining spaces that was built with the intention to be for working artists. The ornate columns and murals throughout offer a nostalgic setting and a great environment for artists. The Fine Arts Building hosts an event every Second Friday of the month, and this Friday, October 14 is no exception. This is a great excuse to visit the historical building and view over 60 local artists works. Second Fridays offers art, theatre, and music and is held from 4:30 to 9:30 pm.

• Lacuna Artist Lofts – Pilsen East

Lacuna Artist Loft Studios is relatively new on the scene, and it is located in the Pilsen Art District. The building houses numerous commercial and artists’ studios in what was once the world’s largest macaroni factory. On October 14 from 3:00 pm to Midnight come to Collaborative Connection, an all-building open studio event. Also, from 6-10pm Hebru Brantley, CGN’s featured artist for the fall issue, is also having an exhibition, Yesterday’s Losers, featuring new works (studio 4A-9). At the open house there are 150+ participants, and the spectacular roof deck with a breathtaking view of downtown from this historic industrial spot is a don’t-miss. There will be live music, DJs, refreshments and snacks as well. Start your Friday off in Pilsen with this great chance to see inside this dynamic community of working artists. 

• Hubbard Open House – West Town

On Friday, October 14, from 6 pm-midnight the doors to 1821 Hubbard Street Lofts will be open.  This is an unusual building, located just west of River North and the West Loop.  Enjoy (free) Drinks, food and music as you tour the steel-lined halls, discovering the magic that happens daily in this seemingly quiet building. Participating in the event are: Platform Studios, Spudnik Press, Saverio Truglia, Doug Fogelson, The Post Family, Gerda Meyer Bernstein, Tsubo Salon, Robyn Rachel Photography and Footworks Shoetique.

Artwalks and Tours

• Pilsen Open Studios:

This last gasp of warm weather cannot be taken for granted, so hit the streets and enjoy the artwalks and tours offered during CAM. 18^th Street Pilsen Open Studios is an amazing artist-run art walk that is held on Saturday October 15 from 12-6 pm and offers a family-friendly celebration of art. The Pilsen community and artists open their arms in this 9^th annual event, and from trolley rides to mural tours, there is an activity for everyone.

• Bronzeville Trolley Tour

Also on October 15 from 6-9pm The Bronzeville Trolley Tour will be holding its last seasonal open trolley to embark on a journey of visiting 6 different galleries, running continuously throughout the night and allowing you to explore at your own pace. The six galleries include Blanc Gallery, The DuSable Museum, Faie African Art Gallery, Gallery Guichard, Little Black Pearl, and South Side Community Art Center. Admission is free, so don’t miss this chance to tour around the Bronzeville Art District.

Presentations and More

On Tuesday October 11 Lillstreet Art Center is hosting A Brand New Artists Talk: Where are Today’s Rural American Artists? at 6pm. This lecture, by rural artist and farmer Dan Brinkmeier, talks about functions of art in the 1930s and how we are faced with similar challenges in today’s world. Artist’s like historians show the reality of how people live in rural America and the social changes that occur. Go to this lecture to learn more about these issues.

Enjoy and stay tuned for more updates!

If you see this post it means that BlogEngine.NET 1.6.0 is running and the hard part of creating your own blog is done. There is only a few things left to do.

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