By GINNY VAN ALYEA

Catherine Edelman celebrated her eponymous gallery's 30th anniversary on Thursday evening (the official opening date was December 1, 1987). Though Edelman hosted the party, it was her many friends, collectors, artists, past staff members and art world colleagues who came, from near and far, to toast Edelman and the significant role the gallery has played in Chicago and beyond in raising the profile of photography in the art world. Photographer Terry Evans applauded Edelman for having earned the reputation as fair and honest in all areas of her business, particularly when it comes to paying her artists immediately upon any sale through the gallery. 

Edelman opened the gallery at the end of 1987 more or less by accident – first she was a metalsmith major, and then she wanted to be a museum curator once she switched her major to photography – and was soon noted as a top Midwestern gallery devoted to exclusively showing photography. Today the gallery continues its founding mission of exhibiting art by both emerging and veteran artists. Edelman's first show in 1987 was the Ballad of Sexual Dependency by Nan Goldin. The gallery's website notes that 'CEG has shown everything from street photography (Susan Meiselas, Sebastiao Salgado, James Nachtwey) to fashion photography (Annie Leibovitz, Herb Ritts, Matthew Rolston) to traditional landscape images (Michael Kenna, Lynn Geesaman) to social-conscious work (Richard Misrach, Jeffrey Wolin, Terry Evans, Allen Ginsberg) to images created as a springboard for story-telling (Joel-Peter Witkin, Elizabeth Ernst, Dan Estabrook) etc. Recent shows at the gallery include the major exhibition, Sandro Miller: Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich - Homage to photographic masters. The exhibit debuted in Chicago in 2014 and traveled to Los Angeles, Poland, Australia, Germany, Wyoming, France, and Amsterdam.'

Edelman said on Thurdsay night that she doesn't really like getting up in front of a crowd, but she took the occasion to give heartfelt credit to the many people who have supported her over the years, emphasizing the very personal, even familial, nature of the art business. It was clear that she has truly loved working with so many artists and collectors over the years, and that she is also eager to look ahead to the future of the gallery.

Congratulations Cathy! 

Top image courtesy of the gallery: pictured, back row: Julie Blackmon, Elizabeth Ernst, Cathy Edelman, Terry Evans, Jess T. Dugan, Daniel Beltra, Clarissa M. Bonet, Sandro Miller; front row: Ysabel LeMay, Shana Parkeharrison, Douglas Prince