<h5><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745340252/smbitqoxu9j8cyp25hyb.jpg"></h5>From left: Rhona Hoffman Gallery's final exhibition in West Town; Huguette Caland:&nbsp;Bribes de corps&nbsp;at the Arts Club, and Barely Fair. <h5>By CGN Staff</h5> <h5>EXPO CHICAGO returns to Navy Pier on April 24, and while there will be a great deal of attention on all that happens on-site at the fair, there is a lot happening throughout the city. Openings coincide with EXPO Art Week, with many exhibitions continuing long after the fair has ended. Following are some highlights, from museum re-openings to major institutional exhibitions, and of course, parties! </h5><h5> </h5><h5>For full details about all EXPO Art Week programs click <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/programs/expo-art-week-2025" target="_blank">here</a> or view the full CGN calendar <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">here</a>.</h5> __________________________________________________________________ <h3>﻿April 23 –&nbsp;May 11 – <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.barelyfair.com/" target="_blank">Barely Fair</a></h3> 2025 marks the 5th iteration of the fair, with organizers returning to the white cube&nbsp;from which the fair originated. In 2019, BARELY FAIR first exhibited inside the Julius Caesar artist-run project space, and in 2025 the fair returns to JC as host to the fair. As a result of the smaller venue, BF is focusing on creating intimate experiences with miniature contemporary art. As a result, all visitation is ticketed, and&nbsp;tickets are limited (and must be purchased in advance via ARTSVP.) Visitation is spread across 3 ticket tiers: General Admission: $10, VIP NIGHTS: $60, Extended Exhibition: $5 General Admission: APR 23-27, 11AM - 4PM. Extended Exhibition: May 3-11, 12PM - 5PM <h3>﻿April 23 –&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://renaissancesociety.org/events/1384/renben-2025/" target="_blank">RenBen 2025 by Meriem Bennani</a></h3> RenBen is the Renaissance Society’s annual gala which raises a significant portion of the museum’s annual budget, enabling new artistic commissions, scholarly discourse, and lasting publications. The 2025 edition is shaped by the vision of Meriem Bennani. Known for her sharp humor, resourcefulness, and ability to blend the absurd with the deeply human, Bennani is the latest artist to lead the Renaissance Society’s tradition of artist-conceived galas, following the bold propositions of Piero Golia (2022), Adam Linder (2023), and Kevin Beasley (2024). This year, Bennani’s playful yet incisive approach will transform Vertiport Chicago—a working commercial helicopter facility—into an unexpected gathering space. Note: the event is sold out, but it usually aligns with EXPO Art Week, so take note for next year if you don't have a ticket! <h3> </h3><h3>April 25 –&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/event/expo-chicago-presents-art-after-hours" target="_blank">Art After Hours</a></h3> Art After Hours is an annual EXPO event in support of local galleries. AAH takes place across the city on the Friday evening of EXPO ART WEEK (April 25), and features extended hours at contemporary art galleries, as well as special programming, including opening receptions, artist talks, late nights and more.&nbsp;Full details are&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/event/expo-chicago-presents-art-after-hours" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp; <h3>April 25 – <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://flourishartaccelerator.com/" target="_blank">Flourish Fine Art Accelerator Party at the MCA</a></h3> Join a party with a purpose as Flourish Fine Art Accelerator honors the 2025 Flourish Fellows and celebrates the impact of their contributions to shaping the future of contemporary art. This vibrant celebration of creativity, inspiration, and community is Flourish's annual fundraiser, intentionally designed to connect EXPO Creatives, local leaders in the visual arts community, and collectors, fostering meaningful relationships that drive the arts forward and accelerate diverse creatives. Funds raised will support Flourish's bi-annual goal of $150,000, providing essential grants and programming for local artists and curators. April 25, 7-10pm, at the Museum of Contemporary Art <h3>April 25 – <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.svngrn.org/" target="_blank">Opening of new art center SVNGRN</a></h3> SVNGRN is a new art center in Chicago's Fulton Market District.&nbsp;Its inaugural exhibition,&nbsp;Conversations in Color, opens Friday, April 25 from 6-9 PM at 310 N Peoria St as part of EXPO CHICAGO's Art After Hours. The exhibition&nbsp;features a global group of artists using color as a tool for dialogue—telling stories, expressing identity, and engaging with culture, memory, and emotion. <h3>﻿April 26 –&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/grand-reimagining" target="_blank">Celebratory Opening of Intuit Art Museum</a></h3> The newly renamed Intuit Art Museum also has a newly expanded 18,000 square foot home, reimagined in space and spirit. IAM will offer a more expansive experience in self-taught, outsider and intuitive art. On Saturday, April 26 a big celebration will offer a festive chance to mingle with fellow art enthusiasts, enjoy delicious bites, spirited libations and a special performance by the Grammy-nominated Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, followed by a lively After Party with DJ and dancing. On April 25 there is a <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/public-preview-catalyst-immigration-and-self-taught-art-in-chicago" target="_blank">public preview</a> of Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-taught Art in Chicago,&nbsp;the first exhibition to open in Intuit’s newly-renovated museum. This the first major exhibition to focus on the importance of immigration and migration in the genre of self-taught art.&nbsp; <h3>﻿April 27 –&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://randolphstreetmarket.com/schedule/" target="_blank">Modern Vintage Chicago </a></h3> Hosted by Randolph Street Market at the Ravenswood Event Center, this indoor market offers a chance to see and shop a stunning selection of vintage clothing, jewelry, furniture, handbags and accessories from 1890’s-2000’s as well as global goods, decorative arts, vinyl and more! Sunday, 10am–5pm _______________________________________________________________________ <h3>And also on view, or ending soon:</h3> <h3>At Rhona Hoffman Gallery: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/not-just-a-pretty-picture" target="_blank">Not Just A Pretty Picture</a></h3> After nearly 50 years in the gallery world, Not Just a Pretty Picture&nbsp;is&nbsp;Rhona Hoffman Gallery's&nbsp;final exhibition&nbsp;in&nbsp;their&nbsp;West Town space.&nbsp;This group show includes drawings, assemblage, sculpture, prints, and paintings by established artists Giovanni Anselmo, Susan&nbsp;Hefuna, Sol LeWitt, Gordon Matta-Clark, Sylvia Mangold,&nbsp;Martin Puryear,&nbsp;Edda Renouf, Richard Tuttle, and Gunter Umberg.&nbsp;This exhibition&nbsp;displays Gallerist Rhona&nbsp;Hoffman's depth as a curator in&nbsp;its&nbsp;appreciation for the artist's exploration of materiality, process, concept, and inquiry into the human condition.&nbsp; Thru April 26 <h3>At the South Side Community Art Center:</h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sscartcenter.org/event/beyond-frames-black-women-collectors-shaping-cultural-heritage-in-chicago/" target="_blank">Beyond Frames: Black Women Collectors Shaping Cultural Heritage in Chicago</a></h3> This exhibition highlights a trailblazing group of Black women collectors in Chicago, exploring their practices through care, memory work, and cultural heritage preservation. “Beyond Frames” celebrates an intergenerational group of women who continue this legacy today. Viewers can experience artworks from the personal collections of fourteen different Chicago collectors Thru April 26 <h3> </h3><h3>At the Art Institute: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10397/frida-kahlo-s-month-in-paris-a-friendship-with-mary-reynolds" target="_blank">Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship with Mary Reynolds</a></h3> Unveiling Frida Kahlo’s work for the first time in the Art Institute galleries, this exhibition focuses on the celebrated Mexican artist’s first and only trip to Europe and her brief yet pivotal encounter with Mary Reynolds, an American avant-garde bookbinder who stood at the center of a rich Parisian artistic community. Thru July 13 <h3> </h3><h3>At the Arts Club: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/huguette-caland-bribes-de-corps" target="_blank">Huguette Caland Bribes de Corps</a></h3> Huguette Caland:&nbsp;Bribes de corps&nbsp;presents painted works by the Lebanese artist whose life and career traversed decades, continents, and media, defying both aesthetic and social conventions of her time and place. Bringing together a significant corpus of works that have rarely been seen together, the exhibition focuses on the body of work that Caland produced while living in Paris in the 1970s, the&nbsp;Bribes de corps&nbsp;[“Body Bits”] and constitutes the largest presentation of the series to date. Thru August 2 <h3>At the MCA: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/wafaa-bilal-indulge-me" target="_blank">Wafaa Bilal: Indulge Me</a></h3> Indulge Me&nbsp;is a major survey of renowned artist Wafaa Bilal (b. 1966, Najaf, Iraq; lives in New York, NY). Crucially, the exhibition takes a comprehensive look at Bilal’s myriad practice, highlighting the development of his work across decades and placing it in conversation with broader art histories. It will also explore cultural cannibalism—that is, how culture (specifically the culture of the other) is used, disassembled, and consumed. Working in performance, sculpture, and with online and interactive technologies, Bilal’s interdisciplinary practice investigates the dynamic between international and interpersonal politics while highlighting the tension between the United States, which he has deemed the “comfort zone,” and the “conflict zone” of Iraq.&nbsp; Thru October 25

A summary of exhibitions and events taking place in Chicago during EXPO Art Week 2025

EXPO Art Week 2025: Parties and Exhibitions Beyond the Fair

This year's&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPO CHICAGO</a>&nbsp;features more than 200 galleries and exhibiting organizations from around the world – from London to&nbsp;Johannesburg&nbsp;to Seoul, and of course Chicago. Many notable exhibiting galleries operate close to home all year round, and in recognition of the special programming that these Chicago and regional galleries are exhibiting this weekend, we are sharing a wrap–up of what they are showing at EXPO. Many spaces are presenting special exhibitions and exclusive editions that are available for the first time at EXPO CHICAGO 2025. The details below include information available as of press-time, so we will make updates as we are able in an effort not to leave anyone out. A list of regional exhibiting spaces not yet mentioned in CGN's previews is also included at the end. We will be sharing visual updates from the fair all weekend long via Instagram. Please double check booth details as you are able with an on-site map.&nbsp; See you at the fair! – CGN Staff <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745253575/qnzxmfnptg7iwe5to1v7.jpg">Mary Abbott, Untitled, n.d., gouache on paper, 17 x 14 inches, signed at lower right; estate stamped verso <h3> </h3><h3>McCormick Gallery</h3> Booth # 235 20 years ago the gallery organized a touring museum exhibition called&nbsp;Suitcase Paintings: Small Scale Abstract Expressionism&nbsp;in partnership with the Georgia Museum of Art. The exhibition was comprised of 58 works by 51 artists and traveled for two years to six museums. None of the work was for sale with much of it on loan. Afterwards the gallery sold a few pieces but most were either retuned to the owner or tucked away, not for sale. The idea of a redux of the show, but in Chicago this time, has been bouncing around Tom McCormick's head for several years and with the gallery's recent move to a new gallery location, it seemed the right time to take the plunge with&nbsp;Small Pleasures – Suitcase Paintings Redux. Many of the works are being offered for sale for the first time. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745253575/sq5vk7xsyzabrvvhbtdu.png">Victoria Fu <h3>DOCUMENT</h3> Booth #324 DOCUMENT will present recent works by&nbsp;Alexandra Barth&nbsp;(b. 1989, Malacky, Slovakia),&nbsp;Raul Ortiz Bonilla&nbsp;(b. 1955, Puerto Rico),&nbsp;Julien Creuzet&nbsp;(b. 1986, Paris, France),&nbsp;Anneke Eussen&nbsp;(b. 1978, Kerkrade, The Netherlands),&nbsp;Victoria Fu&nbsp;(b. 1978, Santa Monica, CA),&nbsp;Laura Letinsky&nbsp;(b. 1962, Winnipeg, Canada),&nbsp;Faheem Majeed&nbsp;(b. 1976, Chicago, IL),&nbsp;Sara Greenberger Rafferty&nbsp;(b. 1978, Evanston, IL),&nbsp;Paul Mpagi Sepuya&nbsp;(b. 1982, San Bernardino, CA),&nbsp;Kazuhito Tanaka&nbsp;(b. 1973, Saitama, Japan),&nbsp;Pedro Vaz&nbsp;(b. Maputo, Mozambique, 1977), and&nbsp;Claude Viallat&nbsp;(b. 1936, Nîmes, France). As part of the fair’s IN/SITU program, curated by Jessica S. Hong, the installation&nbsp;Beta&nbsp;(2019) by artist collective&nbsp;Tromarama&nbsp;(est. 2006, Bandung, Indonesia) will be on view at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745253576/gjsvfesaoibvzzmauyth.jpg"> <h3>Secrist | Beach</h3> Booth #104 The SECRIST | BEACH booth at EXPO 2025 will feature two curated presentations, the first of which will be shown in conjunction with the gallery's current exhibition on view in West Town, Master Class: Inside the Last American Museum School with SAIC Painting Alumni. The second portion of booth will reflect on&nbsp;the gallery's inaugural year at their 10,000 square foot space and will reveal upcoming exhibitions at 1801 W Hubbard Street. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745253578/uarm2hqp2vx94ljlxkgr.png">Edra Soto <h3>ENGAGE Projects</h3> Booth #241 The gallery will be exhibiting work by several gallery artists during EXPO Art Week. ENGAGE will have a PROFILE booth featuring the work of Edra Soto, while Adam Daley Wilson's art is featured as part of EXPO OVERRIDE, a project that exhibits contemporary art on billboards around the city. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745253579/x1a0w05ihonzpycunfth.jpg">Ashkon Haidari, The Green Lady, 2023 <h3>POVOS</h3> Booth #241 Povos will be featuring new works from represented artist Ashkon Haidari and introducing Angela Ferrari, who has a forthcoming solo presentation with the gallery in November 2025. <h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745253580/cufhyzv1ca68qwtw3cxf.png"></h3>Kumi Obata,&nbsp;After Low Air Pressure Left, etching <h3>Chicago Printmakers Collaborative</h3> Booth #355 CPC is represented in EXPO's Edition + Books Section. This year, CPC will feature a "printstallation" by Raeleen Kao, a piece that will be debuted on Opening Day (she will create it during the two days prior), because nothing says printmaking more than a giant REVEAL. Made from hand cut etchings and woodcuts, drawings, wax and paper casts,&nbsp;CRAWL SPACE&nbsp;is described by the artist as "the unraveling of a body burgeoning from a swollen wound". Also featured:&nbsp;brand new etchings byTony Fitzpatrick, created in the past year at the CPC with Master Printer Duffy O'Connor, along with gorgeous, whimsical intaglio prints by Kumi Obata. The print racks will be full of affordable works by gallery artists, and if last year was any indication, the booth will be hopping. Booth 355 is located on the west end of the Festival Hall, right by the West Cafe, so grab a glass and a cheese cube and come say hello and feast your eyeballs on some of the most interesting and beautiful hand made prints in the known galaxy. # <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/what-galleries-are-bringing-to-expo-chicago-2025-part-1" target="_blank">Read Part I of What Chicago Galleries are Bringing to EXPO 2025</a></h3> <h3>Additional Chicago-based and regional galleries exhibiting at EXPO CHICAGO 2025</h3> <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lesenluminures.com/" target="_blank">Les Enluminures</a>, Chicago, New York, Paris&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.rhoffmangallery.com/" target="_blank">Rhona Hoffman Gallery</a>, Chicago <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.65grand.com/" target="_blank">65GRAND</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://anthonygallery.com/" target="_blank">Anthony Gallery</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://goldfinch-gallery.com/" target="_blank">Goldfinch</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.omenaigallery.com/" target="_blank">Omenai Gallery</a>, Chicago&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.flbfineart.com/" target="_blank">F.L. Braswell Fine Art</a>, Chicago, Lakeside&nbsp;(Editions + Books)<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bgfa.us/" target="_blank">Bert Green Fine Art</a>, Chicago&nbsp;(Editions + Books) Special Exhibitions <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.6018north.org/" target="_blank">6018North</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artistsinpublicschools.org/" target="_blank">Artists in Public Schools</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsoflife.org/" target="_blank">Arts of Life / Circle Contemporary</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blancchicago.com/" target="_blank">Blanc Gallery</a>&nbsp;+&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sscartcenter.org/" target="_blank">South Side Community Art Center</a>,&nbsp;Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.centerfornativefutures.org/" target="_blank">Center for Native Futures</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Architecture Biennial</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoartistscoalition.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Artists Coalition</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.msichicago.org/" target="_blank">Griffin Museum of Science and Industry</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.projectonward.org/" target="_blank">Project Onward</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.saic.edu/" target="_blank">School of the Art Institute of Chicago</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://dova.uchicago.edu/" target="_blank">University of Chicago</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org/" target="_blank">Wrightwood 659</a>, Chicago&nbsp;

What Galleries Are Bringing to EXPO CHICAGO 2025: Part II

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744924994/wpf2o9qxpe1qy42bbb6i.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mikey-mosher-crossroads" target="_blank">Mikey Mosher: Crossroad</a>Opening: Saturday, April 19, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMBert Green Fine Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744925003/hlbnogjzwg1dynxfwtbh.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/symbiotic-struggles-lichen-and-coral" target="_blank">Symbiotic Struggles: Lichen and Coral</a>Opening: Saturday, April 19, 12:00 AM – 4:00 PMUkrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744925005/oztlyevb0twpfek15kga.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/master-class-inside-the-last-american-museum-school-with-saic-painting-alumni" target="_blank">Master Class: Inside the Last American Museum School with SAIC Painting Alumni&nbsp;</a>Opening: Saturday, April 19, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSecrist | Beach <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744925007/czmeeqrt8blvmbtiwc2q.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/yasmin-spiro-cornerstone" target="_blank">Yasmin Spiro: Cornerstone</a>Opening: Saturday, April 19, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PMHyde Park Art Center (HPAC)

New Exhibitions: April 19

This year's&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPO CHICAGO</a>&nbsp;features more than 200 galleries and exhibiting organizations from around the world – from London to Johannesburg to Seoul, and of course Chicago. Many notable exhibiting galleries operate close to home all year round, and in recognition of the special programming that these Chicago and regional galleries are exhibiting this weekend, we are sharing a wrap–up of what they are showing at EXPO. Many spaces are presenting special exhibitions and exclusive editions that are available for the first time at EXPO CHICAGO 2025. The details below include information available as of press-time, so we will make updates as we are able in an effort not to leave anyone out. A full list of regional exhibiting spaces is also included at the end. We will be sharing visual updates from the fair all weekend long via Instagram. Please double check booth details as you are able with an on-site map.&nbsp; See you at the fair! – CGN Staff <h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342606/ihw8fmcudqwziddmybxh.jpg"></h4>Roy Lewis,&nbsp;Man and Boat in Lagos Harbor, 1977<h4> </h4><h3>GRAY</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #204 GRAY is participating in EXPO's CONTRAST sector, with selections from&nbsp;So Be It! Asé! Photographic Echoes of FESTAC ’77, an exhibition curated by Chicago-based art historian Romi Crawford. This presentation unveils visual documentation of one of the most significant, yet lesser known, cultural events of the twentieth century: the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, held in Lagos, Nigeria. Known as FESTAC, the 1977 Pan-African festival and convening, brought together around 17,000 artists from African countries and Black diaspora communities across the world. GRAY’s EXPO Chicago exhibition features photographs by Roy Lewis, Bob Crawford, and K. Kofi Moyo, three members of the United States delegation to FESTAC. CONTRAST is a new section of galleries and artist presentations for the 2025 edition of EXPO CHICAGO. The inaugural section will be curated by Lauren Haynes, Head Curator, Governors Island Arts and Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island. <h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342607/lxo2qsxhg7ditxyuuljv.jpg"></h4><h4> </h4><h3>moniquemeloche</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #305 moniquemeloche presents a selection of works by&nbsp;Luke Agada,&nbsp;Candida Alvarez, Sanford Biggers, Brendan Fernandes, Ebony G. Patterson, Maia Cruz Palileo, Cheryl Pope,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Arvie Smith&nbsp;— artists who engage history, identity, and cultural narratives. Through sculpture, painting, installation, textile, and performance-based media, the works on view explore themes of memory, visibility, and transformation. Presented in conjunction with moniquemeloche’s 25th anniversary exhibition at the gallery, the booth showcases the broad spectrum of practices championed by the gallery, all of which are united by the desire to disrupt and challenge, both formally and conceptually. The gallery is also celebrating 25 years this year. ﻿ <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342608/lf4plaj7pukod5choviw.jpg">Florence Solis,&nbsp;Makahiya VII, 2025, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 36 in&nbsp; <h3>THE MISSION PROJECTS</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #108 THE MISSION PROJECTS&nbsp;presents an EXPOSURE booth at EXPO featuring new paintings by Filipino-Canadian artist Florence Solis (b. 1988). A self-taught artist and professional designer, Solis’s practice explores the complex intersections of womanhood, identity, and cultural heritage. Working through a process of digital collage translated into acrylic on canvas, she delves into the emotional and mental transformations that have shaped her, particularly her experiences as a mother and person of color. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342609/puzl89ro706oqviy1iyn.jpg"> <h3>MCA x Hebru Brantley</h3> The Museum of Contemporary Art's exclusive Hebru Brantley x MCA Store Collection features limited edition prints and exclusive apparel, and the collection drops first at EXPO Chicago on April 24—only at the MCA Store booth. Remaining pieces will be made available online at 11 am CST April 25, while supplies last. Hebru Brantley creates narrative-driven work revolving around his conceptualized iconic characters. Brantley utilizes these characters to address complex ideas around nostalgia, the mental psyche, power, and hope. The color palettes, pop-art motifs and characters themselves create accessibility around his layered and multifaceted ideas. Brantley works in a plethora of mediums and his art challenges the traditional view of the hero or protagonist. Through his characters, Brantley seeks to reassess contemporary culture and mythology through the lens of Afrofuturism. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342609/zfverrlnbcx8chfsj1kx.jpg">SOO SHIN, We, Dandelions (A lift), 2024, Brass, steel, 61 1/2" x 16" x 19 1/2" (detail)&nbsp;<h4> </h4><h3>PATRON</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #109 For the 2025 edition of EXPO Chicago, PATRON will exhibit a solo presentation with Chicago-based artist Soo Shin. Shin’s conceptual, sculptural practice examines universal experiences of displacement, connection, and belonging, often using the perimeters and gestures of her own body to realize abstract ideas of distance and place. Originally from South Korea, Shin draws upon her personal journey of migration and connectedness, to inform a materially driven, poetic sculptural practice. Utilizing ceramic, brass, concrete, wood, seawater, and other materials drawn from personal experience, Shin has developed a visual vocabulary that connects what is deeply human to the natural world. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342611/rqjzbqjcqezbxknnifr0.jpg">Diane Simpson,&nbsp;Armour Pattern #2,&nbsp;1975,&nbsp;collagraph print,&nbsp;35 x 30 1/2 inches,&nbsp;signed and dated recto,&nbsp;edition 2/6.&nbsp; <h3>Corbett vs. Dempsey</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #230 Corbett vs. Dempsey presents a solo booth featuring a selection of historical prints by Diane Simpson. Created over a period from the mid 1970s to the early 1980s, most of these extraordinary works on paper have never been exhibited. Deploying various techniques including collagraphy and collage, the works' images consist of some of the same types of forms Simpson would explore over the subsequent five decades: architectural shapes and ideas drawn from women's clothing. The earliest prints are uncommonly vivid, later ones more subdued, in browns, blue, and grey tones. Made in tiny editions, some in fact unique, these printworks allude directly to the artist's work in three dimensions; one of them was designed to be cut out and folded into a kind of origami sculpture. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342612/tgsbtivyrzmjm96k06ys.png">Left: Edie Fake, Two of Wands (Facing), 2025. Right: Edie Fake, Two Of Wands (Future), 2025 <h3>Manneken Press</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #472 This will be Manneken’s sixth time exhibiting at EXPO, participating as part of&nbsp;Editions + Books, a distinct gallery section which features artist books, editions and multiples. Manneken Press’s presentation will feature prints by notable contemporary artists, published by and produced at Manneken Press. 2025 is Manneken Press’ 25th anniversary. At EXPO Manneken will acknowledge their silver jubilee year by hanging some of Manneken’s earliest published prints alongside the most recent. Rupert Deese’s Iris suite of six etchings, produced in 2000 were among the first projects. A pair of exquisite etchings with aquatint by Edie Fake and monotypes by Andrea Ferrigno, both published in 2025, represent the latest. Two aquatints by Jason Karolak and monotypes by Catherine Howe, both from 2024, and Array 1000/Dark Blue, also by Deese, from his 2012 Array opus of woodcuts, and at 45 x 45 inches one of the largest prints published by Manneken Press, will also be on view. Handmade paper editions by Claire Lieberman, etchings by Jill Moser and Matt Magee, monotypes by Sarah Smelser, Judy Ledgerwood, and Anna Kunz, will round out Manneken Press’ presentation. Several print portfolios, including Ted Kincaid’s Kakistocracy Portfolio, a timely comment on the tenuous state of our nation, will be available to view, as well as new photogravures by Claire Seidl and collaborative monotypes by John Yau and Richard Hull. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342613/ljubpg0avzhi2neybykf.jpg"> <h3>Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP)</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #256 MoCP will present a selection of fine prints by Henry Nias Business in Arts Fellow Hiwot Ayele-Schutz. Displayed prints are a thematic extension of the museum’s current exhibition&nbsp;Regina Agu: Shore | Lines&nbsp;about environment, place, and identity - on view during EXPO. Fine prints and publications will be available for purchase with guided conversations from museum staff and friends. On Saturday, April 26, at 1:00 pm there visit MoCP’s booth to celebrate the premier and signing of Regina Agu’s&nbsp;Field Guide&nbsp;by&nbsp;Kris Graves Publishing. <h4> </h4><h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342614/a0gowk7tsv3ksi7i0osc.jpg"></h4> <h3>Process/Process</h3> •&nbsp;Booth #449 Process/Process will release an edition with artist&nbsp;Edie Fake&nbsp;at&nbsp;EXPO Chicago. The woodblock print merges Fake's long held interest in queer spaces of potential and vernacular culture with a new subject of chromatic and compositional exploration: the board game. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1745342615/isg5cjngpuhosaevwhby.jpg"> <h3>VOLUME Gallery</h3> Volume Gallery will exhibit a solo presentation of handwoven weavings by Chicago-based artist SHENEQUA. SHENEQUA’s work is a material celebration of her Afro-Caribbean identity. Born in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, raised in Miami, Florida and having studied with master weaver Sebastian Dayi in Ghana, West Africa, SHENEQUA deftly weaves together meaningful materials to honor the resilience, beauty, and creativity of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora. Throughout her practice, she incorporates plaits of synthetic hair and sculptural bobby pins to honor the Black hair salon as a center of community, intimacy, and friendship. Her intricate textiles push the boundaries of form with shifts in scale, organic edges, and improvisational moments. Recent work in vivid colors is inspired by the exuberant Sugar Mas carnival celebrations of Saint Kitts and Nevis, of which her family are longtime participants. Carnivals arose in the Caribbean as independence celebrations, and now the weeks-long festivities feature elaborately costumed dancers, soca music, food, and pageantry. SHENEQUA weaves vibrantly colored fabric with braids of synthetic hair, jewel-like embellishments, strips of Caribbean batik fabric, and iridescent elements, all intertwined to create rich, layered textures that echo African&nbsp;and Caribbean cultural heritage in a striking, tactile display of communal joy. <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/what-galleries-are-bringing-to-expo-chicago-2025-part-ii" target="_blank">Read Part II of What Galleries are Bringing to EXPO Chicago 2025</a></h5> <h3>Additional Chicago-based and regional galleries exhibiting at EXPO CHICAGO 2025 </h3> <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://documentspace.com/" target="_blank">DOCUMENT</a>, Chicago, Lisbon&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.lesenluminures.com/" target="_blank">Les Enluminures</a>, Chicago, New York, Paris&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.rhoffmangallery.com/" target="_blank">Rhona Hoffman Gallery</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thomasmccormick.com/" target="_blank">McCormick Gallery</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://secristbeach.com/" target="_blank">Secrist | Beach</a>, Chicago&nbsp; <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.65grand.com/" target="_blank">65GRAND</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://anthonygallery.com/" target="_blank">Anthony Gallery</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://goldfinch-gallery.com/" target="_blank">Goldfinch</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.omenaigallery.com/" target="_blank">Omenai Gallery</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://povoschicago.com/" target="_blank">Povos</a>, Chicago&nbsp; <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.engage-projects.com/" target="_blank">ENGAGE Projects</a>, Chicago&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.flbfineart.com/" target="_blank">F.L. Braswell Fine Art</a>, Chicago, Lakeside&nbsp;(Editions + Books)<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoprintmakers.com/" target="_blank">Chicago Printmakers Collaborative</a>, Chicago&nbsp;(Editions + Books) <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bgfa.us/" target="_blank">Bert Green Fine Art</a>, Chicago (Editions + Books) <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mcachicagostore.org/" target="_blank">MCA Chicago Store</a>, Chicago&nbsp;(Editions + Books) Special Exhibitions <a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.6018north.org/" target="_blank">6018North</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artistsinpublicschools.org/" target="_blank">Artists in Public Schools</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsoflife.org/" target="_blank">Arts of Life / Circle Contemporary</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blancchicago.com/" target="_blank">Blanc Gallery</a>&nbsp;+&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sscartcenter.org/" target="_blank">South Side Community Art Center</a>,&nbsp;Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.centerfornativefutures.org/" target="_blank">Center for Native Futures</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Architecture Biennial</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoartistscoalition.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Artists Coalition</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.msichicago.org/" target="_blank">Griffin Museum of Science and Industry</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.hydeparkart.org/" target="_blank">Hyde Park Art Center</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.projectonward.org/" target="_blank">Project Onward</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.saic.edu/" target="_blank">School of the Art Institute of Chicago</a>, Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://dova.uchicago.edu/" target="_blank">University of Chicago</a>, Chicago<a style="color: rgb(102, 119, 166);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org/" target="_blank">Wrightwood 659</a>, Chicago&nbsp;

What Galleries Are Bringing to EXPO CHICAGO 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753707/xpkxk3rpkudifujzibll.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/escaramuza-the-poetics-of-home" target="_blank">Escaramuza, the Poetics of Home</a>Opening: Thursday, April 17, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMPoetry Foundation <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753711/srb6oyctqidctor0djvv.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/huguette-caland-bribes-de-corps" target="_blank">Huguette Caland Bribes de Corps</a>Opening: Thursday, April 17, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PMThe Arts Club of Chicago <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753717/fhtj0sfcsw0go3zzqhba.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/robell-awake" target="_blank">Robell Awake: Human Resources</a>Opening: Friday, April 18, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVolume Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753723/jae8zmswovt59aviso83.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jonathan-worcester-dead-reckoning" target="_blank">Jonathan Worcester: Dead Reckoning</a>Opening: Friday, April 18, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM65GRAND <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753726/hywz2sjafk56dogrd4g6.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/crossings-by-bernard-williams" target="_blank">CROSSINGS by Bernard Williams</a>Begins April 18Elmhurst Art Museum <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753727/qnik3lpltr96ncfdhlbt.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/faheem-majeed" target="_blank">Faheem Majeed</a>Opening: Friday, April 18, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMDOCUMENT

New Exhibitions: April 17 & 18

<h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/ari-emmanuel-private-equity-acquisition-frieze-art-fair-1234738559/" target="_blank">Asset Manager Group Led by Hollywood Super Agent Ari Emanuel Nears Deal that Could Include Frieze</a></h4> Ari Emanuel, Hollywood superagent and CEO of Endeavor Group Holdings, is edging closer to a major acquisition that could expand his influence from sports and entertainment into the art world. A consortium he leads, partnered with New York private equity firms Apollo Global Management and RedBird Capital Partners, has reportedly outbid the European firm CVC Capital Partners to buy a group of assets currently owned by Endeavor, valued at more than $1 billion,&nbsp;Bloomberg&nbsp;reported last week. The centerpiece of the deal involves the Madrid and Miami Open tennis tournaments, two of the most prestigious sports events in the world, but the portfolio up for auction may also include&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(229, 75, 39);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/frieze/" target="_blank">Frieze</a>, the global contemporary art fair and publisher. Via ARTnews Top image: Frieze Sculpture Park, Regents Park, London. 17/09/2024Linda Nylind<h4> </h4><h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/04/14/macarthur-foundation-pledges-1-million-to-create-more-public-art-at-developments-near-transit/" target="_blank">MacArthur Foundation Pledges $1 Million To Create More Public Art At Developments Near Transit</a></h4> A local advocacy group will hand out more than $1 million over the next three years to support art projects that preserve and grow the “cultural identities” of Chicago’s neighborhoods. Elevated Chicago will grant $350,000 a year for three years to support public arts projects at developments near transit. The funding aims to “activate” neighborhood gathering spaces while bringing more artists into urban planning and development processes. Via Block Club Chicago <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/arts/design/climate-disaster-art-conservation.html" target="_blank">Saving Art from Climate Disasters</a></h4> The conservator Nicole Grabow has spent thousands of hours vacuuming fine art. In her Minneapolis office, Grabrow demonstrated how to use a canister vacuum bought on Amazon for $100 to remove dried mold from a painting. With one hand, she steadied the hose over her shoulder and, with the other, made small strokes with a tiny paintbrush. “We don’t want to suck up part of the artwork, right?” she said. “We want to have control of the suction so that we’re being really gentle, especially if we’re working with delicate, fragile, friable surfaces.” Grabow does this work as the director of the preventative conservation department at the&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(50, 104, 145); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://preserveart.org/" target="_blank">Midwest Art Conservation Center</a>. The department provides resources and guidance on disaster preparedness to art and cultural heritage stewards, such as state agencies, institutions, museums, galleries and private individuals. Via NYT As one of the few trained conservators in the field of art and cultural heritage emergency response, Grabow teaches people around the world how to remove mold from artwork, along with other salvaging techniques.She said the demand for these skills had grown as climate change increased the frequency of intense weather events such as wildfires and flooding that put collections in danger.

What We're Reading – 4/15/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744737487/neysxzwoxscvn75uc1lx.jpg"> EXPO CHICAGO returns to Chicago this April at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, featuring over 170 leading galleries from 36 countries and 93 cities. Now firmly part of the Frieze network of fairs, all eyes will be on EXPO’s retrenched role as the region’s premier cultural destination in the spring, as well as the sincere expectation that it remain a steadfast tide that lifts all boats (or galleries) even amidst the churning waters of the current global art market. Dozens of local institutions and stakeholders are committed to fostering meaningful dialogue through both contemporary and modern art and to showing off the city’s cultural street-cred.&nbsp; Highlights of this year’s fair include the debut of&nbsp;CONTRAST, a new section curated by Lauren Haynes, as well as a special collaboration with the Galleries Association of Korea (GaoK), alongside the core Galleries section, EXPOSURE and PROFILE. Following are just a few programming highlights to watch for this April. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744737488/cwquo8okmgell43kjvsf.jpg"> ––––––––––– VIP Preview: Th, April 24, 2025. By Invitation Only.&nbsp; General Admission– Friday, April 25, 2025 | 11:00am – 7:00pm– Saturday, April 26, 2025 | 11:00am – 7:00pm– Sunday, April 27, 2025 | 11:00am – 6:00pm <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPOCHICAGO.COM</a>&nbsp; More highlights: • A dual-artist exhibition of Kwaku Osei Owusu Achim and Tariq Oliver, two emerging artists with a shared reflection on language, meaning, and memory, presented by Omenai Gallery.&nbsp; • A selection of iconic early photographs by Rashid Johnson alongside works by Ebony G. Patterson, presented by moniquemeloche. • A re-imagination of the 1946 art brut&nbsp;installation at Galerie Rene Drouin, inspecting&nbsp;Jean Dubuffet’s relationship to Chicago and&nbsp;Chicago’s relationship to ‘outsider’ art, presented by The Gallery of Everything. ––––––––––– <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744737489/xwwziwe7qxpwiq6vimf9.jpg">Pictured: KIM Tschangyeul, PK95002, 1995,&nbsp;Acrylic and oil on canvas, 162.2x130.3cm.&nbsp;Courtesy PYO Gallery * In a significant new partnership, EXPO&nbsp;CHICAGO introduces a collaboration with the Galleries Association of Korea (GaoK), to present a selection of 20 leading Korean galleries within the fair’s core Galleries section. PYO Gallery will present The Stillness of Water: Tschang-Yeul Kim’s Final Reflections on the Flow of Life, prominently featuring the artist’s images of water droplets and the contemplations on the concept of water itself.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744737490/xdrjddxgvcaguzljbvj9.jpg">Pictured: Lauren Haynes, Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times * Curated by Lauren Haynes, Head Curator, Governors Island Arts and Vice President for Arts and Culture at the Trust for Governors Island, CONTRAST brings together eight contemporary galleries each presenting artists whose work explores contrasts in culture, identity, and experience.“CONTRAST will include a vibrant selection of galleries featuring work by artists, including Devan Shimoyama, Esther Mahlangu, Wangari Mathenge, Fahamu Pecou and Chico da Silva, whose work highlights diverse perspectives through visual storytelling” said Haynes. “This special section seeks to explore contrasts in culture, identity, and experience, with each artist contributing their unique voice to the dialogue. CONTRAST is designed to spark conversation around the artists and artworks on view.” <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744737491/ntafnp0c6jsngksjzqey.jpg"> * GRAY will mount a special presentation, So Be It! Asé! Photographic Echoes of FESTAC ‘77, featuring photographs by members of Chicago’s Black Arts Movement: Roy Lewis, Bob Crawford and K. Kofi Moyo. The presentation is curated by Chicago-based art historian Romi Crawford and unveils documentation of the U.S. delegation to FESTAC ‘77, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, held in Lagos, Nigeria. ––––––––––– <h4>CGN will share additional local EXPO spotlights on April 17, 2025</h4> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">EXPOCHICAGO.COM</a>&nbsp;

A Familiar Fair’s New Approach: EXPO CHICAGO 2025

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753922/nzcp8furgv3ze8oeex9q.jpg"></h4><h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/contemporary-curated" target="_blank">Contemporary Curated</a></h4> Apr 10 - May 23Opening Apr 10 5-7pm. Appt only Sat. Apr 12.McCormick Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753922/qp1llvgfnjokmmfeqouy.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lindsay-adams-all-water-has-a-perfect-opening" target="_blank">Lindsay Adams: All water has a perfect memory</a></h4>Apr 10 - Jun 14Opening Apr 10 5-7pm.PATRON <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753923/vtqvjsjqqskyvg0fsmuk.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/caroline-kent-the-sentimental-hand" target="_blank">Caroline Kent: The Sentimental Hand</a></h4>Apr 10 - Jun 14Opening Apr 10 5-7pm.PATRON <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753924/uat4x7n69gmlz0smrrqs.jpg"><h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/kermit-berg-article-1-human-dignity-shall-be-inviolable" target="_blank">Kermit Berg | Article 1: Human Dignity Shall Be Inviolable</a></h4> Apr 11- May 17Opening: Friday, Apr 11, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSoNa Chicago Contemporary Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753924/d4utav97g9ehgoaezwhv.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/urbs-in-myco" target="_blank">Urbs in Myco</a></h4>Apr 11–May 10Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753925/zhaa2i7k611y3e27jm7d.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/industrial-design-senior-show-university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign" target="_blank">Industrial Design Senior Show, University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign</a></h4>Apr 11, 2025 - Apr 30Opening: Friday, Apr 11, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMJohn David Mooney Foundation <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753926/uabdcf0vwnga0luy2kul.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/gallery-day-mke2025" target="_blank">Gallery Day MKE 2025</a></h4> Saturday, Apr 12, 2025 11:00 AM – 6:00 PMLily Pad | West <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744753926/b9advvrnpgcdmxmn0uns.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/closing-reception-gallery-night-mkeApr25" target="_blank">Gallery Day MKE 2025</a></h4> Friday, April 11th from 5 to 9PMSaturday, April 12th from 11AM to 4PMArtist Talk: April 12th beginning at 1PMKim Storage Gallery <h4>View the full CGN Calendar <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming&amp;page=1" target="_blank">here</a></h4>

New Exhibitions: April 10–12

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1744055481/jmhxde6assnnr92csubk.jpg"></h4>Until recently, the Barcelona chairs only came in leather, with polished chrome frames. The reluctance to introduce new variations stemmed from a desire to stay true to Mies’ tastes.&nbsp;Knoll <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/07/style/architect-ludwig-mies-van-der-rohe-barcelona-chair/index.html" target="_blank">This famous architect’s iconic furniture line is getting its first update in decades</a></h4> There are only a handful of architects in contemporary history whose names are widely recognized. Among this cohort is also Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, whose vision of industrial modernism helped define the look of postwar urban America. His signature materials — high-tensile steel, black graphite paint, broad panes of glass — and his minimalist ethos of “less is more” set him apart from the more decorative, hand-hewn buildings of earlier generations.￼￼At the 2025 edition of the world’s most prestigious design fair, Salone del Mobile, in Milan, Italy, [van der Rohe's] iconic “Barcelona” furniture line — a sleek, blocky trio of a chair, daybed and footstool — is receiving its first major update in decades. Added options in the range feature new upholstery choices in twill, velvet and linen, and an ultra-matte black frame (perhaps a subtle nod to the architect’s hallmark painted steel). Previously, Barcelona items have only been available in various leathers, with polished chrome frames. Via CNN <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/04/02/the-art-institute-of-chicago-returned-a-sculpture-to-nepal-but-obscured-its-connection-to-a-wealthy-donor/" target="_blank">Art Institute Of Chicago Returned A Sculpture To Nepal But Obscured Its Connection To A Wealthy Donor</a></h4> The Art Institute of Chicago&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--newspack-theme-color-secondary-against-white);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/press/press-releases/385/art-institute-of-chicago-returns-12th-century-buddha-sculpture-to-nepal" target="_blank">announced recently</a>&nbsp;that it had returned to Nepal a sculpture that had been in its collection for at least a quarter century. Conspicuously left out of the press release: that the sculpture had been a gift from a wealthy Chicago donor.That omission obscured a simmering controversy about whether Chicago philanthropists Marilynn Alsdorf and her husband, James, both of whom are dead,&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--newspack-theme-color-secondary-against-white);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/art-institute-chicago-nepal-artifacts-repatriation" target="_blank">improperly built their collection of hundreds of South Asian works</a>&nbsp;and why the Art Institute, which houses some of that collection in its Alsdorf Galleries, has been reluctant to return those works to countries with compelling claims for them. Via Block Club <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/04/07/five-years-after-pandemic-art-fairs-still-in-recovery" target="_blank">Why five years after the pandemic, art fairs are still in recovery</a></h4> Writing in&nbsp;<a style="color: inherit;" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/opinion/pandemic-cycle-chaos.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>&nbsp;last month, Charles Kenny, the author and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, noted that we may still be in the “chaos phase” of a pandemic cycle. “Our global economy and politics are suffering their own form of long Covid,” he wrote.Five years on from the first lockdowns, the art market is far from back to full health, and art fairs, once the powerhouses of the industry, are struggling to regain their footing. Faced with rising exhibiting and travel costs as well as dampened spending among collectors, dealers are taking bigger risks by doing fairs. At the same time, the way VIPs engage with art world events has changed significantly since the pandemic. A survey published in November of 1,400 Art Basel VIPs revealed that art fair attendance almost halved between 2019 and 2024, from eight to an estimated five last year. Via the Art Newspaper<h4> </h4> <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/05/nx-s1-5344980/opinion-art-fair-flyers-should-showcase-human-creativity" target="_blank">Opinion: Art fair flyers should showcase human creativity</a></h4> The spring flyer for Oakland's First Fridays street fair shows people strolling on an urban avenue past a building festooned with bright, pink flowers.But that advertisement for an event celebrating creativity wasn't created by an artist. It was generated by AI. Riva Lehrer, the artist and writer who also teaches at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, told us: "We in the arts have to understand the machinery of our imaginations in order to become deeper artists. AI is like letting our minds be kidnapped and distorted. It is a vampire mirror, capturing your soul and putting it in a cage." ViA NPR's Scott Simon

What We're Reading: 4/7/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743702305/dbduykzawequmimr74zk.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/cameron-gainer-take-time" target="_blank">Cameron Gainer: Take Time</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMENGAGE Projects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743702310/bxvt2kc647zdw3mg6rky.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/eric-lebofsky-liminality-blue" target="_blank">Eric Lebofsky: Liminality Blue</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMZolla / Lieberman Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743702314/gf6n5ltwv6nmjpsshlz7.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/busted-contemporary-sculpture-busts" target="_blank">Busted: Contemporary Sculpture Busts</a>Exhibition begins April 4Frederik Meijer Gardens &amp; Sculpture Park <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743702319/cunfvaxdyis9ylttfyrb.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/rescue-me-jenny-hiser-solo-show" target="_blank">Rescue Me: Jenny Hiser Solo Show</a>Exhibition begins April 4Chicago Truborn <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743702322/vapfbuqpjrhgshft3det.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/arc-collective-member-show" target="_blank">ARC Collective: Member Show</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743702328/yoqfnzbtwf8cx9wvu9ib.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/behind-blue-eyes" target="_blank">Behind Blue Eyes</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMZolla / Lieberman Gallery

New Exhibitions Opening April 4 & 5 (Part 1)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743703785/tiqodhutrtmu3ddnchme.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/echo-mutation" target="_blank">Echo Mutation</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 6:00 PM – 10:00 PMChicago Grand Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743703788/l6muxlhhjf15ewyphvmj.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/12-year-anniversary" target="_blank">12-Year Anniversary&nbsp;</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVertical Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743703790/uwt7yyqm3ttjmpzvlzgu.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/favorite-things" target="_blank">Favorite Things</a>Opening: Friday, April 4, 4:00 PM – 9:00 PMChicago Printmakers Collaborative <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743703791/phug2jwrunc8mvksmla7.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/insideout" target="_blank">Inside/Out</a>Opening: Saturday, April 5, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMThe Grove Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743703793/sw918zzf570qsafabttb.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/25" target="_blank">25!</a>Exhibition begins April 5moniquemeloche <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743703794/zwm1oshfwxlessvy3gdu.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/steve-geer-and-anthony-iacuzzi-the-real-and-imagined" target="_blank">Steve Geer and Anthony Iacuzzi: The Real and Imagined</a>Opening: Saturday, April 5, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery

New Exhibitions Opening April 4 & 5 (Part 2)

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>• Auctions</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539723/a6dweslspfzaipn4o67x.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/editions-and-works-on-paper" target="_blank">Editions and Works on Paper</a></h4> Thursday, Apr 3, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/wright" target="_blank">Wright</a>Offered several times a year,&nbsp;Editions &amp; Works on Paper&nbsp;celebrates the possibilities of the multiple, showcasing&nbsp;editioned works by some of the 20th century's most significant artists. This auction features&nbsp;artists' books, prints, portfolios, sculpture, and more, offered at a variety of price points accessible to every collector. <h3>• Exhibitions</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539724/rt3un6erzbuq1jl0rqnu.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/25" target="_blank">25! - moniquemeloche anniversary exhibition </a></h4> Apr 5–May 23; Opening: Friday, Apr 25, 6–8PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/moniquemeloche" target="_blank">moniquemeloche</a>A landmark exhibition celebrating the gallery’s 25th anniversary featuring&nbsp;Luke Agada, Candida Alvarez, Arocha-Schraenen, Sanford Biggers, Antonius-Tín Bui, Justin Cooper, David Antonio Cruz, Davis/Langlois, Brendan Fernandes, Dan Gunn, Chase Hall, Sheree Hovsepian, Rashid Johnson, Cindy Loehr, Jason Middlebrook, Lavar Munroe, Ben Murray, Maia Cruz Palileo, Ebony G. Patterson, Cheryl Pope, Karen Reimer, Carlos Rolón, Joel Ross, Carrie Schneider, David Shrobe, Arvie Smith, Shinique Smith, Jake Troyli,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nate Young.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539725/rkfzty6byzraxoo1tvio.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/faheem-majeed" target="_blank">Faheem Majeed</a></h4> Apr 18–Jun 7; Opening: Friday, Apr 18, 4–7PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/document" target="_blank">DOCUMENT</a>Faheem Majeed (b. 1976) is an artist, curator, educator, and non-profit administrator whose work focuses on institutional critique and centers collaboration as a tool to engage communities in meaningful dialogue. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539726/nk3bltl2hoqoemxvg1nc.jpg"><h5> </h5><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/apparitions" target="_blank">Apparitions</a></h4> Apr 25–Jun 27; Opening: Friday, Apr 25, 6–8PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/gray" target="_blank">GRAY</a>Apparitions,&nbsp;presenting the work of over twenty pioneering artists from across the last century whose interrogations of the human form and its fleeting presence have pushed boundaries of representation. Whether by dematerializing the body, imagining spirits, or making mirages, artists conjure a hallucinatory realm—a liminal space between what appears and what vanishes. <h3>• Art Fairs, Special Events</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539727/tbbkdzpzztb6q3ua6sv4.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/renben-2025-by-meriem-bennani" target="_blank">RenBen 2025 by Meriem Bennani</a></h4> Wednesday, Apr 23, 2025 7–10PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-renaissance-society" target="_blank">The Renaissance Society</a>RenBen is the Renaissance Society’s annual gala which raises a significant portion of the museum’s annual budget, enabling new artistic commissions, scholarly discourse, and lasting publications. RenBen is aligned with EXPO ART WEEK. The 2025 edition is shaped by the vision of Meriem Bennani. Known for her sharp humor, resourcefulness, and ability to blend the absurd with the deeply human, Bennani is the latest artist to lead the Renaissance Society’s tradition of artist-conceived galas, following the bold propositions of Piero Golia (2022), Adam Linder (2023), and Kevin Beasley (2024). This year, Bennani’s playful yet incisive approach will transform Vertiport Chicago—a working commercial helicopter facility—into an unexpected gathering space. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539728/vqlsnqn0ekxilpaloaku.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/expo-chicago" target="_blank">EXPO CHICAGO 2025</a></h4> Apr 24–27 – Navy PierEXPO CHICAGO Contemporary Art Fair showcases leading contemporary and modern art galleries each April at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, alongside a diverse and inventive program of talks, on-site installations, and public art initiatives. Inaugurated in 2012, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city’s robust history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the region’s contemporary arts community. In 2023, EXPO CHICAGO was acquired by Frieze, the world’s leading platform for modern and contemporary art. <h5><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539729/fjixrts6fcgodji0unlf.png"></h5> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/grand-reimagining" target="_blank">Grand (Re)Imagining – Intuit Art Museum</a></h4> Saturday, Apr 26IAM welcomes you to its newly expanded 18,000 sf home, reimagined in space and spirit where you will discover a more expansive experience in self-taught, outsider and intuitive art.Mingle with fellow art enthusiasts, enjoy delicious bites, spirited libations and a special performance by the Grammy-nominated Kahil El’Zabar Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, followed by a lively After Party with DJ and dancing. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1743539729/d5kntllmhxjl453haihn.png"><h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/brendan-fernandes-presents-moving-through" target="_blank">Brendan Fernandes Presents Moving Through</a></h4> Sunday, Apr 13, 2025 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/raclin-murphy-museum-of-art" target="_blank">Raclin Murphy Museum of Art</a> # <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">View the full CGN Calendar here</a></h5>

CGN Art Preview: April 2025

<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/v1742936990/yndjomlq1m7linalp5wu.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/v1742936994/l0irpxbid25fwsev3wfz.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/v1742936998/tjmigu6hjjhxuybxjz1g.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/v1742937003/ygkimi06j6hiz0tcwzhf.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/v1742937012/blt3pbhallewizede49x.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/v1742937014/b9z5qcfacbkw8i2gsboh.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/v1742676602/spefanfsbpth4zemup2e.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/v1742676603/hvgo8vylwzb9jpgl2uhb.jpg">Installation view of Miniotics at Weatherproof. Courtesy Weatherproof. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1742676604/zgq0tmglpykkcdxofsfn.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/v1742676604/ybogyyniaiq6cpwvdsnm.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/v1742676605/sxlkvbitheq5qqa5tkja.jpg">Installation view of Miniotics at Weatherproof. Courtesy Weatherproof. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1742676606/rxs9i3zcevklpspnqjn7.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/v1742581193/llaiaji5pangexzuynba.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/v1742581194/gpqa9d8k3x4sjz3ts22l.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/v1742581195/zlrunap16ryvo08fziez.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/v1742581196/aue3ycqryid8osi78cad.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/v1741872047/bxhnmz5qp2875ter8egr.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/v1741872048/v9z1buamxr1zzsv7xvwr.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/v1741872050/olmwog7rqydn75qftqoj.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/v1741872050/zojhnpvzsfhwvmi3ybb1.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/v1741872051/udn9iawsuwhzkorku8j6.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/v1741296499/v7vck6axkg3ln4cjtk1y.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/v1741296502/vhejxgbjssudiujkm4ua.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/v1741296503/un9tpanikt9g5vlwlfwm.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/v1741296504/kbejxxjqzrfhkowtwbxa.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/v1741296505/gahs1zdludnrjx4wqfl2.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/v1741296506/z6f7ppv0czxobpspcyma.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/v1741297006/vvmmsz7vdvrtay8wzrcq.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/v1741297013/nzl5mrdklcou35zvnipc.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/v1741297014/eztu95cduni60noetozj.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/v1741297015/j69hpgjsbtszipjvcyaz.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/v1741297016/i59rx3mt5ooxitx0ca9g.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/v1741064149/suqeu41pwtt9xjgeyapa.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/v1741064150/xhupturwwi7cagmbzxue.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/v1741064150/iawxmyyfl21tpj4bmmbe.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/v1741064151/s9pgcdaz1c8vwmiaka5h.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/v1741064152/cyhjfd7x2ine7v08gmbr.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/v1741064153/rtapk04kxwcnooflu1vw.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/v1741064154/phmzzzaqovznl8x3bilq.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/v1741064154/bssuy1tsssumyohldqan.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/v1741064155/nb37cornivohfmz6lnxz.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/v1741064156/f5yn8ykvthcsasejdvmx.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/v1741064156/cyjp5a2rgto51iesgz71.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/v1740519583/amkdkvj86fscoob14qva.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/v1740519584/qfqiwjthvi3qxhemkwr7.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/v1740519584/fvrg07r0aglpbiqvxpow.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/v1740519585/hxcgwjecgfdovfwkuk8b.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/v1740519586/oospwiq95j4pyyp339rq.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/v1740519011/mmafnwi6wuubkfwxw6op.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/v1740519011/vkezqaknrni3tkxzm7h3.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/v1740519012/tw4hpgt32e0klajlfgjv.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/v1740519013/dt7iyavukxdgqhnpkmyi.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