<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1740178268/dslr1ptjsn4tfhdyfddi.jpg"> By GINNY VAN ALYEA DARKROOM&nbsp;is the Museum of Contemporary Photograph's annual renowned benefit auction featuring premier artworks and one-of-a-kind arts experiences by emerging and established contemporary artists from around the world. It's also a really good party. Taking place on Thursday, February 27, 2025 at Columbia College in Chicago's South Loop, this year's event will once again by a festive night in support of MoCP's important programming. When an event takes place year after year, we want to know what will make this year's event different from the rest. I asked MoCP Director Natasha Egan and this year's DARKROOM co-chairs, Gary Metzner and Scott Johnson what we can expect and look forward to - from great art, an important photography award, and some old-school bidding. <h6>CGN: Tell us what we can expect from this year’s DARKROOM benefit.</h6>Expect to step into an immersive atmosphere where light and color blend, shift, and interact, creating a vibrant, ever-changing experience. Dynamic projections and fluid hues will set the stage for an unforgettable evening of art, community, and celebration—all in support of MoCP. A lively auction will feature stunning photographic works from artists across the globe, alongside fantastic food from The Gage, drinks from Orin Swift and Sovereign Brands, and sweet treats from Pretty Cool and Sugar Bliss—all generously sponsored by our partners. SmartBar’s DJ Alejandro Zerah will keep the night flowing with the perfect mix of beats and atmosphere. Whether you're bidding, mingling, or simply soaking it all in, DARKROOM 2025 promises to be a night you won’t want to miss. <h6>CGN: Why is the museum’s fundraiser more important than ever this year?</h6>The arts are facing some complicated headwinds—funding challenges, shifting priorities, and an ever-evolving cultural landscape. But one thing remains clear: spaces like MoCP are more vital than ever. DARKROOM directly supports the museum’s ability to showcase groundbreaking photography, offer free exhibitions and programs, and champion artists at every stage of their careers. Your support ensures that MoCP continues to be a thriving hub for creativity, conversation, and visual literacy in Chicago and beyond. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1740178268/cmjri0gmxd2hnjzet79h.jpg"> <h6>CGN: I hear clipboards and indecipherable handwriting are back in style. Will I be able to put my phone away at this party?</h6>Absolutely! We’re embracing the old-school thrill of paper bid sheets—so get ready for some dramatic last-minute scribbling and friendly elbowing at the auction. But if you spot something you must have and don’t want to risk a bidding war, you can still snag it instantly with our “Buy It Now” option…on your phone. Otherwise, let’s keep the digital distractions to a minimum—after all, nothing beats the excitement of watching your friends panic as they try to outbid you with a pen! <h6>CGN: What if someone has to miss the big night, but they really want to bid on a work in the auction?</h6>No problem! You can still be part of the action. If you can’t attend in person but have your eye on something special, contact Jaclyn Silverman at jsilverman@colum.edu, and she’ll work with you to place an absentee bid. Or, if you’re the decisive type, you can use the Buy It Now option online—and 25% of the purchase price will be tax-deductible! Don’t miss your chance to take home a stunning work of photography while supporting MoCP. <h6>CGN: Please share a little about this year’s Silver Camera award recipient, Vera Lutter.</h6>Vera Lutter is a visionary artist who quite literally sees the world through a different lens—transforming entire rooms and shipping containers into massive pinhole cameras. Using the camera obscura technique (which, fittingly, translates to darkroom), she creates large-scale, inverted images that challenge our perception of time, space, and memory. She’s a trailblazer in the field of photography, and we are thrilled to honor her with this year’s Silver Camera Award. <h6>CGN: Anything else you’re dying to tell us about DARKROOM 2025?</h6>Yes! If you haven’t yet, get your tickets now—because you won’t want to miss this one. And come ready to celebrate, bid, and maybe even leave with a new piece of photographic history. For all the details on tickets, the auction, and how to participate, visit <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/events/darkroom-2025/" target="_blank">mocp.org/events/darkroom-2025/</a> now! # <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1740178269/kkjcvhwtfrmsimtlazpu.png">

MoCP's Darkroom Returns February 27

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739911086/qn8cdc2bpi2ojwmyixai.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/on-fire-part-ii-surveying-women-in-glass-in-the-late-twentieth-century" target="_blank">On Fire Part II: Surveying Women in Glass in the Late-Twentieth Century</a>Exhibition begins February 19Racine Art Museum <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739911087/lyidnac6ln8ecqa4ixyc.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/new-works-by-michael-hedges" target="_blank">New Works by Michael Hedges</a>Exhibition begins February 20McCormick Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739911090/yskinketzxe0qjyjezgo.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/alberto-aguilar-a-factual-accont" target="_blank">Alberto Aguilar: a factual accont</a>Opening: Friday, February 21, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMENGAGE Projects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739911091/h6cwb6k1fikdn7lqqx6l.jpg"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/pipilotti-rist-supersubjektiv" target="_blank">Pipilotti Rist: Supersubjektiv</a>Exhibition begins February 22Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739911093/kocjdjrdjp4jxfhqubrt.png"> <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/picturing-community-stories-in-photographs-with-the-evanston-history-center" target="_blank">Picturing Community: Stories in Photographs | with the Evanston History Center</a>Opening: Sunday, February 23, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PMEvanston Art Center

New Exhibitions Opening February 19 - 23

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739900835/yml1hegpcpxrwx3t2krr.jpg"></h4>Chicago artist Caroline Kent poses for a portrait at her studio in Humboldt Park on Jan. 29, 2025. Kent is the talent behind a large, site-specific mural in Chicago’s Union Station and forthcoming exhibitions at the Smart Museum and Patron Gallery.&nbsp;Manuel Martinez/WBEZ<h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/arts/2025/02/12/chicago-art-caroline-kent-abstract-union-station-mural?utm_source=Newsletter_Weekly-Non-Member&amp;utm_medium=WBEZEmail&amp;utm_campaign=News_Newsletter_Weekly-Rundown_News_20250215&amp;utm_content=2/15/2025&amp;DE=WBEZEmail" target="_blank">Meet artist Caroline Kent, whose bold mural is transforming Chicago’s Union Station</a></h4> Caroline Kent stands in the center of her Humboldt Park home studio, surrounded by works in progress. Along one wall, four massive abstract paintings are partially complete, while smaller linen canvases sit scattered across her worktables. Nearby, adding to the vibrant energy of the space, is a collection of cut-paper shapes: experiments for a new project.But at the moment, Kent, 49, isn’t discussing her to-do list. Instead, she trains her eye on her cat, precariously perched above the studio space atop a partition wall. Via WBEZ Read CGN's fall 2024 profile of Kent <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/articles/caroline-kent-confidence-on-canvas" target="_blank">here</a> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/02/14/art-institute-chicago-french-old-masters-gift-jeffrey-carol-horvitz" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago gifted more than 2,200 French Old Masters</a></h4> The&nbsp;<a style="color: inherit; background-color: rgb(255, 254, 250);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/keywords/art-institute-of-chicago" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago</a>&nbsp;(AIC) has received a massive gift of French art from the collectors Jeffrey and Carol Horvitz. Comprised of almost 2,000 drawings, 200 paintings and 50 sculptures by legendary artists like Jacques-Louis David and François Boucher, the donation reflects the scope and depth of the Horvitz collection, renowned as the largest privately held trove of French Old Master works in the US. Via The Art Newspaper <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.wttw.com/2025/02/13/artist-s-work-pulses-new-life-after-open-heart-surgery-and-series-hallucinations" target="_blank">Artist’s Work Pulses With New Life After Open-Heart Surgery and a Series of Hallucinations</a></h4> A serious health scare became an unexpected catalyst for change for a Chicago-based artist. While recovering from open-heart surgery in 2021,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(20, 78, 150);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sharcoulson.com/" target="_blank">Shar Coulson</a>&nbsp;experienced trippy visions that ultimately shaped her artwork. The paintings she made are the focus of&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(20, 78, 150);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://imss.org/nightsight-shar-coulson/" target="_blank">“NIGHT SIGHT: Illuminating the Mind’s Eye Through Darkness,”</a>&nbsp;an exhibition at the&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(20, 78, 150);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://imss.org/" target="_blank">International Museum of Surgical Science</a>&nbsp;— the Gold Coast museum of medicine that also boasts a healthy contemporary art program. Coulson spoke with WTTW News about her unusual encounter with the healing powers of art and science. Via WTTW

What We are Reading: 2/18/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739333917/oekxxx9awpzcem4teue1.jpg">Gallery view at Griffin MSI By GINNY VAN ALYEA An especially creative and inviting opportunity to visit, or return to, if you haven't been in awhile, the newly renamed Griffin MSI, formerly the Museum of Science and Industry, is to experience an expansive, multi-generational visual arts exhibit that has been displayed annually at Griffin MSI since 1970.&nbsp;Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition&nbsp;features paintings, drawings, fine art prints, sculpture, mixed-media, ceramics and photography by African Americans, including youth artists between the ages of 14 and 17. The exhibition opened earlier this month, and the crowds in attendance on a cold Sunday when I visited with my family, were significant and energetic. Though all the works in this year's exhibition are viewable online, the chance to see them in person and in proximity to other works will only be possible through the end of April. There are works by very young artists and pieces by professional, older artists. abstract works juxtaposed with figurative ones, and serenely lit sculptures encased in acrylic. Each work is also, if available, for sale. The museum's website makes it possible to contact individual artists directly, as well as see which works received <a style="color: rgb(13, 13, 13);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/black-creativity-juried-art-exhibition/awards" target="_blank">awards</a> this year. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739333918/gjzovsiwde1zrr0rmo75.jpg">Alice Aida AyersLIBATIONSHand sewn quilt, fabric, beads, threads<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.aliceaida.com/" target="_blank">Artist info</a> The art exhibition is but one part of Griffin MSI's celebration of African American achievement in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics through its Black Creativity program. Black Creativity offers a wide range of targeted, culturally relevant STEAM education programming supported by the Museum’s&nbsp;education initiatives, reaching over 10,000 students, their teachers, and their families in underserved Chicago neighborhoods each year. MSI says it aims to achieve four main goals through the program: <ul><li>Provide exposure for African-American youth to careers, educational pathways, and other opportunities in science, technology, engineering, art and math.</li><li>Deepen students’ engagement with STEAM through hands-on learning.</li><li>Increase access to Griffin MSI and its resources to African-American students and their families.</li><li>Showcase African Americans and their contributions, past and current, to the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.</li></ul> Between now and the end of April, make the trip to visit Griffin MSI to see Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition as well as all the museum has to offer both visitors to the city as well as locals. This exhibition&nbsp;is now open through April 27, 2025 and&nbsp;is included in Museum Entry. Note: On Feb. 15 and March 15 the museum offers an opportunity to enroll young innovators in a one-day&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(254, 80, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://msichicago.emlnk1.com/lt.php?x=3DZy~GDDV6Gd558v0_5MhORr3XAjjdHzjMY2X5TGJIXL55WtyUy.0OJy23Jzit9vjNYxbHPHJXOe" target="_blank">Curiosity Camp</a>&nbsp;about the trailblazing pilot Bessie Coleman. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1739333918/ungnsxb1vmxclgnddybj.jpg">Kevin WestWhen Sunday ComesOil<a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(136, 136, 136);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://kwestfineart.com/" target="_blank">Artist info</a> ﻿

"Black Creativity" Returns for Annual Viewing at Griffin MSI

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783300/jjyfduju0ysgj2h1p1mq.jpg">From left: The Seldoms and Elmhurst Art Museum, Wafaa Bilal at the MCA, and MoCP's annual DARKROOM benefit. 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>• Family Events</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783301/arxbn0vmfgtdhvfs8pes.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/family-day-filling-the-paige" target="_blank">Family Day: Filling the Paige</a></h4> Saturday, Feb 8, 2025 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/smart-museum-of-art" target="_blank">Smart Museum of Art</a> Discover how artists featured in&nbsp;The 50th&nbsp;create their work in unexpected ways. Families&nbsp;will experiment with pattern, printing, and repetition using unique art-making techniques such as printmaking, paint, and ink. Drop in; all families and kids of all ages are welcome.&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783302/udied1aqszdsxzegezbx.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/family-day-comfy-cozy" target="_blank">Family Day: Comfy Cozy</a></h4> Saturday, Feb 8, 2025 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/museum-of-contemporary-art-chicago-mca" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)</a> Spend the afternoon crafting your own incense, tea, and heartfelt art. Family Days are always free for kids and their grownups! <h3>• Performance and Screenings</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783302/xknwz1sgybd8ltxahkux.jpg"><h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/insert-coin-documentary-screening-and-discussion" target="_blank">Insert Coin Documentary Screening and Discussion</a></h4> Tuesday, Feb 11, 2025 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-cleve-carney-museum-of-art-ccma" target="_blank">The Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA)</a> In conjunction with the&nbsp;Insert Coin&nbsp;exhibition&nbsp;at Cleve Carney Museum of Art, enjoy a special screening of the documentary, “Insert Coin,” followed by a panel discussion with key members of Midway Games featured in the documentary. “Insert Coin” is the amazing behind-the-scenes story of the making of Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam and other massive videogame hits.&nbsp; <h4> </h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783303/jshphn4euf3usgbit70i.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/the-seldoms-an-evening-of-dance-inspired-by-the-earth" target="_blank">The Seldoms: An Evening of Dance Inspired by the Earth</a></h4> Friday, Feb 14, 2025 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/elmhurst-art-museum" target="_blank">Elmhurst Art Museum</a> <a style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theseldoms.org/" target="_blank">The Seldoms</a>, a contemporary Chicago-based dance troupe, perform excerpts from three celebrated works:&nbsp;Floe&nbsp;(2020),&nbsp;GRASS&nbsp;(2021), and&nbsp;Superbloom&nbsp;(2023). Inspired by themes of the museum’s current exhibition&nbsp;Sustenance &amp; Land, such as climate, nature, and transformation, these innovative works are followed by a lively discussion with the dancers. The program includes light bites, beverages, and exhibition viewing. <h3>• Exhibitions</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783304/fkda4tgkirzmlzzz0s08.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/arvie-smith-crossing-clear-creek" target="_blank">Arvie Smith: Crossing Clear Creek</a></h4> Feb 8, 2025 - Mar 22, 2025Opening: Saturday, Feb 8, 2025 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/moniquemeloche" target="_blank">moniquemeloche</a> Arvie Smith: Crossing Clear Creek is the artist’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. Smith is a 2024 recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship in Fine Arts, with an artistic career spanning over four decades.&nbsp;His ongoing passion for advancing social and racial justice is reflected through his narrative paintings depicting historical and contemporary policies, influencers, bigotry, and institutional white supremacy, transforming the history of oppressed and stereotyped segments of the American experience into lyrical two-dimensional master works. <h4> </h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783304/bgstj2li7svheow0i1cj.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/a-tale-of-today-materialities" target="_blank">A Tale of Today: Materialities</a></h4> Feb 7 - Apr 25, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/the-driehaus-museum" target="_blank">The Driehaus Museum</a> A Tale of Today: Materialities, an expansive contemporary exhibition that invites viewers to discover the history and architectural richness of the Museum through the eyes of artists who are rooted in the Midwest. In the autumn of 2023,&nbsp;the Driehaus Museum held an open call for submissions, asking artists to identify a material from the Museum, research its history, and produce site-specific responses that connect the fabric of the building to distant shores, traditions, and ideologies. The commissioned works connect the past and present in original and compelling ways, linking different cultures to specific materials and&nbsp;allowing visitors to see the Nickerson Mansion through different perspectives. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783305/plbsfotrns2twjmwalss.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/wafaa-bilal-indulge-me" target="_blank">Wafaa Bilal: Indulge Me</a></h4> Thru Oct 25, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/museum-of-contemporary-art-chicago-mca" target="_blank">Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)</a> Indulge Me&nbsp;is a major survey of renowned artist Wafaa Bilal (b. 1966, Najaf, Iraq; lives in New York, NY). Crucially, the exhibition will take 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. <h3>• Art Fairs and Markets</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783306/fs5lldsgnvo1vu3vjz2d.jpg"> <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/west-loop-contemporary-fine-art-expo" target="_blank">West Loop Contemporary Fine Art Expo</a></h4> Feb 21–Feb 23 Featuring over 40 invitation-only artists from 8 states, this Midwest inaugural event takes place at Plumber's Hall,&nbsp;the historic&nbsp;Beaux-Arts building in Chicago's trendy and convenient West Loop. <h3>• Galas and Benefits</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783307/sprjlnteutaszr0zk6i9.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/celebrate-25-years-of-arts-of-life" target="_blank">Celebrate 25 Years of Arts of Life</a></h4> Saturday, Feb 22<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/circle-contemporary-arts-of-life" target="_blank">Circle Contemporary (Arts of Life)</a> Come raise a glass, meet the artists, eat some cake, and be part of a celebration dedicated to art and community. Here's to the next 25 years! Join us as we mark a milestone—our 25th anniversary of championing creativity, vision, and the arts. Longtime supporter and Guest of Honor&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(51, 102, 153);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsoflife.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=676dcf6750de4694fd657fca1&amp;id=bb20c9c8dd&amp;e=ed6a12e728" target="_blank">Cindy Shanker</a>&nbsp;will join us to commemorate this special occasion. <h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783307/fngr7yieheffyqx5eojd.png"></h1> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mocp.org/events/darkroom-2025/?mc_cid=701f6072cd&amp;mc_eid=62775191de" target="_blank">DARKROOM 2025: Annual Benefit Auction Party</a></h4> Thursday, Feb 27Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) DARKROOM&nbsp;is MoCP’s renowned benefit auction party featuring premier artworks and one-of-a-kind arts experiences by emerging and established contemporary artists from around the world. <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783308/jjhzp7d5dtt3w0xbippc.jpg"><h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/jmkac-gala-2025-this-is-the-place" target="_blank">JMKAC Gala 2025: This is the Place</a></h4> Saturday, Feb 22<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/john-michael-kohler-arts-center-jmkac" target="_blank">John Michael Kohler Arts Center (JMKAC)</a> The JMKAC Gala is an outta-sight celebration of how far we’ve come since the 1960s and our 1967 grand opening. There’ll be dinner from The American Club, a fabulous auction featuring one-of-a-kind items and far-out treasures, an open bar, valet parking, and more. It’ll be a gas! <h3>• Last Call - Closing Soon</h3> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783308/zttxd3tixm9pnaocibyc.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/kayla-risko-interiors" target="_blank">Kayla Risko: Interiors</a></h4> Thru Feb 15<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/65grand" target="_blank">65GRAND</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738783309/owb5qlm2gmvggbxcc6xg.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/home-sweet-home-nostalgiaish-3" target="_blank">Home Sweet Home: Nostalgia...ish 3</a></h4> Thru Feb 15, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/organizations/chicago-truborn" target="_blank">Chicago Truborn</a> "Home Sweet Home: Nostalgia...ish 3" dives deeper into reimagined vintage, thrifted, and found objects. This time, it’s more expansive, more playful, and filled with even more unforgettable creations. <h5>View the CGN Calendar <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events" target="_blank">here</a>. Updated daily. </h5> #

Highlights from CGN's art calendar this month

CGN Art Preview: February 2025

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711963/e6tgytpajvqt8nk7ysqz.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/paul-simmons-blank-slate" target="_blank">Paul Simmons: Blank Slate</a>Exhibition begins February 6Wadsworth Family Gallery at Lewis University <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711966/zdrnfmpmmme97rgw7hms.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/reception-for-mel-watkin-birdland" target="_blank">Reception for Mel Watkin: Birdland</a>Opening: Friday, February 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMARC Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711968/cz7jsvv7h1pc4uya5oiv.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/black-lives-matter-exhibition-a-reckoning" target="_blank">Black Lives Matter Exhibition: A Reckoning&nbsp;</a>Opening: Friday, February 7, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMDragonfly Gallery &amp; Creative Spaces <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711971/z750c3tz78s8lnadj15n.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/alliance-group-show" target="_blank">'ALLIANCE' Group Show</a>Opening: Friday, February 7, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVertical Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711972/keyqp76tazzz2x0hi8dn.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/a-tale-of-today-materialities" target="_blank">A Tale of Today: Materialities</a>February 7The Driehaus Museum <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711974/bhk1rlk74d2xkevlhvud.png"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/arvie-smith-crossing-clear-creek" target="_blank">Arvie Smith: Crossing Clear Creek</a>Opening: Saturday, February 8, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMmoniquemeloche <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738711975/cwkwzaglsh7yrykxfch4.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/allison-svoboda-in-defense-of-beauty" target="_blank">Allison Svoboda: In Defense of Beauty</a>Opening: Saturday, February 8, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMOS Projects

New Exhibitions Opening February 7th & 8th

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738180297/ad3w5sxqi1yxihmheqa1.jpg"></h4>Credit:&nbsp;Alden Studios for RAMSA. Rendering of the South Portico renovation<h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/nonprofits-philanthropy/museum-science-and-industry-renovate-south-portico?share-code=17381780515021665-194b39bef22&amp;utm_id=gfta-ur-250129" target="_blank">Griffin Museum of Science &amp; Industry lands $10M grant to renovate historic South Portico</a></h4> The Griffin Museum of Science &amp; Industry was awarded a $10 million grant to renovate its historic South Portico and reopen its original entrance with added amenities.The project, which is supported by the grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation — the largest donation in the foundation’s history — aims to increase accessibility to the museum, add modern amenities such as a cafe and create a new public space connecting the museum to the Columbian Basin and the rest of Jackson Park. Via Crain's Chicago <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/emmanuel-macron-louvre-renovation-mona-lisa-2602990" target="_blank">The Mona Lisa Will Get Her Own Room at the Louvre, Vows Emmanuel Macron</a></h4> Just a few days after French newspaper&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.leparisien.fr/culture-loisirs/avaries-degradations-saturation-le-rapport-confidentiel-qui-alerte-sur-letat-du-musee-du-louvre-22-01-2025-VHQGISLZM5D4ZBALW3KURS44VI.php" target="_blank">Le Parisien</a>&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/louvre-leaked-letter-crumbling-infrastructure-2600955" target="_blank">leaked a memo</a>&nbsp;in which Louvre director Laurence des Cars expressed extreme concern for and dissatisfaction with the museum’s dilapidated state and increasing inability to adequately support the millions of visitors it draws each year, French President Emmanuel Macron delivered some major news. Standing in front of the iconic&nbsp;Mona Lisa&nbsp;painting by Leonardo da Vinci—the crown jewel of the museum’s collection—Macron announced a major renovation estimated to be worth upwards of €700 million ($730 million) as well as a new, custom-built room to exclusively display the&nbsp;Mona Lisa. <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/year-of-the-snake-art-2601795" target="_blank">As We Enter the Year of the Snake, Let’s Revisit the Serpent’s Starring Role in Art</a></h4> On January 29, it’s time for the celebration of Lunar New Year across many parts of Asia, from Korea to China and Southeast Asia, and among those of the Sinic cultural heritage scattered across the world. As we enter the Year of the Snake, we take the opportunity to revisit the starring roles of this mystic animal in art. Snake is the sixth animal sign in the 12-year zodiac cycle and based on traditional Chinese calculations, this is the year of Wood Snake.&nbsp; Via Artnet

What We're Reading: 1/30/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738105334/kziffowcvybcc6eoibwm.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/transcendence" target="_blank">Transcendence</a></h4>Opening: Thursday, January 30, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMgallery 1871 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738105334/fgbf4zj2j65ux3jvlsip.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/regina-agu-shorelines" target="_blank">Regina Agu: Shore|Lines</a></h4>Opening: Thursday, January 30, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMMuseum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738105335/syhsm6iudtvxilbuvqg5.png"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/woven-being-art-for-zhegagoynakchicagoland" target="_blank">Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak/Chicagoland</a></h4>Opening: Saturday, February 1, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PMBlock Museum of Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738105336/fifvu6yxlsuprccimspv.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/unearthing-pinar-aral-and-mirentxu-ganzarain" target="_blank">Unearthing: Pinar Aral and Mirentxu Ganzarain&nbsp;</a></h4>Opening: Saturday, February 1, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSoNa Chicago Contemporary Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738105337/aufgu70queqfrgnbcrmj.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/documenting-the-future-an-ai-photography-show" target="_blank">Documenting the future: An AI Photography Show</a></h4>Opening: Saturday, February 1, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1738105337/rknign3gdxhgsz2ayubd.jpg"> <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/six-decades-in-the-darkroom" target="_blank">Six Decades in the Darkroom</a></h4>Opening: Sunday, February 2, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PMGallery Seven

New Exhibitions Opening January 30 - February 2

<h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431724/kb0hezi66o20gs7yam7n.jpg"></h1><h6> </h6><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ginny-krueger-the-transcendental-garden" target="_blank">Ginny Krueger: THE TRANSCENDENTAL GARDEN</a></h3> Opening: Friday, January 24, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Epiphany Center for the Arts <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431725/v6jsqikbhmvpldzxdoii.png"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/it-takes-a-long-time-to-stay-here-paintings-by-jordan-ann-craig" target="_blank">It takes a long time to stay here: Paintings by Jordan Ann Craig</a></h3> Exhibition begins January 25 Block Museum of Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431726/qgtqbwvtmkdmst2lyj3y.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/john-behnke-false-guides" target="_blank">John Behnke: FALSE GUIDES</a></h3> Opening: Saturday, January 25, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Epiphany Center for the Arts <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431726/tm1a5jpkoey1jl6wtskr.jpg"> <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/legacy-as-lexicon-a-stand-in-for-my-voice" target="_blank">legacy as lexicon: a stand-in for my voice</a></h3> Opening: Saturday, January 25, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM Goldfinch

New Exhibitions Opening January 22 - 25 (Part 2)

<h1><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431167/mpocb0y2kfcdbqtepbnw.jpg"></h1><h1> </h1><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/this-is-not-an-exhibition" target="_blank">this is not an exhibition.</a></h1> Opening: Wednesday, January 22, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC) <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431168/p7up6yli0axp5h8rvp9e.png"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/cosmo-whyte-the-mothers-tongue-pressed-to-the-grinding-stone" target="_blank">Cosmo Whyte: The Mother’s Tongue, Pressed to the Grinding Stone</a></h1> Opening: Thursday, January 23, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM The Arts Club of Chicago <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431168/phofiy9oghkc6qinkz00.jpg"><h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/albert-oehlen-and-kim-gordon" target="_blank">Albert Oehlen and Kim Gordon</a></h1> Opening: Friday, January 24, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Corbett vs. Dempsey <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737431169/ivqpkrdhppzglyno7ai0.jpg"> <h1><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/sustenance-land-five-artists-consider-our-relationship-with-the-earth" target="_blank">Sustenance &amp; Land: Five Artists Consider Our Relationship with the Earth</a></h1> Opening: Friday, January 24, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM Elmhurst Art Museum

New Exhibitions Opening January 22 - 25 (Part I)

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737064201/rvjrdyeseysmutscepwy.jpg"></h4>The Palisades fire approaches the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. The building behind is Villa de Leon. Photo: Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/ Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images. <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/los-angeles-fire-relief-fund-2598664" target="_blank">Major Art Institutions Launch $12 Million Fire Relief Fund for L.A. Artists</a></h4><h4> </h4>A coalition of local and international cultural institutions, led by the J. Paul Getty Trust, have announced a $12 million emergency relief fund for members of the Los Angeles arts community affected by the wildfires that have devastated the city since January 7. Via Artnet <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/arts-culture/2025/01/13/chicago-arts-funding-trump-grants-dcase-individual-artists-program-iap?subscription=true&amp;utm_source=Newsletter_Daily-Rundown-Non-Member&amp;utm_medium=WBEZEmail&amp;utm_campaign=Daily_Newsletter_Daily-Rundown_Sponsored_20250113&amp;utm_content=1/13/2025&amp;DE=WBEZEmail" target="_blank">Under Trump, national arts funding is in question. In Chicago, can the tap stay on?</a></h4> Local artists like Johnson have, in recent years, benefited from a grant program run by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) that gives money directly to individual artists, performers and filmmakers. This year, that grantmaking is under close scrutiny as COVID relief monies dry up, philanthropic support for the arts shifts and the level of federal arts funding becomes a glaring question mark during a second Donald Trump presidency. During his first term, Trump became the first president of either party to propose defunding the National Endowment for the Arts — an effort that&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--color-link-text-theme);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/15/arts/trump-arts-nea-funding.html" target="_blank">ultimately failed</a>. Chicago, meanwhile, is accepting a new round of applications for its&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--color-link-text-theme);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/culgrants/programs/individual-artist.html" target="_blank">direct-to-artist grant program</a>&nbsp;until Jan. 15. Advocates and artists alike say this program is a steadying force in an arts economy in major flux. And while the cultural affairs department has pledged to keep it, officials won’t say how much funding will be available to the program this year. Via WBEZ <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/arts/design/nick-cave-jack-shainman-gallery-art.html" target="_blank">In an Extravagant New Gallery, Nick Cave Goes Big in Bronze</a></h4> The typical gallerist moving to TriBeCa spends a small fortune making their new space look like the derelict former warehouses that originally drew artists downtown because they were cheap. It’s the kind of contradiction that makes the art world what it is — an over-the-top luxury business with a disingenuous devotion to Minimalism. But it can feel a little grating sometimes, and that’s why I was so delighted with the frank ostentation of Jack Shainman Gallery’s new TriBeCa flagship at 46 Lafayette Street, and of its complementary opening show, “<a style="color: var(--color-signal-editorial,#326891);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://jackshainman.com/exhibitions/nick_cave_amalgams_and_graphts" target="_blank">Nick Cave: Amalgams and Graphts</a>.” Via NYT

What We're Reading: 1/16/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888632/jdng5zodus6pb6oeel9a.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/david-sharpe-works-on-paper" target="_blank">David Sharpe – Works on Paper</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMCarl Hammer Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888633/hs5bic7nnqsnxez7z2q8.png"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/gallery-night-mke-receptions" target="_blank">Gallery Night MKE Receptions</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMLily Pad | West <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888634/hhmzgbi42617prh2gxah.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/acred-motherhood" target="_blank">$acred Motherhood</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, January 18, 4:00 PM – 7:00 PMWoman Made Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888635/kacs6ihkehpqebalkih1.png"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/fragments-of-the-familiar-nature-in-abstraction" target="_blank">Fragments of the Familiar: Nature in Abstraction</a></h5>Exhibition begins January 17Bridgeport Art Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888637/de6rc8r5h8ffpprtit77.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/tom-burtonwood-difference-and-repetition" target="_blank">Tom Burtonwood: Difference and Repetition</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, January 18, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMBert Green Fine Art <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888638/uzaowyj3kufqjhgthl0w.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/beyond-frames-black-women-collectors-shaping-chicagos-cultural-heritage" target="_blank">Beyond Frames: Black Women Collectors Shaping Chicago’s Cultural Heritage</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, January 18, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PMSouth Side Community Art Center <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736888639/hhd2ysjtn1e1zaeew5pk.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/art-activism-policy-power-exhibition" target="_blank">Art, Activism, Policy, Power Exhibition</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, January 18, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PMMuseum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP)

New Exhibitions Opening January 15 - 18 (Part 2)

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737001515/zbmv9n5km5xv88hks72b.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/diana-guerrero-maci-paintings-for-birds" target="_blank">Diana Guerrero-Maciá: PAINTINGS FOR BIRDS</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMSecrist | Beach <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737001516/l45dmngfdlpgjnibkqk4.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/kayla-risko-interiors" target="_blank">Kayla Risko: Interiors</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM65GRAND <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737001517/qufc5vlbt15rtkej4xsa.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/luis-gonzlez-palma-un-recuerdo-un-sueo-a-memory-a-dream" target="_blank">Luis González Palma: Un Recuerdo, Un Sueño | A Memory, A Dream</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMOld Friends Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737001517/jbjwbfedp33v0ibzkyve.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/tom-eslinger-left-to-my-own-devices" target="_blank">Tom Eslinger: LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMEpiphany Center for the Arts <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737001518/bc8sjkjymcqwxpgirzh3.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/dangerously-whimsical-a-solo-exhibition-by-kate-harrold" target="_blank">Dangerously Whimsical A Solo Exhibition by Kate Harrold</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 17, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PMJackson Junge Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737001519/i6fsajen5tuicebhfjqj.png"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/fields-of-vision-the-landscapes-of-diane-washa-and-peter-batchelder" target="_blank">Fields of Vision: The Landscapes of Diane Washa and Peter Batchelder</a></h5>Exhibition begins January 15Lily Pad | West (Milwaukee, WI)

New Exhibitions Opening January 15 - 18 (Part I)

<h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/los-angeles-fires-art-world-true-colors" target="_blank">How the Los Angeles Fires Have Affected the Art World</a></h4> Though the fires are still burning, we’re starting to get an understanding of just how devastating the damage is for Los Angeles. In the arts-and-culture community, dozens of people, if not hundreds, have lost their homes, and in some cases decades’ worth of artwork—artists lost their studios and personal holdings, while collectors lost their entire troves. Via Vanity Fair <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/greater-los-angeles-wildfires-insurance-art-loss-1234729986/" target="_blank">‘One of the Most Impactful Art Losses Ever’: Insurers Start to Assess LA Wildfire Damage</a></h4> As fires raged across&nbsp;Los Angeles&nbsp;this week, due to the ongoing Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires, numerous artists, collectors, and arts professionals have reported losing their homes and art collections&nbsp;in the affected areas. While it is still too early to truly assess the damage, art insurers and conservators told&nbsp;ARTnews&nbsp;that they expect it to be extensive. “This is going to be substantial and possibly one of the most impactful art losses ever in America,” Simon de Burgh Codrington, fine arts insurance specialist and managing director at Risk Strategies, told&nbsp;ARTnews&nbsp;in a phone interview. The devastating losses, de Burgh Codrington added, are expected “to be much more impactful than Sandy was to the art world.” Via ARTnews <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/mary-miss-greenwood-installation-des-moines-settlement-2597948" target="_blank">Mary Miss Installation at Des Moines Art Center Set for Removal Following Legal Battle</a></h4> The Des Moines Art Center in Iowa has reached a settlement with Mary Miss more than nine months after the groundbreaking land artist&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(31, 31, 31);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/mary-miss-sues-des-moines-art-center-greenwood-pond-2464425" target="_blank">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;to stop the institution from demolishing an installation the museum said has become too costly to repair. In a surprise move, the DMAC and Miss agreed in court to release the details of settlement agreement, which are often kept secret. A copy of the settlement agreement provided by the Cultural Landscape Foundation, which had been aiding the artist in her efforts, shows Miss will be compensated $900,000 to drop her claims against the museum. Via Artnet <h4> </h4><h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/arts/design/la-fires-art-collector-warhol-haring.html" target="_blank">Art Collector Says He Lost Warhols and Harings to L.A. Fire</a></h4> As the flames grew closer and closer to his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles and his teenage daughter pleaded with him over the phone to evacuate, Ron Rivlin decided to flee, taking three Andy Warhols with him, all that he could carry.“I grabbed those, and as I was leaving, I saw the fire ahead of me on the hill,” Rivlin said. Via NYT Image: Ron Rivlin, an art collector, lost almost everything in his house in the Pacific Palisades fire. Credit: Tag Christof for The New York Times

What We're Reading: 1/14/25

<h3><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736530581/xqzvurjbswuru7iqvxng.jpg"></h3><h3> </h3><h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/kavi-gupta-chicago-dealer-suits-mismanagement-claims-2588230" target="_blank">The Rise and Fall of Kavi Gupta: Chicago Dealer Faces Lawsuits, Claims of Mismanagement</a></h3> Gupta’s business has been struggling. His staff has shrunk, as has his artist roster, and people close to the gallery say there are serious financial issues, with both employees and artists going unpaid for various stretches. He is dealing with two lawsuits—one against his gallery and one against him that has not been previously reported. His gallery’s main location is now open only by appointment, after “a ‘Tsunami’ of weather-related disasters,” including water damage that affected electrical lines and tornado damage to the roof, according to a since-deleted December 10 Instagram post. One recent exhibition stayed up for five months, far from the standard four- or five-week turnaround for a gallery show. Via Artnet Image: Kavi Gupta in his booth at Art Basel in Miami Beach, Florida, in 2014. Photo: Getty Images. <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/los-angeles-fires-rage-artists-art-workers-fundraising-grants-1234729742/" target="_blank">As Los Angeles Fires Rage On, Artists Raise Money to Fund Rebuilding Efforts</a></h3> In Los Angeles this week,&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--color-brand-primary,#ec1c24);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/los-angeles-fires-burn-bunny-museum-will-rogers-ranch-1234729539/" target="_blank">museums burned to the ground</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--color-brand-primary,#ec1c24);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/greater-los-angeles-wildfires-artists-museums-galleries-affected-1234729479/" target="_blank">many artists’ homes were lost</a>, and a number of artworks were endangered. And with four fires currently blazing, members of the city’s art scene have banded together to raise money for artists and art workers impacted by all the destruction. Via ARTnews <h3><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://hyperallergic.com/982441/there-are-no-art-hierarchies-in-the-kaws-collection-drawing-center/" target="_blank">There Are No Art Hierarchies in the KAWS Collection</a></h3> If there is one exhibition in New York City that I would recommend everyone see before it closes, it is&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(18, 18, 18);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://drawingcenter.org/exhibitions/kaws-collection" target="_blank">The Way I See It: Selections from the KAWS Collection</a>&nbsp;at the Drawing Center. KAWS (born Brian Donnelly) is ubiquitous — my barbershop sells figurines of his demented Mickey Mouse with X’d out eyes, as do shops around the world. He is the only artist whose works can be bought by teenagers, multimillionaires, and people getting their hair cut. For those in the art world who don’t look at auction sales,&nbsp;The KAWS ALBUM&nbsp;(2005) — a mash-up of characters from&nbsp;The Simpsons&nbsp;and the album artwork for&nbsp;Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band&nbsp;by The Beatles — sold in Hong Kong for $14.8 million.&nbsp; By John Yau for Hyperallergic

news about art dealer kavi gupta, KAWS, LA fires and artists

What We're Reading: 1/10/25

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736437445/s3yfk2nmbybjnigz01lp.png"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/howard-kottler-this-is-not-a-plate" target="_blank">Howard Kottler: This is Not a Plate</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 10, 5:00 PM – 8:00 PMVolume Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736437446/j3kkmciqcoxovug4zpgb.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ramble-tamble" target="_blank">Ramble Tamble</a></h5>Opening: Friday, January 10, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PMENGAGE Projects <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736437447/aokfjuzsrv1do6agvv8i.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/flipside-from-the-back-beyond" target="_blank">Flipside: From the Back + Beyond</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, January 11, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PMPerspective Photo Gallery <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736437448/zwlurggbrn82oiif7adn.png"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/miao-wang-the-other" target="_blank">MIAO WANG: the other</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, January 11, 5:00 PM – 7:30 PMPATRON&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736437448/o8cvhzrcywofbxawxnjb.jpg"> <h5><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/elemental-exhibition" target="_blank">Elemental Exhibition</a></h5>Opening: Saturday, Jan 11, 2025 5:00 PM – 9:00 PMThe Grove Gallery

New Exhibitions Opening January 10th & 11th

<h4><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145212/acqvxmptvk3on92qsswp.jpg"></h4>A work similar to&nbsp;The Air up There&nbsp;titled&nbsp;Spinner Forest&nbsp;was on view at MCA Chicago's "Nick Cave: Forothermore."&nbsp;PHOTO: NATHAN KEAY, © MCA CHICAGO. <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/nick-cave-kansas-city-international-airport-art-grounded-over-safety-concerns-1234729292/" target="_blank">Nick Cave’s $1 M. Airport Art Grounded Over Safety Concerns After Part Falls to the Floor</a></h4> A kinetic sculpture by&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--color-brand-primary,#ec1c24);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/nick-cave/" target="_blank">Nick Cave</a>&nbsp;formerly installed at the Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal may be permanently grounded after its spinner broke off and fell to the floor in October. A subsequent engineering report found that thought the $1 million artwork did not injure anyone during the incident, the spinners’ connectors cannot support the work’s weight and movement over time, posing a risk of future failures. City officials later removed the sculpture, which features 2,800 spinners suspended from the check-in hall ceiling,&nbsp;<a style="color: var(--color-brand-primary,#ec1c24);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/one-most-popular-artworks-kci-191719833.html" target="_blank">the&nbsp;Kansas City Star</a>, reports. Via ARTnews <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145213/a4z1rr5tq0f7uhipcasz.jpg">Installation view of Portrait Society Gallery's booth at Untitled Art Fair (2024) (all images Debra Brehmer/Hyperallergic) <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://hyperallergic.com/978630/my-small-gallery-lost-money-at-an-art-fair-it-hurt/" target="_blank">My Small Gallery Lost Money at an Art Fair. It Hurt.</a></h4> On the plane back from Miami, I add up expenses versus income from this year’s Untitled Art Fair. It is our third year here, and our first bust. As a&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(18, 18, 18);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.portraitsocietygallery.com/" target="_blank">small Midwestern gallery</a>, two major art fairs a year — Untitled in Miami and the Outsider Art Fair in New York — can generate a quarter of our annual income. Even more importantly, they help us develop a national collector base for regional artists. There is no other way to survive.&nbsp; Via Hyperallergic <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145214/qazosmcf89eoslpnfvx5.jpg">Frida Kahlo in 1939Nickolas Muray Photo Archives <h4><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/01/03/frida-kahlo-works-enter-the-public-domain-look-out-for-the-fridge-magnets" target="_blank">As Frida Kahlo works enter the public domain, look out for the fridge magnets</a></h4> Each year on 1 January thousands of US copyrights expire, allowing creative works to be shared in the the public domain (copyrights on works—published books, films, songs and art—typically last for 95 years). There are differing copyright laws globally but in the US, UK, and some European countries, works of single authorship generally retain copyright protections for the life of the author plus 70 years. So authors and creators who died in 1954 are now due to seep into the public consciousness like never before. Via The Art Newspaper

This week's art stories: Nick Cave, Small galleries at art fairs, Frida Kahlo public domain

What We're Reading: 1/6/25

By CGN Staff Events and exhibitions happening in galleries and museums are added to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events?filter=upcoming" target="_blank">chicagogallerynews.com</a> throughout the year. Highlights for 2025 include everything from museum blockbusters to under-the-radar shows and international art fairs – something everywhere for everyone. There are also shows yet to be announced in the galleries listed in CGN. To stay up to date with galleries and museums in 2025 <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/" target="_blank">subscribe to CGN or purchase a copy</a> of the print edition of our annual Arts Guide. <h6> </h6><h6><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322156/xr2erngk78k0ogk8v7ym.jpg"></h6>Wafaa Bilal (b. 1966, Najaf, Iraq),&nbsp;Domestic Tension, 2007. © Wafaa Bilal. Courtesy of the artist.<h6> </h6><h6> </h6><h6>Wafaa Bilal:&nbsp;Indulge Me</h6> Wafaa Bilal: Indulge Me is the first major&nbsp;survey of internationally renowned artist&nbsp;Wafaa Bilal. 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 his home in the United States, which he has deemed the “comfort zone,” and the “conflict zone” of Iraq. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)Feb 1–Oct 19, 2025 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://visit.mcachicago.org/exhibitions/wafaa-bilal-indulge-me/" target="_blank">mcachicago.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322157/c16fsdh3jvrkonclznyi.jpg">Lucia Koch, 3X3 Pots, 2024. IN/SITU installation view: In the Country of Last Things at EXPO CHICAGO 2024. Courtesy the artist and Nara Roseler, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, New York. Photo: Evan Jenkins. <h6> </h6><h6>EXPO&nbsp;CHICAGO</h6> Under the&nbsp;vaulted architecture of Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, the exposition will bring together global galleries and unrivaled programming, alongside unforgettable events throughout the city during EXPO ART WEEK. The 12th anniversary of EXPO CHICAGO returns in April. Navy Pier&nbsp;April 24–27, 2025 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.expochicago.com/" target="_blank">expochicago.com</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322158/ajdsfvegjn2um99dzzif.jpg"> <h6> </h6><h6>Hokusai and ukiyo-e: The Floating World</h6> This exhibition showcases 50 artworks by the masters of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868). Works by acclaimed artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige are a window into the life during this time when the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) thrived as the center of Japan’s economy and culture. Cleve Carney Museum of Art&nbsp;Summer 2025 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theccma.org/upcoming" target="_blank">theccma.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322159/wkte8p8ktlhufcwngmmb.jpg">Gustave Caillebotte, Paris Street; Rainy Day, 1877, The Art Institute of Chicago, Charles H. and Mary F. Worcester Collection <h6>Gustave Caillebotte: Painting His World</h6> At a time when modernity was synonymous with fashionable young women and new forms of entertainment, Caillebotte focused instead on a more intimate and individualized sphere: his family and friends, fellow sportsmen and neighbors. This exhibition, which opened at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris in October 2024, includes more than 120 works—paintings, works on paper, photographs, and other ephemera from throughout Caillebotte’s career. Art Institute of ChicagoJune 29–Oct 5, 2025<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10068/gustave-caillebotte-painting-his-world" target="_blank">artic.edu</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322159/wqsn8jyycji5e6mdkh78.jpg"> <h6> </h6><h6>The Door County Contemporary Art Fair</h6> A new art fair in the region will take place in June in Door County, Wisconsin. DCC will include several Chicago galleries, Wisconsin artists, as well as their Midwestern peers. The three-day program will introduce art to art enthusiasts in an event yet unseen in Wisconsin. Born from the desire to address a lack of contemporary art in an otherwise culturally enriched and dynamic destination, it will also feature a wealth of site-specific art works and projects, plenty of Wisconsin-centric food and drink, and curated events and art-related projects. Peninsula School of Art in Fish Creek, WisconsinJune 6–9, 2025 • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.doorcountycontemporary.com/" target="_blank">doorcountycontemporary.com</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322160/igwqts6dqt6dpsgcuzno.jpg"> <h6> </h6><h6>Mapping Outside the Lines</h6> For centuries, mapmakers have experimented with the placement, density, and purpose of lines like these to make maps seem simple and objective. Just follow this line and you’ll have everything you need—or so the map leads you to believe. These lines are never as straightforward as they seem. This exhibition follows lines on maps to their extremes. By exploring how maps use lines to make the world legible, the exhibition will bring you through examples of mapmakers and artists who have created, bent, and broken these linear rules. Sept 11, 2025–Jan 3, 2026Newberry Library • <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/mapping-outside-the-lines" target="_blank">newberry.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322161/iv5vehouvmsjeqjrwx1a.jpg">100 Links: Architecture and Land, in and out of the Americas, 2023, The Buell Center and AD—WO, Columbia University. Photo by Cory Dewald <h6> </h6><h6>Chicago Architectural Biennial:&nbsp;CAB 6</h6> The Chicago Architecture Biennial’s public programs explore issues at the heart of urban experience and architectural practice. These events invite dialogue about how we engage the world we live in. More than 100 organizations across Chicago partner with the Biennial, serving as host venues and producing independent exhibitions and programs throughout the neighborhoods.&nbsp;This year’s biennial is CAB 6: Shift: Architecture in Times of Radical Change&nbsp; Taking place city-wide and at the&nbsp;Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington Blvd.)&nbsp; Sept 12, 2025–Feb 28, 2026 •&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org/" target="_blank">chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1735322161/s0f290iialrh2jxaft03.jpg"> <h6>Intuit is reopening</h6> Intuit, the organization founded in 1991 to promote Outsider art, has been undergoing an extensive renovation for the past couple years. This spring they will reopen and also debut a new name, the Intuit Art Museum. In the meantime they are still hosting programs online. 756 N. Milwaukee Ave.&nbsp;Chicago, IL 60642<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.art.org/" target="_blank">www.art.org</a>

A preview of notable art events and exhibitions in Chicago and the Midwest in 2025

CGN's 2025 Culture List

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438850/tqv3qkpzxkmkaxbcyohe.jpg"> <a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/museum-artists-december-2024-2580715" target="_blank">Which Artists Dominate U.S. Museums Right Now? We Crunch the Numbers</a>I looked at more than 200 museums, and counted which artists were on view any time during December (that includes a show like the Baltimore Museum’s “Illustrating Agency,” which closed December 1). The resulting list includes a little more than 3,400 artist names. Of these, only about 300 appear more than once—a tiny fraction. And of these, a very few repeat multiple times, giving a sense of which voices are most resonating with curators and institutions.Via Artnet&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/arts/design/met-museum-frida-escobedo-architecture-tang-wing-art.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gU4.D4rR.Jzcq2EbgzmXu&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">Met Museum Unveils Design for New Modern Wing</a>The metaphor of weaving has informed Frida Escobedo’s design for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s long-awaited new wing for Modern and contemporary art, which was unveiled on Tuesday.It is present in the architectural screen of limestone lattice that wraps the new wing’s exterior on the museum’s southwest corner, creating a diaphanous surface that will change as the sun moves through it during the day. It is present in the placement of windows, offering glimpses of the city and the park. And it is present in the way that the new wing will connect to the adjacent galleries, emphasizing the connectivity between different regions, disciplines and civilizations.Via NYTimes&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/12/03/south-florida-which-has-been-dubbed-wall-street-south-luresbut-does-not-mintcollectors?utm_source=The+Art+Newspaper+Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=04f3551815-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_05_02_11_46_COPY_01&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-5856d4a6ca-61117077" target="_blank">South Florida, which has been dubbed ‘Wall Street South’, lures—but does not mint—collectors</a>A paradox has emerged in South Florida’s art economy in the years following the Covid-19 lockdowns. On the one hand, the region’s upper income brackets have swelled from a massive influx of finance firms and their staff—so much so that Miami and West Palm Beach have worked to rebrand themselves as “Wall Street South”. On the other hand, after a two-year growth spurt, the pinnacle of South Florida’s art-market infrastructure has receded noticeably since 2023, even as economic indicators suggest the area has never offered a broader, richer base of potential buyers.Via The Art Newspaper&nbsp;

What We're Reading: 12/10/24

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438908/jjfpylehecmqun7yh3eb.jpg"> <a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/35th-annual-international-small-print-show-and-holiday-sale-preview" target="_blank">35th Annual International Small Print Show and Holiday Sale Preview</a>Opening: Friday, December 6, 12 – 5&nbsp;pmOpening: Sunday, December 8, 11&nbsp;am – 7&nbsp;pmChicago Printmakers Collaborative&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438909/ztnph77hz3kqhkqcctxr.png"> <a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/little-but-bold-csi-member-benefit-art-auction" target="_blank">Little but Bold! CSI Member Benefit Art Auction</a>Opening: Saturday, December 7, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmChicago Sculpture International (CSI)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438910/jspsyfj5hbvivcqmrcin.jpg"> <a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/holiday-art-sale-2b575172-9e4e-4cf9-9a15-e09a09bb5e6c" target="_blank">Holiday Art Sale</a>December 7 – 22Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC)&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438910/lobk8oy1zxdv1nltpodf.jpg">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/drie-cember-holiday-market" target="_blank">Drie-cember Holiday Market</a>December 7 – 8The Driehaus Museum&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438911/zczvlyz4ufrigaljljlk.jpg">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/underground-art-market-annual-winter-holiday-pop-up-market" target="_blank">Underground Art Market | Annual Winter Holiday Pop-Up Market</a>Saturday, December 7, 12 – 5&nbsp;pmUnderground Art Market&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1736438912/j2wwuep9e6y4ppizja5e.jpg">&nbsp;&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/highland-park-vintage-shindig-63be393c-3e22-4d6a-9c6a-daff55bbbb1c" target="_blank">Highland Park Vintage Shindig</a>Sunday, December 8, 10&nbsp;am – 5&nbsp;pmRandolph Street Market&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Holiday Markets and Sales Taking Place this Weekend

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145134/a2pnxwlk7lb1bxjudxd9.png"> <a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/heather-guidero-s-trunk-show" target="_blank">Heather Guidero's Trunk Show</a>December 6 – 7Pistachios Contemporary Art Jewelry and Objects&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145135/nzb0ulsruervdulcmuwn.png"> <a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/holly-holmes-reverberations" target="_blank">Holly Holmes: Reverberations</a>Opening: Friday, December 6, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmEpiphany Center for the Arts&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145135/d834zvvztlw1ateeb2g7.jpg">&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ground-floor-9409a652-c117-48a5-9463-b14f1dbfcfa2" target="_blank">Ground Floor</a>Opens December 7Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC)&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145137/zsctakhdf0jkxni3pivi.png">&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/isabelle-frances-mcguire-year-zero" target="_blank">Isabelle Frances McGuire: Year Zero</a>Opening: Saturday, December 7, 4 – 7&nbsp;pmThe Renaissance Society&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145137/p5ynrzsbuaxycggqmi2r.jpg">&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/artist-led-exhibition-tour-rafael-blanco" target="_blank">Artist-led Exhibition Tour: Rafael Blanco</a>Saturday, December 7, 1 – 2&nbsp;pmElmhurst Art Museum&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1737145138/gfues7nbhhs0imuh3pl2.png">&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/talk-arthur-jafa-robert-hood" target="_blank">Talk | Arthur Jafa + Robert Hood</a>Saturday, December 7, 2 – 3&nbsp;pmMuseum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Exhibitions Opening and Talks for December 6 -7

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255598/fozyylyzfd5lcqehq6jc.png">Art Institute of Chicago Receives Record $75 M. Gift Toward ExpansionThe&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/art-institute-of-chicago/" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago</a>&nbsp;(AIC) received a $75 million donation from&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/aaron-i-fleischman/" target="_blank">Aaron I. Fleischman</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/t/lin-lougheed/" target="_blank">Lin Lougheed</a>&nbsp;to support future expansion, the museum announced on Tuesday.The largest naming gift in the museum’s 145-year history, the funds will be used to realize building plans that expand access to the museum’s collection and enhance visitor experience. The Aaron I. Fleischman and Lin Lougheed building will house new galleries for the museum’s collection of late 19th-century, modern, and contemporary art.“We are beyond grateful to collaborate with Aaron and Lin to imagine the future of our campus,”said president and director of the Art Institute of Chicago James Rondeau in a statement. “Their exceptional generosity and vision will allow our aspirations to become a reality and I am grateful for their dedication to Chicago, and to serving our visitors for generations to come.”By Francesca Aton<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/art-institute-of-chicago-receives-75-million-gift-aaron-i-fleischman-lin-lougheed-1234717196/" target="_blank">Via Art News</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Inside the Wintrust Mag Mile Lights Festival: Where holiday dreams came to lifeFor the 33rd annual Wintrust Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, people from across the country turned out in record numbers to see the magic along the Mag Mile. This iconic event, the largest evening parade in the U.S., delivered festive surprises that had onlookers cheering from start to finish.By Candace Jordan<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagostarmedia.com/candid_candace/inside-the-wintrust-mag-mile-lights-festival-where-holiday-dreams-came-to-life/article_59eb02a0-ab6c-11ef-9223-57f1bc3a6f2c.html" target="_blank">Via Chicago Star</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Celebrated Chicago artist Kevin A. Williams returns home for exhibit of his paintings in Hyde ParkAn accomplished artist makes a trip back home, reflecting on his roots, and sharing his story about his "Sweet Home Chicago" years. Kevin A. Williams, known by his artist moniker WAK, got his start in life and in art in the heart of the South Shore neighborhood. "It's been a beautiful journey. This was probably the best of times, when you don't know how it's going to turn out," he said.It was in South Shore that a teenage Williams was convinced that art could be his life's work. Williams, whose paintings now are celebrated around the world, and hanging in galleries, first found a paying audience on East 87th Street.<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/artist-kevin-a-williams-wak-exhibit-hyde-park-connect-gallery/" target="_blank">Via CBS News</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tearing down Elgin building designed by Marina City architect is a bitter pill to swallowThe Elgin Mental Health Center Medical and Surgical building, a modernist cylindrical tower designed by the late architectural pioneer Bertrand Goldberg, is being eyeballed for demolition.Built in 1967, the five-story building has been closed since July 2002. An Illinois Department of Human Services spokesperson said the building was shuttered due to the dangers of asbestos and “multiple” structural hazards.“At this time, the building is on a list for possible demolition,” the spokesperson said. “However, at this time IDHS does not have a timeline for when the potential demolition might occur.”By Lee Bey<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2024/11/13/tearing-down-elgin-building-designed-by-marina-city-architect-is-a-bitter-pill-to-swallow" target="_blank">Via Chicago Sun Times</a>

What We're Reading 11/26/24

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255654/ltdc6jj3roxhuw1shit2.jpg">Looking at Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian,” a banana duct-taped to a wall, at Sotheby’s preview. Who’s laughing? It is estimated to sell for $1 million to $1.5 million.Credit...John Angelillo/UPI, via ShutterstockWill a ‘Trump Bump’ Help the Art Market’s Biggest Week?Will the art market go bananas again, like it did before the pandemic, now that Donald J. Trump has been elected to the White House on promises to cut taxes? Speculative investments like cryptocurrencies have risen in anticipation of a new Republican administration’s anti-regulatory agenda, and the auction world hopes that it can ride an economic boom to recovery after nearly two years of declining sales.The November auction season that starts this week in New York will test the willingness of the ultrarich to spend a pile on artworks.<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/18/arts/sothebys-auction-art-market-biggest-week.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bE4.BM7k.SAJbL-RXHgg1&amp;smid=url-share" target="_blank">Via NYT</a>&nbsp;A Claude Monet ‘Water Lilies’ Scene Sold for $65.5 MillionSotheby’s sold a Claude Monet “Water Lilies” scene for $65.5 million on Monday, a solid start to a weeklong series of New York auctions being closely followed for fresh clues into the art market’s trajectory.&nbsp;Monet’s jewel-tone pond scene from 1914-17 was expected to sell for around $60 million, but the piece drew three dogged bidders, with an anonymous Asian telephone bidder winning the work.&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/a-claude-monet-water-lilies-scene-sold-for-65-5-million-6af15ce4?st=ujjt4k&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink" target="_blank">Via WSJ</a>&nbsp;Union League's Monet going to auction — but for how much?The Union League Club of Chicago's ballyhooed Monet painting is scheduled to go to auction tomorrow night amid an uncertain post-election art market. Whether the hammer will come down is hardly guaranteed.The work, "Pommiers en Fleurs," or Apple Trees in Bloom, has been whipsawed by the club's need to raise cash to stay in business after 145 years. There was a sales agreement in 2020 for $7.2 million, but the club reneged, according to the prospective buyer who got nowhere in court trying to enforce the deal.<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chicagobusiness.com/nonprofits-philanthropy/how-much-early-monet-worth-union-league-will-find-out?share-code=17320440111091665-19345fde7d9&amp;utm_id=gfta-ur-241119" target="_blank">Via Crain's Chicago</a>

What We're Reading: 11/19/24

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255241/efgthpmcjg7b5k1hl3sw.jpg">DCASE Commissioner Clineé Hedspeth described her department’s proposed budget as a boost, which is needed to support artists and keep up with the rising costs of large-scale events.City of Chicago YouTube<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.wbez.org/arts-culture/2024/11/13/chicago-arts-funding-city-budget-dcase-culture-artist-grants?subscription=true&amp;utm_source=Newsletter_Daily-Rundown-Non-Member&amp;utm_medium=WBEZEmail&amp;utm_campaign=Daily_Newsletter_Daily-Rundown_Sponsored_20241114&amp;utm_content=11/14/2024&amp;DE=WBEZEmail" target="_blank">Will Chicago arts see a boost next year from City Hall? Numbers tell mixed story</a>Amid big questions about how to sustain creative industries in a post-COVID, inflationary economy, Chicago’s proposed cultural budget for 2025 is under close scrutiny by some arts advocates.Mayor Brandon Johnson’s&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2024/11/12/mayor-brandon-johnson-budget-cuts-negotiations-property-taxes-pension-payment" target="_blank">2025 budget</a>&nbsp;calls for about $73 million for the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) for next year. Last fall, City Council approved more than $84 million for the department. However, fewer grants than forecasted came in, according to the city’s budget department, so DCASE actually received about $66 million, according to this year’s budget documents.Via WBEZ&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255242/vx8illm3q8tzh4n3yrip.webp">Image by Clare Britt&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.artic.edu/press/press-releases/372/art-institute-of-chicago-announces-eric-lefkofsky-as-new-chair-of-the-board-of-trustees" target="_blank">Art Institute of Chicago Announces Eric Lefkofsky as New Chair of the Board of Trustees</a>The Art Institute of Chicago announced on Nov 12 the election of Eric Lefkofsky as the organization’s new chair of the Board of Trustees. Lefkofsky will succeed Denise Gardner as the leader of the board, the governing body for both the Art Institute of Chicago museum and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).Via Arctic.edu&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(29, 65, 160);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.wttw.com/2024/11/04/chicago-living-color-photography-book-focuses-chicago-european-s-point-view" target="_blank">Chicago in Living Color: Photography Book Focuses on Chicago From a European’s Point-of-View</a>A native of Spain, Judit Prat Marti was a newcomer to Chicago in early 2020. She moved here to accept a fellowship in the University of Chicago’s Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics.Three months later, the pandemic struck – and Prat Marti shifted her focus from the cosmos to the city.She took photography classes and explored Chicago with a camera. She built a body of work taking photos of overlooked nooks of the city, embracing the finer points of her temporary home.Now this scholar of cosmology is a photographer with a new book, published by Chicago’s Trope Publishing Company.Via WTTW

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