<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/afvjih4zmlfbliufv0zv.jpg"><figcaption>Photos by David Sampson for Public Art Fund</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Via PROpening August 14, Public Art Fund and JCDecaux will present Adrienne Elise Tarver: She who sits, six new images displayed on 300 bus shelters across New York City, Chicago, and Boston. Tarver’s newest body of work is an ongoing exploration of the centrality of the Black matriarchal figure, combined with new imagery where her subjects reject spectatorship, proclaim agency, and engage in self-affirming rest while seated in intimate environments. She who sits marks Adrienne Elise Tarver’s first solo public art exhibition.“Adrienne Elise Tarver is incredibly skilled at building rich and complex worlds in which her subjects get to live, and her viewers get to witness,” said Public Art Fund Assistant Curator Jenée-Daria Strand. “Each painting possesses a vivid color story that offers a backdrop to an equally rich narrative—a narrative of radical rest that underscores the right of refusal and the reclamation of selfhood.”&nbsp;Many of the works in the exhibition feature Vera Otis, a fictional subject whom Tarver has developed over the past 10 years. Originally inspired by an anonymous woman from a vintage photograph in a thrift store, each new portrayal of Vera Otis expands her story. Through Otis’s fabricated biographical narrative, Tarver investigates her own family history, complicates definitions of belonging, and contemplates how personal experiences are intertwined with historical accounts. In She who sits, Vera Otis is the muse through whom Tarver contextualizes rest and the posture of sitting as power. Though inspired by iconic Black actresses of the 1920s through 1960s such as Dorothy Dandridge, Eartha Kitt, Hattie McDaniels, and Lena Horne, Otis does not seek to entertain. She is composed and self-contained, yet at ease and relaxed, not rushing or waiting for anyone. Otis exists as both a meditative focal point for, and in direct contrast to, her commuter audiences.&nbsp;“In the development of She who sits, as a continuation of my recent work focused on the fictional character, Vera Otis, I was thinking about archetypes, mythologies, and expectations placed on Black women,” said Adrienne Elise Tarver. “These works are an exploration of the power of sitting historically and in daily life, subverting the idea of it being a mundane or insignificant act.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/l6cvpmtoeyv9z0wth4h4.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;The exhibition’s title nods to Black actresses' mandate to perform gleefully on and off stage, the prevalence of Black women's labor in domestic spaces, and the significance of sitting in public space to enact social change. Dually, it refers to the exhibition’s presentation on bus shelters, where passengers sit as they await their next destination. In New York, Chicago, and Boston, Tarver’s subjects will mirror the posture of nearby commuters, offering physical respite and spaces of quiet confrontation.Tarver undertakes extensive research to create new series, deriving images from a wealth of source material. Family photographs, found imagery, and media archives––especially that of Ebony Magazine and Jet––reside in each of the paintings, some more recognizable and others less so. By combining imagery that spans time and place, Tarver connects the past to the present.For example, in the painting Dark Star, Tarver presents a reinterpreted image of model and actress Vera Francis––originally published on a 1951 Ebony Magazine cover––omitting all markers of her identity and leaving only Francis’s silhouette. Visible at the heart of her obscured figure is a dark blue celestial starburst that Tarver offers in a nod to Afrofuturism, and as a depiction of a Black woman’s prayer to the heavens for refuge and release. The concealed subject raises questions about the figure’s potential expressions of her mental and emotional state, especially when compared to the figure’s vibrant surroundings. Consistent throughout the exhibition is Tarver’s commitment to duality, blurring history and the present, invisibility and visibility, private and public.She who sits is Tarver’s first solo Public Art Fund presentation, having participated in the 2020 group exhibition <a href="https://www.publicartfund.org/exhibitions/view/art-on-the-grid-july27/">Art on the Grid</a>, also presented with JCDecaux. The three exhibition cities each hold unique significance for the artist. Boston is where Tarver lived during her undergraduate years; Chicago is where she spent her teen years and returned to obtain her MFA; New York City is where she currently lives and works.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/rccumm5ag8kojungqwj3.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;Adrienne Elise Tarver: She who sits is curated by Public Art Fund Assistant Curator Jenée-Daria Strand.&nbsp;@PublicArtFund #AdrienneEliseTarverWHEN &amp; WHERE: Starting on August 14, 2024, She who sits will be on view on JCDecaux bus shelters throughout New York City, Chicago, and Boston. The exhibition can also be explored anytime, anywhere, on the free <a href="https://www.publicartfund.org/videos_etc/bloomberg-connects/">Bloomberg Connects</a> app.&nbsp;ABOUT THE ARTISTAdrienne Elise Tarver is an interdisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn, NY with a practice that spans painting, sculpture, installation, photography, textiles, and video. Her work addresses the complexity and invisibility of Black female identity including the history within domestic spaces, the fantasy of the tropical seductress, and the archetype of the all-knowing spiritual matriarch.She has exhibited nationally and abroad, including solo shows at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art in Connecticut; the Academy Art Museum in Maryland; Atlanta Contemporary in Atlanta, Georgia; Dinner Gallery (formerly Victori+Mo) in New York; Ochi Projects in Los Angeles; Wave Hill in the Bronx, NY; BRIC Project Room in Brooklyn; and A-M Gallery in Sydney, Australia and two-person exhibitions at Hollis Taggart in New York; Wedge Curatorial in Toronto, Canada. She recently received the Distinguished Alumni Award from her alma mater, Boston University, and the Nancy Graves Foundation Grant. She has been commissioned for projects through the New York MTA, the Public Art Fund, Google, Art Aspen, and Pulse Art Fair and has been featured in online and print publications including the New York Times, Forbes, Brooklyn Magazine, ArtNews, ArtNet, Blouin ArtInfo, Whitewall Magazine, and Hyperallergic, among others. She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and BFA from Boston University.&nbsp;In 2024, Tarver was announced as the inaugural awardee of a new summer residency at Stoneleaf Retreat, in partnership with Artnoir. Her solo exhibition, Where the Waters Go, will be on view at Dinner Gallery in New York City from May 16, 2024 to June 29, 2024. Tarver is represented in Los Angeles, CA and Sun Valley, ID by<a href="https://www.ochigallery.com/artists/"> OCHI</a>.ABOUT PUBLIC ART FUNDAs the leader in its field, Public Art Fund brings dynamic contemporary art to a broad audience in New York City and beyond by mounting ambitious free exhibitions of international scope and impact that offer the public powerful experiences with art and the urban environment. Begun in 2017, Public Art Fund’s partnership with JCDecaux has grown to include twelve exhibitions across seven cities around the globe.ABOUT JCDECAUXThe JCDecaux Group is the number one outdoor advertising company worldwide, reaching more than 850 million people daily in over 80 countries and almost 4,000 cities. JCDecaux is working towards more sustainable spaces and is recognized for its extra-financial performance in the FTSE4Good (3.6/5), CDP (A Leadership), MSCI (AA), and has achieved Gold Medal status from EcoVadis. In the U.S., JCDecaux programs include airports, billboards, malls, as well as street furniture programs in New York, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.Photos by David Sampson for Public Art Fund</body></html>

Adrienne Elise Tarver's Portraits of Women Come to Chicago Bus Shelters

<html><head></head><body>By GINNY VAN ALYEAI’ve been giving myself a bit of a history lesson–something I tend to do when I’m on deadline and have time-sensitive things to do. At press time Chicago is preparing, or bracing, to be on the world stage when the city once again welcomes the Democratic National Convention (this is the 26th political convention held here–the first was in 1860 when Abraham Lincoln was nominated). Tens of thousands of people will come to the city, while the world watches. History will be made, but many ask, will it be 1968 again?&nbsp;I was not around yet in that pivotal year in our country’s history, but I have started to consider that so much of what we recognize as the significant foundation of Chicago’s art scene today came about in the ensuing 56 years. The sparks of AfriCOBRA came to life in 1968. The Museum of Contemporary Art, which opened in 1967, mounted a 1969 exhibition, featuring the work of an ever-growing group of artists labeled the Imagists, “Don Baum Says ‘Chicago Needs Famous Artists’”. Hairy Who artists Jim Nutt and Gladys Nilsson had their first solo shows in 1970 at Phyllis Kind Gallery. Roger Brown followed in 1971. Other groups of artists founded the ARC Gallery in 1973, and Chicago Artists Coalition in 1974. In 1978 the main branch of the Chicago Public Library became the Chicago Cultural Center. That same year the city passed the Percent-for-Art-Ordinance, which stipulated that a portion of construction and renovation costs for municipal buildings and public spaces be allocated towards original art. It’s why Chicago has such a remarkable public art collection today–just one reason we’re a popular city for hosting conventions of all types. Art Expo debuted in 1980 and reinvented the way people encounter, consume and sell contemporary art, and throughout the rest of the ‘80s the city’s gallery scene took off, and held on. In 2024 it’s already been two decades since the opening of Millennium Park, a monument to the power of public art and one of the country’s top ten tourist destinations. Soon, the Obama Center designed by architect David Adjaye will open next year. So no matter who is watching Chicago, we know it’s change and creativity that keeps our city moving forward, true to its hardworking roots.&nbsp;This is CGN’s 42nd fall magazine. It’s filled with highlights from an arts calendar bursting with exhibitions and events, from downtown to downstate as well as into Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. Chicago may lie at the center of many things, sometimes more conspicuously than others–politics, Lollapalooza, NASCAR–but in the spirit of a changeable year it’s worth studying what has come before, all that we have done already, and what will come next. Even if we don’t know what to expect from anything else.&nbsp;Keep an eye out for CGN's fall issue, covering September-December and out later this month in time for the new fall art season. Our cover interview is with artist Caroline Kent. We also include interviews with collector Michelle Edwards, young artist Georgie Miller, dealer Tom McCormick, dealer Carl Hammer, a profile of Wisconsin's Poor Farm, Mark Ballogg at Alma Art and Interiors, the state of art in healthcare, fall calendars, new galleries, and much more!&nbsp;&nbsp;If you'd like to subscribe <a href="https://835ba3.myshopify.com">click here.</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092758/b96kxgc2fncukt7tiqzm.jpg"><figcaption>Fall cover featuring Caroline Kent</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

Fall 2024 Publisher's Letter

<a href=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/12/arts/design/chicago-art-trains-elections.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Ck4.upNC.niMHeBEK3UCh&amp;smid=url-share>New Public Art Rides the Rails in Chicago, Timed to the Convention</a>Public art by world-renowned creators is a seminal part of Chicago’s urban landscape. Anish Kapoor’s beloved 2006 silver sculpture in downtown Millennial Park, known as “The Bean”(officially “Cloud Gate”), is as much a symbol of the city as Chicago’s sports stars and its skyscrapers.Now, timed to the Democratic National Convention (Aug. 19-22), Chicago is debuting a new array of public art throughout the city, much of it by local talent, and all on democratic (with a lowercase “D”) themes.Via The New York Times&nbsp;<a href=https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/sothebys-minority-stake-abq-abu-dhabi-sovereign-wealth-fund-1234714040/>Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund to Acquire Minority Stake in Sotheby’s in $1 Billion Investment&nbsp;Deal</a>ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based sovereign wealth fund, investment, and holding company, has entered into “a definitive agreement” to acquire a minority interest in Sotheby’s. The deal, valued at around $1 billion, will see ADQ purchasing newly issued shares of Sotheby’s. Patrick Drahi, the current majority owner of the auction house, will invest additional capital. The exact breakdown of the investment was not disclosed.According to a press release, the capital infusion from the investment reflects Sotheby’s interest in the burgeoning economic diversification of the Abu Dhabi region. It’s likely that some of the funds will be earmarked for strengthening Sotheby’s finances and supporting the company’s ambitious and real estate expansion plans.Via ARTnews&nbsp;<a href=https://news.artnet.com/art-world-archives/bar-at-the-folies-bergere-manet-2520568>Was Manet’s Final Masterpiece Meant to Be a Riddle? Here Are 3 Facts About His Iconic Bar Scene</a>Edouard Manet’s last masterpiece, The Bar at Folies-Bergère, is also his most enigmatic. Painted in 1882, the year before he died, Manet was already in mounting physical decline and the artist knew his end was near. Which is to say, he painted The Bar with intentionality as a final testament. The same year it was created, The Bar was displayed at the Paris Salon. Manet’s history with the Salon was notoriously complex—he had often been rejected and, when his works were accepted, they were usually critically skewered (take for instance Olympia, from 1863, which people tried to attack). But the legacy of The Bar at Folies-Bergère has been enduring, if sphinx-like in its ambiguity. The art historian Griselda Pollock rightly deemed it “one of the canonical images for modernist art history.” But what does Manet’s final masterpiece mean?Via Artnet&nbsp;Image: Edouard Manet, A bar at the Folies-Bergere. The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust.) ©The Courtauld.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

What We're Reading: 8/12/24

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/bxxambeyczkaaxm69zqk.jpg" changes="" artists="" and="" curator="" bob="" faust_photo="" by="" walter="" s="" mitchell="" iii,="" city="" of="" chicago.jpg=""><figcaption>Track(ed) Changes artists. Photo by Walter S Mitchell III, City of Chicago &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Via PRCHICAGO—Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced several public art projects to be completed this summer and fall, including a neighborhood murals initiative as well as unique artwork by Chicago artists on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Blue, Green, and Orange lines. The artist-designed CTA train wraps will be on display starting in mid-August, as will many of the neighborhood murals being created by mainly Chicago-based artists in collaboration with community organizations — to be installed at public sites in Humboldt Park, the West Loop, and Woodlawn/Washington Park. Additional murals will debut this fall in the Bronzeville, Edgewater, Mayfair, South Chicago, and Uptown communities. These new neighborhood murals will interpret themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and inclusion and will also celebrate Chicago’s Blues and House music legacies.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“Chicago is embracing public art as a defining characteristic of our city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “My administration through DCASE is currently managing nearly 80 public art projects in airports, transit hubs, and other spaces — totaling $11 million in investments across 26 wards. We’re proud to share Chicago’s story and the power of the arts with residents in diverse communities across this great city, and with visitors from across the globe.”“The new artist-designed train wraps are unique ‘moving murals’ on display throughout Chicago,” shared DCASE Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth. “Mayor Brandon Johnson and I believe that public art tells the story of our city — its beauty, its resilience, the soul of Chicago. We’re thrilled to be showcasing local artists and cultural communities on the CTA and with neighborhood murals.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://meltwater-apps-production.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/images/5a04d8a0b64871151db4c421/blobid2_1723489955320.jpg"><figcaption>Pictured: Renderings of the artist-designed train wraps project, “Track(ed) Changes”</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;The artist-designed train wraps project, titled “Track(ed) Changes: Democracy runs through our neighborhoods,” is produced and project managed by the DCASE Public Art team in collaboration with the CTA—and curated by Chicago-based graphic designer and artist Bob Faust. Participating artists include: Brandon Breaux, Bob Faust, Kristoffer McAfee, Noel Mercado, Carlos Rolón, Esperanza Rosas, Territory, and youth artists with Urban Gateways.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/kldw2hzz63gmyf8ht20c.jpg"><figcaption>Track(ed) Changes artist and curator Bob Faust. Photo by Walter S Mitchell III, City of Chicago &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;The aforementioned neighborhood murals initiative includes:<ul><li>Bronzeville neighborhood (Martin Luther King Community Center) in collaboration with Dorian Sylvain Studio, LLC / Mural Moves; celebrating the legacy of the Blues in Chicago; by Chicago-based artist Arthur Wright</li><li>Edgewater neighborhood (Edgewater Branch Library) in collaboration with the Chicago Public Art Group; interpreting themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion; by Brooklyn-based artist Tomokazu Matsuyama</li><li>Humboldt Park neighborhood (Erie Division Street Health Center) in collaboration with Yollocalli Arts Reach; interpreting themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion; by Chicago-based artist Ceci Beavens</li><li>Mayfair neighborhood (Mayfair Branch Library) in collaboration with Yollocalli Arts Reach; interpreting themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion; by Chicago-based artist Sentrock</li><li>South Chicago neighborhood (Vodak-East Side Branch Library) in collaboration with Englewood Arts Collective; interpreting themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion; by Chicago-based artist Oscar Joyo</li><li>Uptown neighborhood (Uptown Branch Library) in collaboration with the Chicago Public Art Group; interpreting themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion; by Chicago-based artist Max Sansing</li><li>West Loop neighborhood (Office of Emergency Management &amp; Communications/OEMC Garage) in collaboration with Englewood Arts Collective; celebrating House music and its influence; by Chicago-based artists Kayla Mahaffey and Rahmaan Statik</li><li>Woodlawn/Washington Park neighborhood (Bessie Coleman Branch Library) in collaboration with Dorian Sylvain Studio, LLC / Mural Moves; interpreting themes of democracy, civic duty, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion; by Chicago-based artist Kari Blak</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/rmxcuk0mf9h8r8xaodn8.jpg" blak="" mural_beyond="" the="" pages_at="" bessie="" coleman="" branch="" library.jpg=""><figcaption>Kari Blak mural, “Beyond the Pages” at Bessie Coleman Branch Library</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Other DCASE Public Art project highlights scheduled for completion in Summer/Fall 2024 include:<ul><li>CTA Damen Green Line station mosaic by Folayemi Wilson</li><li>Joint Public Safety Training Campus façade mural by Edra Soto and two local artists</li><li>63rd and Central Park Ave. viaduct mural by artist Anna Murphy</li><li>Chicago Race Riot 1919 commemoration project; first markers recently unveiled by Firebird Community Arts with local youth artists</li><li>O’Hare International Airport T5 Baggage Claim photographic light box installation by Jonathan Michael Castillo</li><li>Greater Roseland garden sculptures by Ben LaMar Gay &amp; Redemptive Plastics / Alt Chicago</li><li>Greater Roseland “Burst Into Books” murals by Kayla Mahaffey</li><li>Exterior murals and interior wall wraps in Englewood (Damon Lamar Reed), Lakeview (CZR PRZ), and Roseland (Max Sansing)</li></ul></body></html>

City of Chicago's Latest Public Art Takes a Trip on the El

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/vpk1wyzwz1zysyzukcl8.jpg"><figcaption>2023 Richard Hunt Award Winner Caminantes by Salvador Jiménez-Flores</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Via PRTHE 2025&nbsp;CHICAGO SCULPTURE EXHIBIT RICHARD HUNT AWARD APPLICATION IS NOW OPEN!What is the Richard Hunt Award? CSE is thrilled to renew the CSE Richard Hunt Award. In recognition of the internationally-heralded artist and Chicago native Richard Hunt, CSE continues to bring new perspectives and diversity to the public art world by offering financial support to emerging or mid-career Chicagoland sculptors for a new artwork sited at a prominent location in the city. The award is part of CSE’s mission to encourage a broader range of artists to design and fabricate large-scale public sculpture.&nbsp;&nbsp;The financial provision for the production of the work is $10,000, 80% provided for the planning and/or creation of the artist’s work and 20% dispersed upon installation. The selected artist must transport their sculpture to and from the site, but CSE will assist with on-site installation and costs of physically mounting the work. The sculpture will remain on display for two years and must be able to withstand Chicago’s climate for that period. The work will be returned to the artist as the sole owner after 24 months. CSE will make every effort to provide additional mentoring and assistance as requested.&nbsp;&nbsp;The award money may be used for production and installation of the sculpture, i.e. materials, studio rent, artist’s time. CSE will also provide professional documentation of the work upon installation, to be shared with the artist.&nbsp;Project TimelineSeptember 27, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.: Applications are due by 5 pm CST on Friday, September 27. Please submit an application through this form: <a href="https://chicagosculptureexhibit.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=183958c7dd80221c1c4ad9417&amp;id=09b2e305c6&amp;e=5c16fab5df">CSE Richard Hunt Award Application</a>Early to Mid-October 2024: Jury selection of winner, with notification shortly thereafter.&nbsp;November 15, 2024: Final drawings/plans due to CSE for review.&nbsp;May 30, 2025: Installation of the work must be completed by this date and will be planned in coordination with CSE staff and contractors.&nbsp;Application RequirementsChicagoland artists, aged 18+ must submit the following within the application link:● Artist statement and bio (200 words or less)● Sample images&nbsp;● Artist proposal for new work for installation (350 words)&nbsp;● Proposed project budget (may include studio rent, labor, materials, etc.)&nbsp;The JurySelect curators from Chicago’s art community will comprise the Jury for the 2024/2025 CSE Richard Hunt Award including Daniel Schulman, Executive Director of Jewish Museum Milwaukee and former Program Director of Visual Art at Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Dr. Anita Blanchard, Board Member, Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation, and Tricia van Eck, Founder and Artistic Director of 6018 North and former Associate Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Richard Hunt Legacy FoundationCSE is excited to partner with The Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation to continue the CSE Richard Hunt Award in future years. As an artist and prominent American sculptor, Richard Hunt considered artistic freedom to be the most important aspect of his career, “I am interested more than anything else in being a free person. To me, that means that I can make what I want to make, regardless of what anyone else thinks I should make.”&nbsp;The Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation advances public awareness, education, and appreciation of the life and art of American sculptor Richard Hunt. ​The Foundation was incorporated in the state of Illinois in 2023 to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at the direction of its founder, Richard Hunt. The Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation’s vision is to ensure that future generations fully appreciate his life and art by encouraging, inspiring, facilitating, educating, and supporting the public’s understanding of his work and his place in American and art history. In addition, the foundation aims to support the next generation of sculptors and artists. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/wljndqbad5j7tyrkwuvw.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;About Richard HuntBorn on the South Side of Chicago, Richard Hunt (1935-2023) was one of the most important sculptors this nation has produced. His distinguished art career spanned seven decades. At the age of 35, Hunt became the first African American sculptor to have a retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1971. Hunt held over 160 solo exhibitions and is represented in more than 100 public museums across the globe. Hunt was a prolific public sculptor and made the largest contribution to public art in the United States, with more than 160 public sculpture commissions gracing prominent locations in 24 states and Washington, D.C. Hunt was a central figure in Civil Rights-era action and commemorated many African American icons in his public works, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Emmett Till, John Jones, and Mary McLeod Bethune. His body of work explores themes of the African diaspora, African and Western art, mythology, and Hunt’s own ancestry, especially in relation to growth, expansion, freedom, movement, and flight. Questions? Contact <a href="mailto:chicagosculptureexhibit@gmail.com?subject=CSE%20Application">chicagosculptureexhibit@gmail.com</a><a href="https://chicagosculptureexhibit.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=183958c7dd80221c1c4ad9417&amp;id=3599f6d153&amp;e=5c16fab5df">CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE</a>&nbsp;</body></html>

CSE Announces Richard Hunt Sculpture Prize - Applications Open Now

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/chxv7b6zafnyhui9fxxn.jpg" blue="" rendering="" 1.jpg=""></figure>ROSEMONT, Ill. – THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion, the multifaceted contemporary art program located within Fashion Outlets of Chicago, with support from the Village of Rosemont, today announced the program’s newest site-specific installation, Midnight Blue, by celebrated Chicago-native artist Hebru Brantley featuring his iconic Flyboy character. The permanent work will make its debut at the center on Friday, September 20.“When we established THE COLLECTION, we set out to provide Fashion Outlets of Chicago shoppers with an unparalleled, yet approachable visual art experience,” said Katie Walsh, Senior Marketing Manager at Fashion Outlets of Chicago. “With the addition of this incredible work by an artist as iconic as Hebru Brantley, we are demonstrating our commitment to providing world-class, museum-quality work to the public in an unexpected, unique setting.”Enigmatic and abstract, Midnight Blue draws inspiration from the world of Jazz, particularly the atmosphere created in the classic tune, “Round Midnight.” The focus of the work is on capturing a feeling – a state of being lost in the moment, carried away by the interplay of colors and shapes. These colors themselves become a dreamscape, inviting the viewer to surrender to their own interpretation. Using shapes that hint at camouflage, the work introduces a layer of tension, reflecting the artist’s desire to create a work that resonates on an emotional level, similar to the power of music, all while existing in a dynamic relationship with its environment.“Ultimately, Midnight Blue is about setting a mood, a vibe, just as a great Jazz piece can transport the listener,” said Brantley. “This commission by Fashion Outlets of Chicago was an incredible opportunity to create a work that is simultaneously unexpected and immersive. I’m thrilled to join my colleagues and friends represented in THE COLLECTION and I can’t wait for visitors to engage with Midnight Blue for years to come.”Known for his distinctive, narrative-driven work that revolves around conceptualized characters, Brantley utilizes the characters to address complex ideas while exploring color palettes, motifs and the characters themselves to create an air of innocence around his layered and multifaceted works.&nbsp;For more information on THE COLLECTION and Fashion Outlets of Chicago please visit <a href="https://u56787.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.oTjORMppDqxAbsefRFk27x507Y8RCkhvCWKPYeD-2BKa3G-2BA6KxNcJ2EU-2BuP7Y0J-2F7rLhHuXz3erU-2F9IUUVs-2BVhKbxdGH7RQHVDKroiqTsa2z4JCOBg4F3e-2FrAy9fqi9BpVnIJ64gBS7ycggSCvmj18FAxvJLS80oyoVtjUvYKr9M-3D39qU_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2BCm4DmNjKHmH-2FuMeb6erfptj0X7kOO03SOEy0038a8bO2JT1vj7ekSN4iWm5fnVmC-2BUoj9m6S-2BHoqpkY4xl-2F1zJpl0qI-2Bilecut0mSSToCGWN89tcBEot9fhKkN60iLK4Z4qBlUqor2qDvQhyzjzAElC-2F6u9R3CLO8CTOlg-2FO7vCOi8ETaEM9YyAKnU1e2Rp1jIqyDL-2BxrdjsLk8n0b7oXBDtSg69SM-2BCJt4RiNByRQ7ETnBfrxCKUW-2FggBJylTWxLuxAo5cDDZSOUQADaecL8gCcHKkAsdd-2FuPoZO-2BKUkYTVvEsi-2Bmw0dmAvc8bw0aR9pdx247p9i00lon-2FO0OZuegBb6u1k3k3-2FWnkQPqPF2WrEhbF1jD9uZDS-2FCMgVdSJySv-2BTjkZOjmwxdfCu8p2PBfo8nZxRs3QqwHo3C02XxDgZXnRDqeZvqlrCbq-2BlgflFl8bEC89WanKBb-2B8IVwkCIgSmk-2Futtj3XEQ9GH3JuKj1n20q10g3x-2Fei46XEjTPiCqPHJZiBqd0KFMExvszCvph7CVK7-2F8lgDaDxVt2P-2FvgWGZbI9Zt8tFhY5jYzh83uov-2B1K42C6dBZQG6JEMRKOprq6em813YBlzn750KA8BvHUfRjunRPaGrRJtzq-2BoQP7Ain9BUZWaGJfoBS3ZAOvY-2FNupa7MEl6-2BUGJ2wju0kB4Gl-2FMcABtaUBgii5QYspVe50rn2CTxTvK1yE8squAz1-2BFfykOWJ2GwzCt7YKJ8nG7RRadcAb958zHQIqfvu0lGpinRFFCFRWrPf8xteC0vuL-2BkXwOq5GDItN9LopnwbMyxQ8kMwImPUKSFQ2fUUsRddbaoxqASo0cQB4otIPuHj5wCjWy-2FEQqG2Qx-2Fs8GX9s4PX8bxJixrwkXm4LFpJcOYq2BEd41vLZqeD-2B6Aylhgw">www.fashionoutletsofchicago.com/thecollection</a>.About Hebru BrantleyHebru Brantley is an American artist known for his distinctive, narrative-driven work that revolves around his conceptualized characters. Drawing from art historical references such as Robert Colescott, Andy Warhol, Kerry James Marshall and Jean-Michel Basquiat, the work of Brantley reassesses contemporary culture and mythology through a unique lens. He utilizes his characters in a narrative output to address complex ideas around nostalgia, fear, safety, power, and hope. The color palettes, motifs and characters themselves juxtapose this intricacy, creating an air of innocence and accessibility around his layered and multifaceted ideas.&nbsp;Brantley’s work is often seen challenging the traditional view of the hero or protagonist. The contexts and expressions of his youthful cast of characters – which are sometimes in autobiographical form – summon the audience to reimagine childhood and the American cultural experience in Brantley’s coined context of ‘dark fiction’. His work is frequently depicted exploring this macrocosm, where dark represents an identity, continent, and mindset. In his Negro Mythos series, Brantley reimagines the super heroes of American pop culture as people of color – as a quest to readdress modern mythology through his lens. Flyboy, his most known character, was also born from this concept.&nbsp;Akin to Charles Schulz and his world of ‘Peanuts’, Brantley’s work portraying Flyboy forms a narrative around him and his universe, including characters Lil Mama and Phibby. Flyboy, often seen looking upward in heroic stances, summons the viewer to contemplate the notion of the transcendent or even the impossible despite the ordinary. Encouraging the viewer to align their gaze skyward, above the monotony of the mundane, Brantley’s character gives rise to the notion of possibilities. The viewer is challenged to hope, to audaciously believe they too can fly.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/hz4gveibf1hc1gw1eddl.jpg"></figure>Brantley’s work as a storyteller frequently extends beyond the colorful dimensions of the canvas. The character, Phibby, with a helmet enveloping his dark face, is Brantley’s further exploration into the identity of the ‘safe black man’. Referencing astronauts and space exploration as well as Kermit the Frog, the observer is able to view his childlike appearance with ease while surveying a deeper context. Phibby is seen experiencing a need to assimilate, as black folks are often accustomed to making others feel safe, even when there is no threat. His bright green helmet allows him to do this, masking himself from society by creating a more approachable external image. Phibby challenges the viewer to examine the necessity to sell oneself short in order to fit into the nature of the colonizer. Brantley addresses notions of how people of color were rarely seen as the hero or the savior, but instead would only gain favor by playing the part of satirical characters. Phibby is the personification of the safe zone for a black man, with his helmet serving as both a retreat as well as a shield.&nbsp;Brantley’s recent solo exhibitions include: traveling without moving (NANZUKA UNDERGROUND, Tokyo, 2023), Bound (GGA Gallery, Wynwood Walls, Miami, FL, 2022), Dark Fiction: Flowers &amp; Frogs (Richard Beavers Gallery, NYC, 2022), Saints &amp; Shepherds (Fort Wayne Museum of Art, IN, 2021), Mythos Opus 1., 2., 3., (Megumi Ogita Gallery and Nanzuka Underground, Tokyo, 2021), and Solus (Phillips Auction House, Hong Kong, 2021). In 2019, Brantley exhibited Nevermore Park in Chicago, an experiential fine art installation depicting large-scale narrative work of his characters, Flyboy and Lil Mama. The 6,000-square-foot installation hosted over 23,000 guests. Brantley currently works and resides in Los Angeles,&nbsp;where he is also expanding into film and TV directing through his media company, Angry Hero. In early 2022, he released a short film on Netflix.&nbsp;About THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets FashionTHE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion is a multifaceted contemporary art program located within Macerich’s Fashion Outlets of Chicago, with support from the Village of Rosemont. Components of THE COLLECTION include 23 permanent commissions and a rotating exhibition series located throughout the common area of the shopping center. The public art program has invested in works by Daniel Arsham, Derrick Adams, Carlos Rolón Dzine, Jen Stark, Matthew Hoffman, and many more. THE COLLECTION’s rotating exhibitions feature work by a variety of artists displayed in glass cases located throughout Level Two of the shopping center. For more information, visit <a href="https://u56787.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.YGtAXXM2e8X4wIriVfujJsly62AeUO0rs3h4Ai9ane7MV-2F-2Fv0OqciSl8n1ZhXsCiFhtOG7Bw4CkeC-2BijCretu6x2srvvAgSYa3MK-2Brv5yriylWJuqxLIUXfrq-2FFq3wIqE0ahZuMKcgtQSC6JcpfwPcW-2BJSfX3ocFRlwnjoHCS4A-3DDGSp_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2BCm4DmNjKHmH-2FuMeb6erfptj0X7kOO03SOEy0038a8bO2JT1vj7ekSN4iWm5fnVmC-2BUoj9m6S-2BHoqpkY4xl-2F1zJpl0qI-2Bilecut0mSSToCGWN89tcBEot9fhKkN60iLK4Z4qBlUqor2qDvQhyzjzAElC-2F6u9R3CLO8CTOlg-2FO7vCOi8ETaEM9YyAKnU1e2Rp1jIqyDL-2BxrdjsLk8n0b7oXBDtSg69SM-2BCJt4RiNByRQ7ETnBfrxCKUW-2FggBJylTWxLuxAo5cDDZSOUQADaecL8gCcHKkAsdd-2FuPoZO-2BKUkYTVvEsi-2Bmw0dmAvc8bw0aR9pdx247p9i00lon-2FO0OZuegBb6u1k3k3-2FWnkQPqPF2WrEhbF1jD9uZDS-2FCMgVdSJySv-2BTjkZOjmwxdfCu8p2PBfo8nZxRs3QqwHo3C02XxDgZXnRDqeZvqlrCbq-2BlgflFl8bEC89WanKBb-2B8IVwkCIgSmk-2Futtj3XEQ9GH3JuKj1n20q10g3x-2Fei46XEjTPiCqPHJZiBqd0KFMExvszCvph7CVK7-2F8lgDaDxVt2P-2FvgWGZbI9Zt8tFhY5jYzh83uov-2B1K42C6dBZQG6JEMRKOprq6em813YBlzn750KA8BvHUfRjunRPaGrRJtzq-2BoQP7Ain9BUZWaGJfoBS3ZAOvY-2FNupa7MEl6-2BUGJ2wju0kB4Gl-2FMcABtaUBgii5QYspVdqgUSo2UejSbecOS62OhOeBhbRHbuCSjtoA9DEJGksv4vr-2FsPqrdndp-2BwvUUBfzWl3C2CxU0-2Fy0tyByPFFAfj5-2Ffa4uyFyu1Hf92QmGIlOPt7EKth72yEUyOneUca76pS5mHmBGJRtNY-2F-2B88WZ5VQ-2BWhS8xDPjRVfP3mkrJnrW4kDtn-2FxnMJRXuW9Umc4YmnE-2B99U-2FabR0XeY7fPfUztjZ">www.fashionoutletsofchicago.com/TheCollection</a>.About Fashion Outlets of ChicagoFashion Outlets of Chicago is an award-winning 530,000 square-foot, two-level indoor shopping center that is home to more than 130 designer outlets, an impressive contemporary art collection known as THE COLLECTION and high-end amenities. The one-of-a-kind upscale outlet property that redefines and elevates the outlet shopping experience, is located at 5220 Fashion Outlets Way in Rosemont –minutes from O’Hare International Airport and Chicagoland’s major highways. For more information, visit <a href="https://u56787.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.oTjORMppDqxAbsefRFk27x507Y8RCkhvCWKPYeD-2BKa03NDbKFoNLXfKRP9ZHayOsMB9eq7mX-2B-2F-2BQZaIOtWW5DzaJ-2FTPueE-2Ff4OadtwlnNTa4oUxYwAkNbNvUjZIDXvNJmKs-2FXribRIQBPT-2BuiBYBYA-3D-3Dc-X6_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2BCm4DmNjKHmH-2FuMeb6erfptj0X7kOO03SOEy0038a8bO2JT1vj7ekSN4iWm5fnVmC-2BUoj9m6S-2BHoqpkY4xl-2F1zJpl0qI-2Bilecut0mSSToCGWN89tcBEot9fhKkN60iLK4Z4qBlUqor2qDvQhyzjzAElC-2F6u9R3CLO8CTOlg-2FO7vCOi8ETaEM9YyAKnU1e2Rp1jIqyDL-2BxrdjsLk8n0b7oXBDtSg69SM-2BCJt4RiNByRQ7ETnBfrxCKUW-2FggBJylTWxLuxAo5cDDZSOUQADaecL8gCcHKkAsdd-2FuPoZO-2BKUkYTVvEsi-2Bmw0dmAvc8bw0aR9pdx247p9i00lon-2FO0OZuegBb6u1k3k3-2FWnkQPqPF2WrEhbF1jD9uZDS-2FCMgVdSJySv-2BTjkZOjmwxdfCu8p2PBfo8nZxRs3QqwHo3C02XxDgZXnRDqeZvqlrCbq-2BlgflFl8bEC89WanKBb-2B8IVwkCIgSmk-2Futtj3XEQ9GH3JuKj1n20q10g3x-2Fei46XEjTPiCqPHJZiBqd0KFMExvszCvph7CVK7-2F8lgDaDxVt2P-2FvgWGZbI9Zt8tFhY5jYzh83uov-2B1K42C6dBZQG6JEMRKOprq6em813YBlzn750KA8BvHUfRjunRPaGrRJtzq-2BoQP7Ain9BUZWaGJfoBS3ZAOvY-2FNupa7MEl6-2BUGJ2wju0kB4Gl-2FMcABtaUBgii5QYspVewHJIqN99xMsEtFK3sFICRFZRy3JqBjxoB1NyMcWKW-2B40qFqa68YvLhdcBx78SYuz44hGUedtRuhAjGYuSWtvvgjzyYnYOJd56xP88EfLouWLIiJ7iATBUGf5gCdV4UYGZ-2BD1-2BrkrAP4MVZwIsmft5UdNySZuDfU87JfpEnHOEc2G8ad2oQTMpKr2CF43PJkDsAz6htnltYYH-2Bj0dB8v-2Bi">www.fashionoutletsofchicago.com</a>.&nbsp; # # #</body></html>

Hebru Brantley Flyboy To be Installed at Fashion Outlets 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/avtc3xqvtnzvwy7td5gl.png" simmons.png=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/howard-simmons-stories-my-camera-tells-once-upon-a-chicago">Howard Simmons: Stories my Camera Tells: Once Upon a Chicago</a>Opening: Wednesday, August 7, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmEpiphany Center for the Arts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/rmtxwwuw6loatcz0kqn8.jpg" moon="" rising.jpeg=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/exploration">Jim Brady: Exploration</a>Opening: Thursday, August 8, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmDragonfly Gallery &amp; Creative Spaces&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/uuccmhd7zf5wweprsecl.png" bielefeld.png=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/lois-bielefeld">Lois Bielefeld: its own pristine devices</a>Opening: Saturday, August 10, 1 – 3&nbsp;pmOS Projects&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/kqe8oenrezorioyatnp4.png" artus.png=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/marilyn-artus-her-flag">Marilyn Artus: Her Flag</a>Opening: Saturday, August 10, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmEpiphany Center for the Arts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

New Exhibitions August 7 - 10

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/a9fvlyawpwinf4owwom4.jpg" copy.jpg=""></figure><a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/07/29/lifestyle/long-lost-andy-warhol-portrait-of-debbie-harry-up-for-sale/">Long-lost Andy Warhol portrait of Blondie singer Debbie Harry discovered in Delaware, going up for sale for potential millions</a>A long-lost Andy Warhol portrait of Blondie singer Debbie Harry from 1985 that has been hanging in rural Delaware, is going up for sale, we hear, for potential millions.The Harry portrait — and a signed disk of 10 Warhol images — was created on an early home computer when Warhol was an ambassador for a now-defunct tech outfit.Nearly 40 years ago, the famous artist signed on as a brand ambassador to early tech company Commodore and created a portrait of the “Heart of Glass” singer on an <a href="https://nypost.com/2014/04/26/computer-sleuths-stumble-upon-lost-art-of-andy-warhol/">Amiga 1000 home computer </a>as part of a promo at Lincoln Center.Via New York Post&nbsp;<a href="https://abc7chicago.com/post/museums-including-shedd-aquarium-art-institute-field-museum-msi-offering-free-admission-days-august/15131191/">Chicago museums offering free admission days in August</a>The calendar has flipped to August and that means several Chicago museums are offering free admission this month for Illinois residents.That includes the Art Institute. Visitors can get in Thursday at no charge, from 5-8 p.m.And starting this week, the Shedd, Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium will all start rotating free dates into their calendars.Via ABC 7&nbsp;<a href="Art" galleries="" can="" be="" found="" on="" the="" streets="" of="" chicago="" this="" summer.="" all="" you="" have="" to="" do="" is="" look="" around,="" while="" waiting="" for="" bus.="" might="" say,="" people="" are="" moved="" by="" art.="" wait="" a="" cta="" bus="" and="" just="" meet="" hero.="">Chicago bus shelters showcase portraits of unsung neighborhood heroes</a>Art galleries can be found on the streets of <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/tag/us/il/cook-county/chicago">Chicago</a> this summer. All you have to do is look around, while waiting for the bus.You might say, people are moved by the art. Wait for a <a href="https://www.fox32chicago.com/tag/organization/cta">CTA</a> bus and you just might meet a hero.The Unsung Heroes of Uptown are featured on bus shelters around the city.Portraits, plus a QR code that connects the viewer to a detailed Chicago story.Conceptual artist Hana Bleue Chaussette met each person, heard their story, recorded, painted them and brought them to the streets.Via FOX 32&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

What We're Reading: 8/5/24

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/y7hparupfwyzxly6ix8y.jpg"><figcaption>Travis Landry, Head of Landry Pop Auctions (LPA) (Photo: Business Wire)</figcaption></figure>Via PRCHICAGO – <a href="https://www.wright20.com">Rago Wright</a> is set to revolutionize the collectibles market with the launch of Landry Pop Auctions (LPA), led by renowned expert and TV star Travis Landry. This new venture will be the sixth stand-alone auction house under the Rago Wright umbrella, signaling the firm’s continued growth and diversification. With Travis Landry at the helm, LPA will introduce an exciting range of offerings in comics, toys, video games, and trading cards, as the collectible market continues to accrue significant value and attract new buyers.Travis Landry, known for his roles on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow (2017 – present) and the Travel Channel’s Toy Hunter (2012-2014), brings his encyclopedic knowledge and passion for collectibles to LPA. His expertise in a range of culturally significant collectibles will expand Rago Wright’s offerings into new categories, providing services previously unmet within their network.“Joining forces with Travis to form Landry Pop Auctions will revolutionize the collectibles market,” said Richard Wright, CEO of Rago Wright. “Travis’s extensive knowledge and passion for collectibles, especially in comics, toys, video games, and trading cards, aligns perfectly with our vision for growth and diversification. His unmatched expertise will elevate our offerings and provide our clients with unparalleled auction experiences. We look forward to this new chapter and the incredible opportunities it will bring.”Travis began his auction career at just 12 years old and since then, has handled numerous high-profile items, including a 1999 Pokémon Base Set Shadowless Booster Box that brought $100,000 at market, a Marvel Comics Fantastic Four #1 (11/61) CGC 8.0 which sold for $150,000 and a Marvel Comics Werewolf by Night #1 (9/72) CGC 9.8 which sold for $51,250. The latter two above-mentioned comics were from the collection of Kevin Willis, CFO of Ashland Inc., which was sold at auction on New Year’s Day of 2022 and was part of the 20-lot auction selling for a total of $900,000. Notably, Landry also handled the collection of Andy Yanchus, the project manager for Aurora (1965-1975) and colorist for Marvel Comics (1975-1992). His extensive experience and enthusiasm for discovering rare finds will be pivotal in driving LPA’s successes.“Landry Pop Auctions will bring a fresh and dynamic approach to the auction industry,” said Travis Landry. “With my deep passion for and expertise in comics, toys, video games, and trading cards, and Rago Wright’s innovative stye and superior expertise, we will move the industry forward in new and exciting ways. I look forward to discovering and showcasing rare and extraordinary items, creating unparalleled auction experiences for collectors and enthusiasts alike.”Over the past five years, Rago Wright has demonstrated significant growth through strategic acquisitions and market expansion. From the merger of Rago and Wright in 2019 to the recent acquisition of Poster Auctions International, the firm has continually broadened its scope. The addition of LPA further diversifies its portfolio, catering to modern collectors and enthusiasts.Landry Pop Auctions will be launching its first auction in October. Interested in selling your collectibles? Connect with Travis at <a href="mailto:travis@landrypop.com">travis@landrypop.com</a>.About Rago Wright&nbsp; Rago Wright is a network of independently owned art and design brands in the auction industry. Rago and Wright joined forces in 2019, followed by the addition of LA Modern Auctions (LAMA) in the fall of 2021, and in 2022 Toomey &amp; Co. joined the firm. Together, the company brings $100+ million in annual sales, has a team of 100, and more than a century of combined business experience. With a national coast-to-coast presence, shared clientele, technology, innovation, and creativity, alongside expertise and shared passion, Rago Wright is uniquely positioned to serve a global audience while maintaining a strong independent voice in the world of art and design.About Landry Pop Auctions&nbsp; Landry Pop Auctions (LPA) is a vibrant new auction brand tailored for modern collectors passionate about comics, toys, pop culture, and more. Led by Travis Landry, LPA combines deep expertise with a passion for exceptional collectibles, hosting exciting sales in Lambertville, Chicago, and Los Angeles.</body></html>

Rago Wright Partners to Launch Landry Pop Auctions

<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255045/lkuhcu6n7lqkhcvuiwbb.jpg"><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://desmoinesartcenter.org/art/exhibitions/hurricane-season/" target="_blank">1. Des Moines Art Center –&nbsp;Hurricane Season: Caribbean Art + Climate Change</a>Every year from June 1 through November 30, people across the Caribbean archipelago hold their breath. It’s hurricane season. Hurricanes and the devastation they bring have long been a part of life in the Caribbean, but with climate change, these storms are getting far more violent. They pick up steam faster than ever before, leaving little time to prepare. The aftermaths of storms are unbearable and shed light on the living legacy of colonialism and ongoing political corruption. Yet even as the effects of climate change wreak havoc on the region, life across the archipelago continues. People adapt. They weather the storm, even as they are weathered by it.“Hurricane Season” features 58 works in a range of media by six artists from across the Caribbean archipelago and its diaspora: Firelei Báez, Lionel Cruet, Teresita Fernández, Tamika Galanis, Deborah Jack, and Hew Locke.Thru Sept 22Des Moines, IA&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255046/nfwgrmwbqbahdeajfh5q.jpg">Cholos, White Fence, East Los Angeles, 1986. Graciela Iturbide (Mexican, b. 1942). Gelatin silver print; framed: 57.5 x 42.2 cm (22 5/8 x 16 5/8 in.); sheet: 35.2 x 27.7 cm (13 7/8 x 10 7/8 in.); image: 32 x 21.9 cm (12 5/8 x 8 5/8 in.). The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Gift of Leslie and Judith Schreyer and Gabri Schreyer-Hoffman in honor of Virginia Heckert, 2017.41 © Graciela Iturbide&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.clevelandart.org/exhibitions/picturing-border" target="_blank">2. The Cleveland Museum of Art –&nbsp;Picturing the Border</a>Picturing the Border&nbsp;presents photographs of the US-Mexico borderlands from the 1970s to the present taken by both border residents and outsiders. They range in subject matter from intimate domestic portraits, narratives of migration, and proof of political demonstrations to images of border crossings and clashes between migrants and the US Border Patrol. The earliest images in this exhibition form an origin story for the topicality of the US-Mexico border at present, and demonstrate that the issues of the border have been a critical point of inquiry for artists since the 1970s.Thru January 5, 2025Cleveland, OH&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255047/fpaqnzvwvcs8whdhnaxg.jpg">&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/visit/whats-inside/exhibits/museum/illinois-gallery/solidarity-now" target="_blank">3. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum –&nbsp;Solidarity Now! 1968 Poor People's Campaign</a>Solidarity Now! 1968 Poor People's Campaign&nbsp;explores one of the most important grassroots movements of the civil rights era: the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968. The exhibition investigates the factors that made this movement a success: the ideas, the emotions, the people, and the place—Resurrection City.&nbsp;Through a moving combination of photographs, objects, video, and oral histories, it explores the significance and impact of this campaign that drew thousands of people to develop a protest community on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to call the nation's attention to the crippling effects of poverty for millions of Americans.Thru August 18Springfield, IL&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255048/qgbom3lilpbkkf3kzyfm.jpg">&nbsp;4. Madison Museum of Contemporary Art –&nbsp;William Villalongo: Myths and MigrationsWilliam Villalongo: Myths and Migrations&nbsp;showcases 33 works created in the last two decades by the Brooklyn-based artist William Villalongo. Highly recognized for his paintings, collages, and signature velour paper cut-outs, Villalongo’s striking visual narratives invite the viewer to engage with the complexities and precarity of Black existence.Thru August 11Madison, WI&nbsp;<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1733255048/eftfit01t5rbznozulex.jpg">&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.thepaine.org/event/microsculpture-insect-portraits-levon-biss/" target="_blank">5. Paine Art Center and Gardens –&nbsp;Microsculpture: The Insect Portraits of Levon Biss</a>Examine extremely fine pigmented scales, velvet-like surface textures, saw-sharp mandibles, swirling patterns and some of the most vibrant, iridescent colors seen in nature with large-scale photographic prints by British photographer Levon Biss.Thru October 13Oshkosh, WI

5 Museum Shows To Visit This Summer in the Midwest - Part II

<html><head></head><body>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/g32c46yf1sec4uptocc8.jpg" cano.jpg=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mandy-cano-villalobos-delectable-goods-profit-not">Mandy Cano Villalobos: Delectable Goods Profit Not</a>Opening: Friday, August 2, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmARC Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/lwidgbcneapavncw0beh.jpg" work="" copy.jpg=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/curators-gone-rogue-susan-aurinko-susan-blackman">Women Work 2024</a>Opening: Friday, August 2, 5:30 – 8&nbsp;pmENGAGE Projects&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/cykobwtnunjoy4kyk8sd.png" mcmahon.png=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/margot-mcmahon-cultural-communities-chicago-writers-and-beyond">Margot McMahon: Cultural Communities: Chicago Writers and Beyond</a>Opening: Friday, August 2, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmEpiphany Center for the Arts&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092762/pxjjch7fm2uqppflbgy4.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/august-group-exhibit">Sheila Arora: Limitless</a>Opening: Friday, August 2, 4 – 7&nbsp;pmVivid Art Gallery&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092762/c0lfergg72jh8igyyirr.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/ginny-krueger-sunburst-art-inspired-by-the-sun">Ginny Krueger: Sunburst: Art Inspired by the Sun</a>Opening: Friday, Aug 2, 6 – 8&nbsp;pmBlue Moon Gallery&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092763/vmsoeklcgxgybw8wxdvi.png" sanders.png=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/invisibility-existing-on-the-periphery-a-virtual-exhibition">Invisibility: Existing on the Periphery | A Virtual Exhibition</a>Exhibition begins August 3Woman Made Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

New Exhibitions August 2 & 3

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/qcjkygvwiaryk9e9bx7l.jpg"><figcaption>Reproductions of an artwork from the Louvre Museum installed in the Seine during the Olympic Games opening ceremoney in Paris, France, 2024. Photo: Naomi Baker / POOL / AFP via Getty Images.</figcaption></figure><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/paris-olympics-opening-ceremony-mona-lisa-2517224">The Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony Was an Art-Filled Extravaganza</a>It was an unusually art-filled Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris as the Parade of Nations traveled by boat down the River Seine. The Mona Lisa escaped from the Louvre to catch the occasion, braving the rain along with an expected 300,000 Parisians and visitors from around the world.Carrying the Olympic torch throughout the festivities was a mysterious masked figure first seen in a rowboat in the Parisian catacombs. His face obscured, he wore a costume that recalled famous French characters the Phantom of the Opera and Arsène Lupin.Via Artnet&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimberlywhitler/2024/07/28/how-ai-is-impacting-the-art-and-business-of-storytelling/">How AI Is Impacting The Art And Business Of Storytelling</a>How can AI transform the art and science of storytelling? To better understand, I connected with Vimeo CMO, Lynn Girotto, who serves a community of +300 million directors, marketers, and content creators on Vimeo.Girotto believes that “AI makes art and business easier by giving people the confidence to share their ideas in an efficient and engaging manner. Whether it’s a director producing a grassroots film, a small business creating its first product walkthrough, or a CEO giving a company-wide address, everyone should feel empowered to visually express themselves.More videos are produced every day, while attention spans only get shorter.Via Forbes&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/29/travel/tuscany-pienza-benches.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-00.VzqH.UpKpSi6kFvFP&amp;smid=url-share">A New Path in Tuscany Offers Rest, Beauty and an Escape from the Crowds</a>In Tuscany, the Val d’Orcia, with its rolling fields and untouched landscape beneath the dormant volcano of Monte Amiata, seems created for photo ops. Within it, the town of Pienza is one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture, designed by the famed Bernardo Gambarelli, better known as Bernardo Rossellino, in white travertine marble and surrounded by palazzi which he also built.This summer, a new path leads visitors from the town’s main piazza to the countryside, a journey of a little less than two miles. Along its length they’ll find 28 benches made of travertine marble created by well-known artists. Each bench is both a place to rest and take in the sweeping views of the Italian countryside, and a work of art shaped by the maker’s hand: One suggests a throne, another carries an image of a face, another has the tactile surface of a beach stone.Via NYT&nbsp;<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/jack-shainman-gallery-sues-collector-jim-hedges-1234713058/">New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery Sues Art Collector, Claiming He Owes Nearly&nbsp;$300,000</a>New York’s Jack Shainman Gallery has sued collector James R. Hedges IV, alleging that he owes nearly $300,000 for the sales of 19 artworks that the gallery had consigned to him.The lawsuit, which was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York on Friday, claims that Hedges and his gallery, the Santa Monica–based Hedges Projects, were consigned these works via invoices dated between June 2022 and May 2024. Hedges and his gallery are accused of owing $298,772.72.Via Artnews</body></html>

What We're Reading: 7/29/24

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/dogv7lqcexf7zqrpaxkc.jpg" copy.jpg=""><figcaption>Dr. Douglas Arbittier with items from his large collection of medical antiques in Mendham, N.J., on May 16, 2024. When he found that many medical-themed woodblocks he bought were fake, he began an intense effort to catch the forger. (Bryan Anselm / The New York Times)</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/the-art-forger-had-fooled-thousands-then-he-met-doug/">The art forger had fooled thousands. Then he met Doug</a>Earl Washington loves wood.He loves maple wood from Wisconsin and boxwood from Turkey. He loves running his hands on its surface, feeling its heft and texture. But most of all he loves carving it. Thoughts about carving, he says, consume his waking moments.Mastery was never enough for him, though. To profitably sell woodblocks — which can be an oddity in the art market — Washington decided he also needed myth. So he created elaborate origin stories for his pieces. Some, he claimed, had been made or acquired by his great-grandfather. Others he promoted as rare creations from the 16th and 17th centuries.Thousands of people bought them unquestioningly, but a few became suspicious and raised concerns online and to authorities. The FBI fielded some complaints, but was not aware, it said later, of the “depth and the breadth” of Washington’s scheme, so he continued to sell his creations, having mastered the craft of carving and the art of fooling others.Until one day in 2013, when he met Douglas Arbittier.Via Seattle Times&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/ivjdswrefiucyjc7ez5w.jpg"><figcaption>A 150-million-year-old, near-complete Stegosaurus fossil sold for a record $44.6 million at auction on Wednesday.Matthew Sherman &nbsp;</figcaption></figure> <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/citadels-ken-griffin-buys-stegosaurus-45-million-record-auction-sale-rcna162509">Citadel's Ken Griffin buys a stegosaurus for $45 million in a record auction sale</a>Billionaire investor Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of hedge fund Citadel, purchased a late-Jurassic stegosaurus skeleton for $44.6 million at Sotheby’s Wednesday, marking the most valuable fossil ever sold at auction.The 150 million-year-old stegosaurus named “Apex” measures&nbsp;11 feet tall and nearly 27 feet long from nose to tail and it is a nearly complete skeleton with 254 fossil bone elements. Apex was only expected to sell for about $6 million.Via NBC News&nbsp;<a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/trump-photo-art-criticism-2513681">‘The Photo’ and Its Aftermath</a>Analyzing the instant myth-making around Evan Vucci's famous photo of Trump.You don’t need an art critic or a professional commentator to tell you why The Photo is “iconic,” to use the overused term. Trump looks defiant in the face of death. There’s an American flag in the background. It’s well composed.None of this is expert-level analysis. It’s&nbsp;what you already <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/world-moving-pictures-photographs-capture-indelible-moments-trump-111942383">knew</a>the first time you looked at it.Via Artnet&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

What We're Reading: 7/24/24

<html><head></head><body>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/uuorjwe2pziwefmlaeta.png" lee="" csicsko.png=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/closing-reception-for-david-lee-csicsko-s-exhibit-mr-fancy-pants-a-celebration-of-lgbtq-icons">Closing Reception for David Lee Csicsko’s Exhibit MR. FANCY PANTS: A CELEBRATION OF LGBTQ+ ICONS</a>Friday, Jul 26, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmEpiphany Center for the Arts&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092760/mn0h7zr1aufqawicag2z.jpg" &amp;="" me_2024="" .jpg=""></figure><a href="/organizations/the-gallery-a-c-architects">Robin Malpass: My Chicagos</a>Opening: Thursday, Jul 25, 6 – 8&nbsp;pmThe gallery a+c architects&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/vge2dumivo9tgiyb4lpy.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/field-day-at-navy-pier">Field Day at Navy Pier</a>Saturday, Jul 27, 10&nbsp;am – 3&nbsp;pmIntuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art Pop up at Navy Pier&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092761/psu7mvuplr90q7x86gjz.jpg" flynn.jpg=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/tim-flynn-colored-pencil-drawings-sculptures">Tim Flynn | Colored Pencil Drawings + Sculptures</a>Opening: Saturday, Jul 27, 6 – 9&nbsp;pm<a href="/organizations/blue-moon-gallery">Blue Moon Gallery</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092763/m5hnfabov4hcx7mdmwbh.jpg" art="" walk="" 7-27.jpg=""></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/weekend-art-walk-west-town-murals">Weekend Art Walk: West Town Murals</a>Saturday, Jul 27, 11&nbsp;am – 12:30&nbsp;pmJoin Lea Pinsky on a guided tour of murals along Chicago Avenue in West Town from Ashland Avenue to Damen Avenue<a href="/organizations/art-encounter-a452ddc8-ae2e-43d9-b388-5e0489a313fe">Art Encounter</a>&nbsp;</body></html>

New Exhibitions and Events July 25–27 Part I

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1731092759/zhdrvebnxehsfihvr3v3.jpg" copy.jpg=""><figcaption>Painter Jake Troyli is one of several local artists launching new projects ahead of Democratic National Convention. Troyli, whose star is on the rise, will create a 30-foot tall mural in Garfield Park for SkyArt, an arts nonprofit that runs free programs for kids.Taylor Glascock for WBEZ</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.wbez.org/arts/2024/07/22/jake-troyli-artist-chicago-mural-dnc-democratic-national-convention-art">Artist Jake Troyli is putting a big stamp on Chicago ahead of the Democratic National Convention</a>It’s just past 3 p.m. on a scorching July afternoon, and Jake Troyli watches as a group of elementary school children file into a studio space in a South Chicago community center. Standing at a formidable 6 ’10”, Troyli towers no less than two feet over most in the room at the SkyArt Center, but the additional inches don’t seem to keep his jitters at bay.“I’m kind of nervous,” laughs Troyli. “I present to adults all the time, but it’s kind of intimidating to talk to kids.”Via WBEZ&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/22/travel/chicago-budget-travel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.9E0.UnKW.SwLUeCrL1N2z&amp;smid=url-share">A Cheapskate in Chicago - NYT Frugal Traveler</a>One June morning, I went to see what the tourists were up to in Chicago, where I live. My mission was to join them while adhering to a strict travel budget. So I started with a free <a href="https://www.chicagogreeter.com/visit">Chicago Greeter</a> tour of the downtown Loop, ground zero for visitors and home to popular attractions like <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park.html">Millennium Park</a> and the <a href="https://www.artic.edu/">Art Institute of Chicago</a>.Via NYT&nbsp;<a href="https://hoodline.com/2024/07/new-takeaway-sculpture-by-artist-tom-friedman-joins-chicago-s-cta-public-art-collection-at-uic-halsted-station/">New Takeaway Sculpture by Artist Tom Friedman Joins Chicago's CTA Public Art Collection at UIC-Halsted Station</a>The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has unveiled its latest addition to the diverse array of public art found within its transportation corridors: a new sculpture titled Takeaway now graces the UIC-Halsted Blue Line station, delivering a whimsical nod to contemporary urban life by the figure of Hermes, the Greek messenger god, adeptly balancing a stack of take-out food containers on his head, the station located at the nexus of the bustling University of Illinois Chicago campus and the vibrant neighborhood of Greektown, which has long served as a confluence for travelers and local commuters alike.Via Hoodline&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

What We're Reading: 7/22/24

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419415/sxi65dqlds9mdzd3y4mt.png"></figure>Art Encounter Announces New Membership Year and ProgrammingArt Encounter's membership calendar runs from July 1–June 30, which means a new year of membership has just begun! Read on to learn all about membership benefits, highlights from the last twelve months, and a preview of what's to come in the new year.&nbsp;Art Encounter members enjoy a whole host of benefits, including access to members-only programs like Expanding Visions or Art Travel; free programs like our annual Members Appreciation Party and online Lunchtime Art Chats; and discounts on programs like Night Visions, Summer Visions, and our monthly Artist Critique Group.Visit AE's <a href="https://uphksziab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Iy9dFytwZIoT61wIqwQgnC0nNZY8MtLHIcY8HA0OGjQwOlYcdWm7GzOKRekFMWCjkMoko_MVjgVUEv6tdoSFrY7Spa1wTZmCztNgM530aRPqosH82UZPucCpRGA-aFVUtPS4wrk3yCgCCYUkjGqOCuRfc-_ajsKUY6XrFCarEyg=&amp;c=PAjonFUWn84pIFFC1TV2sk4qdNxu9Awwdm_bioOeKJPdwfdecf6dAQ==&amp;ch=iU4QVYOhcaZLiJxTa0scpnb_ChJRw6WUA2D2S2WKaxOhSoa5Q8G8pw==">membership page</a> to get started!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419416/cicq20mn5vug4w9quoq2.jpg"><figcaption>John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) George Frederick McCorquodale, 1902, Oil on canvas, 58 ¼ x 38 in.Gift of Joe Szymanski in honor of his life-long friend, Andy Musser 2023.020</figcaption></figure>Raclin Murphy Museum Announces New Collection AcquisitionsThe Raclin Murphy Museum of Art is pleased to announce important recent acquisitions to the Museum’s collection. These works add to the Museum’s ever-growing, nationally-distinguished collection-adding both important historical and contemporary voices to the collection. All gifts are cornerstone to the Museum’s sesquicentennial campaign, highlighting the origins of the collection in 1875.An important three-quarter portrait by the iconic American ex-patriot painter John Singer&nbsp;Sargent&nbsp;adds to the strength of the Museum’s collection of nineteenth-century paintings.&nbsp;Portrait of&nbsp;George Frederick McCorquodale&nbsp;(1902) provides a potent counterpoint to the academic practice exemplified by such artists as Jean-Léon Gérôme and Léon Bonnat, currently on view at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. Commissioned by the sitter’s daughter for her 21st birthday, it shows George Frederick McCorquodale, the director of a printing company in Scotland.&nbsp;*&nbsp;Another addition to the Museum’s esteemed photography collection is this important monumental photo by the celebrated photographer Andreas Gursky.&nbsp;This is the first Gursky photograph added to the Museum’s collection. Gursky is a German photographer who lives and works in Düsseldorf, Germany. Typical of his style, Gursky often photographs a detailed and multifaceted landscape or interior from a high vantage point. His printing process meticulously maintains or enhances all the minute details and colors. The resulting large photographic print illustrates the complexity and interconnectedness of the world we live in and often overlook. The work also compliments the strength of French art in the Museum’s collection.More info on the recent acquisitions is <a href="https://raclinmurphymuseum.nd.edu">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/crappy-cake-art/">Chicago artist wants people to feast their eyes on her Crappy Cake Art</a>A Chicago artist is having people hunt for her latest works of fake cakes across the city.&nbsp;Crappy Cake Art has been spotted everywhere, from the CTA to the lakefront, and people are scouring the city for them as if they were edible."A lot of people think I came at it, like with the passion as a baker and then evolved. That is not how it happened," artist Anna Lasbury said.&nbsp;She said she's never made a real cake but can make a fake one. Lansbury has made over 150 cakes on canvas."They were piling up in my apartment because I was obsessed with it," she said.While they've recently grown in popularity, Lansbury says her first fake cake wasn't that good."I was like, this sucks. It's very crappy, but it has a lot of potential. So, I started making a couple more, and they got a little less crappy over time," she said.&nbsp;Via CBS News Chicago&nbsp;</body></html>

CGN Art World Recap: 7/18/24

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419415/erftys7c1pptlnserkru.jpg"><figcaption>Katsushika Hokusai: “The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Kanazawa oki nami ura),” from the series “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji” (Fugaku sanjürokkei); Polychrome woodblock print (Nishikie), circa 1830-1832. Photo courtesy Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art of Genoa.</figcaption></figure>VIA PRCCMA's next major summer art exhibition coming in 2025 is “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World, Artworks from the Chiossone Collection.” The exhibition will feature over 50 original works by renowned artists from the Japanese Edo Period, along with a historical exhibit, children's area, and other educational and interactive&nbsp;installations throughout the MAC. The exhibition is organized by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art in collaboration with The Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art of Genoa, and with the support of MondoMostre. The “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World” exhibition showcases over 50 original artworks by masters of Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1868). Works by acclaimed artists Hokusai and Hiroshige provide a window into life during a time when the City of Edo (present-day Tokyo) thrived as the center of Japan’s economy and culture.“Art at this time was very intimate and focused on themes of performing arts, courtly life, nature, and the vibrant urban culture of Edo,” said CCMA Curator Justin Witte. “Now 200 years later, the striking and graphic style of these images still feels fresh and innovative, inspiring contemporary artists and illustrators.”In addition to the artwork, the exhibition will include: a historical area and timeline with multi-media elements; an outdoor Japanese garden; a children’s Edo art &amp; anime area with coloring pages and activities; an interactive Edo Experience with Shogun and Kabuki garments and more.“As with past major exhibitions, including ‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’ and ‘WARHOL,’ the creative teams and designers of McAninch Arts Center will create interactive exhibition experiences that help visitors connect with this enchanting era of Shoguns, Samurai and Geisha, that are rich educational experiences and special events that enhance understanding and appreciation of the Japanese Edo era,” said MAC Director and Executive Director Diana Martinez.The exhibition is organized by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, with works from&nbsp;The Edoardo Chiossone Museum of Oriental Art of Genoathat was originally collected by Edoardo Chiossone (1833-1898) and whose collection is known worldwide for the quality of art and its remarkable state of conservation. The featured Ukiyo-e collection on loan will be curated by Professor and art historian Rossella Menegazzo of The University of Milan as part of the larger exhibition at the MAC and CCMA, curated by Justin Witte. Tickets for “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World” will be available soon. More information about this exhibition will be announced at a later date.<a href="https://engage.squarespace-mail.com/r?m=66955ccb65c62e053ab21fe9&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theccma.org%2Fhokusai%3Fss_source%3Dsscampaigns%26ss_campaign_id%3D6674776baa162b4445c05697%26ss_email_id%3D66955ccb65c62e053ab21fe9%26ss_campaign_name%3DHokusai%2B%2526%2BUkiyo-e%2Bat%2BCleve%2BCarney%2BMuseum%2Bof%2BArt%26ss_campaign_sent_date%3D2024-07-15T17%253A31%253A31Z&amp;w=610a97870a7b92681378bfb2&amp;c=b_6674776baa162b4445c05697&amp;l=en-US&amp;s=OJUvjGXR5CWdbLpyeLPKFg-67eo%3D">&nbsp;More Info&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419416/wcebw5f9zb32owicnj3o.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Cleve Carney Museum of Art Announces “Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World” Coming Summer 2025 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419408/ezvvcfhsikf6qe2yppyz.jpg"><figcaption>The Crown Fountain in Millennium Park. Peyton Reich / Sun-Times &nbsp;</figcaption></figure><a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/entertainment-and-culture/2024/07/12/millennium-park-crown-fountain-chicago-20th-birthday-jaume-plensa?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=071224%20Afternoon%20Edition&amp;utm_content=071224%20Afternoon%20Edition+CID_444d029ea5e58f49a635ffba1ad8bc86&amp;utm_source=cst_campaign_monitor&amp;utm_term=The%20faces%20in%20the%20fountain%20Millennium%20Parks%20Crown%20Fountain%20still%20watching%20over%20Chicago%20after%2020%20years&amp;tpcc=cst_cm">The faces in the fountain: Millennium Park's Crown Fountain still watching over Chicago after 20 years</a>Millennium Park turns 20 on Tuesday. But the 24.5-acre expanse became the king of Chicago city parks almost as soon as it opened in 2004 — four years late and with a price tag of $490 million, more than triple the original estimated cost. About $220 million of that came from private donations.At a black-tie cocktail party before the park opened, former Chicago Park District CEO Forrest Claypool, speaking with the late WTTW-Channel 11 host John Callaway, dismissed the tardiness and cost overruns.“The park is so beautiful that in 15 years nobody will remember any of that,” Claypool said.Via Chicago Sun–Times&nbsp;<a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-history-majors-job-prospects-2511339">Do Art History Majors Really Face the Worst Job Prospects of Any Profession?</a>Art History majors face the worst employment prospects of any profession after graduating from college, <a href="https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/college-labor-market#--:explore:outcomes-by-major">a study</a> by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has found. The data, released by the Fed in February, became a talking point online this week, just as students close out the academic year and many start the job hunt.Diving into the report, specifically it found that Art History majors face an unemployment rate of 8 percent, the most of any university major. The vast majority that have jobs are holding down positions they are overqualified, according to the underemployment rate of 62.3 percent.Via Artnet&nbsp;<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/new-york-artists-reate-works-jfk-new-terminal-1234712124/">18 New York Artists Tapped to Create Works for JFK’s New&nbsp;Terminal</a>John F. Kennedy Airport, one of the world’s busiest crossroads, will soon be its destination in its own right for world-class art. Eighteen artists hailing from seven countries have been tapped to create installations for the airport’s new Terminal 6, set to open in 2026, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced on Tuesday.&nbsp;The $4.2 billion terminal is now set to host works by artists based in New York, including Sky Hopinka, Charles Gaines, and Barbara Kruger. The group also includes a significant amount of artists who are based in New York City or New York State but were born abroad, such as Felipe Baeza and Uman, who were hail from Mexico and Somalia, respectively.Via ARTnews&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2024/07/16/christies-first-half-2024-results">Christie’s first half auction sales decline 22% year-on-year, to $2.1bn</a>The latest proof that the art market is down but not out arrived today (16 July), as Christie’s announced select results from the first half of 2024. The auction house’s total revenue from live and online auction sales during this period reached $2.1bn worldwide, around $600m less (-22%) than it made under the hammer during the opening six months of 2023. The drop is even steeper when compared to the same period in 2022, when competition for the collections of Anne Bass, Thomas and Doris Ammann and Hubert de Givenchy propelled Christie’s to a hearty $4.1bn in revenue from auction sales—nearly double its equivalent results this year.Yet several other metrics showed that Christie’s has held surprisingly steady in the face of recent turbulence. Its healthy 87% sell-through rate was on par with that in both 2023 and 2022. The index of hammer price to low estimate was 111% through this June, meaning that the winning bids for all lots sold (before fees) outperformed their minimum expectations by around 11%.Via The Art Newspaper&nbsp;</body></html>

What We're Reading: 7/17/24

<html><head></head><body>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419408/hrgzb0ntakk8npqkbdv2.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/darin-latimer-fix-your-hearts-or-die-war-on-every-corner">Darin Latimer: Fix your Hearts or Die (War on Every Corner)</a>Opening: Friday, July 19, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmEpiphany Center for the Arts&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419409/xasfafkuoghxoypax7bd.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/memorable-ordinary">Memorable Ordinary</a>Opening: Friday, July 19, 5 – 9&nbsp;pmKim Storage Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419410/ewsnjgila1r0tljpgt3m.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/in-conversation-with-dale-washington">In Conversation with Dale Washington</a>Opening: Friday, July 19, 6 - 9 pmBridgeport Art Center&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419411/hz8fkruil6vbfemvhrno.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/mid-summer-dreams">Midsummer Dreams</a>Opening: Saturday, July 20, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmChicago Sculpture International (CSI)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

New Exhibitions July 19 - 21

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419408/dpb9vylvevzg5cpovlhr.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;By CGN STAFFArtist Tony Fitzpatrick shared yesterday that this Friday Night, July 12, 2024 will be the final gallery opening at the Dime, an artist-focused exhibition space located at 1513 N. Western AvenueFitzpatrick emailed friends his message, saying The Dime has "a marvelous couple of Shows...Photographs by Daphne Walsh and paintings by Liz Laughlin...After 10 years it's time to go. The short reason is: I've gone out of business. I'll not blame anyone or anything other than the sad fact that I am a for-shit Businessman. I resisted taking any percentage of Sales because I believe that Artist's have enough economic disadvantages without imposing another one. I wish to thank my Landlord and friend Perry Casalino for the remarkably generous rent deal which allowed us to operate for 10 years -- Those of you who came through and added joy, laughter, and Goodwill to this place . The amazing Artists who taught me so much over this last decade. It was a joy...Goodbye, Fare thee Well, and Amen...Tony&nbsp;Details on The Dime's Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the_dime_tf_projects/">account</a></body></html>

Tony Fitzpatrick Announces Final Show for The Dime

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419408/xdr1sxyhqjsbxqdz1gt2.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/in-bloom">In Bloom</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmCircle Contemporary (Arts of Life)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419409/w4hhntijylodamwsxwns.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/fear-is-a-joke">Fear Is A Joke</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 6 – 9&nbsp;pmT. Mari Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419410/cmp3mj3vz7klf0yk0mzs.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/be-of-love-care-in-an-age-of-discontent">Be of Love: Care in an Age of Discontent</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 7 – 11&nbsp;pmPublic Works&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419411/jdwpcxfgc6b9jipalncb.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/hope-a-prelude">Hope: A Prelude</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmHilton Contemporary&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419412/iylg2mqqlutc5ifdgctu.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/arts-of-life">Human Resources | Group Show with Arts of Life</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmChicago Artists Coalition (CAC)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419412/khhpclmkwlzuhdaenvhs.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/aleksander-najda-and-vasyl-savchenko">The Ground of Things: Aleksander Najda and Vasyl Savchenko</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 5 – 9&nbsp;pmUkrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419413/xa0gbnjf4fgtv1tbl6f5.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/vera-klement-26ffa579-a8f2-47d6-bce6-5af0337adc2f">Vera Klement: After A Life</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 4 – 7&nbsp;pmZolla / Lieberman Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

New Exhibitions July 12 & 13 (Part I)

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419408/yncf8qyiaa6jyd7hjcdh.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/new-exhibition-and-opening-reception-4fd4828c-849a-44c6-8d9d-5dc8f33e3068">Wesley Kimler</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmGallery Victor&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419409/djdgcdhxreirnzeixrgg.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/opening-reception-for-2024-vicinity">Opening Reception for 2024 Vicinity</a>Opening: Saturday, July 13, 5 – 7&nbsp;pmPerspective Photo Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419410/tbcii1qyqnjotiim5k7d.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/new-exhibition-and-opening-reception-e2f4fb32-2124-48b0-9c91-15e69a175491">Karen Perl: When the Dreams Came</a>Opening: Friday, July 12, 5 – 8&nbsp;pmAddington Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419411/jgplixnos6apquvyldnf.jpg"></figure>The Night You Love Me – Diego De La RosaOn view July 12-August 30<a href="/organizations/w-gallery">Povos Downtown</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419412/snvfonjwu9vvksy0j9sl.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/a-bigger-table-50-years-of-the-chicago-poetry-center-8bf99681-09ba-465f-8058-82d0f33697fb">A Bigger Table: 50 Years of the Chicago Poetry Center</a>Opening: Saturday, July 13, 2 – 5&nbsp;pmPoetry Foundation&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419413/xtxhnv6t9zv3ui12i7xd.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/doug-stapleton-false-augury-collages-and-objects">Doug Stapleton | False Augury: Collages and Objects</a>Opening: Saturday, July 13, 5 – 7&nbsp;pmBert Green Fine Art&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419414/cw58pcybwbhgjwprwtzx.png"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/new-edition">Where a knot begins and ends</a>Exhibition begins July 13Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419414/bxagpnluwgxyl8nvqxl7.jpg"></figure><a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/events/connectivity">Connectivity</a>Opening: Saturday, July 13, 4 – 7&nbsp;pmWoman Made Gallery&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

New Exhibitions July 12 & 13 (Part II)

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419408/omd9p2ktifwadzjdkbw7.jpg"><figcaption>Pictured:&nbsp;The Lovers Dance&nbsp;by Yvette Mayorga, photo courtesy of Millennium Park Foundation &nbsp;</figcaption></figure>By CGN Staff via PRMillennium Park's 20th anniversary celebrations continue this week with a very 2024 announcement about installations that bring art to the public via augmented reality. Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and the Millennium Park Foundation announced new temporary public art installations coming to the Park, including physical works by one of the world’s most recognized sculptors, Franz West, as well as world by Chicago-based artists Claire Ashley, Faheem Majeed, Yvette Mayorga and Carlos Rolón.&nbsp;While the Park's famous Cloud Gate was recently reopened following a 20th anniversary facelift, just in time for a record number of summer selfies, the news of innovative augmented reality works in Millennium Park by Ashley, Majeed, Mayorga and Rolón is sure to send visitors and their smartphones into overdrive. The works will be on view throughout Millennium Park now through November 2025. West’s sculptures will be on view in the South Boeing Gallery starting the week of July 22nd through November 2025.Located on both the north and south ends of Millennium Park, the Boeing Galleries house temporary modern and contemporary art exhibitions where visitors can directly experience the work and expressions of current artists. In the 20 years since the Park’s opening, the Boeing Galleries have featured artworks by Chakaia Booker, Yvonne Domenge, Jun Kaneko, Edra Soto, and Christine Tarkowski, among others. The cost of exhibition curation and management is underwritten by Millennium Park Foundation using funds from private donors.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419409/uofeadhjni36rwsr1mu5.png"><figcaption>Claire Ashley, N O M A D I C&nbsp; F L U O R A T I C&nbsp; P H Y L O S I A N&nbsp; S P A W N, 2024&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;“Since Millennium Park opened 20 years ago, the Park has been a unique showcase for Chicago’s flourishing public art scene, attracting visitors from across the globe to see works that celebrate the soul of Chicago and its people,” said DCASE Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth. “Art can inspire, challenge and bring joy, and these new temporary installations, including for the first time works viewed via augmented reality, will give everyone visiting Millennium Park this summer an unforgettable experience.”“For the first time our curated Boeing exhibition will span both space and time,” said Donna LaPietra, Chair and President of the Millennium Park Foundation Board of Directors. “In celebration of the Park’s 20th anniversary, we wanted to showcase both large-scale public art works alongside pioneering augmented reality works of Chicago-based artists, creating a dynamic fusion of traditional and innovative public art experiences throughout the Park. These exhibitions highlight Millennium Park’s commitment to making art accessible and interactive, offering visitors a unique and immersive cultural experience. We invite everyone to join us in this remarkable journey and witness a year of firsts for the 20th Anniversary season.”Viewers of the augmented reality works will need to use the free Hoverlay app, available in the Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore, as well as an augmented reality-capable device running iOS 14 or later or Android 8.0 or later.For information about Millennium Park exhibitions, art and architecture, the 20th Anniversary Celebration and more, visit <a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.CSSunAOBvEOR4GhykBjJWWnTwxFlkUDDBF-2Fji248p2y6hFXsBorvoCC9fZuH5e36f75VCxaJvIMcUVrPB-2B9jDhS87cZAc-2BmLX0q2ReeRRkhm2GDgx5hGZvJkSZKsYWhEJESh_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2B4ftGj9DI8Jn4AfRAGeAJVn7gGoI0v4yHfyxNzcTgWoLurliSnTAPDeTMjcpIoytOOx4olIMMV-2FUlia6rP-2BnJx0I4OPOXnhPjZIaJSLRJZFG5xhXwwILhaQGVeG4K6AGZz-2Fr1bBk1UIAZZGQ2GnX42TIOjpzDzYPLrJdjHJVUDTObIaEpHnaqMqR-2FJ-2BjjrTN2htsLqOnV28cTjbNPU0LQaAR7i0-2FTDQ2uQQMHQ1gTYbZNYuZjCzevUeyDyw7HyxHLcur44-2F63-2FUYmoBTlz-2FTpOQvCtSvQjEZ8xXQtwLwM1-2FzBopy3iPpVtI3XDmAN10hCXhzqluVCeXV5jurUsJ-2BwhXZE1vY7-2FrKA8nWSyXx6G9w-3D-3D">millenniumpark.org</a>Read CGN's feature on Millennium Park's anniversary <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2024/6/20-years-of-drawing-the-world-to-chicago-millennium-park">here</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419410/t6h6shz3jmuvclwr6d2x.jpg"><figcaption>Franz West</figcaption></figure>The new installations are:Franz West: Millennium Park features three monumental installations by West: Stonehenge (2011), Kugeln (Balls) (2002), and Dorit (2002), set against the iconic backdrop of Millennium Park. On view starting the week of July 22ndStonehenge, with its playful, abstract forms, invites viewers to engage physically and imaginatively, while Kugeln (Balls) presents three individual brightly hued spherical sculptures that disrupt conventional expectations of balance and form. Dorit, characterized by its organic shapes and vibrant colors, further exemplifies West's unique approach to sculpture, blending humor and a sense of the surreal with profound artistic statements.Emerging in the early 1970s, Austrian artist West (1947-2012) developed a unique aesthetic that engaged equally high and low reference points and often privileged social interaction as an intrinsic component of his work. While he was known primarily as a sculptor, his body of work incorporated drawing, collage, video, and installation, using papier-mâché, furniture, cardboard, plaster, found imagery, and other diverse materials. West is celebrated for his ability to merge sculpture with everyday life, transforming public spaces into interactive art environments. His work challenges traditional perceptions of art, emphasizing the importance of viewer interaction and the integration of art into daily experience.&nbsp;More information about West at <a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.dh1HrHFyOntfOcUtuUd3tcMbQXbKg02VZhNs5YVTouQX5JnzCVDUNwytQ-2FJu2oo3Y1iD_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2B4ftGj9DI8Jn4AfRAGeAJVn7gGoI0v4yHfyxNzcTgWoLurliSnTAPDeTMjcpIoytOOx4olIMMV-2FUlia6rP-2BnJx0I4OPOXnhPjZIaJSLRJZFG5xhXwwILhaQGVeG4K6AGZz-2Fr1bBk1UIAZZGQ2GnX42TIOjpzDzYPLrJdjHJVUDTObIaEpHnaqMqR-2FJ-2BjjrTN3xnPXC8xeItC2je-2FTSkYAPK8dHF3WWDBeuP4WZ7EGne1P4OlWBn8wSuj6kbZIHZmGxn2ug6B6o-2FcyZPTRWuog8xXH9CsVWa7zU0hHfu7P8YcDpCZH5OZBfpl5vwP72NluV6PmVj4ztB64mBD8DALnnF8Yb7s-2F8qLFBS8B-2Bg-2BJLew-3D-3D">archivfranzwest.org</a>. &nbsp;Augmented Chicago: Inaugural Realities&nbsp;(on view now through November 2025)Augmented Chicago: Inaugural Realities showcases the innovative works of four internationally celebrated Chicago-based artists, Claire Ashley, Faheem Majeed, Yvette Mayorga and Carlos Rolón, pioneering the use of Augmented Reality (AR) for the first time in the vibrant setting of Millennium Park. This exhibition invites visitors to experience a groundbreaking fusion of technology and artistry, transforming the Park's landscape into a dynamic canvas of digital creativity. By highlighting AR as a new tool and medium in the world of public art, these artists explore new dimensions of interaction, engagement, and expression, offering a fresh perspective on the urban environment.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419411/mts9qzvj9f7u9pctzsvm.png"><figcaption>Carlos Rolón, Ni Aquí, Ni Allá (Neither Here, Nor There), 2024&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>• Carlos RolónNi Aquí, Ni Allá (Neither Here, Nor There), 2024&nbsp;Chicago-born Rolón is celebrated for his multidisciplinary artistic approach, exploring themes such as craft, ritual, beauty, identity, and their intersections with art history. With roots in Puerto Rican heritage, Rolón's background fuels his exploration of personal concepts, blending self-examination with rich cultural symbolism. This synthesis fosters community engagement and blurs the boundaries between public and private spheres, providing viewers a bridge to connect with the broader cultural narrative.Through Ni Aquí, Ni Allá (Neither Here, Nor There), viewers are invited to experience a transformative oasis inspired by the vibrant spirit of Puerto Rico. By blending both the digital art and physical elements within the park, Rolón creates a sanctuary amidst the urban landscape—a space where people can pause, rejuvenate, and connect with nature. Inspired by the vibrant landscape, atmosphere, and sounds of Puerto Rico, this installation features tiled benches, the gentle melodies of the coqui (small frog), a cascading waterfall, and botanical elements that collectively capture the essence of the island. Through the harmonious interplay of virtual and tangible elements, visitors are transported into a dynamic environment, inviting them to embark on a sensory journey of immersion and exploration.More information about Rolón at <a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.dh1HrHFyOntfOcUtuUd3tfxrid7Jl-2BAGW2emu1ms4tS0j6mNazw4VTG-2FVrsU-2BM-2B-2BvGHO_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2B4ftGj9DI8Jn4AfRAGeAJVn7gGoI0v4yHfyxNzcTgWoLurliSnTAPDeTMjcpIoytOOx4olIMMV-2FUlia6rP-2BnJx0I4OPOXnhPjZIaJSLRJZFG5xhXwwILhaQGVeG4K6AGZz-2Fr1bBk1UIAZZGQ2GnX42TIOjpzDzYPLrJdjHJVUDTObIaEpHnaqMqR-2FJ-2BjjrTN3COmKlIPu82SNhReSTRasQPCSkXF78F6CI0jXIiToLeqqFPFbEhck7QqZwwRaMnHmuN-2Bk6V83aJwG6uWLnJuqUxb9Rdamm69yz2p1GDX0qQLHe5NwkVFkgjNiHYnPLxzutcywcJjQeSZAWPCna-2B-2BOdPwDb9TFU-2BlgDUIwDFukiYA-3D-3D">carlosrolon.com</a>. &nbsp;• Yvette MayorgaThe Lovers Dance, 2024Mayorga is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist known for her Rococo-inspired reliefs that merge confectionary labor with found images to explore themes of belonging. Dominated by the color pink, Mayorga celebrates femme power while questioning the allure of consumer culture and the American Dream as a first-generation Latinx.The Lovers Dance is Mayorga’s first augmented reality public work. Drawing from the stories and shapes of her intricately piped paintings and public installations, Mayorga creates an immersive, interactive experience that reflects her signature feminine world-building. In The Lovers Dance, she explores themes of belonging and love by depicting two dancers emerging from the sky, set against a backdrop of piped frosted clouds reminiscent of a theatrical play.More information about Mayorga can be found at <a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.dh1HrHFyOntfOcUtuUd3teMddG6RZu47bg0FHBslqB3zOcGtPvcUKpFNnIvXYwx8GFBc_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2B4ftGj9DI8Jn4AfRAGeAJVn7gGoI0v4yHfyxNzcTgWoLurliSnTAPDeTMjcpIoytOOx4olIMMV-2FUlia6rP-2BnJx0I4OPOXnhPjZIaJSLRJZFG5xhXwwILhaQGVeG4K6AGZz-2Fr1bBk1UIAZZGQ2GnX42TIOjpzDzYPLrJdjHJVUDTObIaEpHnaqMqR-2FJ-2BjjrTN1QkuiIOSSouImE-2FfnUfnPtDVjEqAvLT7P3-2FDBMMAg1-2FAsJrkdDG-2BdDWqID3bsuFvRIRfg-2BnBpSIR2JhRLGyw-2BqkTqX1cYz-2Bnv8Qn55eR9MXDhigi7wg1hopKCPv3SOsnEmipoa-2BEHzGf51FRM-2B0CLbM6u7bnaPUMj9bU2I6v4Drw-3D-3D">yvettemayorga.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;• Claire Ashley with audioscape by Joshua Patterson&nbsp;N O M A D I C&nbsp; F L U O R A T I C&nbsp; P H Y L O S I A N&nbsp; S P A W N, 2024&nbsp;Scottish born, Chicago-based artist Ashley mines the language of painterly abstraction, monumental sculpture, and slapstick humor to investigate inflatables as painting, sculpture, installation and performance costume. Currently a teacher at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, her works have been exhibited nationally and internationally in galleries, museums, site-specific installations, and performances events.In N O M A D I C&nbsp; F L U O R A T I C&nbsp; P H Y L O S I A N&nbsp; S P A W N, viewers encounter four apparitions, experienced here over one calendar year, responding to the shifting seasonal color palette of Millennium Park’s Lurie Gardens.<ul><li>Spring: A single apparition grows. The mother form stretches and elongates, birthing its spawn, grumbling as it spits them out.</li><li>Summer: Multiple apparitions vibrate. The mother and spawn sway, float, shudder, vibrate, spin, roll, and feast, bubbling and boiling in a whirling dervish-like motion.</li><li>Fall: The apparitions slow down. The mother and spawn merge, clicking back together into a new lumpier formation.</li><li>Winter: A single apparition hibernates. It snores, snuggles, stretches, and yawns. Crystalline growths appear, beginning the regeneration process for spring.</li></ul>More information about Ashley at <a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.dh1HrHFyOntfOcUtuUd3tXtY-2FA45pKDUEqOa6dl823MBFh4tKQMUmCyLT7aRvsg-2FwBBx_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2B4ftGj9DI8Jn4AfRAGeAJVn7gGoI0v4yHfyxNzcTgWoLurliSnTAPDeTMjcpIoytOOx4olIMMV-2FUlia6rP-2BnJx0I4OPOXnhPjZIaJSLRJZFG5xhXwwILhaQGVeG4K6AGZz-2Fr1bBk1UIAZZGQ2GnX42TIOjpzDzYPLrJdjHJVUDTObIaEpHnaqMqR-2FJ-2BjjrTN1RR9hZodOZMUBACldOhaHvlQEUnap4mH2-2B-2FJmThjH1OzSMPRkwZgSkcYzmv62yD9H0Dd2-2BvFlJhJFzpHat6eSpG3-2Bw2Nf1GbYlCWi-2BrUODKpDdgPcRqO9-2FNB-2FcO7dzzgAjZjTvBv-2BwcO82m1W3GC5H0-2FmKWoOrf9aBu1nnUI4OVQ-3D-3D">clairehelenashley.com</a>.&nbsp;• Faheem MajeedFreedom’s Stand: Sentries Beacon, 2024Faheem Majeed is a professor of art at the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as an artist, curator, and community facilitator. He blends his uniqueexperience as a non-profit administrator and artist to create works that focus on institutional critique and exhibitions that leverage collaboration to engage his immediate, and the broader community, in meaningful dialogue.Freedom’s Stand: Sentries Beacon is an homage to the pioneering spirit of Black newspapers in the United States, drawing on the legacy of community-generated news and self-representation. Inspired by the historical impact of Freedom’s Journal, the first Black-owned newspaper founded in 1827, this augmented reality sculpture highlights the importance of Black voices in media. Combining elements from Chicago’s Wall of Respect, the Community Mural Movement, and traditional West African Dogon architecture, Freedom’s Stand creates a rich cultural tapestry.Freedom’s Stand: Sentries Beacon features three dynamic augmented reality newspaper stand sculptures that grow into towering structures and shrink back into smaller stands, symbolizing the evolving nature of Black media. The design, reminiscent of traditional newsstands integrated with Dogon granary aesthetics, creates a living archive. These sculptures showcase a curated collection of headlines, articles, and advertisements from 209 Black newspapers, ensuring the work remains dynamic and ever-changing. This project underscores the importance of celebrating diverse voices in media, ensuring they inform and inspire future generations.More information at <a href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.dh1HrHFyOntfOcUtuUd3tZDx5biPr4fme-2FswAGqgwnbF0hRdpJcbMrZcFE-2BG-2FOsP8J8h_0g5QiKQ3ANfCkWXxwzczn1phIok0-2FnBF8GNWXrNhq2-2B4ftGj9DI8Jn4AfRAGeAJVn7gGoI0v4yHfyxNzcTgWoLurliSnTAPDeTMjcpIoytOOx4olIMMV-2FUlia6rP-2BnJx0I4OPOXnhPjZIaJSLRJZFG5xhXwwILhaQGVeG4K6AGZz-2Fr1bBk1UIAZZGQ2GnX42TIOjpzDzYPLrJdjHJVUDTObIaEpHnaqMqR-2FJ-2BjjrTN30BvpetB-2Bej0VzsGFhA1sdf8NSajUL4ZGnWM-2BOP49IsIQTEaPaBe4zI-2FeZDhxGJKPpfYuhMQ3Tz4OpXOT8NoxDawXDYwSH3E0zWF0oJIAqA2LHAfm6yStNwP2SdwKI2Fa3kiHVaspSufIKMa95eRGtNoYnfn1bfJCpxYEm0ZXD4Q-3D-3D">faheemmajeed.com</a>&nbsp;</body></html>

Augmented Reality + Art Come to Millennium Park 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419409/ak3y128hf1hyfe33ujtw.jpg"><figcaption>Collin van der Sluijs's latest wall in Laon, France, 2024</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;BY ANNA DOBROWOLSKII caught up with Collin van der Sluijs as he put the finishing touches on a four-story-tall rooster in a small town in France. "I'm baking from the heat, so it's a good time for a break," he tells me.While some artists shy away from graffiti, dismissing it as a mere teenage fling with urban art, Collin van der Sluijs raises it to new heights, literally. His style blends formal academic art training with illustrative boldness. Drawing inspiration from unexpected sources like Michelangelo and Da Vinci (yes, the cartoon characters), he has spearheaded a graffiti renaissance. On July 5th, he returns to Vertical Gallery in Chicago for his fifth solo show, Observer.&nbsp;CGN: Observer is a clever title for the exhibit - it tows the line between perception and attention to something or someone, and surveillance. What prompted this show? Did you build it with a question in mind?Collin van der Sluijs: I’m always asking questions. Who am I, what am I doing here?&nbsp; I am always looking around for answers, observing my surroundings.&nbsp;When I’m walking through a city or cycling through the landscape, I’m also looking at walls. I think, “That would be a nice one to paint.”&nbsp; I will stop and paint watercolors en plein air. I try to make an interpretation of whatever it is I’m looking at. When I’m in the studio – my studio is in my hometown in Maastricht. I can just go there by bike like a typical Dutch guy and in ten minutes I'm there – I’m working on paintings about things that I’ve experienced or things I’ve seen. We are all observers.&nbsp;CGN: Yet not all of us are equipped with that ability to pay attention, especially to something as familiar as a wall on our commute. Maybe this sounds basic, but what makes a wall interesting to you? &nbsp;CvdS:&nbsp;The wall doesn’t have to be downtown. The building itself can be along an interesting route. It’s almost always a portrait, not a landscape wall. I don’t know why. If it's a tall surface, I see it and think, “That’s a pretty good spot for a painting. It's a feeling of sport, too, in a way."&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419409/xw550yehmw4l3uzp6xnm.jpg"><figcaption>Collin van der Sluijs, a Maastricht, Netherlands wall in progress, summer 2024</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;CGN: Sounds challenging. Can you tell me more about how graffiti ended up in your art practice?CvdS: “When I was about 10 or 11, I went grocery shopping with my mom and dad. I saw a group of guys in the city painting graffiti. I thought, “Wow, this is like drawing outside your little bedroom and into the wild. Before that I was always drawing the classics, like the Ninja Turtles and cartoons. When I came back home from that I started sketching – and to be honest it looked like shit. But I always stuck with it.My parents sent me to art school because they thought it would be better for me to learn something there. They were always supportive.While being in the art academy I tried to find a way to get that graffiti feeling into my art. I combined spray paint with oils and acrylics, which they didn’t like. It took some time to master that combination. I still haven't mastered it, but that’s fine because otherwise it would be boring.&nbsp;&nbsp;CGN: It used to be a sort of unspoken rule to not get caught tagging buildings, etc. but it seems like graffiti is picking up in the mainstream art world – I’m thinking of a certain famously anonymous graffiti artist, for example -- but you embrace it and make it a part of your gallery work, which is refreshing. Did you ever get caught?&nbsp;CvdS: No, never. I also never would cover people’s houses or whatever. If it’s an abandoned building that’s about to get torn down anyway, that’s ok.In art, there is – or maybe was -- a tendency to hide it. Some artists will say “I’m not 16 anymore.” There were times when I tried to hide it, but it didn’t work out. For me it is how everything started. It’s a thing from the past that will always haunt me in a positive way. Now I travel everywhere because of it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419410/baqrnvxv4qg1zmjo8p8c.jpg"><figcaption>Collin van der Sluijs</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;CGN: This is your 5th show at Vertical. How is this show different from the others to you?How did you scale-down?&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419411/f2btgod8z6eh0tjonbyf.jpg"><figcaption>Collin van der Sluijs</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;CvdS: The way I work hasn’t changed over the years, but what I observe. I started with gallery work around 1990—growing from small shows to bigger shows. I see how things change. Like murals going mainstream. More artists working out of the box.[...]Growing as an artist doesn't necessarily mean 'growing up' from the things that fascinated us as children. Sometimes, it just means finding a bigger wall to scale.&nbsp;“If I were to give my younger self advice, I'd say to believe in yourself. It won't be easy; there will be unsafe and crazy situations, but when the project is completed, you'll often leave with a laugh. If you don't take a risk, you'll never know."&nbsp;#&nbsp;Collin van der Sluijs Observer July 5 - 27, 2024 Opening reception: Friday July 5th, 5:00-8:00pm <a href="https://verticalgallery.com/blogs/news/collin-van-der-sluijs-observer">Vertical Gallery</a> – 2006 W Chicago Ave #1R<a href="https://www.instagram.com/collinvandersluijs/">@collinvandersluijs</a>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721419412/gnrayzf9x6hnasdltoun.jpg"><figcaption>Collin van der Sluijs</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;</body></html>

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