Alma, Art and Interiors is an exhibition of 30 leading Chicago artists, presented by Oliva Gallery and Architectural Anarchy. Exploring contemporary art alongside distinct antiques and modern design, Alma, Art and Interiors reimagines the gallery as the spirit of the home. In 18,000 sq. ft. of 20th century loft space, Kimberly Oliva of Oliva Gallery and Gosia Korsakowski of Architectural Anarchy have curated dozens upon dozens of vignettes, each consisting of a few pieces, drawn from a variety of artistic disciplines and time periods — antique furniture, vintage lighting, modern ceramics, contemporary painting, fiber artists, photography, sculpture wood work, metal art, and more.
Rather than a traditional gallery setup, the choice to stage mixed media vignettes rescues the works from seeming isolated and spiritless. Furniture and ceramics paired with visual art and vintage lighting produces the effect of a living home. “An interior without art is like a place without soul. We want to create the feeling of people who live there,” Gosia explains. “A painting or a sculpture brings another level to every home, and each vignette invites you to visualize the spirit of your own home, in all its levels.”
Beyond returning spirit to the gallery, Alma, Art and Interiors also restores the highly missed conveniences of in-person furniture and art dealings, following more than a year of show cancellations, supply-chain delays, and exorbitant freight costs. “I’ve been holding back my premier pieces in hopes of the return of large scale exhibitions, and Alma is a vision of what I would’ve exhibited if SOFA — now Intersect Chicago — had taken place at Navy Pier in 2020 and 2021,” says Kimberly Oliva. “Alma is the very latest extension of the Chicago arts community that I’ve fostered at Oliva Gallery.” With exhibitions no longer stuck in the midst of an indefinite hiatus, all of the art and vintage furniture at Alma, Art and Interiors is available for cash and carry. Full list of artists at bottom.
Alma, Art and Interiors opens on Saturday, November 6th, 2021, 11:00am - 7:00pm, at 3636 S. Iron St., Chicago, IL 60609. Additional shows will be on November 7th, 11:00am - 5:00pm, and the following weekend (Nov. 13-14) during the same hours. Visit by appointment any day of the week throughout November.
Wine and cocktail service will be provided during the first two weekends. A portion of opening night sales will go to the Infant Welfare Society. Follow the event, Oliva Gallery, and Architectural Anarchy on Instagram
Works include ceramics from Nathan Mason, Chris Heck, Zachary E. Weber, and Louise Pappageorge; fiber artists Melissa Leandro, Yasmin Spiro, and Macus Alonso; sculptures from Mia Capodilupo, Beth Lefauve, and Salvador Dominguez; wood work from Michelle Peterson Albandoz; metal artist Eric Gushee; photography from Sean Williams; paintings from Tony Fitzpatrick, Thomas Masters, Lucca Colombelli, Cormac Steinbock, Madeleine Finley, Juan Arango Palacios, Griffin Plumer, William Schaeuble, Nathalie Gribinski, Stanley Dean Edwards, Marc Benja, Jane Barthès, Anthony Adcock, Valeria Terrazas, Melissa Leandro, Bojana Ilic-Bojitt, Curtis Anthony Bozif, Sarah Dupré, and Walter A. Fydryck.
