Pizza in the Rain: Landscapes

Vertical Gallery is very proud to present Pizza In The Rain 'Landscapes', which commemorates the conclusion of a 13-month-long collaborative public art project celebrating the architecture of the Windy City.

Running from November 23 through December 28, 2019, ‘Landscapes’ features work from Chicago’s Pizza In The Rain, who spearheaded the project, alongside efforts from Kate Lewis, Joseph Renda Jr., Matt Wojtan, Kirsten Valentine, Polly Jiménez, Danny Sobor, Zissou Tasseff-Elenkoff and Lie. Many of the artists will attend the exhibit’s opening reception, taking place at Vertical’s 1016 N. Western Ave. location from 6:00-9:00 pm on Saturday, November 23. Vertical will also offer for sale a 40-page, signed and numbered bound volume featuring art and text documenting the exhibit.

Originally launched in October 2018, the ‘Landscapes’ initiative reintroduces and reinvigorates familiar and foreign buildings, urban cityscapes and natural settings. “I asked each artist to select one landscape/place, facade or natural/urban image that has had a lasting impact on them,” said Pizza In The Rain, who handpicked all of the participants. “Once the artist decided on a landscape or place to feature, the two of us painted our separate interpretations of said place.”

Each month, Pizza In The Rain and his chosen collaborator showcased their work throughout the streets of Chicago. “All installations were unsanctioned, but done in a non-malicious fashion,” PITR noted. “I kept all the original paintings myself, and the contributing artists painted, copied and enlarged them in black and white and, finally, wheat-pasted the copies on the street. This way, once the project concluded, I could display the original paintings at Vertical Gallery, alongside a series of photos showcasing the installation of these paintings on the street. It was the most original way I could come up with to allow collectors to actually own a piece of a public art project.”