The Chicago Artists Coalition is pleased to present Rites, a HATCH Projects exhibition featuring new works by Nicole Mauser, Amy Leners, and Yesenia Bello.

Rituals, whether spiritual or social in nature, all share a common purpose and can be described as a practice that allows an individual to pass from one fixed situation to one equally fixed. According to its definition, rites or rituals are usually preformed in a prescribed order. These repetitive, often ceremonial customs are connected to personal experiences and transcend time and space. Writer Cynthia Freeland expounds upon the theory of art ritual in But is it Art? asserting that “an ordinary object or act acquires symbolic and effective significance through incorporation into a belief system shared by all participants.” Here, objects or acts are transformed into art through the ritual of making.

Opening Reception: Friday, December 1, 6-9pm

Image: Amy Leners, Weight, 2015 Individual: 10 x 14 in., Installed: 14 x 14 ft. Handmade paper, 24k gold leaf