Surreal Salon: Group Exhibition

Jackson Junge Gallery is proud to present our 15th anniversary show SURREAL SALON, a group exhibition featuring the work of over 50 international artists. Surrealism aims to challenge reality by depicting the bizarre and surprising universes of the unconscious and dreams. In Surreal artwork, anything can happen.

Jackson Junge Gallery is celebrating its 15th year in operation, along with the achievement of being recognized as a Legacy Business in the neighborhood of Wicker Park Bucktown. The gallery opened October 24th, 2009 to showcase the Surreal artwork of Laura Lee Junge. Junge’s painting “Marion the 26th, Princess of Ascendancy” is a stunning example of her painting style, it depicts an enthroned woman emanating strength and confidence surrounded by the riches of her life. Junge says “Art is not just something to be viewed, it is something to be experienced.” Her works are a testament to this philosophy, drawing viewers in with their captivating movement and transporting them to a world of pure imagination and emotion. As co-owner and “in-house artist” at Jackson Junge Gallery, Junge’s own Surrealism has always inspired the other work on display. The gallery is now widely recognized as the best Surrealist Art Gallery in Chicago. SURREAL SALONis a true celebration of Jackson Junge’s 15-year history of showcasing Surreal artwork.

Along with bringing in many guest artists, most of whom are local to the Chicagoland area, SURREAL SALON heavily features the work of Jackson Junge Gallery’s in-house artists including Laura Lee Junge, Allan Teger, Autumn Justine Miller, Bruce Holwerda, Jason Brueck, Jack Valentine, James Mesplé, Kate Harrold,Richard Laurent, Tai Taeoalii, and Sam Arnold. In-house artist James Mesplé is no stranger to painting Surreal scenes. Mesplé describes his newest piece created for the exhibition, “Ravenswood Nocturne”, which depicts that “on Halloween night, music will float through the air. As we move closer to the end of the year, surreal visions linger in our Moon-dreams.” 

In-house artist Allan Teger’s photographs “Grinder” and “Nest” confront the viewer with unusual combinations of elements – eggs and kitchen utensils. Teger explains that “as the elements are out of context, the meaning of each element is not clear. This requires the viewer to see each item afresh - and rethink the meaning assigned to the item.” Viewers can see another surprising combination in guest artist Magdalene Eisenberg’s “Kyle, Ready to Dance”. The artist creates a bizarre figure, mashing an amphibian head onto a leather-jacket-wearing-torso with one leg. Eisenberg says “Kyle is a dancer, one leg is all Kyle needs to twirl on the dance floor.  Kyle represents all those strange and willing souls that dare to do and be despite any obstacle that the world has dealt them.  Dance Kyle, dance and let the world see you.”

Many artists in the exhibition describe using Surrealism to depict their own life experiences and memories. Surrealism originated in the 20th century as a reaction to the traumas of war and disillusionment with society. In a time when our own world is particularly turbulent, it makes sense that a current trend for many artists is to return to the genre to process their emotions. In “Tunikas and His Wife”, Alisa Duda paints a Surreal portrait of her maternal Grandparents based on the story of their life: “Tunikas was a flawed man, so Duda’s mom, his daughter, cut him out of most family photographs. His wife was a sweet, loving woman, a mother of two, who had to hide her sadness behind her smile.” EKAH’s two works “The Big Sigh” and “Waiting for Umma” are both a part of an ongoing series called “Jogakbo Memories,” a collection of artist’s childhood memories set against a surreal backdrop. Jogakbo is a traditional style of Korean patchwork, created from remnants of fabrics. “What remains of my childhood memories spent in Korea are patched together, one piece at a time.” Elizabeth Waren’s “Tuxedo Malignant”illustrates a feline monstrous creature. Waren shares that her piece “is about something very specific: the overwhelming emotion of finding out your pet has a life-threatening medical issue. The illustrative art style along with the bright color scheme give it a surreal quality, akin to a nightmare.” Nathan Doty’s mixed media painting, “Out of Time”, crafts a strikingly visceral and surreal landscape. Inspired by the chilling experience of a near death plane crash, the artwork's rich, layered composition evokes the frightening and almost otherworldly sensations felt during the incident. Each component of the piece, whether it be the striking fabric swatches or the bold, textured layers and drawing—contributes to a narrative of fear and survival, creating a profound and immersive visual experience. 

Inspired by the art salons of 19th century Europe, SURREAL SALON will be hung floor to ceiling with Surreal artwork as a true celebration of the genre. Salons have historically been a place for people to gather and discuss art, literature, philosophy, music, and politics. SURREAL SALON hopes to provide a similar space and a distraction from our unstable world.