West Town, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Kinzie Corridor, Humboldt Park

West Town

Wisconsin

IL • MI • IN

West Loop, Fulton Market, East Garfield Park

West Loop and West Side

Evanston, The North Shore, Northern, Western and Southern Suburbs

Suburbs

Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Uptown, Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park

North Side

Michigan Avenue, Streeterville, The Gold Coast, The Loop, and South Loop

Michigan Avenue

Pilsen, Bridgeport, Chinatown, plus Hyde Park, Jackson Park/Dorchester, and Bronzeville

South Side

Superior and Franklin streets, West Chicago Ave, and down to Merchandise Mart and the River

River North

OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, March 7, 2025 5-8pmOn view through April 27, 2025Two Person Exhibition - Joan Geary and Rebecca Stahr: Echoes of Earth and Sky Rebecca's recent encaustic paintings merge an interest in process and the encaustic medium with an organic, almost three dimensional approach to developing a composition. Images that seem to reference nature are the accumulation of thousands of little points of pigmented wax applied in layers. The image seems to simultaneously form and dissolve, and speaks to the mutable and atomically fractured nature of our physical environment. With a technique that recalls the repetitive creation of weaving and textiles, Stahr creates images that can be read both as surface and image. Geary was born in Chicago, IL, but raised in Glenview, a northern suburb. An early encounter with surrealism – specifically Salvador Dali – and the pop art and op art movements of the 1960s laid the foundation for Geary's lifelong obsession with art. As an adolescent, she would take the bus into the city to spend the day walking around The Art Institute of Chicago alone, seeking out those edgy genres that made such bold use of color, shape, and odd juxtapositions; such a foil to her daily life, and so defiant and wholly different than what she knew. Her solo meanderings through the museum lit something up in her, a yearning for something more – to see and create.Joan works mainly in oil and cold wax, a medium that allows for the buildup of a rich history and patina through amassing layers of paint and excavation back through those layers. Luminosity and light have become trademarks of her work, which explores color and shape inspired by nature and God. Her work has been featured in numerous venues throughout the Midwest, as well as publications such as The Chicago Tribune, The Doings, and a book titled Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts, and Conversations by Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin. Image: Rebecca Stahr, Land of the Mystic, encaustic on wood panel, 8" x 8"

Joan Geary and Rebecca Stahr: Echoes of Earth and Sky

Latham Zearfoss:Third Space

On Friday, April 4th, we will be having an exhibit opening for featured artist Allison Svoboda's show "Preternatural."&nbsp;The opening will run from 5-7 PM and will display Allison's newest work, which focuses on the dualities of our natural&nbsp;world and what we experience in it, with organic patterns and forms having an instinctive draw for her. Done on site, her work is the result of quiet contemplation in a place of natural beauty, often on the shore of Lake Michigan.&nbsp; Image: Allison Svoboda, 300 DPI image of "Cosmos."

Allison Svoboda: Preternatural

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/museum/exhibit/elevate-at-21c-mayumi-lake/?_gl=1*19qyyoo*_gcl_au*MTU3Mjk1MTkxMS4xNzM4ODg0MTcx*_ga*MTEzODYwODk2NC4xNzM4ODg0MTcx*_ga_04Q1XR1T6W*MTczOTIyMTA4MC4zLjEuMTczOTIyODI5My40Ny4wLjA." target="_blank">Details</a> Unison is Mayumi Lake’s ongoing series of immersive mixed-media installations, sculptures, and photographic collages. The central motif of this series is Housouge, an ancient Japanese imaginary flower believed to bloom in paradise, symbolizing the delicate border between life and death. These intricate floral patterns have been passed down through Asian history and are prominently featured in sacred spaces, embodying hope within the cyclical nature of life.&nbsp;&nbsp; During periods of social unrest - such as natural disasters, epidemics, and political upheaval - Housouge patterns historically became more large, vivid, and saturated, reflecting resilience and a collective yearning for harmony. In today’s world, where the present often feels intertwined with echoes of the past, Lake’s Housouge-inspired” Unison” seeks to illuminate moments of optimism and hope amidst the turbulence of contemporary society.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mayumi Lake (b. Osaka, Japan) is a Chicago-based artist.&nbsp;&nbsp; Elevate at 21c presents temporary exhibitions of works by artists living and working in the communities surrounding each 21c Museum Hotel. Elevate provides hotel guests and visitors with unique access to the work of notable regional artists while featuring their work in the context of 21c’s contemporary art space.&nbsp; Image: Mayumi Lake, Unison

Mayumi Lake: Unison

Anne Loucks Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of&nbsp;Spring Forward,&nbsp;a new exhibition in our Winnetka gallery featuring Georgia artist, Liz Barber. The show will be on view through April 30th and features 16 of Liz's abstract, layered compositions. For an exhibition checklist, please click&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://loucksgallery.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=94b15167543c6c56d1b3c36b4&amp;id=05360d624a&amp;e=40a3ce37ac" target="_blank">here</a>. Barber's paintings convey nature in a distinct, vibrant style. Her work is inspired by water and other natural elements, as well as memory and emotion. Organic forms and shapes flow through her canvases, capturing movement and translucent light. With loose, textured brush strokes and a fresh palette, she creates windows of light using layers of paint, ink, oil pastel and graphite. Her spontaneous use of lines, shapes and texture creates compositions charged with energy and emotion. Image: Liz Barber,&nbsp;Delicate Petals,&nbsp;40"x 60"

Liz Barber: Spring Forward

Industrial Design Senior Show, University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign

Chicago Photography Student CompetitionLatinx

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mooneyfoundation.org/latest" target="_blank">Details</a> to come

Lennart Anderson: A Retrospective

In Gallery I and II, Goldfinch proudly presents&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://goldfinchgallery.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=857fcb5b671b71824107951c2&amp;id=90d13260c4&amp;e=eea4831c04" target="_blank">We Are Our People/Listen to This</a>,&nbsp;a two-part solo exhibition of new mixed-media works from Chicago-based artist Damon Locks.&nbsp;We Are Our People/Listen to This&nbsp;marks Locks' third solo exhibition at Goldfinch. In Gallery I,&nbsp;We Are Our People&nbsp;showcases a series of mixed-media works where Locks uses a blend of ink, pencil, and collage elements on wood panels to create intricate, layered narratives. Each piece emphasizes the individuality of its subjects, drawing attention to how each portrait interacts within the collective. "The hand remains distinctly present in the gesture of the mark-making," Locks notes, while the&nbsp;dynamic interplay of heavy marks and collaged materials invokes a sense of movement--like a poem that reveals more with each recitation--prompting viewers to consider how connections between forms allow for expression and weight. The exhibition's title derives from a piece of writing (shared below) that Locks began performing during music shows in late 2024, as&nbsp;politics, death, and hatred took on a more tsunami-like presence in the United States. In Gallery II,&nbsp;Listen to This&nbsp;features hand-drawn collages that emerged from the comic and graphic novel-making classes Locks taught at Stateville Correctional Center.&nbsp;This body of work transcends traditional comic forms, encouraging viewers to explore fractured narratives and abstract expressions. "These pieces became visual analogs to my sonic adventures, hence the title," Locks shares, illustrating how his artistic practice merges visual and auditory elements. The collages are rich with layered meanings, mirroring the complexity of the stories he encountered while teaching.&nbsp; ﻿A limited edition 7" record featuring two exclusive tracks created for this event will also be available.Damon Locks: We Are Our People/Listen to This&nbsp;runs March 23 through May 3, 2025. The exhibition's opening reception takes place on Sunday, March 23 from 2-5pm. Stay tuned for information and dates of exhibition related public programs. Artist's BioDamon Locks is a Chicago-based visual artist, educator, and vocalist/musician. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago where he received his BFA in fine arts. Since 2014 he has been working with the Prisons and Neighborhood Arts Project at Stateville Correctional Center teaching art. He is a 2025 recipient of the Creative Capital Award. In 2017 he became a Soros Justice Media Fellow. He received the Helen Coburn Meier and Tim Meier Achievement Award in the Arts in 2015. In 2019, he became a 3Arts Awardee. Locks spent four years as an artist in residence as a part of the MCA Chicago's SPACE Program, introducing civically engaged art into the curriculum at Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy High School. He teaches Improvisation in the Sound Department at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Damon Locks leads the Black Monument Ensemble, is a member of New Future City Radio, Exploding Star Orchestra and co-founded the band The Eternals.

Damon Locks: We Are Our People / Listen To This

Rescue Me: Jenny Hiser solo show in partnership with One Tail at A Time

Rescue Me: Jenny Hiser Solo Show

Epiphany Center for the Arts | Guild Room201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago&nbsp;60607In a group exhibition focused on care, COME AS YOU ARE&nbsp;addresses how we care for ourselves and each other and asks:&nbsp;In what ways can the creative process be an act of healing for our communities and ourselves?&nbsp;What conversations can be created through collaborative making?&nbsp;Through this exhibition, artists utilize a diversity of fiber/textile media to illustrate their visions of collective care. The participating artists originally connected through their intersecting community and artistic practices.&nbsp;There was a shared desire to “do more,” whether that meant exploring new media, participating in liberatory work, or simply having the time to hang out together. This exhibition is a point of reset. In the way it presented the artists an opportunity to re-examine their relationships with their mediums, viewers are invited to&nbsp;come as you are, reflect on one’s needs and “to-do” lists, and just&nbsp;be&nbsp;in the space together.&nbsp;Curated by Abby Linatoc Mendoza. Participating artists include Michael Baja Anderson, Abby Linatoc Mendoza, Ash Nañoz, Abbey Poniente MonsaludFor more information, go to: www.epiphanychi.comPhoto Credit: Epiphany Center for the Arts

Come as You Are: On Care, For Ourselves and Each Other

For fifty years, the Arts/Industry residency program has given space for meaningful connections between the arts and industry. At the core of those moments are the Kohler Co. factory associates—mechanics, engineers, technicians, mold makers, and many more. They work side-by-side with the artists, giving time, sharing skills and knowledge, and often opening their homes and personal lives.Lunch Break: Arts/Industry in Between celebrates that powerful exchange between artist and associate through artwork made in the factory. It brings forward the conversations and relationships that happen as a result of making art.This exhibition focuses on artwork made by residency artists that celebrates the associates or that exemplifies the cooperative learning that takes place at the factory. The works on view are drawn primarily from the Arts/Industry collections of JMKAC and Kohler Co. Each artist gifts one work to each organization at the end of their residency,Art objects made by associates while on break from their duties or after hours are also shown. In addition, a selection of artist gifts to associates will be on display. It is not uncommon for artists to thank associates by giving them small works of art created during the residencies.The art made in the factory over the half century of the Arts/Industry program is special—but the kinship between artists and associates is what makes this residency extraordinary.Artists featured include Ann Agee, Michelle Grabner, Patrick Earl Hammie, Sarah Khan, Tom LaDousa, Jack Earl, Beth Lipman, Karen Massaro, Richard Notkin, Risa Puno, Nirmal Raja, David Ross Harper, Laurel Roth Hope, and Timea Tihanyi, among others.Image: Joe DiStefano, (from left) Saturday: It's Your Turn To Do The Dishes Ralph. Sure, Nadine, 1976; vitreous china, metal, and glaze; 20 5/8 x 25 1/4 x 15 1/8 in., Friday: Is That Lipstick On Your Collar, Ralph?, 1976; vitreous china, metal, and glaze; 20 5/8 x 25 1/4 x 15 1/8 in. John Michael Kohler Arts Center Collection, gift of the artist.

Lunch Break: Arts/Industry in Between

The Chicagoland non-profit&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsoflife.org/" target="_blank">Arts of Life</a>&nbsp;continues celebrating its&nbsp;25thAnniversary&nbsp;year with its upcoming&nbsp;Circle Contemporary&nbsp;exhibition titled&nbsp;What they said. Circle Contemporary is a rotating exhibition gallery space housed in the Arts of Life Chicago studio (2010 W Carroll Ave.), featuring recent works from Arts of Life artists and guest contemporary artists.&nbsp;What they said&nbsp;is guest curated by&nbsp;acclaimed artists&nbsp;Nick Cave&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bob Faust&nbsp;and opens with a public reception with the artists on Friday,&nbsp;March 28 from 5-9pm. With locations in Chicago (West Town and Woodlawn) and North Shore (Glenview), Arts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their independence.&nbsp;Circle Contemporary is an extension of the Arts of Life studios' efforts to strengthen its creative community, aiming to provide a space and outlet for artistic inspiration and exploration. Featured artists in&nbsp;What they said&nbsp;include:&nbsp;John Bateman, Shenequa Brooks, Saumitra Chandratreya, Joel Ebner, Dan Gamble, Ted Gram-Boarini, Ted Hamel, David Krueger, Lawrence M., Tim Stone, James Schenck, Lisa Solar, Oly Trindl, Maria Vanik, Frank Vega&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jean Wilson. “We are overjoyed to be working with Bob and Nick on&nbsp;What they said,” shares Arts of Life Co-Founder and Executive Director&nbsp;Denny Fisher.&nbsp;“For 25 years, Arts of Life has worked to support the careers of our artists with disabilities. Collaborating with internationally recognized artists like Bob and Nick plays an essential role in increasing our artists’ opportunities for professional development and increased visibility.” Prolific artist and designer&nbsp;Bob Faust&nbsp;was inspired by the formal qualities of Arts of Life artists’ recent work. Faust&nbsp;said, “For&nbsp;What they said, Nick and I are making artwork selections based on the feelings that come up when we experience them. Whether it's a clash of color, build-up of material or an intensity coming through repetitive mark-making, each has a way of getting under the skin."&nbsp; Throughout its 25th anniversary year, Arts of Life looks back at its history, celebrates its impact, and casts eyes toward its future.&nbsp;What they said&nbsp;follows the recent launch of a new artwork-filled hardcover book,&nbsp;2wenty 5ive – Arts of Life 2000-2025, a&nbsp;retrospective highlighting the organization’s history of supporting artists with disabilities. After the book’s national launch at the&nbsp;Outsider Art Fair&nbsp;(February 27-March 2, 2025), the 25th&nbsp;anniversary year continues with&nbsp;a dedicated exhibition at the&nbsp;Design Museum of&nbsp;Chicago&nbsp;(August 11-September 30, 2025)&nbsp;and correlating&nbsp;Art on theMART&nbsp;feature projection (September 11-October 6, 2025); and the&nbsp;Arts of Life annual Benefit Art Auction&nbsp;(October 3, 2025). More information on Arts of Life and current and upcoming galleries and programming can be found at <a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://artsoflife.org/" target="_blank">artsoflife.org</a> About the CuratorsArtist and designer&nbsp;Bob Faust&nbsp;(b. 1967, Chicago, IL; lives and works in Chicago, IL)&nbsp;crafts work with typography at its core and viscerality on its surface. Faust has also been the principle and creative director of Faust, a cultural branding studio, for over 30 years. He makes his work with purpose first—to inform, empower, and/or instigate in the service and celebration of human difference.&nbsp;His conceptual art practice defies categorization and genre, with text, patterns, and the ideas of surprise and discovery emerging as throughlines.&nbsp;In addition,&nbsp;Faust is the professional and personal partner of artist Nick Cave. Together they founded&nbsp;Facility: a non-profit multi-use creative space in Chicago that seeks to build community and change the world through art and design. Nick Cave&nbsp;(b. 1959, Fulton, MO; lives and works in Chicago, IL) is an artist, educator and foremost a messenger, working between the visual and performing arts through a wide range of mediums including sculpture, installation, video, sound and performance. Cave is well known for his Soundsuits, sculptural forms based on the scale of his body, initially created in direct response to the police beating of Rodney King in 1991. Soundsuits camouflage the body, masking and creating a second skin that conceals race, gender and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment. They serve as a visual embodiment of social justice that represent both brutality and empowerment. About Arts of LifeArts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership. Arts of Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in January 2000 with a shared vision: to create a working, person-centric, artistic community while providing a work environment of equality in Chicago. Motivated by founding artist Veronica Cuculich along with two co-founders Arts of Life brought nine other individuals with developmental disabilities to create the organization. Their shared vision grew from a passion for artistic expression and a need for an alternative system.For artists at Arts of Life, a career in the visual arts is an opportunity for meaningful employment. Each artist has their own studio space and works independently from individualized project plans or receives one on one visual arts facilitation to increase their artistic skill set. Artists also receive 60% of art sales. Today, Arts of Life has two professional art studios and represent over 80 artists with varying levels of physical and intellectual disabilities. Each studio is 6,000 square feet and includes a community gallery that is open to the public. For more information on Arts of Life and its programs, visit&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://artsoflife.org/" target="_blank">artsoflife.org</a>. Connect with Arts of Life on<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://facebook.com/artsoflife" target="_blank">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://instagram.com/the_arts_of_life" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, and&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtube.com/artsoflife" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.

 What they said

Teralyn Brown: MFA Thesis Exhibition

Epiphany Center for the Arts | Slemmons Gallery201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago&nbsp;60607&nbsp;Through fantastical reimagining of scientific subjects,&nbsp;SYMBIOSIS&nbsp;examines what unites all living beings outside of strict hierarchies and binary definitions.&nbsp;For billions of years, life on earth has existed in a multiplicity of forms. Through both process and materials, Mats Dahlberg explores the interdependence of disparate organisms, the beauty and violence of nature and regeneration, and the lessons we can learn from it. Contrary to the belief that Queer identities are a modern concept, humans have exhibited behaviors now attributed to queerness since ancient times. Nature, with its vast diversity, shows that restrictive definitions are based on fear, not truth. Queerness, Dahlberg states:&nbsp;“Is as deep as fungal mycelium networks, as powerful as the constant toil of tectonic movements, and as intricate as the dance of worker bees through the hive.” Inspired by drag nightlife performance, Dahlberg uses bold colors, intricate designs, and avant-garde creations to defy fashion norms in their costume design. They blend fine art and traditional craft techniques, adorning doilies from their Great Grandmother with beads and rhinestones to honor those of marginalized genders who cultivated craft practices like embroidery and crochet. Their costume work challenges viewers to imagine life forms beyond the human self and explore the possibilities of the noncorporeal, trans body.For more information, go to: www.epiphanychi.comPhoto credit:&nbsp;Mats Dahlberg

Mats Dahlberg: Symbiosis

Epiphany Center for the Arts | Sacristy Gallery201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago&nbsp;60607The word ‘thread’ is often used to represent continuity -&nbsp;of an idea, a theme, a life.&nbsp;The simple repetitive action of interlocking threads and joining pieces to create something that is handed down among generations, chronicles the continuum of life. For Louise Pappageorge, her proclaimed “obsessive relationship” with the making of cloth and lace structures blossomed in her childhood through skills she learned from her grandmother and mother. Pappageorge states:&nbsp;“The drawing of threads connects me across shared generational labors to the greater multigenerational consciousness of womankind, whose structures have preserved humanity through the creation of magnificent cloths.” In&nbsp;Feral Laces and Off the Wall Doilies, Pappageorge’s works of found and newly created lace and crochet structures initiate a visual rebellion, as she&nbsp;investigates the realms of feminism through artistic exploration that dismantles preconceived boundaries while challenging the traditional demarcation between craft and fine art. In a gender-biased society, craft-based work often tied to women is dismissed as merely functional or decorative, while ‘fine art’ disproportionately celebrates creations by white male artists.Combining lace, knitted, and crocheted materials with gleaming metal leaf and patinated finishes, Pappageorge’s artwork suggests fine sculptural works, as if created from cast metal. In their final form her sculpture departs from the ethereal and fragile nature of lace structures, delicately born from the hands of women throughout time. Instead, they become dynamic expressions of contradiction and embody the multifaceted nature of “women’s work” and artistic creation. With architecture as a backdrop, these fabrics break free from the constraints of tradition, turn feral and transcend conventional boundaries. Viewers are invited into an unfamiliar dimension where the intricacies of lace and crochet unfold, while straying from the stigma that often relegates utilitarian creations to the periphery. In this merger of materials, these undomesticated laces become seductive adorations of long held traditions and the labors of women over the millennia.For more information, go to: www.epiphanychi.comPhoto credit: Louise Pappageorge

Louise Pappageorge: Feral Laces And Off the Wall Doilies

Juried by Donna R. Charging

Under All is the Land

Eric Lebofsky: Liminality Blue

﻿ENGAGE Projects is pleased to announce Cameron Gainer’s solo Chicago debut with our upcoming exhibition “Temporal Dispersions.” Using the open desert as his studio space, this new photo-based work elucidates enduring themes in Gainer’s art, addressing the ineffable nature of time and the mysteries of perception—recurrent themes that span his artistic career. Over the last two decades, Gainer has combined scientific and artistic inquiry in his expansive practice. His past works include using the world’s most light-sensitive camera to capture bioluminescence, casting time out of 4-billion-year-old meteorites, and painting photo-realistic canvases based on satellite images of impact craters named for notable artists, scientists, and thinkers. A conceptual landscape artist at heart, this recent work, the Temporal Dispersions, pushes the limits of photography in what Gainer calls “an interrogation of the photographic process and the representation of landscape at the edge of form.” Working in the arroyos (seasonal riverbeds) of the Sonoran desert, Gainer begins creating these works by marking a section of land the size of the photographic material. He carefully removes the desert topsoil, which consists of insects, bones, plant material, scat, and primarily silica—the raw material from which photographic lenses are made. He then places this material in a temporary container and lays the photographic substrate onto the prepared ground. The artist then acts as a human hourglass, letting time pass as he methodically pours the removed soil onto the surface of the paper or fabric. This durational element allows the light-sensitive material underneath to slowly record the time it takes for the displaced landscape to settle and be “exposed” by the elements of gravity, wind, time, and light. The earth acts as the camera, the raw silica the lens, and the desert functions as the focal point. For the work’s final stages, Gainer removes the photographic material from the soil and returns the land to its original condition, removing any trace of a human presence. The resultant images are vibrant blue materially direct abstractions, the color of the sky and the ocean—the earth’s counterparts. Simultaneously evoking the most advanced imagery of deep space and a birds-eye view of the melting arctic ice, these meditations resonate with our contemporary ecological condition. For Gainer, the process remains a point of emphasis: he establishes the photographic conditions for an image to be formed, but the results are created by the elements and the landscape itself. Cameron Gainer is the founder of The Third Rail, an internationally distributed publication devoted to a discussion of modern and contemporary art, politics, philosophy, and culture. He has had solo museum exhibitions at The New Temporary Contemporary at the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, and the Museum of Contemporary Art at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Group exhibitions include “Spectators, Rendered and Regulated” at Koenig and Clinton Gallery New York, New York; “Midnight Party” at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; “The Paranoia of Time” at Carter &amp; Citizen Gallery, Los Angeles; “The Moon is a Lantern” at Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix; and “Portal” at McClain Gallery, Houston. Awards and fellowships include a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, Pollock-Krasner grant, James L. McKnight Fellowship, and a Jerome Foundation grant for research. Image: Cameron Gainer, Temporal Dispersion: Sonoran Landscape #10, 2023, Cyanotype on cotton, trace elements of, silica, plant materials, bone, scat, 60 x 88 inches mounted

Cameron Gainer: Take Time

ENGAGE Projects is pleased to announce Cameron Gainer’s solo Chicago debut with our upcoming exhibition “Temporal Dispersions.” Using the open desert as his studio space, this new photo-based work elucidates enduring themes in Gainer’s art, addressing the ineffable nature of time and the mysteries of perception—recurrent themes that span his artistic career.&nbsp; Over the last two decades, Gainer has combined scientific and artistic inquiry in his expansive practice. His past works include using the world’s most light-sensitive camera to capture bioluminescence, casting time out of 4-billion-year-old meteorites, and painting photo-realistic canvases based on satellite images of impact craters named for notable artists, scientists, and thinkers. A conceptual landscape artist at heart, this recent work, the&nbsp; Temporal Dispersions, pushes the limits of photography in what Gainer calls “an interrogation of the photographic process and the representation of landscape at the edge of form.” Working in the arroyos (seasonal riverbeds) of the Sonoran desert, Gainer begins creating these works by marking a section of land the size of the photographic material. He carefully removes the desert topsoil, which consists of insects, bones, plant material, scat, and primarily silica—the raw material from which photographic lenses are made. He then places this material in a temporary container and lays the photographic substrate onto the prepared ground.&nbsp; The artist then acts as a human hourglass, letting time pass as he methodically pours the removed soil onto the surface of the paper or fabric. This durational element allows the light-sensitive material underneath to slowly record the time it takes for the displaced landscape to settle and be “exposed” by the elements of gravity, wind, time, and light. The earth acts as the camera, the raw silica the lens, and the desert functions as the focal point.&nbsp; For the work’s final stages, Gainer removes the photographic material from the soil and returns the land to its original condition, removing any trace of a human presence. The resultant images are vibrant blue materially direct abstractions, the color of the sky and the ocean—the earth’s counterparts. Simultaneously evoking the most advanced imagery of deep space and a birds-eye view of the melting arctic ice, these meditations resonate with our contemporary ecological condition. For Gainer, the process remains a point of emphasis: he establishes the photographic conditions for an image to be formed, but the results are created by the elements and the landscape itself.&nbsp; Cameron Gainer is the founder of The Third Rail, an internationally distributed publication devoted to a discussion of modern and contemporary art, politics, philosophy, and culture. He has had solo museum exhibitions at The New Temporary Contemporary at the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, and the Museum of Contemporary Art at the University of South Florida in Tampa. Group exhibitions include “Spectators, Rendered and Regulated” at Koenig and Clinton Gallery New York, New York; “Midnight Party” at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; “The Paranoia of Time” at Carter &amp; Citizen Gallery, Los Angeles; “The Moon is a Lantern” at Lisa Sette Gallery, Phoenix; and “Portal” at McClain Gallery, Houston. Awards and fellowships include a Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship, Pollock-Krasner grant, James L. McKnight Fellowship, and a Jerome Foundation grant for research.

 Temporal Dispersions: A Solo Exhibition by Cameron Gainer

Zolla/Lieberman Gallery is pleased to present&nbsp;Behind Blue Eyes, a solo exhibition by artist René Romero Schuler. On view from April 4 to May 10, 2025, the exhibition showcases Schuler’s continued exploration of the abstract feminine form through painting and sculpture. An opening reception will be held on Friday, April 4, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.Schuler is best known for her textured oil paintings, where feminine figures emerge from rich, tactile surfaces in monochromatic tones. Blending abstraction and figuration, her work examines themes of imperfection, interpretation, and intimacy while challenging societal expectations, particularly those placed on women.The title&nbsp;Behind Blue Eyes&nbsp;nods to a defining moment in Schuler’s career—her first Chicago exhibition over two decades ago. Drawing inspiration from The Who’s song of the same name, the title encapsulates her ongoing investigation of identity beneath surface appearances. This theme resonates throughout her work, where indistinct yet expressive figures serve as enduring symbols of resilience and empowerment.Featuring over 15 new paintings and sculptures,&nbsp;Behind Blue Eyes&nbsp;presents works that Schuler describes as more “curious and contemplative” than her earlier pieces. The exhibition also features a series of smaller circular paintings that emphasize the subtle, introspective quality of Schuler’s latest work. About René Romero SchulerRené Romero Schuler is an American painter and sculptor who creates powerful images that speak to the complexities of the human condition and the spirit that connects all human beings.Feminine figures are a constant in Schuler’s art, which she claims is equal parts self-portraiture and depictions of the range of emotions she has experienced. Her challenging childhood imbues her work with an appreciation for the universal yet essentially intimate struggles and triumphs of human existence. In her quest for a feeling of connection, Schuler speaks to global and societal issues that impact us all.Schuler’s paintings and sculptures are purposely semi-abstract and textured, rendering them open to interpretation by the viewer. Their power lies in the layers of applied materials scraped, carved and incised by hand and the elusive quality of the figures – wholistically beautiful but symbolic of the scars and flaws that shape individuals.Currently represented by galleries across the U.S., Canada and Europe, Schuler has had major exhibitions throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia, and has work included in the permanent collections of numerous museums and institutions.Schuler’s art and selected essays and poetry are collected into published works:&nbsp;René Romero Schuler: Life and Works, 2013;&nbsp;René Romero Schuler, 2016 and&nbsp;René Romero Schuler, 2019, now available in its second edition. A fourth book,&nbsp;Ladies, was published in 2023.Website:&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(30, 115, 190); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.reneromeroschuler.com/" target="_blank">https://www.reneromeroschuler.com</a>Instagram:&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(30, 115, 190); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/reneromeroschuler/" target="_blank">@reneromeroschuler</a> ﻿About&nbsp;Zolla/Lieberman GalleryZolla/Lieberman Gallery was established in 1976 by Roberta Lieberman and Robert Zolla within a then-desolate industrial neighborhood now known as the River North Gallery District. They transformed a vacant industrial space into a hub for contemporary art, laying the foundation for the thriving art community that the area is today.Now located at 325 W Huron St, William Lieberman continues to uphold the legacy of quality and professionalism established since the gallery’s founding. Z/L represents a diverse range of artists and genres that offer a dynamic view of contemporary art in Chicago. They are dedicated to providing personal attention to both beginning and established collectors, as well as other art professionals.Website:&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(30, 115, 190); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.zollaliebermangallery.com/" target="_blank">https://www.zollaliebermangallery.com</a>Instagram:&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(30, 115, 190); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.instagram.com/zlgallery/?hl=en" target="_blank">@zlgallery</a> Image: René Romero Schuler,&nbsp;Leona, oil on canvas, 54 x 54 in

Behind Blue Eyes

CMC's Spring Exhibition: Urbs in Myco April 11-May 10

Urbs in Myco

Photographer of the Year and Annual Spring Student Show Apr. 21 - May 15, 2025 Reception will coincide with Humanities Day

Photographer of the Year and Annual Spring Student Show 

Join us for a conversation with artists Jonathan Michael Castillo, Teresita Carson, Juan Molina Hernandez, and Jonathan Vega, moderated by DPAM’s Curator Ionit Behar. Based in Chicago and exploring their Latinx identity, these artists tackle themes of immigration, displacement, belonging, grief, memory, and lineage.&nbsp;In partnership with Gertie and Early Work with support from&nbsp;DePaul's Center for Latino Research and&nbsp;Latitude.Image credits:Juan Molina Hernández,&nbsp;para no desaparecer: doble filo I (not to disappear: double edge I)&nbsp;(detail), 2022. Found frames, found glass shards, archival inkjet print. Courtesy of the artist.

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