Previews

New Exhibitions Start June 18 (Part II)

The Obama Portraits

Exhibition Begins June 18

Art Institute of Chicago

On loan from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, the Obama portraits come to Chicago for the first stop of a five-city tour. As the family’s longtime home, Chicago has a unique connection to the Obamas, as does the Art Institute. The First Lady recalls visiting frequently with her family when she was growing up on the South Side, and the museum was also the site of the couple’s first date.

 

 

CHICAGO: Where Comics Came to Life (1880-1960)

Exhibition Begins June 19

Chicago Cultural Center

The exhibition focuses on the origins of the comics in popular publishing, the immeasurable importance of African-American cartoonists and publishing, the first woman cartoonists and editors, the first daily comic strip, and finally the art and comics of undeservedly forgotten Frank King, who with “Gasoline Alley” captured not only the rhythms and tone of everyday existence in his characters that aged not only at the same daily rate as its newspaper readers, but were also fictionalized versions of real people.

 

 

Ali6 "Trust" solo show

Exhibition Begins June 19

Vertical Gallery Project Space and Studios

 

 

Chicago Comics: 1960s to Now

Exhibition Begins June 19

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA)

The exhibition traces the evolution of comics in Chicago, as cartoonists ventured beyond the pages of newspapers and into experimental territory including long-form storytelling, countercultural critique, and political activism. Chicago Comics examines styles, schools of thought, and modes of publication across six decades of cartooning, including works from artists who are changing the medium today. The exhibition seeks to bring to the fore artists of color who were previously under-recognized throughout their careers. In this pursuit, the exhibition features archival material previously not seen in museums and offers a revised history of the art form. Represented throughout this timeline are special sections that highlight key artists including Kerry James Marshall, Lynda Barry, and Chris Ware.

 

 

Confluence: Painting and Sculpture by Jennifer Vess

Opening: Saturday, June 19, 4 – 7 pm

Wantoot Gallery