<p>Art for which the idea (or concept) behind the work is more important than the finished art object.&nbsp;</p>

Conceptual / Performance

<h3>Developed during the Italian Renaissance, primarily for aesthetics or beauty, the highest art was that which allowed the full expression and display of the artist's imagination.</h3>

Fine Prints & Painting – Pre 18th Century

<h3>Graphic Art covers a broad range of visual artistic expression, typically two-dimensional. It includes calligraphy, photography, painting, typography, computer graphics, and bindery.&nbsp;</h3>

Graphic Art

<p>Works of art that utilize the form of the book. They are often published in small editions, though they are sometimes produced as one-of-a-kind objects.</p>

Artists' Books

<p>The exploration of video art and music or sound set, including visual music, abstract film, audiovisual performances and installations.</p>

Video / Sound

<p>The objects produced by shaping pieces of clay that are then hardened by baking, or the skill of making such objects.</p>

Ceramics

<p>An artistic form in which hard or plastic materials are carved, modeled, casted, and constructed into a three-dimensional art object.&nbsp;</p>

Sculpture

<p>The process of creating artworks by printing, typically on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints that have an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting.</p>

Printmaking

<h3>Something made in an earlier period that is collected and considered to have value because it is beautiful, rare, old, or of high quality.</h3>

Antiques and Artifacts

<p>Imagery where the subject matter centers around a view or depiction of Chicago.&nbsp;</p>

Chicago Scenes & Regionalism

<p>Old Masters refer to any painter of skill who worked in Europe before about 1800.</p>

Old Masters

<p>Socio-Political art is used to help the public understand a particular social or political issue.</p>

Socio-Political

<h3>The attempt to represent subject matter truthfully, without artificiality and avoiding artistic conventions, or implausible, exotic, and supernatural elements.</h3>

Realism

<h3>Artwork (particularly paintings and sculptures) that is clearly derived from real objects and is representational.</h3>

Figurative

<h3>Individual works of art that are substantially or wholly made of glass. Glass art ranges in size from monumental works and installation pieces, to wall hangings and windows, to works of art made in studios and factories, including glass jewelry and tableware.</h3>

Glass

<h3>Artwork that often deals with Rococo, the Enlightenment, Neoclassicism, and Romanticism.</h3>

Fine Prints & Painting – 18th & 19th C.

<p>From the Tate Museum's website: Modernism refers to a global movement in society and culture that from the early decades of the twentieth century sought a new alignment with the experience and values of modern industrial life. Building on late nineteenth-century precedents, artists around the world used new imagery, materials and techniques to create artworks that they felt better reflected the realities and hopes of modern societies.</p>

Modernism

<h3>Contemporary artists work in a globally influenced, culturally diverse, and technologically advancing world. Their art is a dynamic combination of materials, methods, concepts, and subjects that continue to challenge boundaries.</h3>

Fine Prints & Painting – Contemporary

<h3>Art that is concerned with the design and decoration of objects that are chiefly prized for their utility, rather than for their purely aesthetic qualities including, ceramics, glassware, metalware, furniture, textiles, clothing, and more.</h3>

Furniture & Decorative Arts

<h3>Emerging art is work by artists who are still building their artistic careers and have not yet reached a more established and widely recognized status.&nbsp;</h3>

Emerging

<h3>Fiber art refers to fine art whose material consists of natural or synthetic fiber and other components, such as fabric or yarn. It focuses on the materials and on the manual labour on the part of the artist as part of the works' significance, and prioritizes aesthetic value over utility.</h3>

Fiber Arts / Textiles

<p>The quality of dealing with ideas rather than events. Freedom from representational qualities in art.</p>

Abstraction

<h3>Art by African-American artists.</h3>

African-American

<h3>The art and science of designing and making buildings, or the style of a building.</h3>

Architecture

<h3>Impressionism is a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open composition, an emphasis on light and its changing qualities, and inclusion of movement as a crucial element of human perception and experience.</h3>

Impressionism

<p>From the Tate Museum's website: Abstract expressionism is the term applied to new forms of abstract art developed by American painters such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning in the 1940s and 1950s. It is often characterized by gestural brush-strokes or mark-making, and the impression of spontaneity.</p>

Abstract Expressionism

Numismatics

<p>Relating to Africa or people of African descent.</p>

African

<p>Eastern European art is a product of recent history. It can be traced to the division of Europe into the Western and Soviet spheres of influence of the allied victory over Germany in World War two.</p>

Eastern European

<p>Considered one of the most influential periods of art, featuring movements including Fauvism, Cubism, Futurism, Dada, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.</p>

Early 20th Century

<p>Skill and experience, especially in relation to making objects by hand.</p>

Craft

<h3>The skill of making plans, drawings, or arrangements to show how a building or product is made.</h3>

Design

<p>Asian art is diverse and rich, spanning thousands of years and dozens of countries. It is known for its ritual bronzes, beautiful ceramics, calligraphy, jades, textiles, painted landscapes, garden design, pagodas and stupas, and woodblock prints.</p>

Asian

<h3>An artistic genre of three-dimensional works that often are site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space.</h3>

Installations

<p>An art form that combines visual art with dramatic performance.</p>

Performance

<p>Some of the most prominent, highly influential artists, who challenged preconceptions and pushed the limits of visual art, shaping the art world of our time.</p>

Modern Contemporary Masters

<p>Created in accordance with the vision of the artist as a photographer, using photography as a medium to bring something to life that only lives in the artist's mind.</p>

Photography

<p>The design movement in interior, product, graphic design, architecture, and urban development from roughly the 1930's to 1965.</p>

Mid-Century

<p>A movement in art and literature that flourished in the early 20th-century. Surrealism aimed at expressing imaginative dreams and visions free from conscious rational control.&nbsp;</p>

Surrealism

<p>An innovative discipline which seeks to unify a large range of art forms. This is creatively achieved by combining an array of artistic insights and crafts such as film, literature, performance, music and sound, drama, visual arts, or design.</p>

Multi-Media

<h3>The depiction of landscapes in art—natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, especially where the main subject is a wide view—with its elements arranged into a coherent composition.</h3>

Landscape

<p>Plein air is the act of painting outdoors. This method contrasts with studio painting or academic rules that might create a predetermined look.</p>

Plein-air

<p>Printed 2-D artwork which is designed to be affixed to a vertical surface, may consist exclusively of images, or images and text.</p>

Poster / Lithography

<h3>A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person.</h3>

Portraits / Portraiture

<h3>These works are often stunningly beautiful, and encourage the viewer to engage with the rich history of research and experimentation that led to the piece’s conception.</h3>

Scientific

<h3>The Art of the American West is defined by geographical subject, consists of historic and contemporary works of art which focus on varying expressions of individuals, landscapes, ideals, and myths of the American West.</h3>

Western (The American West)

<h3>Borrowed from Wikipedia: In visual arts, music, and other mediums, minimalism is an art movement that began in post–World War II Western art, most strongly with American visual arts in the 1960s and early 1970s. Prominent artists associated with minimalism include Donald Judd, Agnes Martin, Dan Flavin, Robert Morris, Anne Truitt, and Frank Stella. It derives from the reductive aspects of modernism and is often interpreted as a reaction against abstract expressionism and a bridge to postminimal art practices.</h3>

Minimalism

<h3>Occupying the space between fine art and the everyday, functional art refers to aesthetic objects that serve utilitarian purposes. The genre is remarkably inclusive, it encompasses everything from furniture and lighting to dishes and even books.</h3>

Functional Art - Jewelry / Fashion

<p>A range of artistic practices encompassing both historical approaches to nature in art and more recent ecological and politically motivated types of works.</p>

Wildlife / Nature

Watches & Timepieces

Sports Collectibles

3-Dimensonal

Rare Books / Manuscripts

<p>Western European art represents a continuous, though disrupted, tradition from antiquity until the present time. Until the mid-19th century it was primarily concerned with representational and Classical modes of production. After the mid-19th century modern, abstract and conceptual forms gained favor.</p>

Western European

<h3>Artistic expression of Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, as well as Latin and Hispanic Americans living in other regions. Latin American art has roots in the many different indigenous cultures that inhabited the Americas before European colonization in the 16th-century.</h3>

Latin American and Hispanic

Comics

Large Scale (over 6')

<p>Visual art created in public locations, usually unsanctioned artwork executed outside of the context of traditional art venues. Common forms and media include spray paint graffiti, stencil graffiti, poster art, sticker art, street installations, and sculpture.</p>

Pop / Street Art / Graffiti

Medieval / Renaissance 

Non-Western

<h3>Art produced by self-taught or naïve art makers. Typically, those labeled as outsider artists have little or no contact with the mainstream art world or art institutions. In many cases, their work is discovered only after their deaths. Often, outsider art illustrates extreme mental states, unconventional ideas, or elaborate fantasy worlds.</h3>

Folk / Outsider / Self Taught

American Regionalism

Literary Arts

Mosiac

<p>Includes manuscripts, prints, drawings, collages, and paintings on paper.</p>

Works on Paper

Prints and Drawings

<p>The highlight of 2025 is the posthumous homecoming of acclaimed American painter Lennart Anderson (1928–2015). The John David Mooney Foundation is honored to present <em>Lennart Anderson: A Retrospective</em>, March 27–May 2.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Celebrating 50 years, the Mooney Studio has advanced the careers of 700 alumni worldwide through its two-year Intern and Apprenticeship program. For 44 years, the Foundation has exhibited groundbreaking art from 27 countries across seven continents. Resident artists share their work through publications, lectures, and workshops; collaborating with local organizations to engage underserved communities. The 3rd floor gallery features wartime Vietnamese paintings from the Albert I. Goodman Collection. Since 2022, our Ukrainian Art Bridge Fellowship has supported 15 at-risk Ukrainian artists, with more residencies planned for 2025.</p><p><br></p><p>The JDMF is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 educational arts organization.</p><p><br></p><p>Image: Lennart Anderson, <em>Street Scene,</em> (1961), Oil on canvas, 77 x 99”. Collection of BNY. © Estate of Lennart Anderson / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

John David Mooney Foundation

<p>This is a Rehearsal–the title of CAB 5–explores how contemporary environmental, political, and economic issues are shared across national boundaries but are addressed differently around the world through art, architecture, infrastructure, and civic participation. CAB 5 builds on and expands Floating Museum’s ongoing work, including site-responsive art and design projects and public programs, to explore divergent interpretations of infrastructure, history, and the role of aesthetics as a mode for expanding how we frame the relationship between our environments and ourselves.</p><p>The 5th edition runs Nov 1, 2023–Feb 11, 2024</p><p>Image: Image:<i>100 Links: Architecture and Land, in and out of the Americas, 2023,&nbsp;</i>The Buell Center and AD—WO, Columbia University. Photo by Cory Dewald</p>

Chicago Architecture Biennial

<p>The Elmhurst Art Museum is an arts complex with three distinct focus areas. A balance of art, education, and architecture programming is central to our efforts to inspire and enrich our community and cultivate a creative space where art is for everyone. We hold public art events and educational hands-on activities related to rotating contemporary art exhibitions and the celebration of the McCormick house, a rare single-family home designed by Mies van der Rohe.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Elmhurst Art Museum is located in Elmhurst, 25 minutes from downtown Chicago by public transportation (Metra). Our website has information about exhibitions, events, classes, and other activities.</p><p><br></p><p>Image: Elmhurst Art Museum with Sentrock’s <em>Bird City Saint</em></p>

Elmhurst Art Museum

<p>The Richard H. Driehaus Museum engages and inspires the global community through exploration and ongoing conversations in art, architecture, and design of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its permanent collection and temporary exhibitions are presented in an immersive experience within the restored Samuel Mayo Nickerson Mansion, completed in 1883, at the height of the Gilded Age, and the 1926 Murphy Auditorium. The Museum’s collection reflects and is inspired by the collecting interests, vision, and focus of its founder, the late Richard H. Driehaus.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The Museum is located just steps from the Magnificent Mile. The exquisite building was saved twice, first by a collective of over 100 Chicago citizens in 1919, and then by philanthropist Richard H. Driehaus, who sponsored its restoration from 2003-2008.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>More information is available at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://driehausmuseum.org" target="_blank">driehausmuseum.org</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Our new entrance:&nbsp;50 E. Erie</strong>, at the Murphy Auditorium</p><p><br></p><p>The Museum offers both private and guided tours and has a downloadable&nbsp;app for a self-guided experience. Consult the website for more information</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Image: The Main Hall. Photo by Steve Hall of Hedrich Blessing, 2008.</p>

The Driehaus Museum

<p>The Chicago Cultural Center is a historic and architectural gem located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Originally built in 1897 as the city’s first public library, the Cultural Center is a stunning example of neoclassical architecture, featuring a grand marble staircase, magnificent Tiffany stained-glass dome, and ornate mosaics throughout the building.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Cultural Center is a vibrant hub of arts and culture, offering a wide range of free public programs, exhibitions, and events. Visitors can explore the building’s many galleries, performance spaces, and event rooms, which showcase a diverse array of visual art, music, dance, and theater. Whether you’re a local resident or a visitor to the city, the Cultural Center offers an enriching and inspiring experience that celebrates the power of art to unite and inspire.</p><p><br></p><p>Image: rendering of Kerry James Marshall mural on the back of the Chicago Cultural Center on Garland Court, fall 2017</p>

Chicago Cultural Center

<p><em>We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!</em></p><p><em>Wrightwood 659 is closed for the holidays December 27th and 28th and will re-open Friday, January 3.</em></p><p><em>May your holiday season be filled with joy.&nbsp;</em></p><p><br></p><p>Wrightwood 659 is a world-class gallery hosting powerful, thought-provoking exhibitions featuring architecture and socially engaged art since opening in 2018. Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood and designed by Pritzker-Prize winner Tadao Ando—one of the preeminent architects of our time—Wrightwood 659’s soaring, light-filled galleries offer both intimate and monumental experiences as visitors engage with the pressing issues of our time.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Exhibitions are curated by leaders in their field and are often unique to Wrightwood 659— each informed by a progressive and forward-thinking vision. They have included the works of more than 100 artists and architects such as Le Corbusier, Tadao Ando, Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. The visitor experience is enhanced by highly trained gallery educators.</p><p><br></p><p>Join the e-news list at <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org" target="_blank">wrightwood659.org</a> to receive updates on exhibitions and programs.</p><p><br></p><p>Admission to Wrightwood 659 is only available during the public showing of exhibitions. Advanced reservations are required and available exclusively at&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://wrightwood659.org" target="_blank">wrightwood659.org</a>. Walk-up admission cannot&nbsp;be accommodated.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Image: Second floor, installation view&nbsp;at Wrightwood 659, 2018, © 2018. Jeff Goldberg.</p>

Wrightwood 659

<p>David Salkin Creative is a collaborative custom surface design studio that features a featuring a rotating series of thought-provoking presentations that delve into key artistic practices and significant moments in art history. Currently, it showcases <em>Art In Chicago: 1995 – 2025 by Gareth Kaye</em>, which explores the evolution of Chicago’s art scene through ephemera and interviews, offering an evolving narrative of the city’s contemporary art history. This program invites viewers to engage with and contribute to the ongoing dialogue about what defines and sustains art in Chicago.</p><p><br></p><p>Throughout this presentation and long after its conclusion, Kaye will continue to interview subjects and include the recordings in this program with select interviews being subject to transcription and publication as part of his newsletter, Chicago Spleen. As a critic, he is obliged to pick favorites and to make value judgements, but he also acknowledges that the objects, opinions, and interviews he will be presenting only represent a fragment of Chicago’s past and current art world. As such, the project welcomes commentary on potentially overlooked or underexplored historical narratives and inclusions. This project is dedicated to the memory of Alan Longino, who knew plenty about art and even more about the people who truly love it.</p><p><br></p><p>Image: David Salkin in his studio with textile samples and an installation by Artist Haynes Riley. Photo by Travis Roozee.</p><p><br></p>

Architecture

The art and science of designing and making buildings, or the style of a building.

Other Specialties

Chicago Gallery News