Art Mon Nov 16 2009
The directors of Home Gallery, in Hyde Park, have an exciting and interesting pilot event coming up called the Op Shop. The name refers to Opportunity Shop, and the idea here is to open a temporary space where artists can bring their work, as well as services and ideas, in order to barter, sell and openly exchange. I don't want to give the impression that this is a just retail space, although that is one aspect of what will happen within this space. Artists are being encouraged to be a part of this event organically, utilizing the space to create a dynamic and evolving installation. All mediums are welcome, so artists may host a workshop, lessons, or performances as well as sell paintings or sculptures.
Another aspect of this pilot project, which, if all goes well there will be more of, is to work in conjunction with property owners, bringing attention to their vacant spaces while helping to keep the Op Shop's costs down. This will also attract new consumers to an area and will aid in revitalizing neighborhood shops that may have seen a drop in sales over the past few months. This Op Shop will be located in a vacant space currently owned by Mac Properties in Hyde Park at 1613 E. 55th St.
If you are interested in participating in The Op Shop, you should contact the Laura Shaeffer immediately. They are also looking for people to donate time to help run the space during its open hours.
laura.shaeffer@gmail.com
www.thelarch.org
The planned timed and days for this event are as follows
Dates: 11/27 Fri - 12/31 Thu
Visitor hours: 11am-7pm, Thu-Sun,
Evenings, coinciding with events.
Opening reception: 11/27 Fri, from 6-10 p.m.
Silent Auction: 12/5 Sat from 6-10 p.m
Closing party: 12/31 Thu from 6-10 p.m.
— MartinJon /
Art Sun Nov 08 2009
The Torn Pages Show is a Chicago collaboration of artists and writers teaming up to write and draw "pages torn from our most favorite imaginary books": eleven children's stories of their own invention. Artist-writer pairs include Joe Meno & Cody Hudson, Amy Guth & Pea-Be, Zach Dodson & Allison Dunn Burque, and more.
The show is set to open at OhNo!Doom Collective in early 2010, but curator Josh Lucas hopes to immortalize the original tales in a small, full-color book. Like many other creative types, he's using Kickstarter. Help the Torn Pages show reach their $2,100 goal by December 5th -- they're currently a little under halfway there.
Donate here. Preview images and excerpts from the show after the jump.
Continue reading this entry »
— Rose Miller /
Art Thu Oct 08 2009
Tony Wight Gallery is very quiet right now, like the stark silence after a tornado passes through, but the scene is much less cluttered. In the front room, Robyn O'Neil's giant graphite drawings hang on the walls, floating in clean, white frames, with plenty of breathing room between them. They depict post-apocalyptic scenes, which, without a familiarity with her previous work, might just look like textural investigations of hair and water. In the back room, her small drawings continue the same style and theme, but more intimately, and an upside-down ship and a cluster of pyramids are added to the mix.
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— Kelly Reaves /
Art Wed Sep 30 2009
If you were at the West Loop gallery openings on Sept. 11, you may have noticed a girl walking around with a dead cat on her head. As it turns out, the girl is an artist, an MFA student at UIC, and her name is Rebecca Beachy. The cat hat is one of her new pieces. I paid her a studio visit last week, and we talked about her work.
Kelly Reaves: Did you know that if you google "West Loop gallery openings," one of the first things that comes up is Alicia Eler's post on Chicago Now about you and your taxidermied cat hat?
Rebecca Beachy: Yeah, I saw that but I didn't know that it comes up when you google the art openings.
KR: Yep. You were at number three the first time I checked it but today you've moved up to the top. And your hat was also mentioned in an article on Art Talk Chicago about the openings. So I think it was a hit. How did you come up with the idea to make the hat?
Continue reading this entry »
— Kelly Reaves /
History Wed Aug 19 2009
Still basking in the glow of Lincoln's bicentennial, the Chicago History Museum plans on celebrating two influential presidents struck with the perils of turbulent change--The U.S.'s Abraham Lincoln and Mexico's Benito Juárez.
The dual exhibitions, opening October 10, will tell the stories of how the then-contemporaries helped transform and unite their countries during the 1800's.
Lincoln's exhibition, "Abraham Lincoln Transformed," is geared towards his radical steps to end slavery and extend equal citizenship rights, featuring more than 150 original artifacts, including fan and hate mail sent to Lincoln during his time in office. Juárez' exhibition, "The Making of Modern Mexico," on the other hand is co-curated by the National Museum of Mexican Art, displaying more than 25 artifacts never before exhibited in the United States, including a bronze Juárez death mask. Juárez' exhibit will also highlight his devotion to equal citizenship rights and economic development in Mexico, among other accomplishments. Both will have their signature top hats on display.
The Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., will allow admission October 10th and 11th for anyone presenting miniature copper plaques of Lincoln.
— John Lendman /
Dan Rybicky took this picture of Katrina by Mark McGinnis at the "Signs of the Apocalypse/Rapture" group show currently up in the Hyde Park Arts Center.
Join the A/C flickr pool!
— Andrew Huff /
Gallery Wed Jul 15 2009
Dip into the art scene next month with two free gallery events, both brought to you by the Art Dealers Association of Chicago.
Take a free guided tour during lunch Saturday, Aug. 1, in the River North Gallery District. From 11am to 12:30pm, the Starbucks Saturday Guided Art Tour will bring you to the Printworks Gallery, Catherine Edelman Gallery, Byron Roche Gallery and Habatat Galleries. Meet at the Starbucks at 750 N. Franklin St.
From 5 to 7pm Aug. 6, stop by galleries in River North and West Loop to explore art, meet friends and enjoy some refreshments.
For more information on either of these events, visit chicagoartdealers.org or call 312-649-0065.
— Margo O'Hara /
Art Mon Feb 09 2009
Among cultural centers dramatically affected by the economic downturn, the Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC) has been particularly affected. In anticipation of even rougher times, the Board of Directors has reduced its budget by 15% for 2009 and four employees -- a quarter of the staff -- have been laid off. In response, the HPAC is holding a public forum tonight in which they "want your questions, reactions and suggestions to changes at the Center." The event starts at 6pm in its 4833 rph space, 5020 S. Cornell.
— David Schalliol /
Art Tue Jan 06 2009
There's a great opportunity at the Museum of Contemporary Art for some stitching, bitching and conversation with the great artist Karen Reimer.
From 5:30 to 8pm at the MCA's Puck Café, knitters and hookers (crocheters) will be getting together with guest artist Karen Reimer to share techniques and stories and some good wintery bitching.
Check out more of Reimer's conceptual fiber art including embroidery here, here (LOVE the Equal packet and crossword puzzle) and here.
— Kristin Barrick /
Gallery Thu Dec 04 2008
The Contemporary Art Workshop mounts its final exhibition this Friday, Dec. 5, with a reception from 5:30pm to 9pm celebrating the opening of "The End" by Matt Davis and John Lyon, and honoring CAW's 60-year history. The exhibition runs through Jan. 23; the Workshop remains open until April 30.
32nd and Urban, a street art gallery at 3201 S. Halsted in Bridgeport, is closing due to the down-turning economy and the opening of a new police station across the street. "Our new neighbors are making it difficult for us to continue what we do," owners Peter Kepha and Lauren Pacheco said in an email. They are searching for a new space, but in the meantime will be throwing a $5 fundraiser/closing party this Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10pm to 3am, with DJs and live art
installations. Should be a fun, bittersweet time.
There will be a memorial show for artist Patrick W. Welch this Saturday from 6pm to 9pm at 1407 E. 54th Pl. in Hyde Park. The show will exhibit his micromentalist paintings from 1997 to 2007. Call 773-363-5935 for more information.
— Andrew Huff /
Gallery Wed Nov 19 2008
On November 22, The Green Lantern Gallery and Press throws its first-ever fundraiser. Since opening three and a half years ago, the Wicker Park-based institution--run by Caroline Picard and a dedicated volunteer staff--has exhibited art, screened films, published books, started a monthly literary podcast, and hosted readings and live music events. (I even saw a mind-blowing breakdancing performance in the gallery space a couple years ago. Amazing.)
Given the range of programming and The Green Lantern's desire for sustainability (not to mention the current state of the economy), the staff decided it was an appropriate time for a fundraiser. Says Picard, "I want to make sure that we can continue as a venue for independent media and emerging or marginalized art."
The fundraiser is an all-day affair. From noon to 1:30pm, the gallery hosts a crepe breakfast and mimosas (in exchange for donations). From noon to 9pm, there will be a silent auction featuring a range of artworks by friends of The Green Lantern. From 6 to 9pm, the gallery hosts a cocktail party, followed by live music from 9 to 1am, featuring The Lanterns, lowland, and Joan of Arc.
The event entry fee is $12. For $25, you can get show admission and free drinks. For $40, you can get show admisison, free drinks, and annual membership to The Green Lantern.
Saturday, November 22, 12pm-1am
The Green Lantern / 1511 N. Milwaukee, Second Floor
— Laura Pearson /
Gallery Mon Sep 08 2008
DvA Gallery is closing its Lincoln Park location after five years, and merging with Rotofugi Toy Store & Gallery. David van Alphen will be taking the position of Gallery Curator at Rotofugi in order to devote more time to caring for his son Jack, diagnosed with Down Syndrome. David's other venture, Slingshot! Press, a source for limited edition affordable prints, will continue to bring top notch underground artists to your collection. DvA Gallery's Going Away Party will be held Saturday, September 13th from 6-9pm, and the last official day will be Sunday, September 28th. Be sure to stop by and say hello and goodbye to one of the more interesting underground artist galleries in Chicago.
DvA Gallery is located at 2568 N. Lincoln Ave.
Rotofugi Toy Store & Gallery is located at 1953-55 W. Chicago Ave.
— Christian Scheuer /
Art Thu Aug 07 2008
While the final nail isn't yet laid in the Polariod coffin, a group of Chicagoans and New Yorkers are contemplating its and our demise in "Death + Extinction: A Polaroid Exhibition" at the Chicago Art Department. A selection of 250 of the 300 photographs taken for Before I Die I Want To, a project by Nichole Kenney and K.S. Rives, will be on display until the end of the month.
— David Schalliol /
Art Thu Jul 24 2008
Walk into Three Walls Gallery right now and you'll wonder if the insurance agent has been by yet. A fallen oak tree with a treehouse in it fills the space, seemingly dropped there by some magical tornado.
The installation is the work of Material Exchange, entitled The way things drag their futures around. Although it looks like the tree is intact, F News' Untitled blog reveals that it was brought in in pieces and carefully reassembled, with bark hiding the seams. The piece is on display through Aug. 2.
— Andrew Huff /
Art Wed Jul 23 2008
On Friday, July 25, those non-elitist kids at the Country Club Chicago play host to GLOW, a show organized by local button makers Busy Beaver and featuring glow-in-the-dark buttons for their Button-o-matic button vending machine. Contributing artists include Bird Machine poster artist Jay Ryan, pattern designer Julia Rothman, Angry Youth Comix artist Johnny R., Chicago painter Derek Erdman, California painter Jacob Magraw, artist Alex Jovanovich, illustrator Kevin Hooyman, L.A.-based design collective Quietlife, Chicago rain-cloud street artist Sonny, and Milwaukee poster makers Little Friends of Printmaking. This show only lasts two days, so don't be lackadaisical in planning to attend. 6-10 p.m. 1100 N. Damen.
— Lauri Apple /
Art Sat Jun 21 2008
Matthew Schommers has owned the same deck of old-timey, paper playing cards since he was a little kid. Six years ago, he began transforming the cards into a series of art works – the results of which were on display Friday night at AllRise Gallery on N. Milwaukee. The most striking aspect of the series was the variety of lines Schommers used: Some portraits were raw and choppy, while others – particularly his portraits of women, and decapitated characters of both sexes – showed smooth, rounded curves. And a few drawings drew inspiration directly from pin-up posters of the 1950s. Schommers' show was the last at AllRise’s current location; the gallery's first show at its new location at 1370 W.Grand Ave. will feature the works of Chantala Kommanivanh on Friday, July 11.
— Lauri Apple /
Gallery Wed Jun 04 2008
This Friday more than 20 Chicago-area galleries will be holding receptions to open new exhibits. Chicago Gallery News has an alphabetical list and maps of who and what will be shown across the city. If you can’t pick just one to visit, Art View in Lakeview also takes place this weekend and gives you the opportunity to be shuttled from gallery to gallery to sample art and wine all for the amazing price of nothing. Not to be outdone, Saturday and Sunday offer the 61st annual 57th Street Art Fair.
If you can’t make it out this weekend, Gallery News also lists openings through August.
Of course, other events are listed in Slowdown.
— Jamie Smith /
Gallery Fri May 30 2008
Galleries come and go, but few have the staying power of Mary Bell Galleries. Founded 32 years ago by its namesake, the gallery was one of the pioneers of the River North arts district. Bell first opened her gallery in 1979 on Hubbard Street before moving it to 740 N. Franklin.
However, time has caught up with Mary Bell, and she recently made the decision to sell the gallery to Lissa Kivisto and Kristen Hagan, who have moved it to a new space and transformed it into Gallery KH with the help of Mary Bell veteran Shannon Rather. The new gallery makes its debut next Friday, June 6, from 5pm to 8pm with a reception for the show "Tribute," which is, yes, a tribute to the history of the its predecessor, featuring the latest work by 27 of the gallery's core contemporary artists. More information on Gallery KH's website.
— Andrew Huff /
Gallery Thu May 08 2008
Next Wednesday the Oriental Institute is offering a free tour of its special exhibit Catastrophe! The Looting and Destruction of Iraq's Past. This guided tour (the only one they have planned for the next few months) will give you the opportunity to speak with archeologist and co-curator Katharyn Hanson as she leads you through the gallery. The exhibit chronicles the initial looting of the Iraq National Museum and the on-going and heartbreaking damage that is being done to Iraq's cultural heritage as a result of the conflict there.
The Oriental Institute and its staff have been incredibly active since the beginning of the war in the efforts to prevent looting and protect the integrity of Iraqi archeological sites and artifacts, many of which date back to the very beginning of civilization. In addition to the exhibit going on through the end of the year, they host a database of objects that the Iraq Museum is believed to have contained that includes pictures and information about the objects' status. If you can't get enough of marveling at solid gold vases and man's earliest musical instruments, check out their recently released book "Antiquities Under Siege." It admittedly contains fewer pictures but has more suggestions on how to keep something like this from happening again.
The tour begins at 12:15 next Wednesday the 15th. The Oriental Institute is located in Hyde Park at 1155 East 58th Street. If you can't make the tour you can still view the exhibit from now until December 31 during the museum's normal business hours.
— Jamie Smith /
