ARTISTS
Taking the Windy City by Storm: EXPO Week Hits Chicago
This week is Chicago鈥檚 turn to show itself off in the global art fair circuit. The windy city will be host to EXPO Art Week, an all encompassing art celebration that will feature not only the International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, but also a city wide art and cultural celebration, not to mention two satellite art fairs. In a partnership with Chicago鈥檚 Tourism Board鈥檚...
Lori Zimmer / 黑料不打烊
18 Sep, 2013
Navy Pier is the site for EXPO Chicago 2013.
This week is Chicago’s turn to show itself off in the global art fair circuit. The windy city will be host to EXPO Art Week, an all encompassing art celebration that will feature not only the International Exposition of Contemporary & Modern Art, but also a city wide art and cultural celebration, not to mention two satellite art fairs. In a partnership with Chicago’s Tourism Board’s CHOOSE CHICAGO and the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, this week will be a feast of museum exhibitions, gallery openings, public art and performances, which all complement the world class art galleries and art works that will be presented at the EXPO Fair.
After a successful inaugural year, the fair returns to Navy Pier with a redesign by starchictect Jeanne Gang of Studio Gang Architects, whose energetic influence inspired the art experience for visitors last year. Once again, 125 renowned galleries from around the world will help EXPO stake its claim in the global art fair legacy, with participation from art world visionaries like Marianne Boesky Gallery, CABINET, James Cohan Gallery, Honor Fraser, Richard Gray Gallery, Michael Kohn, Luhring Augustine, David Zwirner and Spinello Projects to name a few.
Hannah van Bart. No longer distracted by anything external he was finally able to bask in his own existence. And found it splendid, 2013. Oil on linen. 55 ¼ x 31 ¼ inches, 104 x 80 cm. Courtesy of Marianne Boesky Gallery
Philip Taaffe. Imaginary Garden with Seed Clusters, 2013. Mixed media on canvas. 97 7/8 X 61 7/8 inches (248.6 X 157.16 cm). Courtesy of Luhring Augustine
With a roster of respected and blue chip galleries on board, EXPO will also bulk up the visitor’s experience with a list of special programming that includes installations, film and a unique Dialogues series in partnership with The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, which has invited artists, curators and designers to speak in an array of panels over the three days of the fairs. IN/SITU, curated by Los Angeles Nomadic Division’s Shamim M. Momin, will bring a collection of large scale installations, site specific works and performances to the fair. This year’s program is called “Levity/Gravity” and will feature works by Diana Al-Hadid, Kevin Appel, Sanford Biggers, Jose Davlia, Dan Gunn, Karl Haendel, Glenn Kaino, Andreas Lilis, Michael Rakowitz, Shinique Smith and Alec Soth.
The endless events and exhibitions for EXPO Art Week may sound overwhelming, but the support and partnership of so many of Chicago’s cultural institutions promises an art fair week worthy of running yourself ragged with all it has to offer. We’ve rounded up ten of the many happenings during the week to keep you busy.
ALEX KATZ, “Virtual Reality”
Richard Gray Gallery: 875 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 3800
Opening September 20th, 5pm-8pm. Exhibition closes November 2. Hours: Mon-Fri, 10am-5:30pm
Katz’s iconic portraits and landscapes open the gallery’s new space, with works focusing on recent paintings, but spanning from 1985. The artist will be present for the opening reception.
“SHIFT: A new media exhibit by Luftwerk”
Chicago Cultural Center: 78 E. Washington St.
Performance is September 20th, 6:30-8:45pm.
Shift by Luftwork, courtesy Chicago Cultural Center
The Chicago based collaborative continues to examine the relationship between light and form, enlivening the Chicago Rooms at the Chicago Cultural Center with three new installations that will engage and entice viewers with sight, color and sounds. For the performance aspect, Chicago musicians Owen Clayton Condon and Atmospheric Audio Chair will experiment with the boundaries of improvised and ambient sounds, within Luftwerk’s immersive environment.
“Stefan Sagmeister, The Happy Show”
Chicago Cultural Center: 78 E. Washington St.
Closes September 23rd. Hours: Mon-Thu, 9am-7pm; Fri-Sat, 9am-6pm; Sun, 10am-6pm
Stefan Sagmeister, The Happy Show, courtesy Chicago Cultural Center
Blurring the lines between art and graphic design, Sagmeister’s exhibition is like a step into the designer’s mind. The show centers on Sagmeister’s own quest for happiness, through medication, cognitive therapy and prescription drugs with art works that are interspliced with social data from Harvard psychologists.
Edition Chicago Art Fair
Chicago Artists Coalition: 217 N. Carpenter St.
September 20th-22nd. Hours: Fri, 12pm-7pm; Sat, 10am-7pm; Sun, 11am-6pm
The Chicago Artists Coalition has chosen just 14 galleries to present at the highly curated inaugural satellite fair. Chicago based artist Cody Hudson has produced a print available only on-site, while a largely Chicago-heavy list of exhibitors hold court in the intimate fair.
“BOLT residency Solo Exhibition: Assembling Vestiges”
Chicago Artists Coalition: 217 N. Carpenter St.
Last day September 26th. Hours: Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat, 12pm-6pm
Artist in residence, Joseph G. Cruz’s solo exhibition will be joined by an outpost at the EXPO fair, but a more thorough exploration of the artists work can be found at the galleries at the Chicago Artists Coalition. For Assembling Vestiges, Cruz investigates 19th Century polar expeditions, satellite imagery and lunar exploration, transforming this influence into an exhibition that touches on sound installation, elements of space exploration, painting and video which show the artist’s obsession with historical exploration of places unknown.
Fountain Art Fair
Mana Contemporary, 2233 S. Throop St.
September 20th-22nd. Opening Fri, 7pm-12am; Sat, 12pm-12am; Sun, 12pm-5pm
Fountain has already held a strong presence as a satellite fair in Miami and New York since 2006. Now the alternative fair takes its avant-garde galleries and projects to the new Mana Contemporary exhibition space. Expect a roster heavy on street art and an energetic vibe including a performance by ADULT on Saturday.
“Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity”
Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.
Open daily, 10:30am-5pm
Examining the relationship between art and fashion in Paris from the mid 1860s to the mid 1880s, “Impressionism, Fashion and Modernity” brings together an eclectic and impressive collection of clothing and masterworks by Caillebotte, Degas, Manet, Monet, Renoir and Seurat. After a world tour, the exhibition will be open for its final stop during EXPO week.
Stepping out Under the Stars
DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl.
September 20th, 6pm-9pm
Every blow-out art fair week has a list of spectacular parties. The DuSable Museum will open its doors for a night of dancing and drinks after hours to celebrate the cultural whirlwind whipping through Chicago this week.
“Spencer Finch: Study for Disappearance”
Rhona Hoffman Gallery, 118 N. Peoria St.
On view through October 19. Hours: Tue-Fri 10am-5:30pm; Sat 11am-5:30pm
Spencer Finch's artwork is poetic and quiet, but packs an impact. He often works with color and light. Past projects have included ice cream cones corresponding to the colors of the sunset and stained glass reflecting hues of blue taken from photographs of the Hudson River. He has a talent for being able to capture the mystical effects of light at a certain time of day, and bring that into a gallery or museum setting. In Study for Disappearance, Finch examines everyday objects in his apartment, capturing their exact hue in his paintings. The colors are re-painted throughout the day to capture the shifting brightness of light.
The Dance Party
Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219-21 S. Morgan St.
September 21st, 9pm
Co-Prosperity Sphere is an exhibition space/cultural center/events venue/school that fosters art, socially engaged projects and community initiatives in the Bridgeport neighborhood. For EXPO week, they’re opening their doors for a night of bands, dancing and a video shoot. This is a great way to get to know the multi-discipline center, while polishing your dancing shoes.
