Fall 2019 Issue of CGN (Chicago Gallery News)

CGN

FALL 2019

PAINTER RICHARD HULL BOB BUFORD’S FOUR STORY ART COLLECTION MARIANE IBRAHIM ARRIVES IN CHICAGO THE SHIP OF TOLERANCE AT EXPO CHICAGO ARTIST PHYLLIS BRAMSON ANDY WARHOL AT THE ART INSTITUTE

MIDWEST ART GALLERIES MUSEUMS

SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY OF CULTURE FALL OPENINGS AND ART FAIRS

CHICAGO GALLERY NEWS

Word to Mother

Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery Sept 7 - 28: LAX / ORD II - Curated by Thinkspace Oct 5 - 26: Word to Mother: Let Love Lead The Way Nov 23 - Dec 28: Pizza in the Rain + Friends: Landscapes Dec 3 - 8: Herakut Solo Exhibition at SCOPE Art Fair Miami Beach Opening receptions are the first night of each exhibition 6:00 - 9:00pm

Vertical Gallery 1016 N. Western Ave. Chicago, IL 60622 773-697-3846 www.verticalgallery.com

November 1-3 Opening Night, Oct. 31 Navy Pier

Stine Bidstrup, Heller Gallery

sofaexpo.com

TONY O T S T A R G N CO TEAM O G A C I H C O & EXP RS! A E Y T N A I L L I ON 8 BR

YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOUʼRE GOING TO FIND! America’s Largest—and Liveliest!—Urban Antiques Market!

Admission is always free.

All are welcome.

September 18–December 29, 2019 | Opening Reception: September 17, 7–9 pm

SAMSON YOUNG

SILVER MOON OR GOLDEN STAR, WHICH WILL YOU BUY OF ME? Through September 22, 2019

TARA DONOVAN FIELDWORK

October 19–December 29, 2019

MELEKO MOKGOSI BREAD, BUTTER, & POWER

Images: Samson Young, Photograph from the production of Houses of Tomorrow, 2019, Video and sound installation, 20 min. Image courtesy of the artist. Photo by Jonathan Loïc Rogers. • Samson Young, The Highway is Like a Lion’s Mouth (animation still), 2018, Video and sound installation, 10 min, 53 sec. Image courtesy of the artist. • Installation view, Tara Donovan: Fieldwork, Smart Museum of Art, 2019. Courtesy of the artist and Pace Gallery. Photo: Michael Tropea. • Meleko Mokgosi, Bread, Butter, and Power (detail), 2018, Courtesy the artist and Honor Fraser, Los Angeles. Photo © Monica Nouwens.

Erwin Overes, Whichever Way, mixed media, 12”x12”x2”

Gallery Studio Oh! 4839 N Damen Ave Chicago, IL 60625

art-studio-oh.com 773.474.1070 Gallery Hours: Thurs, Fri & Sat, 1-6pm Or by appointment

Unlikely Pairings | August 22 — September 27 Opening Reception: Friday, September 6, 6-9pm Round 2: Erwin Overes | October 4 — November 8 Opening Reception: Friday, October 4, 6-9pm Closing Reception: Friday, November 1, 6-9pm Who’s Afraid of Red? | November 14 — December 27 Opening Reception: Friday, December 6, 6-9pm

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DARRELL ROBERTS... SUCCULENT

9/14 – 10/26, 2019 McCORMICK GALLERY 835 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago www.thomasmccormick.com Booth 255 at Expo Chicago

Abstract Flavor, 2018 oil on canvas, 12 x 9 inches

Opening Aug 29

Art Since 1948

Oct 17–Mar 21

Hot Spots: Radioactivity and the Landscape

Sept 26–Oct 12

Revealing Presence: Women in Architecture at the University of Illinois

Alen MacWeeney, Irish, born 1939, Chimney Sweep and Children, 1965, gelatin silver print, Gift of Patrick Kealy, 1982.071.001.C

Naomi Bebo, Woodland Child in Gas Mask (detail), 2015. Mixed media. Photo by Jason S. Ordaz, Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA). Courtesy of the artist © Naomi Bebo | Hot Spots: Radioactivity and the Landscape is organized by the University at Buffalo Art Galleries and co-curated by Jennie Lamensdorf and Joan Linder. Revealing Presence presented in conjunction with the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial; sponsored in part by the Office of the Chancellor, College of Fine and Applied Arts, Illinois School of Architecture, Gensler, RATIO, and Krannert Art Museum. Paid for by the Student Cultural Programming Fee.

sniteartmuseum.nd.edu

Cosmic, 72 x 84”, Oil on canvas

LINC THELEN NEW WORKS

312 593 5463 • LINCTHELENART.COM 1620 W. CARROLL AVE., CHICAGO

BY APPOINTMENT

GEORGE KLAUBA LAST CHANCE TATTOO

OCTOBER 4-31, 2019

OPENING RECEPTION: OCTOBER 4, 2019, 5 - 8 4823 N. DAMEN AVE., CHICAGO

WED - SAT, 11 am - 5 pm

pm

www.hofheimergallery.com 847.274.7550

René Romero Schuler

Guinevere, 54x40in, oil on canvas, 2019

Zolla/Lieberman Gallery 325 W Huron St | Chicago, IL 60654 | 312.944.1990 | ZollaLieberman@sbcglobal.net

Save the Date for René’s Show Opening on February 28th

CGN 1/2

Weinberg/Newton Gallery for art and advocacy will unveil a newly renovated 6,300 square foot space at 688 N Milwaukee with an inaugural exhibition, The Way the Mystic Sees, presented in collaboration with Human Rights Watch.

Weinberg/Newton Gallery 688 N Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL 60642 312 529 5090 weinbergnewtongallery.com Hours Mon – Sat 10 AM – 5 PM Free and open to the public

Featuring artwork from Nadav Assor, Nick Cave, Mary Helena Clark, Max Guy, Christopher Meerdo, Asa Mendelsohn, Catherine Sullivan, Maryam Taghavi, and Marilyn Volkman.

Opening Reception | Sept 6, 5–8pm The Way the Mystic Sees is on view from Sept 6–Dec 14 Nick Cave, Soundsuit, 2011, Lent by The David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago

Dennis Lee Mitchell, Untitled (56), smoke on paper, 2019, 45 1/2 x 45 1/2”

DENNIS LEE MITCHELL Smoke Remains – Zolla/Lieberman Gallery September 6–October 12, 2019

Featuring works made with smoke on paper.

Extensive catalogue covering Dennis’s career includes essays by Donald Kuspit, Buzz Spector and Frank Paluch

Phyllis Bramson: Folly (remorse must wait)

David Kroll: New Paintings

Lorraine Peltz: On the Bright Side

Jay Strommen: Cause & Effect

September 6 – October 12, 2019 Opening reception: Friday, September 6, 5 – 8pm

November 1 – January 11, 2020 Opening reception: Friday, November 1, 5 – 8pm

Jay Strommen: Causes

Zolla/Lieberman Gallery is participating in Art Miami, December 3 – 8, 2019 and Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, January 9 – 12, 2020

September 6 – October 19, 2019 Opening reception: Friday, September 6, 5 – 8pm at Echt Gallery • echtgallery.com

2019

explore

18th Annual

PUBLIC ART

58 SCUL PTURES

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312.772.2872 www.ChicagoSculptureExhibit.org

ADMISSION IS FREE

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@CSESculpture

Chicago Sculpture Exhibit is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization

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GO D OWN MOSES Curated by Teju Cole

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Tony Fitzpatrick, The Ace of Spades ( Homage ho Hugo Pratt), 2019

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CGN

FALL 2019

ANDY WARHOL: A TO B AND BACK AGAIN IS ON VIEW AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO OCTOBER 20–JANUARY 26, 2020 ANDY WARHOL. FLOWERS, 1964. THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, GIFT OF EDLIS|NEESON COLLECTION. © 2019 THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS, INC. / ARTISTS RIGHTS SOCIETY (ARS), NEW YORK.

CONTENTS

42

48

50

22

SOCIAL CALENDAR

Fall’s Art Fairs, Benefits and Key Events

24

SEASON PREVIEWS

Exhibition highlights in galleries and museums

26

GALLERY OPENINGS

28

ART ON VIEW: SEPT–DEC

Galleries, museums, exhibitions, district maps

FEATURES An Interview with Artist Richard Hull 36 40 What Collectors are Buying Now 42 Bob Buford’s Ascending Collection 46 Fall’s Art Fair Planner 48 Mariane Ibrahim’s Gallery Comes to Chicago 50 The Ship of Tolerance Sails into Chicago 52 Phyllis Bramson: An Artist After Imagism 55 Andy Warhol at the Art Institute of Chicago 56 South Side Spotlight 58 Designer Jenny Brown’s Creative Discernment 60

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: COLLECTOR BOB BUFORD; MAKING SAILS FOR THE SHIP OF TOLERANCE; CHICAGO TRANSPLANT MARIANE IBRAHIM

20 | CGN | Fall 2019

ART SERVICES + RESOURCES

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

GINNY B. VAN ALYEA, CGN PUBLISHER. PHOTO BY JESSICA TAMPAS

K E E P I T P O S I T I V E : T H E R E ’ S A LOT TO C E L E B R AT E

To my children it probably seems like I do this job all the time; when I come to my office it means I am not with them. To others I’m never actually at my desk, busy with school pick ups and errands. I admit I don’t get around to as many galleries and museums as often as I would like to. There are also plenty of days where I just want to be with my own kids without one eye on a deadline. Such is life as a working mom with two young children of my own, and a hundred other ‘gallery children,’ as CGN founder Natalie van Straaten used to say.

I couldn’t do the work I do at CGN if not for the help of several key people (Alby, Elvia, Emily) and if it were not to fulfill the positive mission that has always been a part of the magazine and this art community. Work that means something to others is reaffirming and important and it’s worth not giving up on. As artist Phyllis Bramson says in her interview with Alison Reilly for this issue, “I want my work to mean something to myself and those around me.”

I have been thinking of persistence as well as regeneration since I wrote about the 1989 gallery fire this past spring. External forces – not just fires, but recessions, real estate, art fairs, and the internet – have continually forced the art community, as well as most small businesses, to adapt in order to survive. Despite the many

challenges there are still those who are committed to making and selling art and working hard. At the time of the fire there were 65 galleries in River North alone, with a few more in other parts of the city. Today, while the concentrations are much less pronounced and the business landscape keeps changing, CGN still lists well over 100 spaces. They each work to support their artists and their own positive missions too. Isn’t that remarkable?

So many conversations featured in this issue carry a hopeful message I am pleased to be able to share: • Artist Richard Hull came to Chicago 40 years ago at the encouragement of his professor. His career has thrived here, and today he enjoys helping and teaching his own students at SAIC. • Gallerist Mariane Ibrahim, who built an international reputation in Seattle, says she moved here because all roads lead to Chicago; it’s a city whose authenticity is a rarity in the U.S. • For collector Bob Buford art is a means of having conversations with people of every age and walk of life.

He says it’s the most inclusive thing he’s ever been a part of.

• Artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov’s Ship of Tolerance comes to Navy Pier during EXPO. The ships these artists have built over 14 years have united struggling communities and children around the world through messages of hope.

Even when meeting a CGN deadline means last minute surprises and a week of all-nighters, I believe it’s worth it, because the stories and messages of resilience I learn from so many in the art world I am able to pass along to my children and those around me.

Founded in 1983 Chicago Gallery News is the central source for information about the area’s art galleries, museums, events and resources. CGN aims to be a clear, accessible guide to the region’s visual arts, as well as an advocate on behalf of the local cultural community.

Magazines are available by subscription. Complimentary issues are available in galleries, museums and art centers, the Chicago Cultural Center and at select hotel concierge desks throughout the region.

Published 3 times annually: CGN Arts Guide / Summer / Fall © 2019 Chicago Gallery News, Inc. Publisher + Executive Editor Virginia B. Van Alyea Managing Editor + Business Manager Emily Ackerman Digital Content Coordinator Jacqueline Lewis Contributors Jacqueline Lewis Alison Reilly Interns Josee Langeness Isobel Van Alyea Thomas Van Alyea Chicago Gallery News 858 N. Clark St., Ste. 204 Chicago, IL 60610 Tel 312-649-0064 www.chicagogallerynews.com Fall 2019 Vol. 34, No. 2 © 2019 ISSN #1046-6185

CGN

FALL 2019

PICTURED ON THE COVER:

Richard Hull, Pause, 2018, Oil and wax on linen, 24” H x 20” W

PAINTER RICHARD HULL COLLECTOR ROBERT BUFORD NEW GALLERY ARRIVAL MARIANE IBRAHIM THE SHIP OF TOLERANCE AT EXPO CHICAGO ARTIST PHYLLIS BRAMSON ANDY WARHOL AT THE ART INSTITUTE

MIDWEST ART GALLERIES MUSEUMS

SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY OF CULTURE FALL OPENINGS AND ART FAIRS

CHICAGO GALLERY NEWS

Fall 2019 | CGN | 21

SOCIAL CALENDAR 5TH ANNUAL RIVER NORTH DESIGN DISTRICT GALLERY WALK

Sept 6, 5–9pm; Sept 7, 11am–4pm

The gallery walk includes free openings and events, a ticketed kickoff at Amy Kartheiser Design and an after–party at PROjECT.interiors rivernorthdesigndistrict.com

EXPO ART WEEK Sept 16–22 Vernissage is Sept 19

THIS YEAR’S RNDD GALLERY WALK FEATURES ART FROM ARTISTS LIKE JULIAN WASSER AT HILTON | ASMUS (LEFT) AS WELL AS SARAH RASKEY (ABOVE RIGHT), WHO WILL BE ON VIEW AT AMY KARTHEISER DESIGN AND PART OF THE SEPT 6 KICKOFF PARTY.

EXPO CHICAGO’S 8th edition puts our city on the world stage, when the art fair caps off a week of city-wide cultural programming to present one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture.

Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand expochicago.com

THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Centennial Gala: Sept 14, 6–11pm Public Celebration: Sept 28, 1–5pm

For its Centennial celebration the Oriental Institute of the Univ. of Chicago has collaborated on a series of installations by internationally recognized artists Ann Hamilton, Michael Rakowitz, and Mohamad Hafez.

TWO DIYALA STATUES RECONSTRUCTED OUT OF PACKAGING OF MIDDLE EASTERN FOODSTUFFS AND LOCAL ARABIC NEWSPAPERS BY ARTIST MICHAEL RAKOWITZ; PART OF THE INVISIBLE ENEMY SHOULD NOT EXIST, ON VIEW AT THE ORIENTAL INSTITUTE

1155 E 58th St., oi.uchicago.edu

ART AFTER HOURS | CITYWIDE GALLERY OPENINGS Sept 20, 6–9pm

A citywide gallery night for EXPO CHICAGO visitors and the community.

Various Locations expochicago.com 22 | CGN | Fall 2019

EXPO CHICAGO’S VERNISSAGE DRAWS THOUSAND’S TO THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE FAIR

EXPO’S ART AFTER HOURS TAKES PLACE FRIDAY DURING THE FAIR IN GALLERIES AROUND THE CITY

FALL AND WINTER 2019 CHICAGO INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY NADA Sept 18–21

THE CHICAGO INVITATIONAL PRESENTED BY NADA WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE CHICAGO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION HOTEL ON MICHIGAN AVE.

The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA) launches a new contemporary art fair in Chicago, coinciding with EXPO and the opening of the Chicago Architectural Biennial. Housed in the historic Chicago Athletic Association hotel the fair will feature around 40 international small to mid-sized galleries.

12 S. Michigan newartdealers.org

RENBEN

Oct 18, 6:30pm RenBen 2019 is a Gala and Art Auction benefitting the Renaissance Society’s 20192020 program. In support of a commitment to artists and their ideas the Ren’s generous community raises crucial funds that support exhibitions, publications, and programs.

THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

Rockwell on the River, 3057 N. Rockwell St. renaissancesociety.org

SOFA CHICAGO

Oct 31–Nov 3 Opening night preview is Oct 31 The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to threedimensional art and design.

Continuously running since 1994, SOFA focuses on art that crosses the boundaries of fine art, decorative art and design.

TOOTS ZYNSKY, FORZA, 2019, FILET-DE-VERRE, 17 1/2 X 30 1/2 X 15 1/8 IN. IMAGE COURTESY OF HELLER GALLERY, EXHIBITING AT SOFA CHICAGO

Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand sofaexpo.com

Fall 2019 | CGN | 23

SEASON PREVIEWS THE FALL ART SEASON OFFERS THE BEST PROGRAMMING OF THE YEAR. THE OFFERINGS IN OUR LISTINGS, FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2019, ARE BROAD. SEVERAL SHOWS SPOTLIGHT FEMALE ARTISTS, OTHERS SHOWCASE SIGNATURE WORKS BY MUSEUM-WORTHY NAMES. THE SHOWS HAPPENING NOW OFFER AN EDUCATION AS WELL AS BEAUTIFUL ART TO BEHOLD.

LEON POLK SMITH GRAY WAREHOUSE Leon Polk Smith: Endless Space features paintings from the artist’s iconic Correspondence and Constellation series which he produced over nearly 20 years between the late 1950s and the 1970s. Characterized by their interactive multipart compositions, these canvases have come to be known as the artist’s most signature works.

Sept 13–Nov 23 • Opening reception Sept 13, 6–8pm 2044 W. Carroll (60612) • richardgraygallery.com IMAGE: GREEN, BLUE, 1970, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 6 CANVASES, EACH 24” IN DIAMETER

IN THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT: GESTURE, HUMOR AND RESISTANCE IN THE BLACK AESTHETIC STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK Organized by Theaster Gates, the Rebuild Foundation partnered with the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection’s substantial contemporary African diaspora collection to share works by over 20 of today’s most important practitioners. The exhibition is anchored by works by Glenn Ligon, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Henry Taylor.

Sept 19–Dec 29 • Opening reception Sept 19, 5–8pm 6760 S. Stony Island (60649) rebuild-foundation.org IMAGE: HENRY TAYLOR, I’M NOT DANGEROUS, 2015. ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 40” X 30”

DIANNA FRID: MORE TIME THAN LIFE ALAN KOPPEL GALLERY Dianna Frid, an Associate Professor at the College of Architecture, Design and the Arts at the University of Illinois at Chicago, explores a range of materials to create artist’s books, works on fabric, drawings, and sculptures Sept 13–Nov 15 • Opening reception Sept 13 6–9pm 806 N. Dearborn (60610) • alankoppel.com IMAGE: DIANNA FRID, NYT, MAY 1, 2016, DANIEL J. BERRIGAN, 2016, CANVAS, PAPER, EMBROIDERY FLOSS, AND GRAPHITE, 15” X 20”

24 | CGN | Fall 2019

GLADYS NILSSON – RHONA HOFFMAN GALLERY

Known for her watercolors and collages, Nilsson, a member of the Hairy Who while a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the 1960s, is exhibiting new works for this solo show.

She was recently part of a 2018 exhibition at the Art Institute, Hairy Who? 1966–1969, the first-ever major survey dedicated solely to the group. The show explored how their distinct aesthetic transformed the art landscape of Chicago.

Sept 13–Oct 19 • Opening Sept 13, 5–8pm 1711 W. Chicago (60622) rhoffmangallery.com

IMAGE: GLADYS NILSSON, REPOSE, 2017. ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 36” X 60”.

COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND RHONA HOFFMAN GALLERY.

JULIA FISH: BOUND BY SPECTRUM DEPAUL ART MUSEUM For three decades, Julia Fish has used her house and its vernacular architecture, a Chicago storefront, as the basis for a system of mapping color, form, and light in paintings and works on paper. This survey of the past decade (2009–19) of Fish’s work provides new scholarship around her ongoing project that brings together the disciplines of painting, drawing, and architecture.

Sept 12–Feb 23 • Opening Sept 12, 6–8pm 935 W. Fullerton (60614) • depaul.edu

IMAGE: JULIA FISH, THRESHOLD, SOUTHEAST – TWO [SPECTRUM: ORANGE WITH GREY], OIL ON CANVAS, COLLECTION OF DEPAUL ART MUSEUM

LANDFALL PRESS: FIVE DECADES OF PRINTMAKING MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM This exhibition celebrates the innovation behind one of America’s most renowned printerspublishers on the occasion of its 50th anniversary year, featuring nearly 100 editioned prints and materials from the Museum’s Landfall Press Archive, established in 1992. LP was founded in Chicago in 1970 by Jack Lemon. The press has operated out of Santa Fe, New Mexico, since 2004.

IMAGE: CHRISTO, WRAPPED STUDEBAKER, 2015. LITHOGRAPH WITH SCREENPRINT AND COLLAGE. 17” × 21”. COURTESY OF LANDFALL PRESS, INC. © CHRISTO JAVACHEFF AND LANDFALL PRESS, INC.

Oct 3–Feb 9, 2020 • mam.org 700 N. Art Museum Dr., Milwaukee, WI (53202) Fall 2019 | CGN | 25

GALLERY OPENINGS Openings usually take place the first night of a new exhibition. Artists are often present. The public is welcome.

Chicagogallerynews.com is updated daily. Sign–up for CGN’s weekly newsletters for highlights.

DISTRICT KEY: RIVER NORTH WEST SIDE SOUTH SIDE MICHIGAN AVE/LOOP NORTH SIDE SUBURBS/MIDWEST

SEPT FRI SEPT 6 Addington Jean Albano Victor Armendariz Gruen Carl Hammer Hilton | Asmus Palette & Chisel Rangefinder River North Design District Walk Vale Craft Zolla / Lieberman ARC Catherine Edelman One After 909 Weinberg/Newton Bert Green EXTRA Projects Hofheimer Oliva Studio Oh! Compassion Factory SAT SEPT 7 Monique Meloche Vertical Ice House Perspective Space 900 THU SEPT 12 Arts Club of Chicago DePaul Art Museum Komechak Art NIU Art Museum FRI SEPT 13 Alan Koppel Arts of Life DOCUMENT Gray Warehouse Rhona Hoffman Volume Western Exhibitions Chicago Arts District The Warehouse

26 | CGN | Fall 2019

SAT SEPT 14 Kavi Gupta (Washington) McCormick PATRON Carrie Secrist SUN SEPT 15 Goldfinch TUE SEPT 17 Logan Center Smart Museum TH SEPT 19 Stony Island Arts Bank The Warehouse FRI SEPT 20 EXPO Art After Hours Filter Photo Mariane Ibrahim Bridgeport Art Center Woman Made Gallery SAT SEPT 21 Kavi Gupta (Elizabeth) Line Dot Editions Chicago Printmakers MON SEPT 23 Spertus Institute THU SEPT 26 Krannert FRI SEPT 27 Firecat SAT SEPT 28 Block Museum

OCT FRI OCT 4 Victor Armendariz Rangefinder ARC Cornelia Arts Building Hofheimer Studio Oh! Compassion Factory

SAT OCT 5 Vertical Ice House Perspective Space 900 Wantoot FRI OCT 11 Jean Albano Chicago Arts District Oliva Rockford Art Museum SAT OCT 12 Hyde Park Art Center MON OCT 14 Hilton | Asmus FRI OCT 18 Bridgeport Art Center SAT OCT 19 Wantoot THU OCT 24 Zolla / Lieberman FRI OCT 25 One After 909 Firecat

NOV FRI NOV 1 Addington Victor Armendariz Gruen Hilton | Asmus Rangefinder Vale Craft Zolla/Lieberman ARC Woman Made Gallery Hofheimer Studio Oh! Compassion Factory SAT NOV 2 McCormick Ice House Perspective

FRI NOV 8 Western Exhibitions Chicago Arts District Oliva SAT NOV 9 Bert Green FRI NOV 15 Catherine Edelman PATRON Bridgeport Art Center Logan Center Evanston Art Center FRI NOV 22 Hilton | Asmus Cornelia Arts Building Firecat SAT NOV 23 Vertical FRI NOV 29 ARC

DEC SUN DEC 1 Komechak Art FRI DEC 6 Victor Armendariz Rangefinder Studio Oh! Oliva Compassion Factory SAT DEC 7 Woman Made Gallery (1-4pm) Chicago Printmakers Ice House Perspective FRI DEC 13 Chicago Arts District FRI DEC 20 Bridgeport Art Center FRI DEC 27 Firecat

TRAYLOR

Celebrating Our 40th Year Carl Hammer Gallery

IMAGE: BILL

Sept 6–Nov 1

The Rangefinder Gallery works from the legendary

camera

300 West Superior, Second Floor Monday-Friday 9-5:30 - Saturday 10-2 312 642-2255 rangefindergallery.com Join us for First Friday receptions!

Outside the Practice II Bridgeport Art Center

September - October

Short Stories

by Richard Bram

Sept 20–Nov 1 IMAGE: TOM ROSSITER

Beatriz Ledesma: Tribal Language Oliva Gallery

November - December

Into the Light

Oct 11–Nov 2

by Jérôme Brunet

Kerry Hirth & Man Bartlett

IMAGE: MAN BARTLETT

Bert Green Fine Art Nov 9–Dec 21

Fall 2019 | CGN | 27

ART ON VIEW: SEPT–DEC ‘19 WEST TOWN UKRAINIAN VILLAGE KINZIE CORRIDOR GARFIELD PARK ARC Gallery

1463 W. Chicago (60642) www.arcgallery.org Exhibition openings occur on the following Fridays from 6–9 pm: Sept 6, Oct 4, Nov 1, Nov 29.

Note: ARC Gallery is closed Dec 22–31

Arts of Life

Chicago: 2010 W. Carroll (60612) North Shore: 1963 Johns Dr., Glenview (60025) www.artsoflife.org

GOLDFINCH

PATRON

Goldfinch is a commercial gallery working with emerging and mid-career artists with the goal of providing fresh and compelling frameworks for contemporary visual practices.

Sept 14–Oct 27: Harold Mendez Sept 18–21: Chicago Invitational Art Fair at Chicago Athletic Association Nov 15–Jan 2020: Jessica Vaughn

Richard Gray Gallery – Gray Warehouse

Spudnik Press

319 N. Albany (60612) • www.goldfinchgallery.org

2044 W. Carroll (60612) www.richardgraygallery.com

Founded in 1963 and devoted to both contemporary and modern art, the gallery represents a number of artists, including Jim Dine and David Hockney.

Sept 13–Nov 23: Leon Polk Smith: Endless Space

Rhona Hoffman Gallery

1711 W. Chicago (60622) • www.rhoffmangallery.com Thru Oct 11: Entrelazar | Curator: Edra Soto (Chi) Sept 13–Nov 18: Three City Social (NShore) Nov 15–Dec 20: Studio Sale (NShore)

Chicago Artists Coalition 2130 W. Fulton (60612) www.chicagoartistscoalition.org

Chicago Truborn 1741 W Chicago (60622) www.chicagotruborn.com

DOCUMENT

1709 W. Chicago (60622) • www.documentspace.com DOCUMENT is a commercial gallery that specializes in contemporary photography, film and media based art. Open since 2011 the gallery actively promotes the work of emerging national and international artists.

Catherine Edelman Gallery 1637 W. Chicago (60622) www.edelmangallery.com

Sept 6–Nov 9: Sandro Miller: I am Papua New Guinea Opening: Fri, Sept 6, 5–8 pm Nov 15–Jan 4, 2020: Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison: Acts Without Words. Opening: Fri, Nov 15, 5–8 pm

Filter Photo

Founded originally as Young Hoffman Gallery in 1976, RHG specializes in international contemporary art in all medias, and art that is conceptually, formally, or socio-politically based.

Mariane Ibrahim Gallery 437 N. Paulina (60622) www.marianeibrahim.com

673 N. Milwaukee (60642) • www.patrongallery.com

1821 W Hubbard St., Ste 302 (60622) www.spudnikpress.org/category/exhibitions/ Aug 30–Nov 2: Prints United! Annual Member Exhibition Nov 15–Jan 18: Domestic Tides and the Indigenous Mind

Linc Thelen Gallery 1620 W. Carroll (60612) www.lincthelenart.com

Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art (UIMA)

2320 W. Chicago (60622) • www.uima-chicago.org UIMA preserves and promotes contemporary art as a shared expression of the Ukrainian and American experience and develops and encourages artistic talent through programming to serve cultural needs of our community and city.

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art

756 N. Milwaukee (60642) • www.art.org

Line Dot Editions

1023 N. Western (60622) • www.linedoteditions.com Line Dot’s full inventory is available to view and purchase at linedoteditions.com. Our brick and mortar space showcases a changing array of artwork, with new releases featured monthly.

Mongerson Gallery

Pizza in the Rain, Paper Portraits, 2016, Linoleum block print, 22 x 30 in. Ed. of 15 at Vertical Gallery

2251 W. Grand (60612) • www.mongersongallery.com

Monique Meloche Gallery 451 N Paulina (60622) www.moniquemeloche.com

One After 909

1821 W. Hubbard, Ste. 207 (60622) www.filterphoto.org

906 N. Ashland (60622) www.1after909.com

Sept 19–22: 2019 Filter Photo Festival Sept 20–Oct 19: The Universal; Seeing the familiar for the first time Nov 1–30: Shawn Rowe: V Dec 6–Jan 4, 2020: Elliot Ross: American Backyard

Sept 6–Oct 19: Caution! Freedom: Contemporary Art from Russia Oct 25–Dec 7: Cosmic Codes: Michiko Itatani

Paris London Hong Kong 1709 W. Chicago (60622) www.parislondonhongkong.com

28 | CGN | Fall 2019

Please refer to the openings on page 26 to confirm reception dates and exhibition details. chicagogallerynews.com is updated daily

Vertical Gallery

1016 N. Western (60622) • www.verticalgallery.com Sept 7–28: Thinkspace presents LAX/ORD 2 Group Show Oct 5–26: Word to Mother, Let Love Lead The Way Nov 23–Dec 28: PizzaInTheRain + Friends: Landscapes Dec 3–8: Herakut Solo Show at SCOPE Miami Beach

Volume Gallery

1709 W. Chicago, 2B (60622) www.wvvolumes.com

• WEST TOWN • KINZIE CORRIDOR • UKRAINIAN VILLAGE NOBLE

N DE

KINZIE

FULTON

KAVI GUPTA #2

ADA

WASHINGTON

WEST LOOP

GREEN

RANDOLPH

PEORIA

LAKE RACINE

HINDMAN RANDOLPH ST MKT

LAKE

CARROLL

ELIZABETH

CHICAGO ARTISTS COALITION

CARROLL

LINC THELEN

PAULINA

ARTS OF LIFE

WOOD

KINZIE CORRIDOR

WOLCOTT

GRAY WAREHOUSE

FULTON

PATRON WEINBERG /NEWTON

HUBBARD

KINZIE GOLDFINCH

INTUIT

GRAND

OG

DAMEN

ASHLAND

MONIQUE MELOCHE MARIANE IBRAHIM

• FILTER PHOTO • SPUDNIK PRESS

HUBBARD

ARC

94

MONGERSON

GRAND

CHICAGO TRUBORN • RHONA • VOLUME HOFFMAN • WESTERN • DOCUMENT EXHIBITIONS • PLHK

RIVER WEST CHICAGO

0/

ERIE

CATHERINE EDELMAN

I-9

D AN GR

WESTERN

WEST TOWN

E

CHICAGO

KE

UKRAINIAN INST. OF MODERN ART

AU

ONE AFTER 909

W

AUGUSTA

IL

LINE DOT

UKRAINIAN VILLIAGE

M

VERTICAL

HALSTED

THE WEST SIDE

• RIVER WEST • WEST LOOP • GARFIELD PARK

WASHINGTON • KAVI GUPTA • MCCORMICK • CARRIE SECRIST

SARAH RASKEY

MADISON

Weinberg/Newton Gallery

Hindman

Weinberg/Newton Gallery is a non-commercial gallery with a mission to collaborate with nonprofit organizations and artists to educate and engage the public on social justice issues.

McCormick Gallery

688 N. Milwaukee (60642) www.weinbergnewtongallery.com

Western Exhibitions

1338 W. Lake (60607) www.hindmanauctions.com

835 W. Washington (60607) www.thomasmccormick.com

Sept 14–Oct 26: New works by Darrell Roberts Nov 2–Dec 21: New works by Gordon Powell

1709 W. Chicago (60622) www.westernexhibitions.com

ADAMS HARRISON

SUSANIN’S AUCTIONS

Randolph Street Market 1350 Block of W. Randolph (60607) www.randolphstreetmarket.com Sept 28–29, 10 am–5 pm Oct 26–27, 10 am–5 pm Nov 23–24, 10 am–5 pm Dec 14–15, 10 am–5 pm

Sarah Raskey Fine Art

Sept 13–Nov 2: Gallery 1: Orkideh Torabi; Gallery 2: Ruby T Sept 19–22: EXPO Chicago: Solo booth, Richard Hull Nov 8–Dec 21: Galleries 1 and 2: Deb Sokolow

17 N. Elizabeth St. (60607) www.sarahraskey.com

Carrie Secrist Gallery 835 W. Washington (60607) www.secristgallery.com

WEST LOOP RIVER WEST

Established in 1992, Carrie Secrist Gallery emphasizes visual aesthetics and the slow process of looking. The program engages a vast range of media by emerging, mid-career, and established contemporary artists

Kavi Gupta Gallery

835 W. Washington (60607) and 219 N. Elizabeth (60607) www.kavigupta.com

Susanin’s Auctions 900 S. Clinton (60607) www.susanins.com

Kavi Gupta is a leading contemporary art gallery based in Chicago. Two permanent gallery locations host more than a dozen museum quality exhibitions each year; publishing imprint, Kavi Gupta Editions, produces unique, high quality artist books and catalogues.

Above: Gordon Powell at McCormick Gallery

Fall 2019 | CGN | 29

RIVER NORTH

ALAN KOPPEL

CHICAGO

Sept 6–Oct 5: Artistica! New work by Bonnie Lautenberg Oct 11–November: New Paintings by Zack Wirsum

Gallery Victor Armendariz

HILTON | ASMUS ADDINGTON

ZOLLA / LIEBERMAN

The Golden Triangle 330 N. Clark (60654) www.goldentriangle.biz

Gruen Galleries

226 W. Superior (60654) www.gruengalleries.com Sept 6: Gallery One: Meredith Pardue; New Works Gallery Two: Janet McGreal; Florals Nov 1: Mike Hammer; New Works

Carl Hammer Gallery

740 N. Wells (60654) info@carlhammergallery.com • 312–266–8512 www.carlhammergallery.com Representing both modern and contemporary art, Carl Hammer is recognized for its discovery and representation of “Outsider” art and artists.

Sept 6–Nov 1: Celebrating Our 40th Year

Hilton | Asmus Contemporary

GOLDEN TRIANGLE

RICHARD NORTON

300 W. Superior (60654) www.galleryvictor.com

Sept 6: Boom! Jan Pieter Fokkens Oct 4: Tom Huck Nov 1: Group Show Nov 1–3: Participating in SOFA Chicago, Navy Pier Dec 6: Wrap it Up!

HURON

ERIE Poetry Foundation 61 W. Superior (60654) www.poetryfoundation.org

Poetry is a place in Chicago, breaking the line between visual art and the written word.

Sept 5–Dec 20: The Life of Poetry in Morden Tower

Richard Norton Gallery 612 Merchandise Mart (60654) www.richardnortongallery.com

Sept 19–22: Exhibiting at EXPO Chicago 2019 Sept–Oct: William Dalziel: Paintings and Drawings

The Rangefinder Gallery at Tamarkin Camera 300 W. Superior, 2nd Fl. (60654) www.rangefindergallery.com

Featuring un-retouched film & digital photographs made with the legendary Leica camera, by both established and emerging photographers from around the globe. Opening receptions every 1st Friday!

Vale Craft Gallery 230 W. Superior (60654) www.valecraftgallery.com

Contemporary American fine craft objects and sculpture.

Works in clay, fiber, metal, glass, wood and mixed media.

Sept 6–Nov 3: Randy O’Brien ceramics; Boisali Biswas, fiber/mixed media Nov 1–Dec 31: Anniversary Show

Zolla/Lieberman Gallery 325 W. Huron (60654) www.zollaliebermangallery.com

Sept 6–Oct 12: Phyllis Bramson: Folly (remorse must wait) Lorraine Peltz: On the Bright Side Dennis Lee Mitchell: Smoke Remains Nov 1–Jan 11, 2020: David Kroll: New Paintings Jay Strommen: Cause & Effect

CGN GALLERY TOURS

716 N. Wells (60654) www.hilton–asmus.com

Sept 6: Julian Wasser: The Way We Were Oct 14: Lawrence Schiller: Who Wants to Live Forever Nov 1: David Gamble: Andy Warhol’s Living Room Nov 22: David Yarrow: Chicago Board of Trade

Alan Koppel Gallery 806 N. Dearborn (60610) www.alankoppel.com

Sept 13–Nov 15: Dianna Frid: More Time Than Life October 24: Artist talk with Dianna Frid, 6pm

FREE 30 | CGN | Fall 2019

DEARBORN

SUPERIOR JEAN ALBANO

CLARK

215 W. Superior (60654) www.jeanalbanogallery.com

POETRY FOUNDATION

LASALLE

Jean Albano Gallery

CARL HAMMER VALE GRUEN CRAFT GALLERIES

WELLS

Sept 6: Susan Kraut: In the Studio; Sandra Dawson: New Paintings Nov 1–Jan 2020: New paintings by Allison B. Cooke and Steven Carrelli

• RANGEFINDER/ TAMARKIN CAMERA • VICTOR ARMENDARIZ

FRANKLIN

704 N. Wells (60654) www.addingtongallery.com

ORLEANS

Addington Gallery

CHICAGOGALLERYNEWS.COM/TOURS

BURTON STATE

DELAWARE

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum 40 E. Erie (60611) • www.driehausmuseum.com

HUBBARD

The museum explores art, architecture, and design of the late 19th century to the present. Its permanent collection is presented within the restored Nickerson Mansion, completed in 1883. Programming places the Gilded Age in context of Chicago.

KINZIE

Les Enluminures

THE ARTS CLUB

ONTARIO OHIO GRAND ILLINOIS

NAVY PIER (600 E GRAND)

WACKER

LAKE

980 N. Michigan, Ste. 1330 (60611) www.lesenluminures.com

RANDOLPH

MADISON MONROE

8 S. Michigan, Ste. 620 (60603) • www.bgfa.us

ADAMS JACKSON VAN BUREN CONGRESS

Bert Green Fine Art exhibits emerging, mid-career and underrepresented artists. Presenting smart, challenging work and site-specific exhibitions, BGFA publishes original limited edition lithographs, letterpress, giclees, and photographic prints.

HARRISON BALBO

BERT GREEN THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO SAIC SITE COLUMBUS GRANT PARK

COLUMBUS

SAIC SITE SHARP

WABASH

STATE

SAIC SULLIVAN GALLERIES

CHICAGO CULTURAL WASHINGTON CENTER MILLENIUM PARK

MICHIGAN AVE

Richard Gray Gallery

Bert Green Fine Art

FAIRBANKS

R.S. JOHNSON

ERIE

MICHIGAN AVE MICHIGAN AVE

STATE

JOEL OPPENHEIMER

HURON

RUSH

DRIEHAUS MUSEUM

78 E. Washington (60602) www.chicagoculturalcenter.org

Founded in 1963 and devoted to both contemporary and modern art, the gallery specializes in and represents a number of artists, including Jim Dine, Jean Dubuffet, Theaster Gates, David Hockney, Alex Katz, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Jaume Plensa and Evelyn Statsinger.

CHICAGO

SUPERIOR

The Art Institute of Chicago

John Hancock Building: 875 N. Michigan (60611) West Town Location: 2044 W. Carroll (60612) www.richardgraygallery.com

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (MCA)

PEARSON LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ART (LUMA)

201 E. Ontario (60611) www.artsclubchicago.org

Chicago Cultural Center

RICHARD GRAY

CHESTNUT

The Arts Club of Chicago

111 S. Michigan (60603) www.artic.edu

HILDT

WALTON

DR

MICHIGAN AVE GOLD COAST THE LOOP SOUTH LOOP

• SOTHEBY’S • LES ENLUMINURES OAK

RE HO ES LAK

DOWNTOWN

GRAHAM FOUNDATION

• MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY (MOCP) • SPERTUS INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP

Hildt Galleries

140 E. Walton (60611) www.hildtgalleries.com

R.S. Johnson Fine Art 645 N. Michigan (60611) www.rsjohnsonfineart.com

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA) 220 E. Chicago (60611) www.mcachicago.org

One of the world’s largest contemporary art venues, offering exhibitions, performances, and programs for all ages, plus an award-winning store and restaurant.

Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP)

Columbia College Chicago 600 S. Michigan (60605) • www.mocp.org Thru Sept 29: Go Down Moses Oct 10–Dec 22: Third Realm, Works from the FarEastFarWest Collection

Joel Oppenheimer, Inc.

10 E. Ohio, Tree Studio Annex (60611) www.audubonart.com

Sotheby’s Chicago

980 N. Michigan, Ste. 1815 (60611) www.sothebys.com

Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership 610 S. Michigan (60605) www.spertus.edu

Sept 23–Jan 19, 2020: From Here to There, featuring work by contemporary Chicago artists Linda Robinson Gordon, Ellen Holtzblatt, Lilach Schrag, and Michelle Stone.

Oct 26–Jan 2020: Direct Message: Art, Language, and Power Fall 2019 | CGN | 31

NORTH SIDE

FOSTER CHICAGO PRINTMAKERS COLLABORATIVE

RAVENSWOOD LINCOLN SQUARE

N

LAWRENCE

CO LN

Chicago Printmakers Collaborative

LI

LINCOLN SQ. / RAVENSWOOD

GALLERY STUDIO OH! HOFHEIMER GALLERY

4912 N. Western (60625) www.chicagoprintmakers.com

Sept 21–Nov 9: FILM POSITIVE: photo printmaking Dec 7 and 8: The 30th International Small Print Show.

Open house both days, 11am–7pm

RAVENSWOOD

EAT PAINT

UPTOWN

MONTROSE

CLA

Eat Paint Studio

IRVING PARK 94 0/

I- 9

EXTRA Projects

3551 W. Diversey (60647) • www.extra-projects.com

ADDISON

A multidisciplinary project space providing opportunities for artists to display engaging, challenging work. Openings every other month.

CORNELIA ARTS BUILDING

BELMONT

4839 N. Damen (60625) • art-studio-oh.com

FIRECAT

HALSTED

RACINE

E

NORTH

KE

VIDEO GAME ART

RN

ARMITAGE

ART MUSEUM

OU

OLIVA

BUCKTOWN

LINCOLN PARK DEPAUL YB CL

PALMER SQUARE

PAGODA RED

AU W IL

WICKER PARK / BUCKTOWN

DAMEN FULLERTON

2004 W. Roscoe (60618) • www.topdowngallery.com A new gallery and event space dedicated to showcasing a stylistic range of work intended to reflect contemporary culture and ideals.

DIVERSEY

WESTERN

CALIFORNIA

EXTRA PROJECTS

M

Top Down Gallery

LOGAN SQ. KEDZIE

Sept 6–28: Mary Porterfield: In:Dependence Opening Reception Friday, Sept 6, 5–8 pm Artist talk Saturday, Sept 21, 2–3 pm Receptions First Friday of each month

PULASKI

4823 N. Damen (60625) • www.hofheimergallery.com

CENTRAL PARK

ART DE TRIUMPH

Thru Sept 27: Unlikely Pairings, Group Show Oct 4–Nov 8: Round 2, Erwin Overes Solo Show Nov 14–Dec 27: Who’s Afraid of Red? Group Show Receptions First Friday of each month

Hofheimer Gallery

LAKEVIEW

TOP DOWN GALLERY

Gallery Studio Oh!

ASHLAND

Eat Paint Studio is a storefront gallery and the working studio of artist Emily Rapport. Visitors can see work in progress, chat with the artist, and explore current exhibits.

RK

5036 N. Lincoln (60625) • www.eatpaintstudio.com

WICKER PARK

GALLERY 1871

OLD TOWN

• THE DIME • ADVENTURELAND

MADRON

Firecat Projects

2124 N. Damen (60647) • www.firecatprojects.org Openings held the last Friday of month. Open M–Sa 10–4

Oliva Gallery

3816 W. Armitage (60647) • Open Saturday 12–4 pm www.olivagallery.com Sept 6–28: Fulvous: Tricia Rumbolz, Abbey Muza, Carie Lassman, Kate Roth, Elizabeth Burke-Dain Oct 11–Nov 2: Beatriz Ledesma, Tribal Language Nov 8–30: Poster Plus 50 Year Anniversary Dec 6–Jan 4, 2020: Nicholas Nadja, Incongruous Eden

PAGODA RED

400 N. Morgan (60642) www.pagodared.com

Video Game Art Gallery (VGA) 2418 W. Bloomingdale, #101 (60647) www.vgagallery.com 32 | CGN | Fall 2019

LINCOLN PARK / LAKEVIEW OLD TOWN Art De Triumph & Artful Framer Studios

2938 N. Clark (60657) • www.NancieKingMertz.com Featuring work by Master Pastelist Nancie King Mertz, who paints & instructs en plein air around Chicago & the world in oil & pastel. Open seven days a week, featuring Mertz’s originals, Giclee prints, cards & gifts, & expert framing

Cornelia Arts Building

1800 W. Cornelia (60657) • corneliaartsbuilding.com Celebrating over 30 Years as a working art studio building! Established in 1986, the CAB is one of the largest all-artist-studio buildings on Chicago’s Northside, with open studios throughout the year

DePaul Art Museum (DPAM) 935 W. Fullerton (60614) www.artmuseum.depaul.edu

Sept 12–Feb 23, 2020: Julia Fish: bound by spectrum; Remember Where You Are; Architectural Annotations

Gallery 1871

1871 N. Clybourn (60614) www.chicagoartsource.com (Formerly Chicago Art Source Gallery)

Madron Gallery

1000 W. North Ave. (60642) www.madrongallery.com

HYDE PARK ART CENTER

HYDE PARK BLVD

KE LA

51ST ST

E OR

WASHINGTON PARK

SH

SMART MUSEUM OF ART

DR

56TH ST

DUSABLE MUSEUM

57TH ST

HYDE PARK

Thru Sept: All We Want Is to See Ourselves Oct–Nov: Laura Kina, Holding On Nov: Ana Hernandez, Altering Internal Landscapes: In pursuit of unearthing bodies of Energy Dec–Jan: Oli Rodriguez, A Familiar Panting

Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell (60615) www.hydeparkart.org

Logan Center Exhibitions University of Chicago 915 E. 60th St. (60637) www.arts.uchicago.edu/logan/gallery

Sept 13–Oct 27: Tufting Gun Tapestries Nov 15–Jan 5: Camille Norment: Untitled (red flame)

Renaissance Society

Univ. of Chicago, 5811 S. Ellis, 4th Fl. (60637) www.renaissancesociety.org Sept 14–Dec 1: LaToya Ruby Frazier, The Last Cruze

Smart Museum of Art

Univ. of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood (60637) www.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu Thru Sept 22: Tara Donovan: Fieldwork Sept 18–Dec 29: Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy of Me? Oct 19–Dec 29: Meleko Mokgosi: Bread, Butter, and Power

STONY ISLAND

Sept 19–Dec 29: In The Absence of Light: Gesture, Humor and Resistance in The Black Aesthetic

BRIDGEPORT / PILSEN / CHINATOWN

18TH ST PROSPECTUS

18TH ST

The ART Gallery 211 W. 23rd St. (60616) www.theart8.com

Bridgeport Art Center 1200 W. 35th St. (60609) www.bridgeportart.com

3rd Friday Gallery Nights, Monthly 7–10pm

Chicago Arts District 1945 S. Halsted (60608) www.chicagoartsdistrict.org

2nd Friday Gallery Nights, Monthly 6–10pm

Nat. Museum of Mexican Art 1852 W. 19th St. (60608) www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

Prospectus Gallery

1210 W. 18th St. (60608) • 312–733–6132

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART

PILSEN 21ST ST

CERMAK

MANA CONTEMPORARY

2150 S. Canalport, Ste. 4A3 (60608) www.womanmade.org

CHICAGO ARTS DISTRICT

RT

O LP

NA A C

CHINATOWN HER

ARC

FLXST

THE ART GALLERY

26TH ST

BRIDGEPORT BRIDGEPORT ART CENTER

19TH PL

21ST ST

WOMAN MADE GALLERY AT LACUNA

Woman Made Gallery

Sept 20–Oct 19: Show Your Paper.

Juror: Kathryn Markel Nov 1–23: Truth as a Contested Concept.

Juror/Curator: Indira Freitas Johnson Dec 6–15: Small Works Members Show 2019 Jurors: WMG Board and Staff

PILSEN EAST

19TH ST HALSTED

2251 S. Michigan, 2nd Fl. (60616) www.flxst.co

6760 S. Stony Island (60649) www.rebuild-foundation.org

MORGAN

FLXST Contemporary

Stony Island Arts Bank

RACINE

HYDE PARK / DORCHESTER

STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK

ASHLAND

SOUTH SIDE

PLAISANCE

DORCHESTER

LOGAN CENTER

KENWOOD

MIDWAY

WOODLAWN

67TH ST

RENAISSANCE SOCIETY

ELLIS

60TH ST

COTTAGE GROVE

MLK DRIVE

58TH ST

31ST ST 35TH ST

Fall 2019 | CGN | 33

SUBURBS + MIDWEST

Perspective Group + Photography Gallery, Ltd. 1310-1/2 Chicago Ave., Evanston (60201) www.perspectivegallery.org

Perspective Gallery is a not-for-profit, communityoriented cooperative whose purpose is to promote fine art photography.

EVANSTON The Block Museum of Art

The Saw Room at the Alley Gallery

Join us for a global exhibition program that crosses time periods and cultures and serves as a springboard for thought-provoking discussions.

Thru Sept 28: Figurative Art League group exhibition Oct 5–Nov 30: Photographic Works by Vanessa Filley Dec 7–Jan 2020: Abstract Paintings by Virginia Roeder and Mimi Dolnick

Sept 21–Dec 8: Pop América, 1965–1975

Space 900

1712 Sherman Ave. #2, Evanston (60201) www.thesawroom.com

Northwestern University 40 Arts Circle Dr., Evanston (60208) www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu

816 Dempster St., Evanston (60202) www.space900.org

Cultivate Urban Rainforest & Gallery 704 Main St., Evanston (60202) www.cultivateurbanrainforest.com

Sept 9–28: Exquisite Realms Oct 3–13: ORGANIC / INORGANIC Oct 19–Nov 10: Layers of Time Nov 15–Dec 1: Escapes In Abstraction Dec 12–15: Judy Solomon and friends Pop-Up

Evanston Art Center

1717 Central St., Evanston (60201) www.evanstonartcenter.org

THE NORTH SHORE AND NORTHWEST SUBURBS

The EAC is an integral part of community life, providing access and experiences in the arts to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities through classes, exhibitions and outreach programs. Galleries are free and open to the public.

The Art Center – Highland Park

Ice House Gallery

1957 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park (60035) www.theartcenterhp.org

609 S. Blvd., Evanston (60202) www.icehousegalleryevanston.com

TACHP harnesses the power of art to change and improve lives through impactful and innovative exhibitions. We showcase national and regional artists to our 4 museum quality gallery spaces with exhibitions for established and emerging artists.

Sept 7–Dec 28: Flora, Fauna & Fascination.

Over 40 local artists! Opening Sept 7, 5–8pm.

Oct and Nov: Local Artist Short Film 1st Saturday Monthly Solo Show receptions held 5–7pm

THE ART CENTER HIGHLAND PARK

LAKE COOK ROAD

ANN LOUCKS GLENCOE

ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM GOLF ROAD

S EDEN SSWAY E EXPR

GLENVIEW

NORTH SHORE + EVANSTON

WILMETTE

• BLOCK MUSEUM • CULTIVATE • EVANSTON ART CENTER CHURCH • ICE HOUSE DEMPSTER • PERSPECTIVE MAIN EVANSTON• SAW ROOM • SPACE 900

9603 Woods Dr., Skokie (60077) www.ilholocaustmuseum.org

Anne Loucks Gallery 309 Park Ave., Glencoe (60022) www.loucksgallery.com

Contemporary American painting + photography since 2001.

Representing: Victoria Adams, Tracey Adams, March Avery, Rodger Bechtold, David Burdeny, Pegan Brooke, Madeline Denaro, Bernd Haussmann, Joshua Jensen-Nagle, Maggie Meiners, Sally Michel, Marshall Noice, Melanie Parke, Lisa Ridgers, Hunt Slonem, Laurie Victor Kay, Leslie Wu

WESTERN SUBURBS Cleve Carney Art Gallery College of DuPage 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn (60137) www.clevecarneygallery.org/

The Compassion Factory Art Gallery + Studio

9210 Broadway Ave., Brookfield (60513) www.compassionfactory.com Sept 5–28: The Portraits Oct 3–Nov 2: The Color of Music Oct 24–Nov 2: Day of the Dead Community Altars Nov 9 and Nov 16: Pop up exhibitions

Sept 14–Jan 12, 2020: What Came After: Figurative Painting in Chicago 1978-1998; The McCormick House – Past, Present, Future

Fermilab Art Gallery

Kirk Rd & Pine St., Batavia (60510) events.fnal.gov/art-gallery

Komechak Art Gallery (Benedictine University)

5700 College Rd., Lisle (60532) www.ben.edu/komechak-art-gallery/index.cfm

Water Street Studios 160 S. Water, Batavia (60510) www.waterstreetstudios.org

TOUHY

DEVON ROAD

KE

N

nR ridOaAD SDhAe NR

ERI

SH

IRVING PARK ROAD

N

ED Y

ES

CHICAGO d.

EX

PR

34 | CGN | Fall 2019

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center

Thru Oct 28: Cosmic Design by Shanthi Chandrasekar Nov 1–Jan 6, 2020: Photographs by Reidar Hahn

HOWARD

O’HARE INTL’ AIRPORT

Upscale gallery with one of the largest inventories of original art in Chicagoland. Representing 125+ artists.

Contemporary/Transitional/Traditional styles. Many large-scale paintings. Fine framing offered.

150 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst (60126) www.elmhurstartmuseum.org

D OA YR BA AD N RO REE G

WINNETKA

AN ID

ER

SH

WILLOW ROAD

984 Willow Rd., Ste. G, Northbrook (60062) www.artpostgallery.com • 847–272–7659

Elmhurst Art Museum

HIGHLAND PARK

ART POST NORTHBROOK

Art Post Gallery

SW AY

A 501(c)3 for-purpose art center in downtown Batavia annually serving over 2,000+ students, exhibiting 24 shows, and supporting 25 resident artists. Voted “Best Gallery” in 2019 by West Suburban Living and Kane County Chronicle.

Wheelchair accessible. Gender-neutral restrooms.

WESTERN + SOUTH SUBURBS S C H AU M BU R G

ABST BOLD

ROSEMONT

NS

N O R T H AV E .

ELMHURST

ELMURST ART MUSEUM

• FERMILAB • WATER ST STUDIOS BATAV I A

CLEVE CARNEY

R O O S E V E LT R D.

GLEN E L LY N H I N S DA L E

E A S T W E S T TO L LW AY

LISLE

KOMECHAK ART GALLERY

WESTERN SUBURBS

SOUTH SUBURBS

5 5 T H S T.

COMPASSION FACTORY ROBERT F. DECAPRIO

• SALON ARTISTS • CHRISTOPHER GALLERY MANILOW SCULPTURE PARK

Fermilab Art Gallery Kirk Rd & Pine St., Batavia, IL

Frederick Hamm ersley ( 1919–2009), Opposin g, 1959, oil on lin en. Collec tion of Carl & Marilynn Th oma. © Frederick Hamm ersley Fou n dation, cou r tesy of th e Carl & Marilynn Th oma Ar t Fou n dation, ph oto by Jamie Stu kenberg.

Northern Illinois

Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery Rockford Art Museum Fashion Outlets: The Collection Christopher ArtN.Gallery 711 Main St., Rockford (61103) Moraine Valley Community College at Prairie www.rockfordartmuseum.org State College

Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park Governors State University, 1 University Pkwy., University Park (60484) • www.govst.edu/sculpture

Collection of 30 master works of large-scale sculpture situated within 100 acres of prairie landscape. This “museum-in-the-prairie” is open for public viewing 365 days a year and is free of charge.

Salon Artists Gallery

294 Main St., Park Forest (60466) www.salonartistsgallery.com Salon Artists Gallery is a professional artist’s cooperative which prides itself on mentoring new artists.

GREATER ILLINOIS Krannert Art Museum (KAM) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 500 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign (61820) www.kam.illinois.edu

Fall 2019: Art Since 1948; Revealing Presence: Women in Architecture at Illinois; Hot Spots: Radioactivity and the Landscape; All This Beauty and Color; Art + Design Faculty. Always free admission.

Thru Sept 29: Chance Encounter: Julie Heffernan and Shelly Mosman Oct 11–Jan 26, 2020: Bold Abstractions: Paintings from the Thoma Collection

Tarble Arts Center

oc t 11, 2019–jan 26 , 2020 rockford ar t museum 7 11 n m ai n st , rockford rockfordar tmuseum.org

Free admission during the exhibition.

C H I C AG O H E I G H T S + PA R K F O R E S T

9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills (60465) www.morainevalley.edu/fpac/artgallery

pai nti n gs f rom th e th o m a co l lec tion

Support provided by the Carl & Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation.

BROOKFIELD

Cleve Carney Art Gallery / University (NIU) Christopher Art Gallery McAninch Arts Center Museum at Prairie State College KomechakArt Art Gallery College of DuPage Altgeld Hall, 1st Fl., West End, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights (60411) Benedictine University 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL DeKalb (60115) prairiestate.edu/christopher-art-gallery/index.aspx 5700 College Rd., Lisle, IL www.niu.edu/artmuseum Featuring 8 exhibitions yearly, 5 of works by renowned The Compassion Factory artistsBroadway from the Midwest and beyond, AugStudios 27–Oct 18: Exploring Aspects of War In and Through Water Street 9210 Ave., Brookfield ILand 3 student exhibitions. Artists exhibited have included Dawoud Bey, the Visual Arts. Reception: Sept 12, 5–8 pm 160 S. Water St., Batavia, IL Terry Evans, Eleanor Spiess-Ferris, Gladys Nilsson and Nov 14–Dec 13: NIU School of Art and Design Faculty Joseph Jachna.

Elmhurst Art Museum Biennial Exhibition SOUTH SUBURBS 150 S Cottage Hill, Elmhurst, IL

5220 Fashion Outlets Way, Rosemont, IL Fine and Performing Arts Center

IO

WESTERN + SOUTH SUBURBS

RACT

O’HARE AIRPORT

This major exhibition explores new forms of abstract painting f rom the 1960s and marks the first time this significant post-war painting collection has been shown at a public museum. This selection of works includes an international group of 33 artists associated with some of the key painting movements of the mid-20th century.

Sugar Row Gallery

234 High St., Mineral Point (53565) www.sugarrowstudioandgallery.com

Wantoot Gallery

236 High St., Mineral Point (53565) www.wantoot.com Oct 5: John Himmelfarb, New Work Oct 19: Kristin Quinn, New Work

The Warehouse

1635 W. Saint Paul Ave., Milwaukee (53233) www.thewarehousemke.org

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Eastern IL Univ., 2010 9th St., Charleston (61920) www.eiu.edu/tarble/

WISCONSIN Lily Pad Gallery West

215 N. Broadway, Milwaukee (53202) www.lilypadgallery.com Offering the finest quality in realism, impressionism, naturalism, and abstract works of art. With over 200 works from 70 artists, the gallery offers modern, contemporary and art reminiscent of 19th C. French and Dutch Masters.

Milwaukee Art Museum

700 N. Art Museum Dr., Milwaukee (53202) www.mam.org Thru Oct 6: Nares: Moves Sep 6–Mar 1: Portrait of Milwaukee Oct 4–Feb 9: Landfall Press: Five Decades of Printmaking Nov 15–Mar 22: A Modern Vision: European Masterworks from the Phillips Collection

INDIANA Brauer Museum of Art

Valparaiso University, 1709 Chapel Dr. Valparaiso (46383) www.valpo.edu/brauer-museum-of-art Thru Dec 8: Betty LaDuke: Social Justice Revisited: Remembering • Reliving • Resisting; Su Kwak: The Cosmic Light Series; Mark Fletcher: Winking Turtle, Whispering Tree

South Shore Arts

1040 Ridge Rd., Munster IN (46321) www.southshoreartsonline.org

MICHIGAN Krasl Art Center

707 Lake Blvd., St. Joseph (49085) • www.krasl.org A nonprofit art center enriching lives through enlightening art experiences and seeks to inspire meaningful change and strengthen community through the visual arts.

Fall 2019 | CGN | 35

RICHARD HULL CHICAGO’S LASTING IMPRESSION ON AN ARTIST HULL’S 2018 EXHIBITION AT WESTERN EXHIBITIONS FEATURED HIS NEWER CONSTRUCTIONS ALONGSIDE TWO-DIMENSIONAL PAINTINGS

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Richard Hull is not from Chicago, but his art distinctly is.

Encouraged by a professor while attending the Kansas City Art Institute in the 1970s, he moved to Chicago in 1978 to study for his MFA at the School of the Art Institute. First drawn to the Imagists, a Chicago-based group of artists that had been active more than a decade before his arrival, Hull found his own niche quickly and enjoyed a string of good professional and artistic fortune before he even graduated from SAIC. Many artists have come to the city on their way elsewhere, but Hull stayed. “I’ve been here over 40 years now,” he says on a sunny afternoon seated in his new West Town studio. Asked what has kept him here for four decades, instead of just one, he explains, “I wasn’t going to come here but my teacher convinced me I had to. One of the reasons I stayed was because so many good things happened quickly for me, while I was still in school. Within one year I was busy selling paintings and showing with Phyllis Kind [Gallery]. I was not planning for anything like that.”

Hull considers himself fortunate that life was easy enough to keep afloat. At the time, “Things were going well, and it was kind of easy where I was living. It was cheap.” But there were other determining factors: the high-profile art dealer Phyllis Kind, who had a presence in Chicago as well as New York, admired the 36 | CGN | Fall 2019

young artist’s work. Her art world connections led to interactions with people in other disciplines in Chicago, such as theater. Exposure to a broader cultural world of musicians, actors and writers nurtured something in Hull, and he was inspired. “It just sort of helped me,” Hull recalls, “You know, the art world is small here. You could get really ground down by it. I had access to a lot of other people and ideas.”

Hull almost ventured to New York in the early ‘80s, at Kind’s behest, since he was exhibiting as much there as he was in Chicago, but it was a dream never realized.

“She thought it’d be good if I moved there, and I really thought about it for a while, but it just kind of slipped away. That’s what happens.”

Hull’s artistic life could have advanced anywhere. “It’s funny,” he says, “I’ve been here a long time, so people think I really love Chicago, and there are things I do like, but I’m not in love with Chicago.”

The art world can be its own strange universe, says Hull.

“I don’t have any real complaints about Chicago, except the weather, maybe, but any complaints about the art world I won’t get into – it can be idiotic. But just leave if you really don’t like it, right?”

When I ask if many of Hull’s peers in the ‘80s left for New York, he admits that a lot of people did, but certainly not everyone. Now he suspects that many artists hang around Chicago a few years longer before

moving to New York. “Chicago is a lot easier. New York is hard now. Really hard. It wasn’t so hard before.”

When asked by his own students, decades later, what’s the right move after graduate school, Hull says he would tell them, “Get all your shit, put it in your car and move to New York. Just go.” But he admits now he has reservations when giving such advice. “I really don’t like people leaving. I want to be around good people here, but the opportunity can be much greater there.”

He confesses, “I even still think about leaving. Just because.”

– It didn’t take 40 years for Chicago to make an impression on Hull. While in Kansas City, Hull says he was heavily influenced by west coast, Bay Area funk artists, such as William Wiley, Roy De Forest, Robert Hudson and others teaching at [University of California] Davis, but when considering graduate school, he ultimately chose Chicago, largely because of the Hairy Who, a group of artists that had held a series of exhibitions while at SAIC in the 1960s, more than a decade before Hull arrived in 1978.

things, I sold a work of art to someone, and I thought I was being really careful with my paintings – like really neat, and I didn’t have any brush marks. Then somebody hung it next to a Roger Brown, and I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s a fucking mess,’ because Roger’s work is so pristine. I realized that I was still pretty different from those guys just by that.”

About a decade ago Hull once again referenced the Imagists when he began a series of works that call to mind abstract portraits, such as the busts depicted by Jim Nutt and Barbara Rossi. His mysterious figures, featuring facial outlines that emerge from the abstract in pieces and sometimes in profile, were a refutation of his reputation as an abstract painter. “People think that I’m an abstract painter and I don’t think I’m abstract in any way, if you think about the way paintings are made,” explains Hull. To him, there are also elements that are undeniably real.

“I wrote a statement once,” he says, “I just said everything in these paintings is real – the paint, the materials, the shapes. They’re all real things.”

“I didn’t know much about the Imagists,” Hull says, “What I’d seen, I liked, but it wasn’t as if I felt like I was going to be overwhelmingly influenced when I came to Chicago. I enjoyed the artwork, but I thought it was very different from mine. That was one of the draws – I respected the work a lot, but I didn’t feel the influence.”

The colorful effects of the art produced by the Imagists did not fade; once Hull was in Chicago, he ended up exhibiting alongside members of the Hairy Who right away and reconsidering his own approach to painting.

“I wasn’t trying to be like them,” says Hull, “But then after showing with them, and even owning some works, walking by a Karl Wirsum everyday will make you think differently about shapes and images. Jim Nutt, Gladys Nilsson, Miyoko Ito – it sort of infiltrates your thinking.”

Hull’s earliest work follows a linear, architectural structure, but the Imagist reverence for form, shape and color is unmistakeable now. There is three dimensionality even in Hull’s 2-D works. With so much time between his years alongside his Hairy Who peers and now, Hull says he thinks his work, particularly the pieces focused on loops that resemble expanding water balloons, is the most like the Imagists it’s ever been.

Even though Hull got on with the Imagists quickly, he says he had a lot to learn technically, as well as aesthetically. He recalls, “When I was first showing

RICHARD HULL, DEDICATION 2018, OIL AND WAX ON LINEN, 78” H X 96” W

Hull’s figures, while not realistic, are recognizable and deliberate. “It has to make sense to me,” he explains, “for the placement of shapes or where things go in terms of the way a head would be, or the way things are in the world, rather than just on a flat surface. I was moving towards a totally unrepresentative moment, and I wanted to pull back from that.”

Building on the head paintings and drawings from a decade ago, 3-D structures continue to evolve as Hull has begun to explore sculptures and shapes in space.

“I started those because I was doing the head shapes, and I was making a sort of a frame for them inside the painting. I think of them like mirrors, and I was having trouble every time I got to the end of the painting, so I would just leave the edges empty because I wanted to Summer 2019 | CGN | 35 Fall 2019 | CGN | 37

deal with the middle parts, the forms, and it would take me forever to get the right color and whatever activity would be happening around it, and I thought, ‘This is a pain in the ass. Maybe I should get rid of that.’ So I just cut the edges off the paintings.”

Now Hull collaborates with a former student to put a drawing on medium-density fibreboard (MDF) in any shape he wants, and the cut off edges are no longer a creative end point.

The colors in Hull’s paintings must have a mutually beneficial relationship, and the shapes, appearing over and over, layer upon layer, used in his work must be part of a harmonious composition. “It’s a kind of rhythm, really. And rhythms get interrupted. It might be my interest in music – that’s just a maybe. I don’t think, ‘Oh, I’m making musical paintings.’ It’d be idiotic. No, you just get started on it, and it feels right.”

Together these colorful figures, formed from repeating shapes, resemble elaborate, retro hairdos methodically constructed in a way that holds them together as well as presents a pleasing arrangement. Vibrant depictions of individual efforts to layer and shape transform the everyday into something remarkable.

“I was thinking of them as hairdos more than anything really,” Hull notes, though he says it’s funny, because he’s definitely not all that fascinated with hair.

– When I ask Hull what he is working on now, he points to a handful of works in progress, placed around the studio.

He’s taken a break for a few weeks, as his new space has been built out, and now, in a suitably light, fresh workspace, he’s tinkering with some crayon drawings as well as finessing some underpainting, which he says he’d never done until a couple of years ago. “I put the colors under it on the canvas and then I paint color on top of it,” he explains. “It’s really gives another kind of vibrancy to the painting, and it’s related to the crayon drawing, where I put color down and it will scratch through.”

HULL KEEPS BOXES FILLED WITH HUNDREDS OF CRAYOLA CRAYONS CLOSE BY AS HE WORKS ON CRAYON DRAWINGS IN HIS NEW STUDIO

– Color is a consistently dominant element in Hull’s work, one that he persistently examines and adjusts. “My only color theory is you decide on a color to start with, and then you find a color that makes that better. It’s about the relationship to the color within the piece. If I add a violet next to a red, does that make the red better or does it distract from or make the red look bad? It’s color, next color. Color, next color. And I’m always kind of surprised how colorful my things are, because I never thought of myself as a very good colorist.”

38 | CGN | Fall 2019

Hull has used a variation of the technique going back to his older paintings, but it can be tedious. “I kind of hate doing it,” he admits, “because I’d rather be making the painting, not preparing the thing. But I haven’t been disciplined in doing that. Here [pointing to a work on the floor] if you get up close, you can see how the color comes through. So these are the things I’m working on now.”

Though Hull says he has not been disciplined in the preparation of individual paintings, he is methodical in his experimentation overall. He says he’s considering creating more sculptures like the ones that were part of his 2018 exhibition, perhaps working on a much larger scale, though that could mean a piece that measures eight feet tall might weigh 150 lbs. Hull suspects it would just be too much, but it’s in the back of his mind.

To get ready to install a solo booth with art dealer Scott Speh and his gallery, Western Exhibitions, at EXPO CHICAGO in September, Hull has been considering the

HULL’S WEST SIDE STUDIO IS FILLED WITH MATERIALS AND WORKS IN PROGRESS

various works he will exhibit, including many from the mid 1990s, juxtaposed with a few newer works, such as the crayon drawings. Despite having had a very busy year – his most recent show was at Western Exhibitions in April 2018, and he moved his home and his studio in 2019 – Hull emphasizes that, no matter what is going on, he is never one to turn down an opportunity.

I talk too much. That’s what teaching will do to you. It makes you organize your thoughts. It’s been good for me.”

“That’s the advice I give my students. They say ‘How should I go about a career?’ And I say just be ready. Don’t ever tell anybody ‘No.’ They’re going to forget about you and move on.”

Hull says SAIC is an amazing place to teach. He’s long admired how much the faculty cares about students and how they are always assessing how to be helpful and supportive. The school has come to embody an ideal role in the art world, where students and teachers try and examine what others are working on and consciously be constructive, in order to continue to all push art to the next level. “It always feels good for all of us [at SAIC] when somebody does well, and a lot of people do.”

Hull has been an adjunct professor of painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for 15 years, typically with five graduate students every semester and around 30 undergraduates. While his students undoubtedly learn invaluable lessons from Hull if they listen, “Actually, he says, some of the good ones don’t, and they may be the best,” he emphasizes that education is a two way street.

Thinking about the professor who encouraged him to move to Chicago 40 years ago, Hull explains, “His name was Ron Slowinski. He had gone to school with [artist and mentor to the Imagists] Ray Yoshida in the ‘50s, and he was friends with [art critic] Dennis Adrian too, who ended up buying a couple of paintings of mine and introducing me to all kinds of people. Because of that I owe Ron a great deal for making me come here.”

Is his wisdom today drastically different from what he would have dispensed more than a decade ago? “I don’t know if I’ve evolved that much,” he says.

In a similar position now, Hull still resists the comparison to his old teacher, “I don’t think I’m quite as powerful as that,” he says. Considering what it means that someone took the time to care and give encouragement to him, and he’s now able to pass along the same gift to students now, Hull admits, “It is fun to try to help somebody. It’s really gratifying.”

If the advice is constant, the artist is not. “Well, maybe I’ve just become more confident and able to talk now. I didn’t talk hardly at all before I started teaching. Now,

Fall 2019 | CGN | 39

THE NEWEST THING WHAT COLLECTORS ARE BUYING NOW CGN has conducted dozens of collector interviews over the years, and they continue to be some of our most popular features. The chance to see works of art in people’s homes is an opportunity to see art outside of a commercial or institutional space and to understand the personal nature of collecting.

We wondered what works continue to join an evolving collection? The following four collectors were kind enough to update CGN on what they’ve recently acquired. – GV

NANCY AND BOB MOLLERS

– BRIAN CALVIN

“This is the second work by Brian Calvin in our collection, and is hanging in our home now. We do not keep works of art in storage.”

At right: Brian Calvin (b. 1969) SAIC MFA 1994, Untitled, Marker and pastel on paper, 25.5 “ x 19.75”, 2018 Purchased from Corbett vs. Dempsey (Chicago)

TIM GARVEY

– DEVAN SHIMOYAMA “I’ve always been interested in and collected works by outsiders — self-taught visionaries like Henry darger and Martin Ramirez. More recently I’ve been complementing their work with that of new ‘outsiders’, trained artists who represent viewpoints and subjects not traditionally seen in museums or mainstream galleries. Recent purchases include works by Devan Shimoyama, a young artist who recently had a great solo show at the Warhol Museum, and who is represented by Kavi Gupta and David De Buck; and another by David Alekhuogie, a recent Yale MFA repped by Commonwealth and Council in LA.” At left: Devan Shimoyama (b. 1989) Yale MFA 2014, Sensitive, oil, color pencil, jewelry, flashe, collage and glitter on canvas DEVAN SHIMOYAMA

stitched over panel, 48” x 36”, 2018.

Purchased in 2018 at EXPO CHICAGO from De Buck Gallery

40 | CGN | Fall 2019

BRIAN WESTPHAL AND MICHAEL MCVICKAR – CHRIS UPHUES “We started talking to Chris about creating a new piece in January of 2018. The prior installation, known as ‘The Happy Garage’ has its own Instagram following (#thehappygarage) and had suffered some vandalism and was showing some wear, so we were interested in getting a refresh, but Chris had a bigger project in mind. Because the side of the garage is corrugated, he proposed preparing a dozen 4’ x 8’ panels with his mural, which would then be affixed to the garage. He began work on the piece (at least the painting part) in early June 2018, and it was completed at the end of the month. The new piece is approximately 24’ x 14’ and has become a well-known backdrop for photographs, including fashion shoots and weddings.

2018–19 has otherwise been a dry year for new acquisitions but a great year for travel.”

JASON PICKLEMAN – ARI NORRIS “I purchased this recent acquisition for $400.00 from David Salkin Creative. It is currently installed at my gallery, Lawrence & Clark – where all my newly acquired works first go!”

Ari Norris Bushing Hammer, 2018 Cast Resin, Paint 9 x 8 x 4”

Fall 2019 | CGN | 41

COLLECTOR ROBERT BUFORD EMBRACING THE CONNECTIVITY OF ART THE TOP FLOOR OF BOB BUFORD’S HOME IS DEVOTED TO ART. PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT ARE WORKS BY MARTIN KIPPENBERGER, LAURA OWENS, PETER HALLEY, AND MARC CAMILLE CHAIMOWICZ.

By GINNY VAN ALYEA When I took the elevator to collector Bob Buford’s apartment, I thought it was to the top of the building, since that’s where the floor numbers stopped. I soon learned that a series of opportunities over nearly ten years gave Mr. Buford access to several units above as well as next to the main one, ultimately creating a four story home in the sky, with 360° views of Chicago and Lake Michigan.

Housed throughout this spacious urban refuge is a top tier art collection. After my arrival, I expected to start talking about how Bob first became interested in art and when he began to actively collect it, but as we walked through the apartment, passing dozens of paintings, through a library, by a wine cellar, into an office, we were distracted by what could be described as a “Lollapalooza Study Center.” The four-day music festival had just ended a few days prior, and Bob was at the center of all of it.

Headphones still on the table, Bob admits, “I listened to nearly a thousand cuts before I went, plotting out each day of the event.” Bob’s methodical approach to navigating a sweltering, jammed music festival quickly 42 | CGN | Fall 2019

revealed to me how he approaches something he is passionate about, filtering through a copious amount of information in order to explore more deeply what he likes.

In the case of Lollapalooza, Bob made a loose plan that allowed for him to have fun putting himself into the world of the typical Lolla fan while learning as much as possible.

Grabbing a binder filled with program sheets in plastic sleeves, Bob showed me the band line-ups for all four days, as well as the worksheets, heavily marked up in pencil, he spent 50 hours creating, indicating all the bands and the songs he listened to. He would assign a pre-grade to each band before attending the festival, and then an updated, final rating after he saw them perform.

Whether it’s Lollapalooza, wine, or art Bob relies on extensive, personally conducted research to inform a sort of predictive analysis of his interests. By investing time and attention up front, he confidently lays out a plan. At Lollapalooza, his pre-grades determine which bands he will see and the route he needs to take to efficiently get there. To follow up, his summary of the event informs his music library and future concert attendance.

When I asked if he applies this approach to art buying,

he takes me to a closet lined with auction catalogs, each of which is flagged with dozens of page markers to indicate where his notes are.

“When the auctions come up, especially during the big weeks, I’ll have several catalogs spread out in the kitchen.” Bob explains that, much like his pre-concert strategy, he always has an auction game plan: “I make a worksheet that will have a list of estimated values, preferences, and little notes.” Then he documents which auctions take place in the morning, afternoon and evening and at which houses (Christie’s, Sotheby’s and Phillips, for instance) so if he’s able to attend in person, he is prepared as the auctions unfold. On top of that, he plots which works of art he’s interested in. Eventually he records which pieces he purchased on the bottom of a summary sheet.

Fauve by Kees van Dongen. The 1988, 12-part series entitled AIDS, by the Canadian trio General Idea, hangs in a row facing a brilliantly blue Lake Michigan. On another level is a print by Andy Warhol, with another Ellsworth Kelly print nearby. We stop to admire a stunning blue, geometric woodcut by Richard Diebenkorn, which Bob says his ex-wife, Tish, encouraged him to purchase in 2000 at Art Chicago, the predecessor to EXPO CHICAGO. He says while he was drawn to the blue palette, Tish saw much more in the work, which ultimately piqued Bob’s interest in more contemporary art.

just a couple of feet from a striking round closed pot by Toshiko Takaezu.

Tucked into an alcove is a pair of red and green, port-and-starboard-like vertical rectangles by Anne Truitt.

As Bob rattles off more names of artists and galleries, he refers to professional-looking gallery labels placed next to each work, sometimes pausing to tell me a story about the art, such as the time a chunk of thick oil paint fell off of a Hans Hofmann, and it required attention from a conservator. There is so much to see and appreciate, it feels a little like dashing through a museum before closing time.

The first painting Bob ever bought at auction, in 1998, was by French artist Edouard Cortès, a Post–impressionist painter who painted European street scenes in the rain and at night. As he began to live with art, his knowledge of and appreciation for it grew.

Over the next couple of years, Bob’s interest in art continued to grow, as he acquired additional 19th Century European and American paintings. From there he embraced Post–Impressionists, like Henri Lebasque and Henri Martin, as well as Fauve and Neo Impressionist works. He acquired art by German Expressionists, like Erich Heckel, and

by Cubists, such as Jean Metzinger.

In each area he was drawn to color, texture and vibrant presentations.

As we move more quickly through the apartment, the list of artists who are part of Bob’s collection grows more impressive and more modern.

Everywhere there is color – in paintings by Kenneth Noland, and Larry Poons; on a large canvas by Helen Frankenthaler; and a vibrant

BUFORD IS PICTURED IN FRONT OF A FRAMED TRIPTYCH BY JOAN MITCHELL, ONE OF HIS MORE RECENT ACQUISITIONS.

Moving upwards through the floors, we see a few more sculptures. In a room with a pool table, a series of glazed, ceramic bottles by Michael Kaysen, purchased from 65Grand Gallery on North Avenue, are placed

The art in Bob’s home seems imbued with life, so much so that just because something is put away or moved to another location does not mean it’s forgotten. Much like the wines in his expansive cellar, the art in Bob’s Fall 2019 | CGN | 43

BOB’S LIBRARY DISPLAYS A TROVE OF ART BOOKS AND CATALOGUES RELATED TO THE ART IN HIS COLLECTION. PAINTINGS PICTURED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: SAM GILLIAM, FERNAND LÉGER, AND HANS HOFMANN

collection continues to mature. The prospect of a new phase is part of the fun. Says Bob, “To make sure you catch it all, the process involves awareness, education and motivation.”

The depth and significance of Bob’s collection today hides the fact that, as he says, the art world once passed him by, without anything more than a peripheral awareness.

30 years ago, he recalls, he used to feel as if he was an outsider among people speaking a different language.

However, once Bob purchased a few of pieces of art and lived with them, he recalls, “The door opened a little bit, I was allowed to come in. And it wasn’t so dangerous, though the learning curve was steep, and never ending.”

Bob’s “Art 101” was 19th century European art, but his art buying continues to span a mix of periods, artists and mediums, eluding classification as a whole. For him, “It’s just opened up more rooms.

I open up the door and go, ‘Whoa, this is nice. I want to know more.’”

His curiosity piqued, he doesn’t hesitate to look for help understanding what is new for him.

As Bob started to immerse himself in contemporary art, just a few years ago, he learned more and added to his collection. As new art continued to come home, he bought reference books to accompany the works and kept flagging the pages of auction catalogues. Constant communication with his friends in the art world has helped him learn holistically.

With a growing knowledge and education, his earlier focus shifted

44 | CGN | Fall 2019

forward in history into American post-war and contemporary art. As Bob’s awareness grew, so did his confidence and his exposure to a wider range of art.

When I ask Bob how much of his collection has been acquired at auction, he says the majority. “The specialists at Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Phillips, and Leslie Hindman have all been so informative and helpful.

That’s how I learned. They’ve each become as much a partner and a consultant as salesman.”

As Bob got his feet wet at auctions, he credits a few key friends, including his ex-wife Tish, Bill Gross of 65Grand Gallery, and associates at local museums, with advising him about acquiring work and helping him test drive an expanding body of knowledge.

Bob says he hasn’t reached the point where he’s outgrown a work of art and wanted to sell it. Instead, he relocates and rehangs art as needed, or whenever a new piece arrives at home. Often a newcomer alters the dynamic that familiar works create with one another.

Sounding as if he’s talking about children he says, “It’s almost like they’re competing with one another for space on the wall. When art gets put in storage, you can hear whether it’s upset or not. It can’t stay there too long.”

– I started to think about Billy Beane, who scouted for and managed the Oakland Athletics baseball team in the late 90s and became the inspiration for Michael Lewis’

book Moneyball and the follow-up film. Beane avidly mined statistics to identify undervalued ball players and ended up finding value others didn’t see. To me, while Bob is clear he’s not looking to profit from art collecting, his serious study of works coming up for auction is representative that, in addition to listening to the advice of friends and art colleagues, by assembling much of a star collection on the secondary art market, not only is some risk mitigated, but there is a corresponding resale market that helps Bob find and preserve value on his own terms.

– Living with art is also social for Bob. His love of wine, and the space and versatility of his home, means he entertains often. With nearly floor to ceiling windows, two levels even have temporary or pivoting walls that allow for flexible exhibition space as needed.

Whether it’s art, wine, food, music or travel, people from all walks of life can be connected. “All of a sudden, the door opens again, and a conversation begins. Art transcends all the professions,” says Bob. “It can fit in with people of every political persuasion, business background and age. No one’s excluded. Remember I mentioned I was afraid to walk in a room because I wouldn’t belong? It’s just the opposite, this is the most welcoming room you’ll ever get into.”

A SPACE CALLED WANTOOT Terrence Coffman John Himmelfarb Rande Barke Kristin Quinn At Nell’s #3 / TERRENCE COFFMAN

Bob is drawn to auctions because there’s a clear market history, and, as he puts it, the option to work with the houses on the buy side as well as on the sell side, should the need arise. “If you buy auctionable wines and you decide you don’t care for a particular region of the world of wine any more – for instance, you’re done with Bordeaux – you could consign it with Hart Davis Hart [a Chicago-based wine auction and company], sell it and even receive a return on your initial investment.” Bob’s experience with wine collecting made him realize the same could be true for art.

Sandra Peterson L. John Andrew

TM

MINERAL POINT WISCONSIN 53565 WANTOOT.COM

Fall 2019 | CGN | 45

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EXPO

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As collector Bob Buford explains in our interview with him for this issue (pp 42–45) planning is key to navigating the art world and making the most of art buying. Whether you are coming to an art fair to buy or are just curious to see what is happening, there are a few tips to keep in mind in order to avoid an overload ‘fair-tigue’ that could send you running for Netflix and the anti-social cover of your couch this fall. We promise getting out of the house will be worth it!

CGN’S ART FAIR PREP TIPS – HOW TO FOCUS ON THE ART

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

ROBIE HOUSE

• MAP IT OUT. Pick up a floor plan or use art fair websites to highlight which booths are where so you can prioritize what to see first.

Headed to the galleries? Use EXPO CHICAGO CGN’s gallery maps to find out where to go and what else is nearby. SEPT 19–22 • ASK QUESTIONS. Like what you see?

Ask for more. A dealer can steer you to their local space or browse their website with you to show you more works by a particular artist or art by another artist you might also like.

Wright’s Prairie style masterpiece: A brilliant architectural idea distilled to its essence.

Photo: James Caulfield

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

G A T E WAY

T O

W R I G H T ’ S

C H I C A G O

TOURS: FLWRIGHT.ORG 312.994.4000 46 | CGN | Fall 2019

• LEARN. Art fairs offer unique, high-caliber programming, both on and off-site, such as artist panels and topics about industry news or art practices.

You won’t have access to so many experts in one place any other time of the year.

NADA SEPT 18–21 TYRRELL WINSTON, COURTESY STEMS GALLERY

BARBARA HEINRICH

• TAKE NOTES. Buy a catalogue and mark it up or flag the pages with things to follow up or artists to research.

• SLOW DOWN. Visiting a booth for more than a minute or viewing a work of art sans phone will help you appreciate what you see.

• MEMORIZE THE SECRET HANDSHAKE. Just kidding! Art dealers are nice people! Artists want to meet you! You are not obligated to buy art. Stay focused on the art and it can change your life. Once the fair is over, visit galleries, attend an art walk, join a museum group, or subscribe to CGN!

September 12 - December 20

BRAD SELLS, COURTESY OF BLUE SPIRAL 1

• KEEP IN TOUCH. Subscribe AMERICAN CRAFT to the art fair’s mailing list or SEPT 19–22 let a dealer know you want to keep up with their news and exhibitions.

Next year you may snag a VIP pass!

Abraham Cruzvillegas The Ballad of Etc.

SOFA CHICAGO OCT 31–NOV 3

Collection viewings by request. For reservations, visit artsclubchicago.org.

ART BOOK FAIR NOV 15–17

GALLERY HOURS Tue-Fri 11:00 am - 6:00 pm Sat 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

312.787.3997 information@artsclubchicago.org @artsclubchicago

DEBUTING THIS OCTOBER

BLACK FINE ART MONTH

What Came After: Figurative Painting in Chicago 1978-1998

McCormick House Past, Present, Future A Pigment International Initiative

McCormick House Tours Sundays at 1 & 3 pm *excludes December 1 & 22

For more information call 312.206.2821 Visit www.blackfineartmonth.com

exhibitions on view September 14 - January 12

Fall 2019 | CGN | 47

MARIANE IBRAHIM A WEST COAST GALLERY MOVES TO CHICAGO FOR ITS AUTHENTICITY

MARIANE IBRAHIM. PHOTO: PHILIP NEWTON.

By GINNY VAN ALYEA This past February word spread that another gallery would open in West Town later in the year. A continuation of the westward expansion, as it’s become known, in Chicago’s art community was not a surprise, but the news that a young, acclaimed gallery was moving to Chicago. From another city.

Known for her showstopping booth installations at international art fairs and after seven years based in Seattle, Mariane Ibrahim has moved her eponymous gallery to Chicago and is bringing her vision with her. The gallery opens its doors with a grand opening on September 20 during EXPO Art Week and the start of the third Chicago Architecture Biennial.

When I walked by the gallery’s future home on North Paulina this summer, adjacent to Monique Meloche’s own still-new space, a battered front door gave no clues to the work being done behind the scenes, but a bright green plant and a posted black, minimalist sign with white type announcing the gallery’s new location hinted at the vibrancy of what is to come.

CGN had the opportunity to ask Ibrahim a few questions in the midst of a busy move and renovation, while she prepares for an inaugural exhibition featuring new work by artist Ayana V. Jackson.

48 | CGN | Fall 2019

When did you first open your gallery? What led you to the art business?

The gallery was founded in 2012 in Pioneer Square, Seattle, where we launched a selection of renowned and emerging African descent artists.

I was led to the art business because I noticed a lack of representation for emerging African artists, at that time, particularly in Seattle, but of course this was also true on a global scale. I launched the space with a vision to juxtapose a selection of diverse emerging artists.

What drives the gallery’s program now? Many of your artists haven’t been widely exhibited yet.

Our program is driven by our commitment to our artists, and that is reinforced by our curatorial program, which is focused on furthering the development of rising artists such as Amoako Boafo and Clotilde Jiménez, whose work we displayed at EXPO CHICAGO in 2018 in a solo presentation, as well as Thenjiwe Niki Nkosi, whose paintings we exhibited at Frieze this past spring. Artist Lina Iris Viktor

will have her first institutional solo show in London this September, at the Autograph space.

the artists we represent do not choose me for my ethnicity but because of the work I perform on their behalf. We highly serve the expectations of our artists.

Over the years, we have worked to establish relationships with major institutions in the United States and Europe, and we are eager to continue developing opportunities for our represented artists, in addition to our global selection of art fairs where we exhibit annually.

You’ve just moved your gallery from Seattle to Chicago.

What are some of the biggest draws for making the move here?

Our decision to move the gallery to Chicago stemmed from our interest in the city’s diverse artistic community and creatives. All roads lead to Chicago. Chicago is a city rooted in its rich historical and cultural landscape, one whose authenticity is a rarity in the United States. As we continue to reflect our vision, to serve as a catalyst for our artists’ commentary on social, economic and racial disparities, we embrace societal factors present in all metropolitan cities, particularly in Chicago.

Can you describe some of your biggest challenges as a dealer to date, as well as any successes?

The art market is unpredictable. There are various factors that intervene. As a gallerist, you constantly have to watch, research and adapt to every change. Our biggest challenges and biggest successes are intertwined in our risk taking. Every challenge is a learning experience, and success is an opportunity to re-assess. We deal with passion and commitment, independent of results.

You are one of just a few Black female gallerists showing at an international level. Undoubtedly there is a high interest right now in art by African and African American artists, and by extension a young dealer who grew up in Africa. Can you talk about what that kind of scrutiny and expectation that creates for you?

What do you have planned to inaugurate the gallery in Chicago in September? What you will you show at EXPO?

Sadly, being one of the few is not comforting, but there were those before me, and there will be more. Karen Jenkins-Johnson has been operating for 20 years in the art world, and young gallerist Rakeb Sile from Addis Fine Art has taken her gallery to a global stage, while still operating in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.

To inaugurate our new space, we are pleased to present Take Me to the Water, a solo exhibition of never before seen, large scale new works works by Ayana V. Jackson.

The exhibition presents a holistic survey of Jackson’s work to date, a culmination of varied discursive elements present in her career.

Diversity in the art world does not only apply to artists but to curators, gallerists, collectors, art critics and scholars as well. There is a growing interest in Black artists, however the choice for anyone to work with a dealer should not be defined by race, gender or religion. It must be a great fit and a mutually beneficial relationship. I certainly hope

For our second participation at EXPO, we will present a group exhibition.

AYANA V. JACKSON, SEA LION, 2019.

COURTESY OF MARIANE IBRAHIM GALLERY

What’s your favorite pursuit outside the art world?

I’ve always dreamed of becoming a florist.

Fall 2019 | CGN | 49

CULTIVATING WINDS OF CHANGE THE SHIP OF TOLERANCE DOCKS AT NAVY PIER FOR EXPO CHICAGO SHIP OF TOLERANCE © ZUG TOURISMUS FOTOGRAFIE DANIEL HEGGLIN

By GINNY VAN ALYEA “People can communicate with culture. They don’t need language,” says artist Emilia Kabakov. Together with her artist husband, Ilya, the Kabakovs, two of Russia’s most famous artists, are working to heal communities from the inside out through an ambitious, utopian art project called the Ship of Tolerance, which has been growing in reach and reputation since 2005. This September the ship’s port will be Navy Pier, where its launch will align with EXPO CHICAGO and the Chicago Architecture Biennial.

By building an ancient symbol of exploration and progress – the ship – in cities around the world, the Kabakovs have found a resonant means of constructive communication. “All this war and misunderstanding comes from fear,” proclaims Emilia. “When we communicate and we eliminate fear, those problems will hopefully get better. That’s really important for children.”

When the Chicago Ship is finished, it will have been nearly two years in the works, an extension of the international program initiated by the Kabakovs, both of whom were born in and eventually fled Communism and the Soviet Union—Emilia left in 1973, and Ilya in 1987. Married in 1992, today they consider the United States home.

Previous interpretations of the Ship have taken place in Siwa, Egypt; Venice; San Moritz; Sharjah, UAE; Miami; Havana; New York; Moscow; Zug, Switzerland; Capalbio, Italy and Rome. The first version, in the oasis town of Siwa, was in a very old and isolated religious art community with a long history, “It’s like a story book – 50 | CGN | Fall 2019

Alexander the Great went there,” recalls Emilia. “When we brought students from Manchester, England, with their teachers, to build the Ship of Tolerance in Siwa, on both sides they hadn’t met children from another country.”

Today that ship, and the message it carries, is still there.

When the Kabakov’s sixth ship was being built in Cuba in 2012, Emilia remembers her granddaughter Orliana asked the children questions like, What did they think tolerance was? How could they improve the situation in the war? What did they prefer? Originally the artists intended to construct two ships to be simultaneously unveiled in Miami and in Havana to honor the cities’ close historical and cultural ties, but political factors prevailed. Instead one ship was based in Miami during Art Basel and another resided on the grounds of Old Havana’s historic fortress, Castillo de la Real Fuerza, during the Havana Biennial. One ship was given to the Maritime Museum, where it reminds the two worlds to work together and talk about tolerance. Keeping the ship in a host city ensures positive strides do not recede.

Emilia says though the concept is simple, “The drawings are done by children, after they talk about tolerance,” organizing things is another story. Everyone involved in bringing the ship to Chicago – the project is partly a family affair, as the Kabakov’s daughter Viola is the concert organizer, and her daughter Orliana is the youth ambassador in Chicago – is very thankful for the help given by the teams at EXPO CHICAGO and Navy Pier to make it happen and build enthusiasm for the project.

Each ship must start with outreach to school children, ages

8 to 12, to discuss the meaning of tolerance and the merits of other cultures, races, and ideas. The children work with local teaching artists to expand on a variety of artistic as well as conceptual exercises. At the end of the workshop, they draw pictures that will become part of the installation.

In Chicago MacArthur Middle School is one partner. “They saw it on the internet,” says Viola, “And when they heard we were coming they wanted to participate. We also have members of area churches, synagogues and mosques in Chicago participating.”

Viola stresses they make every effort to bring local children, and those from other cities and countries, together in a short period to put on an opening dance or music performance. The limited time means the kids must communicate with each other any way they can. For Chicago there was so much interest that several concerts will take place, since as many people as want to be a part of the project may participate.

“When we started at MacArthur,” explains Viola, “we went to show them a video presentation of the ships and samples of the sails. We started the conversation about tolerance and how it affects their daily lives and we did it class by class. For the last five months they have been having this conversation and then producing the sails, which they send back to us in New York, where my parents decide which colors go on the mast of the ship.”

Even the ones that aren’t chosen are stitched together and displayed in various museums, in airports or on the street, so children have the opportunity to see their work everywhere.

When the sails are ready, a team of master carpenters from Manchester arrives to start building the wooden ship – based on the Kabakov’s design – from the keel up, hopefully also working with local teenage volunteers, who

learn carpentry skills as well as cooperation.

Chicago’s ship will measure 50’H x 24.6’W x 65.6’L and will launch during EXPO CHICAGO as part of IN/SITU Outside, a program for large-scale public sculpture. Additionally there will be a special exhibition booth of the Kabakovs’ artworks at EXPO CHICAGO, and the artists will participate in the /Dialogues program in partnership with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

While the project itself takes years to bring to life, the key components of the ship are made over a matter of days. The true message of the Ship of Tolerance comes more from the effort put into the act of creation rather than the work itself.

“The artwork is just the presentation. If you write a note to someone at this moment, you concentrate very strongly on what your message is and what you are thinking about. So for children the conversation about tolerance is the real art,” says Emilia. Much like slipping a message into a bottle before it’s tossed into the sea, there’s no telling how far the message will drift.The Ship of Tolerance will carry the pure, earnest wishes of so many children into the minds of many more.

By now the Kabakovs have done many projects around the world with thousands of children – from various cultures and of different religions. People tell the artists they are changed after a ship arrives in their city.

In a world where the headwinds are always strong, Emilia emphasizes, “We are not fighting against something. We are fighting for something.”

For a list of programs planned for Chicago visit expochicago.com and shipoftolerance.org. Events begin September 17, 2019.

EMILIA AND ILYA KABAKOV PICTURED WITH THE MIAMI RENDITION OF THE SHIP OF TOLERANCE ON THE WATSON ISLAND WATERFRONT IN 2012 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MIAMI CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AND ART BASEL MIAMI BEACH. PHOTO: JENIA FRIEDLYAND. COPYRIGHT © THE SHIP OF TOLERANCE

Fall 2019 | CGN | 51

PHYLLIS BRAMSON REIMAGINING IMAGISM’S CHICAGO LEGACY

WE ALL SHARE THE SAME BREATH (SNOW WHITE AND THE 7 DWARFS), 50” X 60”, MIXED MEDIA AND COLLAGE ON CANVAS, 2019

By ALISON REILLY Phyllis Bramson is a veteran of the Chicago art scene, an accomplished arts educator, and a damn good painter. A self-described child of the 1940s and 50s, Bramson’s parents were avid collectors of Asian and erotic art, which greatly influenced her aesthetic vocabulary. This September, she has three exhibitions opening respectively at Zolla/Lieberman Gallery, Elmhurst Art Museum, and The Suburban, which speaks to the depth of her connections to the city and her continued influence on contemporary art. Recently, I had the opportunity to ask her about her studio practice, her definition of Chicago Imagism, and her painting techniques. Bramson also reflected on her relationship with the late Jim Yood, the beloved Chicago art critic and writer. Below is an edited transcript of our conversation.

and the School of the Art Institute (where I now advise graduate students). Before that, I taught for 23 years at the University of Illinois, Chicago, in their studio arts program. When I was there I just walked through an alley, because the building I taught in butted up against the building I still live in!

CGN: How would you describe the pace that you work at in your studio? What is a typical day like?

PB: I am essentially in my studio six days a week.

A typical day is not a typical day. I don’t often know what is going to happen in a given day. A certain email, for example, can change everything, and that has been happening lately. Right now I have a lot to do, so I feel like I am constantly trying to play catch up with my work, and most important, there is a personal demand that I constantly progress with my practice.

Chicago Gallery News: What is your studio like?

Phyllis Bramson: My studio is located in Greektown in Chicago, where I live during the week. It is not far away from downtown. I love urban life, access to galleries, 52 | CGN | Fall 2019

CGN: You have organized an exhibition at the Elmhurst Art Museum called What Came After that opens this September. In addition to your own work, the exhibition will include Nicolas Africano, Susanne Doremus,

Eleanor Spiess-Ferris, Richard Hull, Michiko Itatani, Paul Lamantia, Robert Lostutter, Jim Lutes, Tony Phillips, David Sharpe, Hollis Sigler, Ken Warneke, Margaret Wharton, and Mary Lou Zelazny. As an artist, why is this exhibition important to you, and what do you hope to achieve by bringing this large group of painters together?

PB: The idea for this exhibition started when I began to notice that the Hairy Who, as a group, was getting a lot of well-deserved notice. Attention then spread to the Imagists, because in some articles and exhibitions, I would be mentioned as an Imagist, along with artists such as Robert Lostutter, Richard Hull and Paul Lamantia.

However, while there was this intermingling of terms, which I willingly accept, there was another group of artists from essentially 1978–1998, sometimes referenced as the “Chicago School” that was part of the Chicago art scene as well. One of their main champions was the art writer and critic James Yood. He loved the figure and all of its modifications, making him an advocate of this period. When I decided to organize this exhibition, I immediately called Yood asking if he would co-curate and write an essay for the program guide and catalog. It was very sad for me when he passed away [in April 2018], because I will always wonder what the show would have looked like if he had been a part of it. Thus, the exhibition, program guide and catalog are in memory of Yood. The purpose of the show is not to downplay the importance of the Hairy Who or the Imagists (some of the artists in this exhibition take on the mantle of Imagist), but rather to point out that there was a group of artists that made up an informal collective of like-minded painters.

CGN: How did your friend and colleague Jim Yood influence your art practice?

PB: He was a friend, but more so he was an ally who completely supported my work. He wrote articles that helped me place language with what I was painting.

I wasn’t the only one he supported. During the eighties and nineties, he was a big supporter of many others who worked figuratively, particularly in the Midwest. That admiration was manifested in exhibitions that he curated, reviews he wrote for national publications and in his public lectures. He genuinely loved the eccentric figure and a kind of iconographic irreverence.

THE ARTIST PHYLLIS BRAMSON

CGN: How would you define Chicago Imagism?

PB: I think Chicago Imagism carried on the tradition of the marriage between fantasy, funk and surrealism—a desire to delve into a unique narrative style using intense color and stage like theatrical representations and quirkiness.The problem, it seems to me, is that there are the original Imagists, but now that label can often apply to anyone using the figure in an eccentric and constructed narrative manner. I have often joked with others, “Imagism, the term that ate Chicago art!”

CGN: Can you tell me about your upcoming exhibitions at both Zolla/Lieberman Gallery and The Suburban?

PB: The Zolla/Lieberman exhibition is the result of the show that I have organized at Elmhurst Art Museum. I hope the Elmhurst show has some sort of impact on public awareness of my art and its context from another time. It made sense to simultaneously have a show of newer work at Zolla/Lieberman, since they represent me; even though the paintings in that exhibition have gone through significant changes since the Elmhurst Art Museum exhibition.

Then Michelle Grabner asked if I wanted to show at The Suburban in Milwaukee, with Matt Morris. It was a total surprise, because my work is quite different from art one might see there. While Matt’s and my Fall 2019 | CGN | 53

the strangeness of all those bodies honestly frightens me.

CGN: You use various techniques like collage, painting, and assemblage in your work. Which one are you most interested in at the moment?

PB: At the moment, I would like to reduce the amount of collage and concentrate more on paint, how it looks, and how it can be manipulated. I say that as I start a new body of work, but collaging might annoyingly push itself forward once again.

CGN: How do you define success as an artist?

DECOYS, 84” X 72”, O/C, 1989, COURTESY OF ZOLLA/LIEBERMAN AND PHYLLIS BRAMSON

work is visually very different, I can see why we were put together. We both deal with an eccentric view of romanticism and high kitsch. It’s amazing all three exhibitions are opening this September!

CGN: Many different kinds of characters appear in your paintings.

Do you work with a cast of characters, or do you invent new personalities for each painting?

PB: It often does feel like I have a cast of characters, but I don’t always look at it that way. Recently during a studio visit a curator mentioned that all of my figures’ faces looked alike, they all shared the same smile.

What I should have mentioned to her is that I am very interested in older Chinese propaganda posters where everyone – the farmworkers, the peasants – shares the same 54 | CGN | Fall 2019

smile. It is a false face, as their lives were so conflicted. In my paintings the smiles are presented in the same way. There is such difficulty in the world, and my figures represent that same smile as the painted figures in the posters, implying that all is well and good…when it isn’t!

CGN: You have called yourself a tourist, but would you go further and define yourself as a voyeur?

PB: The term voyeur is probably more appropriate because I am that way in life. I look and look and look at people. I try to figure out what they are thinking, and when they are with another person, what is that relationship about? I find myself constructing narratives about their lives, it is almost as if I am spying on people and placing an invented narrative onto them. Sometimes

PB: That’s so complicated. First of all, I want my work to mean something to myself and those around me. I want to be good – beyond good. I think no matter what an artist states, most would want at least a taste of a high-end career.

How many artists get such status? In the long run, you probably shouldn’t base your career on much more than the love of a studio practice and most importantly the grit of it all, because you will eventually either give up or become a very bitter artist.

CGN: Do you have a favorite gallery or museum in Chicago?

PB: I am not going to answer that.

But I will tell you that one of my favorite artists in Chicago was the late Henry Darger. And I will mention galleries that no longer exist but had a strong influence on me when I was younger. They were Frumkin Gallery, Dart Gallery (which represented me) and the Phyllis Kind Gallery (who also represented me). To their credit, there are many, many galleries existing today in Chicago that show artists whose work makes me envious as hell! Seeing such an exhibition sends me sulking back to my studio…I better get better!

Andy Warhol. Triple Elvis [Ferus Type], 1963. The Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY

Andy Warhol. Diana Vreeland, about 1956. Private collection. © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

CHARTING ANDY WARHOL FROM A TO B AND BACK AGAIN

By JACQUELINE LEWIS Andy Warhol – the influential artist who turned cultural icons into high art – will be exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago in the first major Warhol exhibition to be organized by a US institution in 30 years.

Warhol was a famously prolific artist, whose unmistakeable work has managed to be continually popular throughout the modern age. At a time when we are all laboring to manage and understand our consumerist, technology-jammed lives, the chance to view so much of Warhol’s art in this career sweeping exhibition may present some answers to our questions about a pop culture that continues to evolve, as well as the role of media in our society then, as well as now.

Andy Warhol. Mao, 1972. The Art Institute of Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Logan Purchase Prize and Wilson L. Mead funds. © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Andy Warhol – From A to B and Back Again opens at The Art Institute of Chicago on October 20 and runs through January 26, 2020. This retrospective follows the entire scope of one of the world’s most recognized and renowned artists, featuring over 350 works, from his earliest images through the very end of his career, presented with an arsenal of research and scholarship attesting to the breadth and interconnectedness of a visionary’s lifelong creative pursuits.

Warhol had the genius concept to present and distort cultural icons in a way that continues to challenge viewers into the 21st century. His work seems to have anticipated the issues of our current digital age, making his work as relevant and intriguing as ever.

Instead of focusing solely on his most famous Pop artworks, this exhibition allows visitors to experience these classic works within the broader spectrum of a massive career. Displaying all aspects of Warhol’s career – from paintings and drawings to prints, videos and countless other media – gives visitors the privilege of seeing a more fully realized image of Warhol through an iconic exhibition that no one in Chicago this fall should miss.

The Art Institute of Chicago • October 20, 2019 – January 26, 2020 • artic.edu

Andy Warhol. Self-Portrait, 1986. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; gift, Anne and Anthony d’Offay in honor of Thomas Krens. © 2019 The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Fall 2019 | CGN | 55

FOLLOWING THE SOUTH SIDE SPECTRUM A COMMUNITY DEFINED BY CREATIVITY NOT GEOGRAPHY

VISITORS WAIT TO ENTER THE NEW GREEN LINE ARTS CENTER IN 2018

By JACQUELINE LEWIS This September, when the vortex of the art world is centered on the edge of Lake Michigan on Navy Pier, during EXPO CHICAGO, culture will whirl throughout the city center and well beyond. In addition to encountering 140 galleries from around the world at the fair, the eighth edition of EXPO offers visitors an invitation to explore a vibrant art scene found on Chicago’s South Side by highlighting a variety of openings, extended gallery hours, and special events during EXPO Art Week, which begins on September 16, the week the art fair opens (view the list at expochicago.com/expo-art-week).

well as a dynamic exhibition schedule. During EXPO Art Week an opening reception for Samson Young: Silver Moon or Golden Star, Which Will You Buy Of Me? takes place September 17, 7–9pm. In his first solo museum exhibition in the U.S., Young premieres a trilogy of animated music videos that explore varying concepts of social progress and utopia.

Founded in 1974 this (free) museum’s collection includes works by artists from Toulouse-Lautrec and Otto Dix, to Frank Lloyd Wright and Nick Cave. smart.edu GREEN LINE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Visitors who venture from Chicago’s established art centers can experience even more of the free, public spectrum of art that the city has to offer. If you have wanted to check out these locations but aren’t familiar with where to go, use this list as a starting point and tour the uniqely creative, community-focused South Side in order to become aquainted with some of the area’s longest standing Institutions as well as glimpse exciting new cultural developments. Spend an entire day moving between each of the locations listed here, or stop in to any one on your own time, and you will start to appreciate what these often underexplored spaces have to offer.

SMART MUSEUM OF ART Start in Hyde Park at the University of Chicago’s Smart Museum, where you can see multiple works by internationally-known artists in an intimate yet spacious museum that offers a rich permanent collection as 56 | CGN | Fall 2019

The University of Chicago’s Green Line Performing Arts Center is the most recent addition to the UChicago Arts + Public Life initiative, connecting academics with local artists in the neighboring South Side communities.

Opened in late 2018 the center offers a professional theater space, the first in the community in decades, with a focus on community involvement, specifically training in the performing arts. arts.uchicago.edu/apl/glpac HYDE PARK ART CENTER While you are still in the area check out the Hyde Park Art Center, a hub for contemporary art – founded in 1939 – located near the lake on South Cornell Ave. Mounting about 20 exhibitions per year, offering classes for the public, plus hundreds of free events, there is something for everyone at every stage of arts engagement.

HPAC even offers classes in curation as well as many

opportunities for visual artists. Intersectional Touch, on view thru November 4, exhibits artists from HPAC’s professional development initiative. Artists may also apply for their own exhibitions. hydeparkart.org STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK Not quite two miles south of HPAC, past the Midway Plaissance and Washington Park, you will arrive at the Stony Island Arts Bank, founded by artist Theaster Gates in 2015 in the Dorchester neighborhood. A one-of-a-kind gallery, media archive, library and community center, the Arts Bank offers free classes – even yoga, dance and meditation – weekly events and art programming. The Bank, as it is locally known, holds extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays and is home to an extensive media archive that includes Frankie Knuckles’s vinyl collection. If you don’t know him, he is known as the Godfather of House Music. rebuild-foundation.org

NEW DIRECTION FOLLOWING CHANGES ON THE CITY’s SOUTH SIDE In honor of its centennial, the Oriental Institute is hosting THE celebratory exhibitions and ORIENTAL plans, including INSTITUTE the completion of the Gallery Enhancements Project to improve the visitor experience in the galleries and to display artifacts from the museum’s collection that have not previously been publicly displayed. oi.uchicago.edu

SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY ART CENTER Heading back north, between Bronzeville and Bridgeport, you will find the South Side Community Art Center, a Chicago Historic Landmark that has been thriving for 77 years. Founded by Dr. Margaret Burroughs and other African American artists, SSCAC promotes the legacy and future of African American art through its series of exhibitions as well as a popular artist talks that cultivate conversation and engagement with others in the Chicago art scene and beyond. sscartcenter.org BRIDGEPORT ART CENTER Along West 35th Street the Bridgeport Art Center, a 500,000 square foot arts base located in the former Spiegel Catalog Warehouse, prides itself on being a “multidisciplinary creative home” to more than 150 artists. With plentiful space to create and share art, including three galleries as well as multiple artist studios, small businesses, and even museums, on the 3rd Friday of each month from 7–10pm, you’re invited to enjoy free, lively opening receptions and events. There is parking in an adjacent lot. bridgeportart.com SHANE CAMPBELL GALLERY Heading north towards downtown a final stop on the tour is the Shane Campbell Gallery, located in the South Loop. Campbell moved his gallery to the area after years in West Town. He offers exhibitions, as well as a shop bursting with media, music and rare books specifically curated by the artist on view – a unique opportunity to purchase books and glimpse the mind of the artist on display.

Upcoming exhibitions by Zak Prekop of Brooklyn and Chris Bradley from Chicago are lined up for fall 2019. shanecampbellgallery.com

Gallery Guichard, with the Purpose Foundation, received a formerly vacant lot from the City of Chicago to transform it into an BRONZEVILLE exterior gallery with rotating sculpture exhibits. Illinois Tech Master of Landscape Architecture students, Jiaming Sun and Yu Si, designed a fence for the Great Migration Sculpture Garden in Bronzeville. Named for the experience of African-Americans moving from the South to the North between 1916 and the 1970s, the garden includes a commissioned solar pyramid

by Chicago artist Shala.

Gifted by the Reva and David Logan Foundation, a rotating selection THE LOGAN of Henri Matisse’s Jazz prints is now CENTER on permanent display at the Logan Center. Reflecting the spirit of inquiry at the University of Chicago, and working closely with artists, students, scholars, and the community.

Logan Center Exhibitions also presents innovative exhibitions by emerging and established artists and supports ambitious new commissions and research projects. arts.uchicago.edu/logan/gallery Fall 2019 | CGN | 57

DESIGNER JENNY BROWN’S CREATIVE DISCERNMENT

BROWN UTILIZES INSTAGRAM @JENNYBROWNDESIGNS AS A TOOL FOR COLLECTING TABLEAUS FOR CLIENTS AND FOLLOWERS.

By GINNY VAN ALYEA Jenny Brown once had the most glamorous internship you could have, back in the late 1990s: a stint at Sotheby’s in Chicago. Every day, she remembers took the train downtown from Lake Forest, looked forward to her sushi lunch break, and she didn’t get paid. For some today the lack of pay might cause a millennial mutiny, but at the time, something more scandalous, and worthy of a top secret all-company meeting – including interns – was the corporate announcement that Sotheby’s would soon launch a (gasp!) website.

Brown remembers, “Everyone was like, ‘Oh my God! That’s so tacky! Sotheby’s needs a website? Really?’”

With an art history major and a minor in classics, Brown 58 | CGN | Fall 2019

relished the chance to be in the city every day. Working in the different auction departments, writing catalogue descriptions, and just being around an endless array of beautiful things was a creatively fulfilling proximity she has managed to string out and develop for 20 years.

She now has her own interior design firm, Jenny Brown Designs, based in Chicago.

Though her time in the auction world was brief, it was the first of several steps that helped her find a multifaceted professional role in a creative world.

After Sotheby’s, the following summer, Brown worked for Robert Henry Adams in his eponymous gallery on Franklin Street in River North. She recalls “That was a different experience, since they weren’t dealing with contemporary art and they were focused on Chicago

artists and art from the early 19 century, mostly. He was just such a lovely person and gave me exposure to the art world and being in that neighborhood. I would run all over as the errand girl, and I lived for it.”

something,” she explains. Brown was not discouraged, as she began to realize that because she loved bringing objects and spaces together, it could be her profession.

Each summer job opened up the world a little more for Brown, who says she’s always been interested in precious objects as well as art. “I have always loved bring creative. I would spend all my money as a kid on crafts. Then I used to go around to garage sales and street fairs when I was a little older. Now I still stash all sorts of things until I know where it will go, though I hesitate to amass inventory.”

Brown regularly exposes her own two young boys to art in Chicago and during travels, and the effort continues, to an extent, where her projects are concerned. “I encourage clients to look at art that’s original and that they like, and I love to do it together.

Since it’s personal, sometimes the art comes after a project is finished, when the client is on their own.

There’s an old saying that you don’t want to match your art to your curtains.” Ultimately art in a home can work best when it’s not part of a check list for a design project.

Thinking about her earliest jobs, Brown says, “Growing up I loved babysitting, because I liked kids, making money and going around to see houses. I loved seeing how people live and visiting new places. You never know what is going to stay with you,” From lingering in random stores or driving around and pulling over for used furniture, developing an eye by looking for surprises has always been fulfilling, Brown admits. Access to behind-the-scenes glimpses at livable spaces, as well as a desire to fine tune personal surroundings, are cravings that have never abated and in fact inspire Brown’s treasure hunts.

While she was studying art history in college, as well as living abroad, in each place she was rearranging her bedroom. “I would put the desk here, and the sofa here, and I’d go out and get a tapestry from Urban Outfitters.”

She enjoyed figuring out a space. “I had all these sketches back to when I would set up my dorm room, so I started to realize this is what I could do.”

Brown’s professional ah-ha moment came when her mother rented an apartment in Chicago. Able to spend more time in the city, she recalls, “I’d go on gallery walks, or I’d pop into these little home stores – there were so many then – and I remember buying these marble coasters and thinking how good they looked with a certain table.”

Her former co-workers had sneered at decorators. “It was like they were the devil. People would say they didn’t appreciate the art, or that they just wanted it to match

WHILE SHE DOESN’T ADVOCATE ART MATCHING THE CURTAINS, BROWN OFTEN CLEVERLY COORDINATES HER OWN OUTFITS TO INTERIORS AND HOUSES IN HER INSTAGRAM POSTS

In high school Brown read that Bill Gates started subscribing to Forbes when he was 15, so she sent away for Architectural Digest. When she wanted to move to San Francisco after college, she flipped through the pages of an issue of AD, sent her resume to the California firms listed in the back and landed a job. Her first day of work was September 10, 2001.

Two years later a round of layoffs left Brown with an opportunity to return home, where she would encounter her next major break: the chance to work for designer Alessandra Branca’s firm. Coming from the West Coast, where many major companies were run by men, entering Branca’s 100% women-run, black and white toile covered office excited Brown. The initial disappointment of leaving San Francisco gave way to the joy of a new life in Chicago.

After more than six years working for Branca, where Brown gained invaluable exposure working for a highly respected name in design, she was ready for another step, after her first son was born in 2010. “It was too much to go back to work right away, but in the back of my mind I was always thinking this would be a good job to do on my own. If you have the experience and are a self starter, there are so many benefits. It’s been very rewarding.” As for what’s next Brown says, “I like keeping my business small. Right now my boys are still little, so let’s see where it goes. 10 years from now, who knows?”

Fall 2019 | CGN | 59

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60 | CGN | Fall 2019

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