Chicago Art World: February 2016

February 24, 2016

2015: Year in Review @ Chicago Art World

Every year I see more artwork than I photograph. And not all of my art world photography is presented on this website. Having written that, in 2015 especially I witnessed much more than I shared. Therefore, in lieu of a "best of" list, it seems good at this time to offer a chronological retrospective by means of previously unpublished images and text. I apologize for the year-long delay which some individuals and institutions have suffered: it in no way reflects the quality of the artwork which they presented. At some future moment I'll create a page--including additional material--for each event described below. For now, I apologize for errors and omissions. And, as always, feel free to append a relevant comment.

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"Rooted in Soil"
January 29 - April 26, 2015
DePaul Art Museum
935 W. Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://museums.depaul.edu/

Curators: Laura Fatemi and Farrah Fatemi

Artists: Jane Fulton Alt, Vaughn Bell, Edward Burtynsky, John Gerrard, Julia Goodman, Jenny Kendler, Jae Rhim Lee, Sally Mann, Vik Muniz, Claire Pentecost, Justin Rang, Arthur Rothstein, Linda Swanson, Sam Taylor-Johnson, and Adriaen van Utrecht. And a special installation by Chicago Wildsounds.

"Soil is omnipresent: a life-sustaining but overlooked medium whose cycle of decomposition and regeneration forms the very basis of life itself. Yet human activities such as large-scale farming and deforestation are compromising the health of soil on a global scale. This exhibition will bring together works by contemporary artists that explore multiple aspects of soil, documenting natural processes and human interventions, and proposing radically innovative solutions that combine leading-edge scientific approaches and fresh artistic and philosophical perspectives."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/01/rooted-in-soil/

Jenny Kendler in "Rooted in Soil" at the DePaul Art Museum

Above: Participating artist Jenny Kendler at the opening reception for "Rooted in Soil," January 29 - April 26, 2015, at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL.

Claire Pentecost's "Our Bodies, Our Soils," in "Rooted in Soil" at the DePaul Art Museum

Above: Claire Pentecost's "Our Bodies, Our Soils," at the opening reception for "Rooted in Soil," January 29 - April 26, 2015, at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL.

Linda Swanson's "Weep," in "Rooted in Soil" at the DePaul Art Museum

Above: Linda Swanson's "Weep," at the opening reception for "Rooted in Soil," January 29 - April 26, 2015, at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL.

In 2014, Chicago hosted a number of group exhibitions which were said to be curated according to an environmental theme. For example: January 17 - March 1, 2014, "Ghost Nature" was curated by Caroline Picard at UIC's Gallery 400; and, July 24 - October 5, 2014, "Phantoms in the Dirt" was curated by Karsten Lund at the Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College. Two artists--Jeremy Bolen and Assaf Evron--appeared in both Picard's show and also in Lund's show. And one of the artists who appeared in Picard's show--Jenny Kendler--returned for Fatemi and Fatemi's "Rooted in Soil" at the DePaul Art Museum.

I appreciated the effort put forth by "Rooted in Soil" artists Claire Pentecost and Linda Swanson. And their installations were particularly impactful as presented opposite one another: Swanson's "Weep" seemed in a microcosm to represent the global hydrologic system; Pentecost's "Our Bodies, Our Soils," enjoined a more sensual consideration of the local conditions which might affect oneself. Classically, the pieces would have been read as supporting a duality in the nature of the divine things.

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Leslie Baum and Allison Wade
"Drunken Geometry"
January 31 - March 7, 2015
devening projects + editions
3039 W. Carroll Street
Chicago, IL
http://lesliebaum.net/
http://allisonwade.com/
http://deveningprojects.com/artists/also-featured/drunken-geometry/

"...the project engages with the still life genre and its rich history. The table, the ceramic object, the textile–all are foundational elements of still life paintings and materials that figure prominently in Baum’s and Wade’s individual practices. Through these materials, the artists explore their affinities for particular forms and arrangements. Decisions about placement, proximity, and color guide the conversation, as well as a mutual impulse to uncover the sweet spot between object and image, dimensionality and flatness."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/01/leslie-baum-allison-wade-drunken-geometry/

Leslie Baum and Allison Wade in "Drunken Geometry" at devening projects + editions

Above: Leslie Baum and Allison Wade in "Drunken Geometry," January 31 - March 7, 2015, at devening projects + editions, 3039 W. Carroll Street, Chicago IL.

Leslie Baum and Allison Wade @ devening projects + editions

Above: An installation by Leslie Baum and Allison Wade in "Drunken Geometry," January 31 - March 7, 2015, at devening projects + editions, 3039 W. Carroll Street, Chicago IL.

In Art in America, May 4, 2009, Raphael Rubinstein defined "provisional painting" as seeming to be "casual, dashed-off, tentative, unfinished [...] to constantly risk inconsequence or collapse." And I was reminded of that quotation when I encountered Baum and Wade's sculptural works--as I'm reminded of that quotation during half of my gallery and museum visits.

Whether the philosophical reference is applicable, the practice evident here is literally one of deconstruction. And, the cleavage and reassembly of planar elements in found furniture (shown above) probably is traceable back to Cubism. That said, the end result is surreal, abstract and nonsensical, after the manner of some Jean Arp sculptures, or, maybe better, some interlocking sheet-cut work, e.g., "Kouros" 1945, from Isamu Noguchi.

The show wasn't altogether even; not everything was formally resolved. That's OK. They took some risks--without which things become very boring, very quickly. And, overall, space itself was well-used: moving through the gallery felt akin to navigating one of Chicago's plazas filled with public sculpture.

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Cody Tumblin
"Tell Tale"
March 15 - April 18, 2015
devening projects + editions
3039 W. Carroll Street
Chicago, IL
http://codytumblin.com/
http://deveningprojects.com/

"Loosely chronicling time spent in his home studio, 'Tell Tale' is a collection of new dyed and painted works by Cody Tumblin . The pieces in his first solo show with the gallery dance between painting and object; most are made to the exact dimensions of significant books from his personal library. Each painting reflects a collective history of multiple works, many of them uneasy missteps. For instance, a painting or drawing is made, then stretched over another unfinished work. After further developments on the surface, the painting is peeled away, revealing the history of previous events that seep through each layer of cloth — the process is repeated several times, back and forth. The bleeds and stains of dye and watercolor remain from several different paintings, tracing movements of his brush and the evidence of each action. The anxious rhythm of the studio fluctuates between moments of excited urgency and long, quiet periods of uncertainty. Each work is a reflection of these cycles, weaving together a strange narrative of time spent."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/03/cody-tumblin-tell-tale-angharad-davies-you-know-that-as-radiant/

Above: An installation by Cody Tumblin, in "Tell Tale," March 15 - April 18, 2015, at devening projects + editions, 3039 W. Carroll Street, Chicago IL.

Cody Tumblin and Kayl Parker @ Devening Projects

Above: Cody Tumblin with Kayl Parker at the opening reception for "Tell Tale," March 15 - April 18, 2015, at devening projects + editions, 3039 W. Carroll Street, Chicago IL.

A portion of Tumblin's installation (the first of two photographs above) recalled the string sculpture of Fred Sandback which was exhibited locally at Rhona Hoffman Gallery two years earlier: April 26 - June 1, 2013.

I popped-in at the end of the opening reception, and Dan chased me out rather quickly. Consequently, I didn't get to spend a lot of time with the artwork. Nevertheless, I gave what I had to give. Sometimes it happens that way.

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Doris Salcedo
"Doris Salcedo"
February 21 – May 24, 2015
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
220 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL
https://mcachicago.org/Exhibitions/2015/Doris-Salcedo

Curators: Madeleine Grynsztejn and Julie Rodrigues Widholm

"The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presents the first retrospective of the work of renowned sculptor Doris Salcedo (Colombian, b. 1958). Salcedo--who lives and works in Bogotá--gained prominence in the 1990s for her fusion of postminimalist forms with sociopolitical concerns. The exhibition features all major bodies of work from the artist’s thirty-year career--most of which have never been shown together before--as well as the US debut of her recent major work 'Plegaria Muda' (2008–10)."

Quotation above from: https://mcachicago.org/Exhibitions/2015/Doris-Salcedo

Doris Salcedo @ The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

Above: An installation by Doris Salcedo, February 21 - May 24, 2015, The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL.

I think that Salcedo's exhibition might have been the MCA Chicago's least visually interesting presentation since Jeff Koon's encased vacuum cleaners and basketballs filled the old Ontario Street location in 1988. At times I was reminded of a furniture warehouse; at times I was reminded of a closed tavern: tables flipped and stacked so that the floor could be mopped. It's a trick to create a space at once so cluttered and also so boring. Spectators navigated the galleries with difficulty if not with excitement, lingering only at the last room wherein a video displayed the sort of exciting, large-scale, site-specific installations wholly absent from the show.

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Nnenna Okore
"On the Brink: New Work by Nnenna Okore"
February 7 - May 3, 2015
The Elmhurst Art Museum
150 S. Cottage Hill Ave.
Elmhurst, IL
https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/exhibitions/brink-new-work-nnenna-okore

"Through repetitive, labor-intensive processes, Okore transforms discarded and organic materials like burlap, newspapers, plastic bags and twine into large-scale wall hangings and installations. Okore’s dramatic and undulating forms float in and across space, often casting shadows on their surrounds. Influenced by the textures, colors and landscapes of her Chicago milieu as well as the more rural environment of the small town in Nigeria where she was raised, Okore’s new fiber and paper works explore the fluidity of life, finding beauty in the inevitable processes of aging and decay. Okore is a professor of art at Chicago’s North Park University..."

Quotation above from: https://www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/exhibitions/brink-new-work-nnenna-okore

On the Brink: New Work by Nnenna Okore @ The Elmhurst Art Museum

Above: "On the Brink: New Work by Nnenna Okore," February 7 - May 3, 2015, at The Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 S. Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, IL

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Seripop & Sonnenzimmer
"Simultaneous"
February 12 – April 11, 2015
Center for Book and Paper Arts
1104 S. Wabash, 2nd Floor
Columbia College
Chicago, IL
http://www.sonnenzimmer.com/
http://sonnenzimmerandseripop.tumblr.com/
http://www.colum.edu/academics/book-and-paper/events/exhibitions/exhibitions-pages/simultaneous.php

Curator: Julia V. Hendrickson

"Starting from similar places of reference--as screen printers who force ink on to paper through a finely-woven mesh--the Chicago-based duo Sonnenzimmer (Nick Butcher and Nadine Nakanishi) and the Montréal-based duo Seripop (Yannick Desranleau and Chloe Lum) have independently developed bodies of work wherein they investigate, as printmakers, the relationship between the materials of fabric and paper. Sonnenzimmer translates their own peaceful, complex language of abstract design on to new surfaces, imbuing linen and canvas with vibrant systems of overlaid shapes. Seripop’s monumental screen printed paper installations subvert expectations of the possibilities inherent in a single material."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/02/simultaneous-seripop-sonnenzimmer/

Sonnenzimmer in Simultaneous @ Center for Book and Paper Arts Columbia College

Above: A gallery attendant models wearable art by Sonnenzimmer (Nick Butcher and Nadine Nakanishi) in "Simultaneous," February 12 - April 11, 2015, Center for Book and Paper Arts, 1104 S. Wabash, 2nd Floor, Columbia College, Chicago, IL.

Above: Wearable art by Sonnenzimmer (Nick Butcher and Nadine Nakanishi) in "Simultaneous," February 12 - April 11, 2015, Center for Book and Paper Arts, 1104 S. Wabash, 2nd Floor, Columbia College, Chicago, IL.

Seripop in Simultaneous @ Center for Book and Paper Arts Columbia College

Above: An installation by Montréal-based Seripop (Yannick Desranleau and Chloe Lum) in "Simultaneous," February 12 - April 11, 2015, Center for Book and Paper Arts, 1104 S. Wabash, 2nd Floor, Columbia College, Chicago, IL.

I thought that the gallery attendant (whose name I do not learn) was especially brave to have modeled Sonnenzimmer's wearable artwork. In addition to that garment, I found available a headset which provided an audio component, and a printed pamphlet which offered a bit of text, so that it was possible to wholly immerse one's self in the experience, if desired.

However thorough, the presentation was gestural rather than finessed. And I was reminded of the "surreal, abstract and nonsensical," elements of Baum and Wade's show described above. It was fun. Whether Chicago's art world provides much of an audience capable of laughter without cruelty is another matter altogether.

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Jenny Kendler
“Milkweed Dispersal Balloons”
April 11, 2015
DePaul Art Museum
935 W. Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://jennykendler.com/home.html
http://museums.depaul.edu/

"About 970 million monarch butterflies have vanished since 1990, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, due in great part to the elimination of the species' main food, milkweed. Jenny Kendler is determined to raise awareness and help feed the dwindling species. Kendler is the Natural Resources Defense Council's first artist-in-residence and will present the Chicago debut of her performance, 'Milkweed Dispersal Balloons' at the DePaul Art Museum on April 11 from 1-3 p.m. Kendler will bring a butterfly food cart to the museum, handing out biodegradable balloons filled with the floating cloud-like seeds to individuals passing by. Participants in the project are asked to become the agents of seed dispersal by popping the balloons, thereby planting milkweed in their neighborhoods."

Quotation above from: http://www.depaulnewsline.com/debuzz/feed-butterflies-jenny-kendlers-milkweed-dispersal-balloons

Above: Jenny Kendler with a young friend attending the “Milkweek Dispersal Balloons” event on April 11, 2015, at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL; NRDC senior attorney Rebecca Riley at far right.

Jenny Kendler & Petra Bachmaier @ DePaul Art Museum

Above: Jenny Kendler with Lufterk's Petra Bachmaier attending “Milkweek Dispersal Balloons” event on April 11, 2015, at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL.

Milkweek Dispersal Balloons @ DePaul Art Museum

Above: Attendees of Jenny Kendler's “Milkweek Dispersal Balloons” event on April 11, 2015, at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL.

Kendler's April 11, 2015 engagement of her audience on the sidewalk outside the DePaul Art Museum was stronger than her static work within the building, in the "Rooted in Soil" show proper. The interactive performance, which amounted to a gifting of seed, was seen repeated by another artist ten months later: Stella Brown hosted her "Prairieland Seed Shop" at Slow Pony Project in the "2nd Floor Rear Festival" on February 6, 2016. Whether identical--Brown sold packets of seed for a dollar in a private space whereas Kendler made seed freely available in a public space--the two events ought to be connected in contemporary art criticism originating in Chicago.

I've planted Kendler's milkweed seeds; Brown's seeds will soon be planted. This sort of work is near and dear to my heart, reflecting my own values and artistic practice.

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Tom Torluemke
"Blind Man’s Bluff"
April 17 - June 13, 2015
Linda Warren Projects
327 N. Aberdeen, Suite 151
Chicago, IL
http://tomtorluemke.com/
http://lindawarrenprojects.com/

"Through paintings mounted on paper, blind drawings and concrete sculpture, Torluemke addresses very human subject matter that is often troubling, poignant and vulnerable but with characteristic underpinnings of humor, tenderness and compassion. Intermingling representation and abstraction, Torluemke inserts his figures into a range of surrealist narratives."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/04/tom-torluemke-blind-mans-bluff/

Above: Tom Torluemke in "Blind Man’s Bluff," April 17 - June 13, 2015, at Linda Warren Projects, 327 N. Aberdeen, Suite 151, Chicago, IL.

Above: Tom Torluemke's "Blind Man’s Bluff," April 17 - June 13, 2015, at Linda Warren Projects, 327 N. Aberdeen, Suite 151, Chicago, IL.

The objects which Torluemke presented did not appear to be easy to produce, nor were they easy for their viewers to digest. Nevertheless, favoring surreal and sometimes violent treatments of human subjects, Torluemke is a natural fit in Chicago's constellation, which includes the Monster Roster and the Hairy Who, not to mention the early Tony Fitzpatrick. It's not my cup of tea; I don't produce or collect work of this sort. But I think that Torluemke (much like Sonnenzimmer's Butcher and Nakanishi, described above) is sincere, and competent, and operating according to some fairly original vision.

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Alex Bradley Cohen & Steve Ruiz
September 5 - October 10, 2015
Roots & Culture
1034 N Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://steveruizart.com/
http://rootsandculturecac.org/show/?id=109

"In his landscape paintings, Steve Ruiz uses visual storytelling--conventions from graphic novels and comics, to explore the interaction between narrative, imagination, and a sense of place. He aims to convey the significance which attaches to environments, whether mundane or extreme, when backfilled with memory and animated by stories, seeming set apart, and set for action."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/09/alex-bradley-cohen-steve-ruiz/

Above: Mr. and Mrs. (Marie) Steve Ruiz, on September 5, 2015, at Roots & Culture, 1034 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago IL.

Above: A painting by Steve Ruiz, September 5 - October 10, 2015, at Roots & Culture, 1034 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago IL.

I think that the last time I saw Ruiz's work--July 13, 2014, in a group show at the now defunct Peanut Gallery--he had already settled into a similar style: small-scale, ink-based, monochrome drawings on pigment-washed paper which were reminiscent of story panels in a comic magazine serial.

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Anaïs Daly and Andrew Barco
"what we don't know"
October 23 - November 29, 2015
Heaven Gallery
1550 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL
http://www.heavengallery.com/

"In this instance two mechanical objects that exemplify the word drone become one--a Predator Drone and a Hurdy-gurdy. The resultant machine is a drone that drones. Barco uses the structure of a Predator drone, the design and purpose of which is remote operation that allows distance between the user and the execution of actual violence. Inside this structure is the mechanism of a Hurdy-gurdy, an instrument that requires the expertise of a present operator to make an ancient sound. This object created from his misinterpretation gives an opportunity to consider the history and application of both objects on a new scale."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/anais-daly-andrew-barco-what-we-dont-know/

Above: Co-proprietor David Dobie (rear) playing piano at the opening reception for Anaïs Daly and Andrew Barco's "what we don't know," October 23 - November 29, 2015, at Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL.

Andrew Barco in what we don't know @ Heaven Gallery

Above: Andrew Barco's "Androne: or semi-autonomous flying hurdy-gurdy (after Tatlin)" 2015, in "what we don't know," October 23 - November 29, 2015, at Heaven Gallery, 1550 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL.

August 2, 2013, Yhelena Hall's ACRE Residency exhibition at The Mission featured a sort of airship which was built with a lightweight wooden frame, and suspended from the ceiling. Barco's piece differed chiefly in its incorporation of a musical component which afforded the double entendre (drone/drone) in the title. It fit the venue, which is sometimes used for musical performances.

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Sofia Moreno, Wolfie E. Rawk and Oli Rodriguez
"Pearly Foam"
October 23, 2015 - January 9, 2016
David Weinberg Photography
300 W. Superior St., Suite 203
Chicago, IL
http://d-weinberg.com/

Curator: Megan T. Noe

"Pearly Foam explores themes of identity, memory and fantasy while gazing into shifting waters from the shoreline of desire. [...] Each artist takes on radically different political positions and yet the scene of a hypnagogic seascape connects their unique projects. From this beach dream setting we examine mutated realities and objects of intimacy cast as myth. These works question cultural positioning of transgender identity and queer communities through the retelling of narratives from classic characters like the Little Mermaid to the distant echo of our earliest memories."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/pearly-foam/

Sofia Moreno in Pearly Foam @ David Weinberg Photography

Above: Sofia Moreno (at left) within installation in "Pearly Foam," October 23, 2015 - January 9, 2016, David Weinberg Photography, 300 W. Superior St., Suite 203, Chicago, IL.

Oli Rodriguez in Pearly Foam @ David Weinberg Photography

Above: Oli Rodriguez with photography in "Pearly Foam," October 23, 2015 - January 9, 2016, David Weinberg Photography, 300 W. Superior St., Suite 203, Chicago, IL.

Wolfie E. Rawk in Pearly Foam @ David Weinberg Photography

Above: Wolfie E. Rawk with artwork in "Pearly Foam," October 23, 2015 - January 9, 2016, David Weinberg Photography, 300 W. Superior St., Suite 203, Chicago, IL.

Five-and-a-half years ago, September 3, 2010, the Chicago Tribune's Lori Waxman panned Annie Heckman's undersea-themed installation at the now defunct Swimming Pool Project Space, calling it a "kindergartner's version of the South Pole," which was "unfortunately, too scrappy to pull it off."

Two months ago, December 11, 2015, the Chicago Tribune's Lori Waxman included the undersea-themed installations of "Pearly Foam," at David Weinberg Gallery, in her "best of 2015" list.

Considering technical merit alone, the work on display in "Pearly Foam" wasn't easily distinguishable from the work which was on display at Swimming Pool Project Space five-and-a-half years ago; Sophia Moreno's room-filling environmental piece especially recalled Heckman in 2010. Such difference as existed was to be found in the "Pearly Foam" artists: the show was devoted to exploring contemporary transgender identity.

At the risk of frustrating the comparison above, it seems appropriate both to offer full-disclosure of my personal relationships and also to illustrate the sometimes cruel, and sometimes ironic, circularity of the art world. For while I did not know Annie Heckman at the time I reviewed her Swimming Pool Project Space installation, I was made to remember her because of the recent suicide of a mutual friend: Jeriah Hildwine. Heckman's show, I later learned, had been determined in part by the earlier suicide of her own brother: a penguin in the "kindergartner's version of the South Pole," functioned as an avatar for the lost, as some members of that species have been observed to wander away from everything life-giving, alone, to die.

Like Heckman, Hildwine too had lost a brother to suicide, prior to committing suicide himself. Coincidentally, before he turned away from Chicago, one of the few people for who I heard Hildwine repeatedly express great affection was "Pearly Foam" participating artist Oli Rodriguez. And the work which Rodriquez presented in "Pearly Foam" I saw, albeit in the form of a slightly smaller print, on March 28, 2014, in a two-person show with Sara Condo, "Love to Love You," at Roots & Culture gallery in Chicago.

More, at Defibrillator Gallery I photographed "Pearly Foam" participating artist Sophia Moreno on April 1, 2012. Defibrillator Gallery's proprietor is Joseph Ravens; Hildwine had participated in a performance with Ravens, repeatedly expressing great affection for him.

I suppose it's complicated. But that's the point. While it's expedient to assign people to one group or another, and to treat them differently because of their race, religion, gender, orientation, etc., it's very difficult to know with what issues any particular individual is wrestling, and in what company they'll find understanding. I'm very sorry that the arts have been politicized to the degree that they no longer can be counted upon to offer much cosmopolitan insight, let alone sanctuary.

I liked the show, artists, curator and gallery owner. I'm struggling to come to terms with identity-based groups, galleries, exhibitions, admissions, funding, criticism, etc., in Chicago, right now.

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"Grace of Intention"
5:00 PM Opening Reception
October 23, 2015
Museum of Contemporary Photography
600 S Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://www.mocp.org/events/event?id=523446

"Monuments are deliberate gestures--objects or structures created to commemorate an event, person or era. [...] But their meaning can transform, changing over time as the relevance of their symbolism ebbs and flows due to social and political shifts. Like monuments, architecture and photography are also inflected with a grace of intention, and both have the ability to commemorate or represent a nation, event, time or place. [...] And photographs have an inherent memorial quality. This group exhibition examines the work of international artists, some of whose work addresses actual monuments, some whom look at architecture and its relationship to memory and how its importance and symbolism can shift over time, and others approach the idea of the future monument."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/grace-of-intention/

Grace of Intention @ MOCP Columbia College

Above: "Grace of Intention," 7:15 PM, October 23, 2015, Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL.

Traffic was heavy. I parked near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Des Plaines Street, which meant a two-and-a-half mile walk to the museum. It was cool outside; a light rain was falling. I had my camera bag slung around my back. The opening reception for "Grace of Intention" was advertised to begin at 5:00 PM; there was no closing time listed. I arrived at the MoCP at 7:15 PM. The doors were locked; the lights were out. The only person left in the building was a security guard, seated behind a desk in the lobby. He allowed me access to the second floor in order to use the restroom. Bernie Sanders watched me.

Sometimes it happens that way. As a result of the transfer of public street parking to private companies, coupled with vigorous parking enforcement, it's become very difficult and expensive to participate in events which are located in Chicago's central business district, or Loop. The situation is only worsened by the fact that the bulk of independent activity in the arts has moved five to fifteen miles away from the city center, and many openings continue to be scheduled during rush hour on Friday night.

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Nina Hartmann, Natalie Labriola & Sarah Sieradzki
"Keys Open Doors"
October 24 - December 6, 2015
boyfriends
3311 W. Carroll Ave.
Chicago IL
http://www.ninahartmann.com/
http://www.boyfriendschicago.com/

"There was no pain. The light was comforting, entirely comforting and welcoming. I went toward it. Around me was darkness and a void. It was kind of like a tunnel. I was heading for the light when I heard my sister call my name."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/nina-hartmann-natalie-labriola-sarah-sieradzki-keys-open-doors/

Nina Hartmann and Leo Kaplan in Keys Open Doors @ boyfriends

Above: Nina Hartmann in installation with co-proprietor Leo Kaplan at the opening reception for "Keys Open Doors," October 24 - December 6, 2015, boyfriends, 3311 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL.

Nina Hartmann and Sarah Sieradzki in Keys Open Doors @ boyfriends

Above: Artworks by Nina Hartmann, left, and Sarah Sieradzki, right, in "Keys Open Doors," October 24 - December 6, 2015, boyfriends, 3311 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL.

Natalie Labriola in Keys Open Doors @ boyfriends

Above: Artwork by Natalie Labriola in "Keys Open Doors," October 24 - December 6, 2015, boyfriends, 3311 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL.

Hartmann's application of a monochrome printed paper to the gallery walls reminded me of Seripop's tactic at the Center for Book and Paper Arts at Columbia College on February 12, 2015, which is pictured above. And again, in December of 2015, a similar paper, produced by Lauren Clay, was applied to the walls of the art fair booth occupied by LVL3 at Untitled. Even earlier, in 2014, Samantha Bittman employed a similar technique in her "Razzle Dazzle" installation.

It was the second good show that I saw at boyfriends.

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"WERQ: Embodying Queer Spirit"
Chances Dances Fashion Show 6:00 - 9:00 PM
October 24, 2015
Gallery 400
400 S. Peoria St.
Chicago IL
http://gallery400.uic.edu/events/werq-embodying-queer-spirit
http://www.chancesdances.org/

"Please join us for 'WERQ: Embodying Queer Spirit,' A Fashion Show and Celebration of Platforms: 10 Years of Chances Dances. Presenting LQQKs by: Mark Aguhar, Gnat Madrid Brilmyer (GNAT), Sky Cubacub (Rebirth Garments), Gurt Hansell (kangmankey), Matt Morris. DJ Sets by: Hijo Prodigo & Slo ‘Mo. Hosted by: Anna Rangos (AR+ Fashion) & The CQQCHIFRUIT Collection. Hand batched cocktails by Dan Luedtke with ingredients from Letherbee Distillers and Analogue."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/werq-embodying-queer-spirit/

Elijah Burgher and Gordon Hall in Chances Dances WERQ @ Gallery 400

Above: Artwork by Elijah Burgher and Gordon Hall ("Witness Well" Stage for Chances Dances, 2015, wood, canvas, acrylic) in "WERQ: Embodying Queer Spirit," Chances Dances Fashion Show, 6:00-9:00 PM, October 24, 2015, Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria St., Chicago IL.

Hope Esser and Daviel Shy in Chances Dances WERQ @ Gallery 400

Above: Artwork by Hope Esser and Daviel Shy in "WERQ: Embodying Queer Spirit," Chances Dances Fashion Show, 6:00-9:00 PM, October 24, 2015, Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria St., Chicago IL.

I remembered Hope Esser and Daviel Shy's February 19, 2014 performance artifacts from the now defunct Hills Esthetic Center.

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Anne Elizabeth Moore
Trunk Show
6:00-8:00 PM
October 24, 2015
Gallery 400
400 S. Peoria St.
Chicago, IL
http://anneelizabethmoore.com/
http://trunkshowtrunkshow.tumblr.com/

"Trunk Show, a mobile exhibition space usually located in Chicago, features monthly solo shows for which artists are commissioned to design a limited-edition bumper sticker. The sticker lives, rides along with, and helps propel a medium beat-up 1999 forest green Ford Taurus owned by Raven Falquez Munsell and Jesse Malmed. In addition to the month-long exhibitions, the bumper stickers are sold à la carte and by annual subscription. Openings follow a nomadic, symbiotic logic and include a public affixing, conceptual catering, and playlists."

Quotation above from: http://anneelizabethmoore.com/trunk-show/

"We’re hosting comic artist and journalist Anne Elizabeth Moore’s opening in tandem with 'WERQ: Embodying Queer Spirit,' a fashion fete that is part of our beloved Chances’ colossal celebration. We’ll unveil Moore’s latest alongside our usual unusuals while wearables (think humans instead of cars) take stage inside."

Quotation above from: http://trunkshowtrunkshow.tumblr.com/post/131499941145/anne-elizabeth-moore-for-trunk-show

Above: Anne Elizabeth Moore's bumper sticker at Trunk Show, 6:00-8:00 PM, October 24, 2015, Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria St., Chicago, IL.

Above: Raven Falquez Munsell at center, facing camera, and Anne Elizabeth Moore, far right, at Trunk Show, 6:00-8:00 PM, October 24, 2015, Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria St., Chicago, IL.

Above: Anne Elizabeth Moore's cookies, distributed at Trunk Show, 6:00-8:00 PM, October 24, 2015, Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria St., Chicago, IL.

I had a quick chat with Moore, in which she advised me of the health benefits of eating cocoa powder, and the health risks of eating cocoa powder mixed with sugar, immediately prior to offering me a black-and-white chocolate sugar cookie.

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"Public Utility"
October 24 - 25, 2015
New Capital
3114 W Carroll Ave.
Chicago, IL
http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/public-utility/

"Please join us next Saturday, October 24, from 4-7pm for a preview of: 'PUBLIC UTILITY,' an exhibition and auction benefiting program expenses and amenities to support a broader public. Join us for cocktails, see the works installed in the former gallery, and get a sneak-peak of the new space in progress."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/10/public-utility/

Above: Renovation of the new New Capital gallery space in progress, ground-level, southeast corner of the building at 3114 W Carroll Ave., as seen during the "Public Utility" preview show on October 24, 2015.

Above: The old New Capital gallery space in use, upper-level, southeast corner of the building at 3114 W Carroll Ave., as seen during the "Public Utility" auction, October 24 - 25, 2015. Alex Chitty at left, in blue, facing camera.

Emma Robbins in Public Utility @ New Capital

Above: Artwork by Emma Robbins ("Lisa Frank + Bluebird I" 2015, acrylic hair, adhesive, cotton flour bag, 35 x 13.5 inches) in the "Public Utility" auction at New Capital gallery, October 24 - 25, 2015, 3114 W Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL.

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Timothy Bergstrom, Heidi Norton, & Derrick Piens
"Germination"
September 26 - November 1, 2015
LVL3
1542 N. Milwaukee Ave., 3rd floor
Chicago, IL
http://www.heidi-norton.com/
http://lvl3media.com/gallery/

"Bergstrom’s additive process of building up a surface creates an uncanny setting that demands to be examined. Norton’s exploration with material–living and synthetic–presents nature in a suspended state and confronts ways we desire, study, and attempt to control the natural world. Piens utilizes natural elements in his work to inform color and scale as ways to focus the viewer’s attention and to underscore materiality. Germination unites these artists’ practices through focusing on their methods of growth and transformation within the studio."

Quotation above from: http://www.thevisualist.org/2015/09/timothy-bergstrom-heidi-norton-derrick-piens-germination/

Above: Heidi Norton in "Germination," September 26 - November 1, 2015, at LVL3, 1542 N. Milwaukee Ave., 3rd floor, Chicago, IL.