![]() ![]() Providing some freshness is Dawoud Bey’s curated exhibition “Eclectic Coherence,” featuring young artists chosen by more established ones, including Nazafarin Lotfi’s minimal but tactile paintings chosen by Laura Letinsky. ![]() But the grandest spectacle of all is the architecture of the fair itself, with the three large, reflective structures by Studio Gang punctuating Festival Hall, proving to be both remarkable objects and helpful landmarks.Īs could be expected, the fair’s art feels rather blue chip, eliciting some comments about a lack of edge and the feeling as though we’d seen some of this art before. There was plenty of spectacle to be found from the art as well including the magnetic tape suspended in the air amongst an army of floor fans by Zilvinas Kempinas at Yvon Lambert Paris, and Dzine’s IN/SITU contribution: a candy-colored, pimped-out boat, “La Perla ,” which alternately intrigued and infuriated viewers. Jerry Saltz was spotted perusing the fair in anticipation for his Dialogues talk the following day, stopping every Chicagoan he found to aggressively thank them “for Barack Obama.” Mayor Rahm Emanuel also made the rounds, attempting to look as though he was thoughtfully considering the pieces on the walls as the mob of cameramen swarmed. Dempsey some were optimistic about the feedback, like The Green Gallery from Milwaukee (in the fair’s Exposure section for emerging galleries) while a few other out-of-towners seemed less confident.īy 7pm the aisles started to fill with artists, art appreciators, dealers, collectors and the occasional local and/or art-world celebrities. Some EXPO dealers were happy to announce sales in these early hours, like Chicago’s Corbett vs. The press rolled into Vernissage around 3pm, followed at 4pm by the “patrons” at $400-$600 a ticket, and while the aisles felt rather empty for the first few hours, I was repeatedly assured that the folks with money indeed were here, and presumably the money and art were changing hands. The galleries, many of whom haven’t been to Chicago in years, decades or even ever, brought with them the best of what they have. In many opinions, Tony Karman and his fair have already succeeded on a number of fronts: EXPO’s Studio Gang interior is beautiful, the art is amazing, the food rocks and the people came. ![]() Tonya Geesman, Christine H.“It feels like the old times,” former Chicago art dealer Melanee Cooper told me last night at EXPO’s Vernissage, “but it feels fresh at the same time”-a sentiment I heard echoed almost word-for-word throughout the opening night. Proceeds from Vernissage raise significant funds in support of the mission of the MCA’s education department, whose programs offer compelling opportunities to explore, challenge, discuss, and reflect on the MCA’s holdings and the larger world of contemporary art and culture.Īnne Kaplan, Sally Kovler, Cari Sacks, and Helen Zell The exposition provides critical opportunities for curators, collectors, and art patrons to survey the best in innovative and emerging programs. This year is particularly special as it coincides with MCA 50, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the MCA’s founding in 1967.Įntering its sixth edition, EXPO CHICAGO presents artwork from 145 leading galleries around the world. This extraordinary benefit, organized by the MCA Women’s Board, is a highly anticipated event each year. The MCA hosts Vernissage, the opening night preview of EXPO CHICAGO at Festival Hall, Navy Pier. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |