There was a time when the opening of the fall art season brought crowds to River North resembling those for the running of the bulls at Pamplona.
That’s all changed now, partly because galleries in the Chicago area are spread over four districts — River North, Michigan Avenue, West Loop Gate, Wicker Park — in addition to some suburbs. And collecting art is not as popular with the young as it was in brighter economic times like the 1980s. However, this weekend, all the neighborhoods serving visual arts will come alive, with the first large group of exhibition openings since the beginning of the summer.
We compiled a clip-and-save schedule of exhibitions in 50 Chicago galleries through the end of the calendar year (page 29). Some time ago such a schedule would have included just about every place of interest. Not anymore. The scene has grown so large that we can only represent the range of activity. Taken with this weekend’s Around the Coyote art festival, our choices do, however, present an accurate view of the kind of art available at commercial spaces in Chicago.
Six promising shows this season
Each year I look forward to shows that promise to be of special interest. The following selections are made according to thematic appeal or the artists’ past performances and are ordered by the date of opening:
– Erwin Wurm “one-minute” sculptures, photographs, installation. The first solo exhibition in Chicago for the Austrian artist who creates fragile, often painful, structures that cannot exist for more than a minute. Through Oct. 19, Vedanta, 835 W. Washington St.; 312-432-0708.
– Rodney Carswell abstract paintings. Works by this master of abstract geometric painting, that have taken on a sculptural presence. Through Oct. 19, Thomas McCormick, 835 W. Washington St.; 312-226-6800.
– Terri Zupanc works on paper. Long a painter of semiabstract landscapes, Zupanc here will show works of ink and watercolor influenced by Japanese and Chinese painting as well as Zen Buddhism. Oct. 18-Nov. 30, Fassbender Stevens, 835 W. Washington St.; 312-666-4302.
– Wynn Bullock photographs. An exhibition observing the centenary of the birth of the great American photographer. Nov. 1, Stephen Daiter, 311 W. Superior St; 312-787-3350.
– “Daniel Burnham’s Chicago.” First solo exhibition in a Chicago gallery for one of the city’s seminal architectural figures. Dec. 6-March 1, ArchiTech, 730 N. Franklin St.; 312-475-1290.
– “En/Of” collaborative projects between contemporary artists and experimental musicians. The U.S. premiere of a series that pairs artists to create two-dimensional work and sound recordings. Dec. 13-January, Julia Friedman, 118 N. Peoria St.; 312-455-0755.
Here’s a list of exhibitions in 50 Chicago galleries through the end of the calendar year.
— Alan Artner
African-American artists
G.R. N’NAMDI: Al Loving painted constructions, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Nanette Carter oil on Mylar, Oct. 25-Nov. 29; Allie McGhee mixed media, Dec. 13-Jan. 24. 110 N. Peoria St. 312-563-9240.
Architecture
ARCHITECH: “Frank Lloyd Wright and the Prairie School,” Sept. 13-Nov. 30; “Daniel Burnham’s Chicago,” Dec. 6-March. 1. 730 Franklin St., 312-475-1290.
Contemporary
ALBANO: John Himmelfarb paintings and drawings, Sept. 13-Oct. 5; Jim Waid paintings, Oct. 11-Nov. 16; Karl Wirsum paintings and cutouts, Nov. 22-Jan. 4. 215 W. Superior St. 312-440-0770.
BODYBUILDER & SPORTSMAN: Ken Fandell sculpture, photography video, William Staples and Georgina Valverde painting and sculpture collaboration, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Rosemarie Fiore sculpture, charcoal rubbings, Harvey Opgenorth installation, Oct. 25-Nov. 23. 119 N. Peoria St. 312-492-7261.
BOYD: 30th anniversary group show, Sept 13-Oct. 15; William Conger, Anthony Sorce paintings, Oct. 18-Nov. 19; Jane Lackey wall sculptures, modified books, Nov. 22-Jan. 7. 739 N. Wells St. 312-642-1606.
CICERO: Leslie Baum, Corey Postiglione paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 31; gallery artists group show, Nov. 9-Dec. 31. 835 W. Washington Blvd. 312-733-9551.
CONTEMPORARY ART WORKSHOP: Michele Tuohey paintings, Yvette Smith crocheted fiberglass, Sept 27-Nov. 5; Jason Meyer sculpture, Maria Dutka collage, Nov. 8-Dec. 10; Jennifer Poetzel, Jeremy Holden figurative paintings, Dec. 13-Jan. 21. 542 W. Grant Pl. 773-472-4004.
FASSBENDER STEVENS: Michiko Itatani paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Christian Herdeg neon wall sculpture, Terri Zupanc works on paper, Oct. 18-Nov. 30; Molly Briggs paintings, Rob Davids sculpture, John Bannon neon, Gabi Brand photographs, Dec. 6-Jan. 4. 835 W. Washington Blvd. 312-666-4302.
FRIEDMAN: Sergio Vega photographs, installation, sculpture, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Brigida Baltar photographs, drawings, Oct. 25-Dec. 7; “En/Of” collaborations between visual artists and experimental musicians, Dec. 13-January. 118 N. Peoria St. 312-455-0755.
HOFFMAN: Lina Bertucci photographs, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Peter Wegner paintings, Oct. 25-Dec. 7; group show of emerging artists, Dec. 13-Jan. 10. 118 N. Peoria St. 312-455-1990.
KLEIN ART WORKS: Marco Casentini paintings on plexiglass, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Ed Moses paintings, Oct. 25-Nov. 30; “Chicago School II” group show, Dec. 6-Jan. 11. 400 N. Morgan St. 312-243-0400.
LIPA: “Summer Summit” international and Chicago artists group show, Sept. 13-Oct. 10; Chicago artists group show, Oct. 17-Nov. 1; works from academies of fine arts staff in Slovenia, Bosnia and Croatia, Nov. 8-Dec. 15. 160 E. Illinois St. 312-329-0812.
LYDON: Stephen McClymont paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 16; Trevor Bell paintings, Oct. 18-Dec. 4; gallery artists group show, Dec. 6-Jan. 8. 309 W. Superior St. 312-943-1133.
MELOCHE: Joe Baldwin paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Dzine paintings, installation, Oct. 25-Nov. 30; Gabert Farrar paintings, Dec. 6-Jan. 11. 951 W. Fulton Market. 312-455-0299.
MILLER: George Rousse photographs, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Jason Salavon photoworks, video, installation, Nov. 22-Dec. 31. 118 N. Peoria St. 312-226-5291.
NATHAN: Mary Borgman charcoal drawings on Mylar, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Esther Shimazu ceramics, Bruno Surdo paintings, Oct. 18-Nov. 30; gallery artists group show, December. 218 W. Superior St. 312-664-6622.
PACKER: Valerie Taglieri, Stephen Anderson paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Teresa Mucha paintings, drawings, prints, Karen Savage photograms, Oct. 18-Nov. 16; Lora Fosberg paintings, collage, prints, Ann Worthing paintings, Nov. 22-Dec. 28; small works group show, Dec. 13-Feb. 8. 118 N. Peoria St. 312-226-8984.
PERIMETER: Jeff Aeling paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; John McQueen brush constructions, gallery artists group show, Oct. 18-Nov. 23; Roger Boyce, Mary Walker paintings, Nov. 29-Dec. 28. 210 W. Superior St., 312-266-9473.
ROCHE: Jeremy Vajda paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 25; Sandra Dawson paintings, Nov. 22-Dec. 31. 750 N. Franklin St. 312-654-0144.
SECRIST: “Plotting an Exhibition of Artist Studies” group show, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Robert Lostutter drawings, paintings, studies, Oct. 18-Nov. 16; 10th anniversary group exhibition, Nov. 22-Jan. 3. 300 W. Superior St. 312-280-4500.
VEDANTA: Erwin Wurm one-minute sculpture, photographs, installation, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Susan Giles video installations, Oct. 25-Dec. 7; Angelina Gualdoni paintings, Dec. 13-Feb. 8. 835 N. Washington St. 312-432-0708.
YOUNG: Jack Sloss video installation, Sept. 13-Nov. 9; James Welling photographs, Sept. 27-Nov. 9; Anne Chu sculpture, watercolors, Nov. 15-Dec. 31; Helen Mirra textiles, Nov. 22-Dec. 31. 933 W. Washington St. 312-455-0100.
ZAKS: Ben Mahmoud paintings, drawings retrospective, Sept. 13-Oct. 15; Doug Sheldon paintings, Oct. 18-Nov. 19; Elaine Wilson paintings, Nov. 22-Dec. 28. 311 W. Superior St. 312-943-8440.
ZG: Dan Treado paintings, Natasha Spencer hair installation, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Rachel Davis, Colleen Kiely paintings, Oct. 18-Nov. 16; Trine Bumiller paintings, 12-by12-inch group show, Nov. 22-Jan. 4. 300 W. Superior St. 312-654-9900.
ZOLLA/LIEBERMAN: Deborah Butterfield bronze sculpture, Sept. 13-Nov. 9; David Kroll paintings, Nov. 22-Jan. 4. 325 W. Huron St. 312-944-1990.
Contemporary and self-taught artists
HAMMER: Fred Stonehouse paintings, works on paper, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Nicholas Kahn, Richard Selesnick installation of digital prints and sculpture, Oct. 18-Nov. 16; Pete Goldlust sculpture, wall drawings, installation, Nov. 22-Jan. 4. 740 N. Wells St. 312-266-8512.
SASLOW: Matt Lamb paintings, Sept. 13-Nov. 8; “Scene in Chicago” group show, Oct. 4-Nov. 8; contemporary American folk art, Nov. 15-Jan. 4. 300 W. Superior St. 312-943-0530.
Contemporary Asian artists
BAE: KwangJean Palk paintings, prints, drawings, Sept. 13-Oct. 5; Korean artists group show, Oct. 12-Nov. 2; gallery artists group show, December. 300 W. Superior St. 312-335-8601.
WALSH: Li Lin Lee paintings, David Servass installations, Sept. 13-Oct. 11; Atul Dodiya paintings, Oct. 18-Dec. 6; “Ink III” group show, Dec. 13-Jan. 6. 118 N. Peoria St. 312-829-3312.
Contemporary works on paper
PRINTWORKS: Martyl acrylic on Mylar, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Dennis Nechvatal works on paper, Oct. 18-Nov. 30; Dan Ramirez new watercolors, drawings, Dec. 6-Jan. 4. 311 W. Superior St. 312-664-9407.
Crafts
VALE: Kathyanne White textile assemblages, Sept. 13-Nov. 16; 10th anniversary group show, Nov. 22-Jan. 4. 230 W. Superior St. 312-337-3525.
Ethnographic art
ARMS AKIMBO: Ingrid Albrecht “Messages from the Ancients” watercolors, Oct. 11-Nov. 29. 233 W. Huron St. 312-654-1968.
Glass art
HABATAT: Judith Lascola blown and painted glass, Martin Blank sculpted glass, Sept. 13-Oct. 18; Flora C. Mace, Joey Kirkpatrick glass and mixed media, Oct. 25-Nov. 30; gallery artists group show, December. 222 W. Superior St. 312-440-0288.
MARX-SAUNDERS: Etsuko Nishi, Lene Bodker, Ben Edols, Kathy Elliott glass sculpture, Sept. 13-Oct. 14; William Carlson glass sculpture, Oct. 18-Nov. 11; Richard Whiteley cast-glass sculpture, Nov. 15-Dec. 2; Joel Philip Myers glass sculpture, Dec. 6-Jan. 31. 230 W. Superior St. 312-573-1400.
Graphics
ANCHOR GRAPHICS: Brant Schuller sculptural prints, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Melissa Harshman handmade prints, Oct. 18-Nov. 12; Tracy Templeton handmade prints, Nov. 22-Dec. 21. 119 W. Hubbard St. 312-595-9598.
Latin-American artists
CASTILLO: Luis Fernando Uribe paintings, seven women artists from South America, through Oct. 5; Lorna Marsh paintings, Oct. 11-Nov. 9; Juan Jose Molina paintings, Nov. 15-Dec. 28. 233 W. Huron St. 312-337-2536.
Modern American
ADAMS FINE ART: “Through Form and Beyond: American Painters Interpret Modernism,” Sept. 13-Nov. 2. 715 N. Franklin St. 312-642-8700.
NORTON: Pauline Lennards Palmer paintings, Sept. 19-Oct. 18. 612 Merchandise Mart Plaza. 312-644-8855.
Modern and Contemporary
GRAY: Paintings, drawings and sculpture from the Wolfson Estate, Sept. 17-Nov. 27; contemporary and modern master drawings; December. 875 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 2503. 312-642-8877.
KOPPEL: New acquisitions group show, through Nov. 5; Katharina Bosse burlesque photographs, Nov. 8-Dec. 31. 210 W. Chicago Ave. 312-640-0730.
McCORMICK: Rodney Carswell new abstract paintings, Sept. 13-Oct. 19; Vidvuds Zviedris paintings, Oct. 25-Dec. 14. 835 N. Washington Blvd., 312-226-6800.
Old and Modern Masters
JOHNSON FINE ART: “Aspects of Art in France and Germany,” paintings and works on paper from the 19th and 20th centuries; Oct. 1-Dec. 1. 645 N. Michigan Ave. 312-943-1661.
Photography
DAITER: Marcel Bovis, John Cohen photographs; Sept. 13-Oct. 26; Wynn Bullock, Louis Faurer photographs, Nov. 1-Jan. 4. 311 W. Superior St. 312-787-3350.
EDELMAN: “Camera Obscured IV” group show, Sept. 13-Oct. 5; Sally Mann photographs. 300 W. Superior St. 312-266-2350.
FLATFILE: Barbara Crane, John F. Miller photographs, Sept. 13-Oct. 12; Dennis Kowalski and Charles Giuliano collaboration, Joan Truckenbrod photographs, “Fotowerk 2002” group show, Oct. 18-Nov. 16; Beth Moon, Norah Delaney, Jennifer Mannebach, Gagik Aroutiunian, Martin Brief photographs, Nov. 22-Dec., 24. 118 N. Peoria St. 312-491-1190.
Women Artists
ARC: Group show on the Middle East, Rina Y. Yoon works on paper, David Voros paintings, group show of women survivors of domestic violence, through Sept. 28; Iris Goldstein wall sculptures, Michelle Heinebrook paintings, Robert Magrisso mixed media, Janet Pines Bender paintings, artworks by children with disabilities and their families, Carol LaFayette digital video and audio, Oct. 4-26; Beth Shadur watercolors, Sylvia Hommert, Ping Homeric new work, Norma Cochovity paintings, Shmura Campbell mixed media, Alex Mond paintings, Jeremy Drummond video, Nov.1-30. 734 N. Milwaukee Ave. 312-733-2787.
ARTEMISIA: Mille Guldbeck paintings, Karen Brown drawings, Ellie Wallace paintings, Shauna Angel Blue photographs, Jean Marie Casbarian installation, through Sept. 28; works created by 70 artists in tribute to Hollis Sigler, Oct. 4-25. Shim Jung Rhee video projected on paintings, Debora Tolchinsky mixed media, Hether Hoffmann video projections, Judith Brotman mixed media, Judy Koon paintings, Nov. 1-30; Joan Dibble mixed media, Chris Webster photographs and etchings, Carole Loeffler mixed media, “Exhibit 6,” mixed-media group show Dec. 6-28.700 N. Carpenter St. 312-226-7323.
