18th St Pilsen Open Studios

This coming weekend is the 8th annual 18th St Pilsen Open Studio walk.  Featuring work by well over 100 artists at more than 50 locations throughout Pilsen, this walk is always fun to attend.  There's a lot of great old buildings in the neighborhood with interesting spaces to check out.  And there's always a wide variety of artwork to see.  Here's a list of the artists scheduled to show work at studios, apartments, cafes, galleries, and other spaces in the area bounded by Western & Halsted and in between 16th St & Cermak Rd.  

There will be free shuttle buses connecting the locations.  Artist Jose Guerrero will lead a neighborhood mural walk on Sunday with times TBA.

This weekend would also be a great opportunity to visit the National Museum of Mexican Art's Day of the Dead exhibition.  They're located at 1852 W 19th St. The museum is free and open 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

8th Annual 18th St Pilsen Open Studios

Saturday & Sunday October 16 & 17, 2010

12 noon to 8 pm

Carlos Ramos & Mark Brown shows at Rotofugi

There'll be two shows of new work opening this Friday evening at Rotofugi.  Los Angeles artist Carlos Ramos will unveil a series of paintings based on David Bowie's many personas over the years.

Artist Mark Brown's show conjures up a darker atmosphere and will feature work like this painting...

Carlos Ramos: Bowie

and Mark Brown: Then Came the Shadows

at Rotofugi Gallery

2780 N Lincoln Ave

Chicago, IL

Opening reception Friday, October 15, 2010

7 to 10 pm

with DJ Genghis Won and both artists present

Both shows will be on view through November 7, 2010

Panel discussion & closing party for Sixty Inches From Center

Tonight Thursday is the closing reception for Sixty Inches from Center: Contemporary Graffiti, a show featuring work by street artists and others working in the public realm.  Curated by Nicolette Caldwell and Casey Champion, tonight's reception will also feature a panel discussion moderated by Nicolette and Casey.  The panelists include: Brooks Golden, Hebru Brantley, Zoe McCloskey, Abraham Ritchie from Art Slant, and Fruzina Eordogh of Chicago Art Magazine.


Here's a video highlighting some of the work and artists in the show...



Sixty Inches from Center: Contemporary Graffiti
C33 Gallery
33 E Congress Parkway
Chicago, IL


Thursday, October 14, 2010
Closing Reception 
5 to 8pm
with a Panel Discussion
from 6:30 to 8pm

Art openings at the Chicago Cultural Center

There are some good shows opening tonight at the Chicago Cultural Center.  Muralist Jeff Zimmerman will be publicly painting one of his trademark murals, photographer Sandro Miller will have photographs shot in Cuba, and artist KS Rives will have a show of collages titled, "Exit Interview".

Jeff Zimmerman: The God Particle
A mural painted on site during the month of October

KS Rives: Exit Interview
and
Sandro Miller: Imagine Cuba
at the Chicago Cultural Center
78 E Washington St
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, October 8, 2010
5:30 to 7:30 pm

Chicago Printer's Guild at CUAS

The Chicago Printer's Guild will present a group show by an excellent group of artists beginning tonight Friday at the Chicago Urban Art Society.  Featuring work by an array of artists and collectives including The Bird Machine, Dan Grzeca, Chad Kouri, Screwball Press, Diana Sudyka, Delicious Design League, and Sonnenzimmer.

Chicago Printer's Guild at
Chicago Urban Art Society (CUAS)
2229 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, October 8, 2010
6 to 11 pm with DJ Solson

The show will also be on view
Sat, October 9 from 1 to 5pm
Sun, October 10 from 1 to 5pm
Thurs, October 14 from 6 to 9pm

and for the 18th St Pilsen Art Walk weekend
Fri, October 15 from noon to 8pm
Sat, October 16 from noon to 5pm
and Sun, October 17 from noon to 8pm

More is More

Chicago painter, Nancy Rosen, has a show of new work opening tonight at the Post Family in West Town.  This will be the final show for the year at the Post Family so that's also a great reason to come out.  They always have interesting shows up.

Nancy Rosen:  More is More
at The Post Family
1821 W Hubbard St
2nd floor
Chicago, IL

Opening party, Friday, October 8, 2010
6pm to midnight
Food and drinks will be available

Other viewing hours by appointment

CUAS Pop-Up Project: Love Flows Both Ways

The Chicago Urban Art Society, in conjunction with Maxwell Colette Gallery, is presenting their first pop-up gallery tonight in Chicago's Loop.  Curated by Oliver Hild, and featuring an array of both local and international artists, it's shaping up to be a wide-ranging fun show. 

Check out more installation pictures here.

Love Flows Both Ways
A Pop-Up Gallery in Chicago's Loop
presented by the Chicago Urban Art Society
& Maxwell Colette Gallery at
205 S State St (at Adams)
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Thursday, October 7, 2010
5:30 to 10 pm
This show will be on view through December 4, 2010

HOTBOX: The Corner Store

Roving truck/art gallery, HOTBOX, will have its final show of the year on display this weekend beginning tomorrow Friday.  This edition of the gallery is titled, "The Corner Store", and will feature work by street artists The Grocer, Nice One, Joey D, and SWIV.  The outside of the truck will also feature lettering by designer Tara Lynch, and there'll be performances by Sidewalk Chalk.

The truck will be parked in 3 different neighborhoods over the next three nights.  Pilsen tomorrow Friday,  in the West Loop Saturday night, and a place to be announced for Sunday.  Hours and locations listed below.

HOTBOX: The Corner Store
SWIV, Nice One, Joey D, and The Grocer

Friday, October 8, 2010
7 to 11pm
at the corner of 18th. & Peoria in Pilsen

Saturday, October 9, 2010
7 to 11pm
at the corner of Randolph & Peoria in the West Loop

Sunday, October 10, 2010
place and time TBA soon

Stickers: From Punk Rock to Contemporary Art

I was happy to hear that Kosbe, a friend of mine in New York by way of Chicago, is one of the artists featured in this new 300 page compendium of over 3,000 different stickers.  Featuring work seen on the streets of New York and from private collections, this book will be hard to beat.

There's an interview with author DB Burkeman here.  He and designer Monica LoCascio put this book together over the last several years.

This video features a sampling of what's inside...

And here are a couple of pages courtesy of Tough Love NYC ...

There's a release party for the book tonight in New York at Le Poisson Rouge sponsored by the authors, Anonymous Gallery, and Rizzoli, the publisher.  

Stickers: From Punk Rock to Contemporary Art

Book release party at Le Poisson Rouge

158 Bleeker St

New York, NY

Thursday, October 7, 2010

9pm

Books will be available for purchase and signing

RSVP to lpr@anonymousgallery.com

There will also be a sticker show, based on the book, touring the country in 2011.  You can find some info on that here.

Roger Brown: Calif USA

Today, Sunday, is the last day for this exhibition of Roger Brown's work at the Hyde Park Art Center.  Centered on a series of paintings he created that were paired with and inspired by items from his collections, this series was titled, Virtual Still Life.  It's the first time this segment of his work has been studied and shown as a group.  The paintings on view were constructed with additional shelves to display ceramics and other items that together complete the work.  

Show curator, Nicholas Lowe, will talk about how he sorted through and put together this exhibition of both Roger's paintings and collections today at 3 pm.  More info on the show as well as installation photos available here.

Roger Brown: Calif USA

Hyde Park Art Center

5020 S Cornell

Chicago, IL

Free Admission

Today, Sunday, October 3, 2010 is the last day for this show.

Open today from noon to 5 pm.

Feel Good Time

Yollocalli Arts Reach has a 2-part fundraiser going on tonight Friday and tomorrow Saturday.  The first part is going on tonight at Nike's and St. Alfred's Six Points.  For a $5 donation you can hear Jesse de la Pena, CZR, and DJ Intel spin as well as pick up some shirts by Kane One.  All ages, and drinks for 21+

The second fundraiser will be held at Pilsen's Chicago Urban Art Society and will feature performances by Ghetto Division, DJ Mode, and DJ Merok.  There will also be a raffle for a 2-hr tattoo session by Chucho of Ace of 4 Hearts Tattoo.

Yollocalli Arts Reach is a youth arts initiative of the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Feel Good Time: A benefit for Yollocalli Arts Reach

Friday, October 1, 2010 7 to 10 pm 

at Six Points 

1529 N Milwaukee Ave

Chicago, IL

& 

Saturday, October 2, 2010  7 to 11 pm

at Chicago Urban Arts Society

2229 S. Halsted St

Chicago, IL

Monsters vs. Robots

Wicker Park's OhNo!Doom Gallery has a show opening tomorrow night Saturday, titled, "Monsters vs. Robots".  Featuring work by an array of artists settling the question, "Who is mightier?  Robot or Monster?"  More info here.

Monsters vs. Robots
OhNo!Doom Gallery
1800 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Saturday, October 2, 2010

Wild Card

Tonight's opening at Wicker Park's Johalla Projects is titled, Wild Card.  Featuring work inspired by Tarot Cards, these pieces are done in a variety of media and styles including painting, collage, drawing, paper cutting, and tattoo flash.  I got to preview some of the pieces during the installation and really got a kick out of printmaker Ryan Duggan's gluttony themed piece.  There's a lot of great work in this show and will be well worth checking out.

Wild Card

Johalla Projects

1561 N Milwaukee Ave

2nd floor (above Earwax)

Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, October 1, 2010
7 to 11 pm
On view through October 31, 2010

Milk Tooth

There's a group show opening tonight at Milk Tooth Gallery on Lake St.  Curated by Corinne Webb and featuring work by 20 artists including Carolina Reyes, Ray Noland, Likalee Tamay, Ray Arroyo Di Vicino, and more.

Eat It Or Wear It group show
at Milk Tooth
657 W Lake St
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, October 1, 2010
8 pm to 1 am

James Jankowiak: Leap of Faith

Chicago artist, James Jankowiak, has a show of new work opening tonight at the Architrouve in West Town.  James always creates interesting work so this should definitely be worth checking out.

James Jankowiak: Leap of Faith
The Architrouve
1433 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, October 1, 2010
6 to 9 pm
The show will be on view through November 15, 2010