Touch & Go: Ray Yoshida and his Spheres of Influence

Artist and School of the Art Institute teacher, Ray Yoshida, will have a posthumous exhibition dedicated to him and to the lasting influence he had on his students and peers.  I've long enjoyed his work, especially the pieces with the elements cutout from old comic strips.  The show will be held at the School of the Art Institute's beautiful Sullivan galleries in the former Carson's building on State St.  In addition to Ray's work there will be paintings, drawings, and more by some of my favorite artists including Chris Ware, Roger Brown, Martin Ramirez, and Christina Ramberg.

Touch & Go: Ray Yoshida and his Spheres of Influence

School of the Art Institute Sullivan Galleries

33 S. State St

7th floor

Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, November 12, 2010

6 to 8 pm

The show will be on view through February 12, 2011

Jerome Acks at 65Grand

West Town's 65Grand will have a show opening Friday night by Jerome Acks featuring work that is sculpted, dyed, sewn, and painted with some humor mixed in.  You can read more about the show here.

Jerome Acks: Big Sky
65Grand
*New Location*
1369 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, November 12, 2010
7 to 10 pm
The show will be on view through December 18, 2010

You Are Looking at Art About Looking at Art

Noble & Superior Projects in West Town will be opening a show tomorrow night Friday with photography ,an archive-based installation, and more by Jason Lazarus, Joseph Grigely, and Eric Fleischauer, and a mysterious stranger credited as Anonymous.

You Are Looking at Art About Looking at Art

at Noble & Superior Projects

1418 W Superior St

In the rear coachhouse, 2nd floor

Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, November 12, 2010

6 to 10 pm

On view through December 11, 2010

Tado at Rotofugi

Mike and Katie Tado aka Tado are a British-based couple who do animation, toy design, and more.  They'll be at Rotofugi tomorrow night Friday doing signings from 7 to 8 pm. and unveiling their show, The Wrong 'Uns featuring handmade figures, prints, paintings, and their new Piggaphunts phone charms.

Tado: The Wrong 'Uns
at Rotofugi
*New Location*
2780 N Lincoln Ave at Diversey
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, November 12, 2010
7 to 10 pm with a signing by Tado from 7 to 8 pm
The show will be on view through December 5, 2010

Forever and ever

Forever and ever. Mayor Daley., originally uploaded by Nick Adam.

Chicago artist and designer, Nick Adam, has launched a rogue campaign commenting on Richard M. Daley's extended tenure as mayor of the city of Chicago. You'll be able to see them on display at the upcoming Daley Show opening Friday, December 10, 2010 at the Chicago Urban Art Society in Pilsen or look for them out on the street.

Os Gemeos ~ Viva la Revolucion

As part of the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego's Viva la Revolucion: A Dialogue with the Urban Landscape show, Brazil's Os Gemeos painted a huge vertical mural on the side of a parking garage.  Iconoclast Editions is distributing copies of the poster pictured above for 1 cent + the cost of shipping.  Considering it's being sent rolled in a tube instead of folded, and knowing how well packaged other stuff I've ordered from Iconoclast has arrived, I think that's fair.  Iconoclast has a lot of great stuff by some of my favorite artists including Barry McGee/Twist, Todd James/REAS, and Andrew Jeffrey Wright.

I bought this hilarious and porny (NSFW) Attitude Dancer: an Advanced Coloring Book by REAS in Philadelphia 10 years ago and some rare copies are now available through Iconoclast at a low price as well.

You can order the Os Gemeos poster here.  The Viva la Revolucion show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego will be on view through January 2, 2011.

All City Indigenous: 10 Years of Statik

Chicago painter and muralist, Rahmaan Statik Barnes, will be presenting a retrospective of work from the past 10 years this afternoon at the Silver Room in Wicker Park.  In addition to the work on view, there'll also be live aerosol painting as well as sets by different DJ's each Sunday in November.

The art show kicks off today, Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 2 pm with Johnny Fonseca spinning through 6 pm.

Sunday, November 14: DJ Daryll Mellowman
Sunday, November 21: DJ Cordell Johnson
Sunday, November 28: DJ Kwest_on

Also, legendary live house musician, Peven Everett, will be performing an acoustic set at a special  reception on Saturday, November, 20th from 7 to 11 pm.  I haven't heard Peven play in several years so this should be a treat.  That Saturday will also feature performances by Sweetpants Money, Instrumentality, and DJ Susannah Kim.

All events are free and all ages.

Rahmman Statik Barnes
All City Indigenous:  10 Years of Statik
The Silver Room
1442 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL

The exhibition will be on view through December 1, 2010

Violence

The Exhibition Agency in Wicker Park will be opening a group show tonight titled, Violence.  The gallery is a newly formed space founded by Corinna Kirsch, formerly of Concertina Gallery.  The gallery will be presenting work by Brandon Anschultz, Justin Gainan, Matthew Paul Jinks, RJ Messineo, Michael Sirianni, and Molly Zuckerman-Hartung.

Violence
at The Exhibition Agency
2351 N Milwaukee Ave
2nd floor
Chicago, IL

Opening reception Saturday, November 6, 2010
7 to 10 pm
On view through December 4, 2010

Territorial Markers: Recent Drawing Machines by Mark Porter

Chicago artist Mark Porter is presenting an installation of drawings and kinetic sculptures opening tonight at Fill in the Blank Gallery in Lincoln Square.  Over the course of the exhibition the sculptures will release a soapy mixture as a wall drawing on the space.

Mark Porter: Recent Drawing Machines 

Fill in the Blank Gallery

5038 N Lincoln Ave

Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, November 5, 2010

7 to 11 pm

On view through December 4, 2010

The God Particle

Chicago painter and muralist, Jeff Zimmerman, is having a reception for his room sized installation, The God Particle, tonight at the Chicago Cultural Center.  I caught a peek at it the first day he was working on it last month with the guide drawings that go under the piece.  Those alone looked great.  I'm looking forward to seeing what the finished murals look like.

Here's a little video preview of Jeff working on one of the murals...


Jeff Zimmerman: The God Particle
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E Washington at Michigan Ave
1st floor
Chicago, IL

Reception, Friday, November 5, 2010
5:30 to 7:30 pm

The Exquisite Book

Quimby's Bookstore hosts a signing tonight for The Exquisite Book. Based on the Surrealist drawing game where artists collaborate on a portion of a drawing without seeing the whole thing beforehand, this book consists of 10 sets of drawings by a total of 100 artists.  I was happy to see the work of a lot of great artists in the book including Matt Leines, Edie Fake, Lilli Carre, David Shrigley, Arthur Jones, and the Little Friends of Printmaking.

Tonight's signing will include Anders Nilson, Lilli Carre, Susie Ghahremani, Lauren Nassef, Isaac Tobin, Paul Hornschemeier, as well as the authors, Jenny Volvovski, Matt Lamothe, and Julia Rothman.

The Exquisite Book signing

at Quimby's Bookstore

1854 W North Ave

Chicago, IL

Friday, November 5, 2010

7pm

Smoke & Mirrors

Concession Stand, 2008 

Chicago photographer, Elizabeth Ernst, is presenting a new chapter in her series of work depicting the performers of an imaginary circus and sideshow.  Elizabeth sculpts the performers out of clay and scrap metal, photographs them and prints the images on linen paper, and then paints over the photographs with acrylics.  She also merges the work with images she has photographed at actual circuses.  You can read more about her process and view other images in the series here.

Sideshow Performer, 2010

Elizabeth Ernst:  Smoke & Mirrors
at Catherine Edelman Gallery
300 W Superior St
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, November 5, 2010
5 to 8 pm
There will be a talk with Elizabeth Ernst at noon on Saturday, November 6, 2010
On view through December 31, 2010

Chicago group show at Russell Bowman

River North dealer Russell Bowman is presenting a group show of some of my favorite Chicago artists.  Featuring the work of many of the Imagists as well as other big names who started working here in the 1960's and 70's, there'll be a lot of rarely seen pieces like these by Roger Brown, Ed Paschke, Barbara Rossi, Miyoko Ito, Karl Wirsum, and more...

Lady Waiting for Dinner, 1983 by Barbara Rossi

Bow Wow Leggins, 1986 by Karl Wirsum

Cleon, 1974 by Ed Paschke

Cave Park, c.1971 by Roger Brown

Chicago! Chicago! group show

at Russell Bowman Art Advisory

311 W Superior

Suite 115

Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, November 5, 2010

5:30 to 8 pm
On view through December 31, 2010

Drew Griffith and Matthew Whiting at Johalla Projects

Artists Matthew Whiting and Drew Griffith present paintings, drawings, and sculptural objects depicting a depopulated world. Opening this Friday evening, at Johalla Projects in Wicker Park.

Drew Griffith and Matthew Whiting: I Don't Feel at Home in this World

Johalla Projects

1561 N Milwaukee Ave

2nd floor

Chicago, IL

Opening reception Friday, November 5, 2010

7 to 11 pm

On view through November 28, 2010

Michael Rea at Ebersmoore

Chicago artist, Michael Rea, has a solo show opening at Ebersmoore in the West Loop this Friday evening.   Michael's wood sculptures never cease to amaze me.  From a huge robot "Suit for Stephen Hawking"...

on display at the Co-Prosperity Sphere to a wood drum kit at Version Fest, and this piece displayed by Ebersmore at the NEXT Art Fair earlier this year...

... Michael's work is always super detailed, thought provoking, and a little crazy.  I'm looking forward to seeing what he'll have up on Friday.

Michael Rea: New Work
at Ebersmoore
213 N Morgan
#3C
Chicago, IL

Opening reception, Friday, November 5, 2010
6 to 9 pm
On view through December 11, 2010