Tiny Town

In the corner in the kitchen of my grandparents house, originally uploaded by Plan of the Brachial Plexus.

I'm really digging this Piet Mondrian/Partridge Family bus-style backlit wall/window/shelf thingy. Photograph by Michael Nordine of his grandparent's kitchen.

Johalla Projects Art Auction

Painting by Jourdon Gullett

Wicker Park's Johalla Projects is hosting an art auction this Friday to raise funds for their space. I finally got to check them out at their Getting Acquainted show recently. They had a great selection of photography, collage, and video art on display. They even had some good ol' fashioned performance art in the mix. Info on the auction from their site...

Johalla Projects and their curators aspire to offer you thought-provoking exhibitions and provide support for emerging and mid-career artists. Because of the economic state of affairs, we decided to try something different. We have organized our first Art Auction Fundraiser. Proceeds from the auction will go towards improving our exhibition space and continuing to support artists in Chicago. This is an event fit for the collector on a budget. Whether you are a seasoned art investor fixing your eyes on a steal or a budding enthusiast looking for that first piece of art to kick start your collection, our auction has something for everyone. Over 50 artists have donated original work. Participating artists are Nathan Baker, Bridgette Buckley, Elijah Burgher, Philip Dembinski, Anni Holm, Aron Gent, Jon Gitelson, Chad Kouri, Daniel Shea, Montgomery Perry Smith, Myles Smutney-Hyde, and many, many others.

Johalla Projects Art Auction Fundraiser

Friday, January 29, 2010
Auction Viewing: 7-11pm
Bidding will close at 10pm
Winners announced at 10:30pm

Tickets may be purchased to bid on art.
1 ticket: $5
5 tickets: $20

There is no limit on how many times one may bid during the evening.

Please contact for full list of participating artists or additional auction details

Johalla Projects
1561 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd floor
Chicago, IL
johallaprojects@gmail.com

The Free Store Chicago

It's time once again for another appearance of The Free Store Chicago. Curated by Biggest Fags Ever (Zena Sakowski & Rob Kelly), Melinda Fries, & Salem Collo-Julin, this popular art project has been at it for nearly four years now and has versions in other cities as well.

Info from their site...
BRING THINGS, TAKE THINGS, BUY NOTHING!

The Free Store is a nomadic, temporary free store that irregularly visits a variety of Chicagoland neighborhoods. The Free Store, open during all gallery hours, invites you to be involved: come to the store, bring stuff you want to give away, and take stuff that you want. There is no restriction on what you can take - you don't have to trade or barter. Just take it.

Yes we will be at Gallery 400 for six weeks but come on the 27th and celebrate with us. While you are there you can also see:
Art Work: A National Conversation About Art, Labor and Economics from Temporary Services.


A selection from a previous incarnation of The Free Store. Photo by Melinda Fries.

Opening Wednesday, January 27, 2010
5:00pm - 8:00pm
The Free Store
Gallery 400 at University of Illinois at Chicago
400 S. Peoria St.
Chicago, IL

Schedule for the rest of the run:
January 26 - March 6, 2010
Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Saturday, 12:00 - 6:00
pm. Extended hours on Thursdays - 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

More info here.

Cabin Fever

Bridgeport's Co-Prosperity Sphere has a 2-day show opening tonight at 7pm. The Tupajumi Foundation has brought in artwork by about 40 artists from around the world. Check out some pictures of the show installation here. List of artists here.

The show is open for TWO DAYS;
Friday Jan 22, 2010 7pm - 2am
Saturday Jan 23, 2010 1pm - 6pm
The opening reception is Jan 22 7pm at the Co-Prosperity Sphere/. The opening includes a performance program with

PUBLICIST
(SEB FROM TRANS AM)

WATERBABIES
(MAHJONG)

JOE KISSER
(from Holland)

DJ RYAN STINSON
(LOVE CONCEPT)

and others.

Admission is free from 7 to 9 pm
and $8 from 9 pm - 2 am tonight.
Saturday afternoon is free.

Cabin Fever
Co-Prosperity Sphere
3219 S Morgan
Chicago, IL

We Are the World

We Are the World is a group show opening this Saturday at Roots & Culture. Curated by Liliana Lewicka and featuring work by Ninna Berger, Caitlin Denny, John Henderson, Parker Ito, Zachary Kaplan, Anne Guro Larsmon, Matt Momchilov, Justin Olerud, Job Piston, Melissa Sachs, Bailey Salisbury, and Justin Swinburne.

I'm not familiar with any of these artists but this gallery always has something interesting on display so it should be worth checking out.

We Are The World
Opening reception Saturday, January 23, 2010
6 to 9 pm
Roots & Culture
1034 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL
773.235.8874

The show is up through February 20, 2010
Hours are Thurs & Fri 4 pm - 7 pm, and Sat 12 - 6 pm.

Visions from a Foxhole

Chicago's Pritzker Military Library will have a show of drawings by William A. Foley, Jr titled, "Visions From a Foxhole". William served in the U.S. Army during World War II and kept a sketchbook that he drew depicting life in combat. This show will feature over 40 works, including some from his sketchbook during that period and others produced years later based on his memories of the war.

William A. Foley, Jr
Visions From a Foxhole: The Wartime Sketches of William Foley
Pritzker Military Library
610 N Fairbanks
2nd floor
Chicago, IL

Friday, January 22 - April 9, 2010
Free admission

Preview article in Time Out Chicago.
The library is open 8:30 am - 4:30 pm Monday - Friday

No Coast at the MCA

Pilsen's No Coast collective is presenting tonight's monthly Cabinet of Curiosities evening at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Info from No Coast's site...

NO COAST presents: HEAVEN IS REAL, a collection of performances, presentations and activities themed around our abnormal/ paranormal/ celebratory/ transcendent relationship with death and dying, as part of the Cabinet of Curiosities series. The MCA describes the event as “A grab bag of ‘un-lectures’ about a myriad of topics that create a variety show-like evening of artist presentations curated by different groups from around Chicago.” We like to think of it as a morbidly fantastic show-n-tell.

Featuring Performances by:

Acephalous
Andre Callot
Aaron Dicks & Colin Self
Andrea Fritsch
Rebecca Gordon
Brandon Joyce
Ted Marino
Hosted By Lil Elote
special activities by No Coast

Admission to the MCA is also FREE all day on Tuesday!

No Coast: Heaven is Real
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
6pm
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago
220 E Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL

Icy Demons

Chicago/Philly group Icy Demons are playing as part of a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall tonight. But you can also catch them for free tonight at an in-store performance at the Reckless Records in Lakeview.

Check out their latest album, Miami Ice here. I love the cover by Philadelphia artist Andrew Jeffrey Wright too.

Here's a performance video of Icy Demons playing 1850...


Icy Demons
In-store performance at Reckless Records
Friday, January 15, 2010
5pm
3126 N Broadway Av
Chicago, IL
773-404-5080

True Colors

Prolific photojournalist Art Shay will have a show opening tonight at Thomas Masters Gallery. Art is well known for his black and white photography covering news and people for Life magazine and many other publications. This will be the first all-color show he's ever had.

Tonight's exhibition will highlight work from the past 40 years, including images of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the first Mayor Daley, Johnny Cash (pictured on the right), and both John and Robert Kennedy.

Here's a selection of Art's photographs in the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago. Including this one of writer Nelsen Algren...


Art Shay: True Colors
Opening reception, Friday, January 15, 2010
6 - 9 pm
Thomas Masters Gallery
245 W North Ave
Chicago, IL

This show runs through February 15, 2010

Heartland at the Smart Museum

This is the final weekend to catch the Heartland show at the Smart Museum featuring work by artists and collectives from the midwest. One of the highlights is "Dear Trusted Associate" a sprawling, hand drawn conspiracy piece by Chicago artist Deb Sokolow.

Heartland
Smart Museum of Art
5550 S. Greenwood Avenue
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL

Admission is free and the show will be up through Sunday, January 17, 2010

Rock the Future

Chicago's OhNo!Doom arts collective is re-opening at a new, easier to get to space in Wicker Park Saturday night. OhNo!Doom hosted a lot of great shows in their former Logan Square gallery. Saturday night will feature a group show titled, "Rock the Future!". This show is part of an annual fundraiser for Rock for Kids, which offers free music education for children.

Opening Saturday, January 16, 2010
6 to 10 pm
OhNo!Doom
1800 N Milwaukee Ave (between Damen and Western Ave)
Chicago, IL

Matt Tuteur at the Monadnock

Chicago photographer Matt Tuteur will have a show opening tomorrow night of new work. Matt has a great eye for documenting hidden places and decaying buildings in Chicago and other parts of the country.

Matt Tuteur at the Monadnock Building
Opening reception Friday, January 15, 2010
6 to 9 pm
53 W Jackson St (at Dearborn)
Suite 224
Chicago, IL

Getting Accquainted

Daniel Shea, Bocek Park II from the series Baltimore, 2009
Image courtesy of Daniel Shea

Getting Accquainted is opening tonight at Johalla Projects.

Info from their site...
We spend our lives surrounded by strangers. They’re sitting at bars, shopping in malls, and working in offices all around us. And while strangers are everywhere, we’re rarely given the chance to explore their circumstances. Conversely, the artists in Getting Acquainted have chosen to spend time with strangers. Anonymously working after the fact, they turn brief encounters into deep, careful records. Through collaborative video work, drawing, photography, and simply listening, these works celebrate the process and products of getting to know a stranger.

Featuring new work by:

In b Flat
Kristin Freeman
Shane Lavalette
Jason Polan
The Listening Project
Daniel Shea

Opening Reception: Friday, January 8, 7-10pm

Exhibition runs from January 8-24

Gallery hours are Saturday 1-5pm and by appointment during the week

Johalla Projects
1561 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL

Netherland & Chad Kouri at Rotofugi

Rotofugi will have a double opening tonight featuring Chicago artists Netherland


and Chad Kouri.


Both artists will show new collage work.

Opening reception, Friday, January 8, 2010
7 to 10 pm
Music by DJ Sean Doe

Netherland: In Stereo
and
Chad Kouri: Concoction

Rotofugi Gallery
1955 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL

The shows will be up through January 24, 2010.

Cheat Codes: Lessons in Love

Pilsen gallery, Antena, has a group video show opening tonight. Curated by Amelia Winger-Bearskin, it'll feature work by:
Joanna Bovay
Jennie H. Bringaker
Eunjung Hwang
David Horvitz
Basim Magdy
Jason Martin
Jay Schleidt
Robert Spees
Brent Stewart
Amber Hawk Swanson
Joseph Whitt
and Grant Worth

Cheat Codes: Lessons in Love
Opening reception Friday, January 8, 2010
6 to 10 pm

ANTENA
1765 S. Laflin St.
Chicago IL 60608
(773) 257-3534
Other hours by appointment

Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful and fun 2010! Even though I know everyone's hurting in this economy there's still a lot of great things you can see and do for free. Which is one reason I write this blog. And if you're able to support the artists who produce this work and these events, that's great too.

Image from the Museum of Modern Art/PS1's new blog.
New Year's Eve at Studio 54
Tod Papageorge (American, born 1940)
1978. Gelatin silver print, 13 1/16 x 8 3/4" (33.1 x 22.2 cm). Gift of Richard Benson. © 2009 Tod Papageorge

Here are some pictures I shot on New Year's Eve a few years ago...