PLAY! at the Believe Inn

The folks at the Believe Inn in Bucktown opened a beautiful show titled, "Play!" last month. Featuring a really great selection of drawings, collages, and paintings, there's also an incredible collaborative piece in the front room.  Composed of an intricate installation combining artwork, video, and an original song, this room-sized work needs to be seen to be believed. My jaw literally dropped as the piece began. This video gives you a lil' preview of the show...

They'll be open tonight Friday, as well as the next 3 Saturdays.  There'll also be an opening by Mario Desa at Firecat Projects around the corner on Damen, which is in the post below.


PLAY!
at the Believe Inn
2043 N Winchester
Chicago, IL
 
Friday, March 30th 6 to 10 pm
as well as the first 3 Saturday afternoons in April

Mario Desa at Firecat Projects

Excellent tattoo artist, Mario Desa, has a show of 30 new traditional tattoo flash inspired paintings opening this Friday evening at Firecat Projects in Bucktown.  Mario expands on the traditional styles and makes it his own. 

Mario Desa: You Might Live, But You Won't Love
at Firecat Projects
2124 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, March 30, 2012
7 to 10 pm
On view through April, 2012

Flicks 2 Print

Artist and photographer FLASH ABC has organized an extensive group show featuring photographs by graffiti artists at Rogers Park space B1 Gallery.  There'll be work by Rome, B-Boy B, Drastic, Uneek, Pengo, Trixter, Dymz, Ascend, Once, Ghetto P, Flash, and more.  I'll also have a photo on display.

This show will have two (count 'em!) two opening parties.  Tonight Friday, March 23rd and tomorrow night Saturday from 6 to 11 pm each night.  There'll be a lot of extras including signings by Trixter and other artists, as well as affordable prints and artwork.  Grime Time magazine will also have a special issue available featuring an exclusive interview with writer BEL along with many rare photographs.

Flicks 2 Print
at B1 Gallery
6902 N Glenwood
1 blk south of the Morse train station on the CTA's Red Line
Chicago, IL

Friday and Saturday, March 23 and 24, 2012
6 to 11pm each night
*Free*

Home Invasion

Chicago artist (by way of Texas) Gabriel Garcia opens an installation of drawings tonight Friday at Offwhite in Ukrainian Village.  I'm constantly amazed by the quality of his work.  This show will run late tonight!

Gabriel Garcia: Home Invasion
at Offwhite
2107 W Ohio
Unit 2
Chicago, IL

Friday, March 23, 2012
8pm to 2am

Rebecca Shore at Corbett vs Dempsey

21, 2011 by Rebecca Shore

Corbett vs. Dempsey will have a show of new paintings by Rebecca Shore opening tonight.  This is her second show of work featuring sets of images in silhouettes. A show of Polaroids by German artist Horst Ademeit will also be on view.  Ademeit shot thousands of Polaroid photos in his lifetime and obsessively wrote in extremely tiny print in the white margins of his photos.  

Rebecca Shore: All in One

and Horst Ademeit

at Corbett vs Dempsey

1120 N Ashland

3rd floor

Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, March 23, 2012

5 to 8pm

On view through May 5, 2012

Evil is Interesting

 Micki Tschur, 2012, Madonna Salt and Pepper Shakers

Michael Workman and Antidote Projects curated Evil is Interesting, a show opening tonight at Antena Gallery in Pilsen.  Featuring artwork by a multitude of artists, performances, and the release of a zine, this looks to be an interesting night.

Info from their site...
Featuring work by Frank Pollard, Mike Lenkowski, Lorna Mills, Sarah Weis, Bill Talsma, Elizabeth Suter, Judy Oesterreicher, Micki Tschur, Sarah Legow, Industry of the Ordinary, Holly Streekstra, Samantha Ocasta, Jeffrey Grauel, Tony Kapel, Computers Cult and Maitejosune Urrechaga.
 
False Love 'zine with texts by AA Bronson, Michael Workman, Dan Gleason and Caroline Picard.
 
Live theatrical presentation of "A Conversion" by Michael Workman, a performance art play in five acts, starting at 8:30pm with Heather Marie Vernon, Sarah Weis, Katerina Papadatos, Snorre Sjønøst Henriksen and Heather Lynn. Performances will be videotaped and archived in the exhibition.

Evil is Interesting
at Antena Gallery
1765 S Laflin
Chicago, IL

Opening reception: Friday, March 23, 2012
6 to 10pm
On view through April 21, 2012

Connect Force at Shot Images

Photography gallery Shot Images opens a show tonight by teens in the Connect Force youth program.  Based in Niles, IL, Shot Images concentrates on showing large scale photography.  Connect Force is part of the Alternatives, Inc center in Uptown, Chicago.  They started a darkroom photography program there several years ago which has led to many teens learning how to shoot on film and print their own work.  Tonight's show features work by Tom Callahan, Oscar Olivares, Armando Castillo, Billy Danze, Jazz Spurgeon, Michael Bruce, and several more photographers.

Off the Line
at Shot Images
7430 N Lehigh Ave
Niles, IL

Opening reception: Friday, March 16, 2012
4 to 8pm

2012 Chicago Zine Fest

Today, Saturday is the main event of the two-day Chicago Zine Fest.  Close to 200 exhibitors from around the country and from Canada and Scotland will be selling and trading their zines covering all kinds of topics and art styles.  Last night's panel discussions, talks, and competition started the event well.  Besides the zine exhibiting, today will also features a short film festival, an art show featuring work by zinesters, and many great workshops.  All events are free and open to the public.

Last year's Chicago Zine Fest

2012 Chicago Zine Fest

at Columbia College's Conaway Center

1104 S Wabash Ave

on the 1st & 8th floors

Chicago, IL

There will also be more workshops and an open house today at Columbia College's Center for Book & Paper on the 2nd floor of the building.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

11am to 6pm

Trubble Club #5 Release Party!

Chicago's amazingly talented comics collective, Trubble Club, is releasing their new issue tomorrow night Wednesday at the Post Family's space in West Town.  Issue #5 will be produced in full-color and printed on newsprint in homage to the rapidly disappearing Sunday funnies.

This screenprint will also be included in each issue...

Trubble Club #5 Release Party!
at the Post Family
1821 W Hubbard St
Suite #202
Chicago, IL

Wednesday, March 7, 2012
7 to 10 pm
Available online soon through their site or at Quimby's Books in Chicago

Can't Grow Up!

New Chicagoan Luke Pelletier has curated a one-night art show titled Can't Grow Up.  Opening tonight Saturday at the Co-Prosperity Sphere in Bridgeport, this show will feature work by a great line-up of artists in the skate community and will also function as a release party for Can't Grow Up! zine. 

Can't Grow Up!
with Wes Humpton, Chris Silva, Michael Sieben, Jimbo Phillips, Dennis McNett, Bart Saric, Bryan DeLaGarza, Tim Pigott, Dan Ezra Lang, Ican Harem, Ryan Ady Putra, Alex Cohen, Nathan Friedman, Brayn Peterson, Jourdon Gulett, Darin Bendall, Ben Jensen, Carson Cornett, and Luke Pelletier
at the Co-Prosperity Sphere
3219 S Morgan
Chicago, IL

Saturday, March 3, 2012
7 to 11 pm
*Free*

I Made This For You

Matthew Hoffman will have a show of new wood and text based work open tonight at Public Works Gallery in Wicker Park. Matthew's work is always thought provoking and meticulously made. For years he's also produced work under other names including Sighn and Multipolar Projects highlighting different artistic sensibilities.

Matthew Hoffman: I Made This For You
at Public Works Gallery
1539 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL

Opening reception Friday, March 2, 2012
7pm to 10 pm
On view through April 20, 2012