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The Morning After: Art Chicago and Gallery Opening Night

By Stephanie Burke, May 3, 2011 at 2:21 pm

by Stephanie Burke and Jeriah Hildwine

You wake up, bleary-eyed, not sure where, or even who, you are.  "Why am I sticky?" you ask yourself.  "Did I see a man with an axe, chopping up puppies?"  Congratulations.  You survived Art Chicago.

Check out the slideshow for images from Artropolis (Art Chicago/NEXT), some Black Pass events, Katrina Chamberlain's project at the MCA, the SAIC MFA show, Friday night's opening at Firecat Projects, and the Saturday night gallery openings.  Highlights included a man with an axe smashing (paintings of) puppies, Katrina giving people tattoos (Steph and I each got one), delicious sandwiches at Ann Nathan (thanks, Ann!), Joe Amrhein's reception at Firecat (always a great time), and capoeira at Linda Warren.

Capoeira performance at Linda Warren.
All told, it was an epic weekend, full of art, snacks, and good times.
Capoeira performance at Linda Warren.
Meanwhile, Juan Angel Chavez, whose work is on dislay in the project space, had a burn barrel and a panel-truck speakeasy going on.
Capoeira performance at Linda Warren.
Artist Megan Euker's work sometimes depicts capoeira dancers, and for this reception she brought some real-live performers into the space.
Pizzas at Packer Schopf.
This was a particularly good night for snacks. In River North, Ann Nathan laid out some very nice sandwiches. In the West Loop, Aron Packer ordered pizzas, as did Linda Warren.
Work by Casey Riordan Millard at Packer-Schopf.
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The Tamale Spaceship, in front of ThreeWalls.
Work at Carrie Secrist.
Work at Carrie Secrist.
Work at Carrie Secrist.
Work at Carrie Secrist.
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Wine at Carrie Secrist.
Work by Jackie Tileston at Zg.
Work by Jackie Tileston at Zg.
Work by Anna Joelsdottir at Zg Gallery.
Work by Suzy Poling at Zg.
I got to see Saguaro and Chiricahua a few weeks ago, and have only driven through Yellowstone. Poling's images are inspiring me to go back and really spend some time there.
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Work by Suzy Poling at Zg.
I've recently been on a big National Parks kick, after watching the Ken Burns documentary on them (America's Best Idea, indeed).
Work by Suzy Poling at Zg.
These images were apparently shot at Yellowstone National Park.
Work by Suzy Poling at Zg.
Suzy Poling's work look like photographs of toxic industrial waste, but are in fact accurate depictions of entirely natural phenomena, as suggested by the title of the show, "Natural Phenomenon."
Colonial African sculptures at Ann Nathan.
These sculptures are done in a traditional African style, with elongated limbs and other traditional features, but depict their subjects as wearing the clothes of European Colonial powers. According to one of Ann's crew, these were probably made in the mid-20th Century.
Work by David Becker at Ann Nathan.
Becker shares an oddball sensibility with Robers-Guequierre, but Becker's figures are more gnarled and grotesque. The scenes suggest dystopian fairy tales.
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Work at Ann Nathan.
Other work shown at Ann Nathan is much more traditional landscape-based work.
Work by Amy Hill at Ann Nathan.
Amy Hill reminds me a bit of another fellow I went to graduate school with, Justin Storms. Her work evokes Mannerist portraiture, but her subjects are distinctly contemporary. I am particularly fond of the small busts.
Work by Ben Duke at Ann Nathan.
Ben Duke was in my MFA program, the Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art, a year ahead of me. I was a big fan of his painting then, and still am. He has a choppy, direct style, and an absurdist sense of humor, that make his work weird and fun. Knowing him personally, I can tell you that there is a really smart, educated, and well-read guy behind these apparently playful images, and they merit a prolonged read.
Work by Jean Roberts-Guequierre at Ann Nathan
Ann also shows some artists who are a little more stylized or quirky in their representation. This guy kind of reminds me of Ensor, a little bit.
Work by Gail Potocki at Ann Nathan
Gail Potocki is newer to me. She's a prime example of Ann's vision in her combination of dead-on realistic figure painting combined with surrealist elements. It's a type of work often neglected by contemporary galleries, who focus more on the conceptual, but I'm a sucker for the more traditional modes of representation.
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Work by Chris Ganz at Ann Nathan.
Chris Ganz is one of my favorite artists represented by Ann Nathan. He's an incredibly skilled draftsman, particularly at creating lifelike likenesses, and has a masterful sense of composition. He is also a rock star with charcoal, a medium I personally find difficult to work with.
Work at Ann Nathan.
Beyond the sandwiches, Ann Nathan has a unique vision as a Chicago gallerist, showing mostly traditional, realistic figure painting, but also African art, sculpture, and welded-steel Modernist furniture by Jim Rose (no relation to the circus sideshow guy, I think) and others.
Delicious sandwiches courtesy of Ann Nathan!
Ann Nathan, one of my longtime favorite gallerists in Chicago because of her dedication to traditional, realistic figure painting, warmly greeted Steph and I upon our arrival. "Come get some sandwiches, guys! They're delicious." And they were.
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from Art Chicago/NEXT during Saturday's visit
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Selections from the SAIC MFA Thesis Exhibition
Jeriah and some pigeon art we found in River North
Jeriah proving he's the tallest at the MCA
Steph getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Steph getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Jeriah getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Jeriah getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Jeriah getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Jeriah getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Jeriah getting tatooed for Katrina Chamberlin's Mnemonic at the MCA
Thomas Ruff at the MCA
Breakfast at the MCA Friday morning
Breakfast at the MCA Friday morning
Tasty snacks at the Firecat after party
I found my internet bar around the corner from Firecat on Friday
The ladies (and gentleman) of beer at Firecat on Friday night
Jeriah and our buddy Jason Brammer scoping out the snacks at Firecat on Friday night
Reception for Joe Amrhein: A Fallibility of Perception at Firecat Projects on Friday night
Reception for Joe Amrhein: A Fallibility of Perception at Firecat Projects on Friday night
Reception for Joe Amrhein: A Fallibility of Perception at Firecat Projects on Friday night
Reception for Joe Amrhein: A Fallibility of Perception at Firecat Projects on Friday night
Reception for Joe Amrhein: A Fallibility of Perception at Firecat Projects on Friday night
Johallah Projects/Post Family booth
Johallah Projects/Post Family booth
Chad Kouri at the Johallah Projects/Post Family booth
James Jankowiak corner at the Johallah Projects/Post Family booth
R James Healey at the What It Is booth
Selection from the LVL3 booth
Hams and hams at a NEXT booth
Backward rainbow painting at the ACRE Residency booth
Tom Torluemke and his (sold) sculpture (in the foreground) at the Linda Warren Gallery booth
Works from Brian Leo: The Post Ironic at NEXT
Works from Brian Leo: The Post Ironic at NEXT
One of the "Liberal vs. Conservative" maps up at the Charlie James Gallery booth
A confusing sign found posted up at Art Chicago
They were everywhere. Not sure who put them up, or what the point was.
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Filed under: Art Feature, Art Talk Chicago

Tags: ACRE, Ann Nathan, Anna Joelsdottir, Aron Packer, Art Chicago, Artropolis, Ben Duke, Brian Leo, capoeira, Carrie Secrist, Chad Kouri, Charlie James Gallery, Chris Ganz, David Becker, FireCat Projects, Jackie Tileston, James Jankowiak, Joe Amrhein, Johallah Projects, Juan Angel Chavez, Katrina Chamberlain, Linda Warren, mca, Megan Euker, NEXT Fair, Packer Schopf, Post Family, R James Healey, Suzy Poling, ThreeWalls, Tom Torluemke, What It Is, zg

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