Museum quality art on view at Expo Chicago

 

Ajarb Bernard Ategwa, "Sweet Dreams" Acrylic on canvas, ( photo by Perez Projects, Berlin)
Ajarb Bernard Ategwa, “Sweet Dreams” Acrylic on canvas, ( photo by Perez Projects, Berlin)

Unless you purposely seek out art galleries in Chicago, across the US and when traveling abroad, you are likely to miss seeing what is happening in the world of modern and contemporary art. But Expo Chicago offers a chance to catch up on the global art scene in one weekend, in one place. Happening now at Navy Pier it only goes through Sept. 30, 2018,

Basically, it is impossible to walk among the more than 130 galleries exhibiting upstairs in Navy Pier’s Festival Hall without stopping for a closer look at eye-catching sculptures and paintings or fascinating photography displays.

A brilliant wall-sized piece by Cameroonian,artist Ajarb Bernard Ategwa stops browsers at the Peres Projects Gallery.  It turns out that the gallery is located in Berlin.

When asked why come from Germany to Chicago for Expo, owner Javier Peres,said,”  We love the energy of Chicago, it’s collectors and institutions. It’s a truly American city, diverse and dynamic and we are keen to engage with the city and also the entire Midwest region more.”

 

Sanford Bigger's sculpture at moniquemeloche at Expo Chicago (J Jacobs photo)
Sanford Bigger’s sculpture at moniquemeloche at Expo Chicago (J Jacobs photo)

An American Flag sculpture by internationally known, Harlam-based, artist Sanford Biggers, draws visitors to moniquemeloche a popular Chicago gallery with a new West Town location.

Nearby the dark works of Dawoud Bey pull people into the shared space of the Rena Bransten Gallery of San Francisco with the  Stephen Daiter Gallery    “They represent what a runaway slave might be seeing,” said Daiter.

Dawoud Bey, 2017 "Night Coming Tenderly b;acl (Picket Fence and Farmhouse). (J Jacobs photo)
Dawoud Bey, 2017 “Night Coming Tenderly b;acl (Picket Fence and Farmhouse). (J Jacobs photo)

In the same gallery are photos by Kenneth Josephson who likes to put scenes into perspective with a ruler or some other held object. Josephson’s work is featured in a show up now at the MCA that includes some photos on loan from the Daiter Gallery.

For Expo Chicago hours, tickets and other information visit Expo Chicago.

For more on art in Chicago this weekend visit Chicago becomes art central.

Jodie Jacobs