Leasha Overturf @ Family Room Gallery:
1821 W Hubbard St, #202, Chicago, IL 60622
www.leasha.com
thepostfamily.com
www.paulelledge.com/blog
Ischar too offered documentary work--but his subjects were male, and his prints in color. Further, Ischar's candid models suggested only the flower of a certain species of manhood. So that while his handling was Mannerist, his study was of something like unto a Greek ideal: mind and body fully developed, then fallen one sun-drenched day into Elysium. Time, in Ischar's work, was frozen. Twenty-five years having passed since the shutter was released: What became of the men depicted?
Doug Ischar @ Golden:
Marginal Waters
816 W. Newport, Chicago, IL 60657
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 1pm - 6pm
And by appointment: 773-209-8889
golden-gallery.org/home.html
In the unstructured dialogue between the antipodes of Overturf and Ischar--b/w and color, the passage of time and the moment, Downstate Illinois and Chicago, female and male, straight and gay--something near to the whole of the story is told. Technically, these two are at the top of their game; they are mature artists. I thought that they were the "best" of what I saw on the opening weekend. And a good curator might easily "say" a lot about the human condition with a juxtaposition of the two. But, more often than not, in the effort to advance one cause, or career, omissions are made with as much care as lies are told.
Drawing: I was surprised to find that at least three spaces [Thomas Robertello, Tony Wight, Monique Meloche] had drawing on display. Maybe, the "hand" of the artist is reappearing?
Robyn O'Neil @ Tony Wight:
On sinking
119 North Peoria Street, Chicago IL USA 60607
11 September - 17 October 2009
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 5pm
www.tonywightgallery.com
And these too were good. At Wight's gallery, Robyn O'Neil presented "surreal" landscape and portraiture--making much use of unworked paper, calling into question [I think] the relationship between the viewer, the frame, and the illusion of space created within the boundaries of the piece. Robyn's handwork looks like a product of the American interior.
Robert Davis and Michael Langlois @ Monique Meloche:
In Our Likeness: Portraits of Illumination
September 12 - October 31, 2009
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm
2154 W. Division, Chicago, IL 60622
www.moniquemeloche.com
I took the shows at Robertello and Meloche to be devotional: artists giving their talent to the representation of "real" figures, or objects, believed to merit said effort. But while the work of Robert Davis and Michael Langlois, at Meloche, was, maybe, more obviously related to the persons depicted, Molly Springfield's work, at Robertello, seemed to be concerned with the act of translation: from one language to another; from one medium to another; from experience to record. Sprinfield presented (1) drawings of (2) photocopies of (3) translations of (4) Marcel Proust's written documentation of his (5) recollection of (6) events. So that many generations passed between "reality" and the viewer's experience in the gallery. All of this being meant to move "us" to question the veracity of other things called history?
James Kao @ Lloyd Dobler Gallery:
Ways of Worldmaking
September 12 - October 24, 2009
1545 W. Division, Second Floor, Chicago, IL 60622
www.lloyddoblergallery.com
www.jameskao.org
"available for viewing by appointment on Thursdays from 6-9pm and Saturdays from 12-5pm"
Painting: James Kao's Shallows was, hands down, my favorite. Kao's painting works, best, on a larger scale. It's one thing to talk of "risk" and commitment; it's another thing to have the courage of your convictions and act upon a canvas as expansive as a political idealist's written statement...
Philip von Zweck @ threewalls:
September 11th - October 10th, 2009
The Fortieth Anniversary of the First Anniversary of May '68 (in September)
"Reflecting on these projects as ones engaged in critique but perhaps from a passive-aggressive or specious position, von Zweck has since chosen to return to the tradition of solely authored, studio-made artworks as a re-engagement of risk and vulnerability at the service of the political."
119 n. Peoria #2d, Chicago, IL 60607
Tuesday-Saturday 11am-5pm
www.three-walls.org
Paul Elledge @ Family Room Gallery:
1821 W Hubbard St, #202, Chicago, IL 60622
[Links above, at Overturf.]
[Hopping back to The Family Room] Here too there was a nice dialogue between Paul Elledge and Leasha Overturf: Elledge's appropriation of post card imagery circa 1970, modified by means of application of a bull's eye target and bullet holes being set up against Overturf's black and white documentary work. The relationship was, I think, complimentary, as each dealt with the passage of time in America.
William Staples @ 65Grand:
September 11 - October 10, 2009
Friday-Saturday 12pm-5:30PM, and by appointment.
1378 W Grand Ave. (on noble st), Chicago, IL 60622-6450
www.65grand.com
Luis Gispert @ Rhona Hoffman:
You're my favorite kind of American
September 11 - October 27, 2009
Tuesday-Friday 10am-5:30pm, Saturday 11am-5:30pm
118 North Peoria Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607
rhoffmangallery.com.19.m6.net/exhibition.asp
"The three-channel synchronized film René depicts a family friend of Gispert's who fled from Cuba and now works in a restaurant supply store in Miami repairing machinery. Gispert creates portraits or interpretations of specific sectors of American life using large-scale photographs, sculpture, and video."
Mike Nourse @ antena:
1765 S. Laflin, Chicago, IL 60608
Hours: by appointment only.
www.antenapilsen.com
www.chicagoartdepartment.org
Craig Doty @ Roots & Culture:
Women
September 11 - October 31, 2009
1034 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL 60622
Thursday and Friday 4pm-7pm; Saturday 12pm-6pm; and by appointment.
www.rootsandculturecac.org
Given what is readily available to anyone capable of operating a web browser: Where was the outrageous material to be found in Craig Doty's show?
Melanie Schiff @ Kavi Gupta:
The Mirror Sep 11 - Oct 24, 2009
Tuesday-Friday 10-6; Saturday 11-5
835 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago IL 60607
www.kavigupta.com
The uninhabited urban landscape has been done--to death. I do respect Melanie and much of her work. And only this evening another photographer said that he loved her show. But, the subject matter, scale, color, point of view, quantity of pieces, hanging, everything, every formal quality on display at Kavi Gupta, was--safe. Graffiti-covered concrete has become a hackneyed backdrop: employed in contemporary design for the purpose of selling shoes, skateboards, etc. I saw the double exposure; I saw the rotation. OK. Now take a chance. Use that time and talent.
Objet Petit A @ Spoke:
August 26th - September 11th, 2009
Saturdays 11am-5pm
119 N. Peoria #3D, Chicago, IL 60607
spokechicago.blogspot.com
Abby Christensen, Ben Fain, Jose Lerma and Cristina Tufino, Michael Jones McKean, Tomas Moreno, Harriet Salmon, Astri Swendsrud, Emily Vanhoff; curated by Dayton Castleman and Matthew Dupont.
James Jankowiak @ antena:
1765 S. Laflin, Chicago, IL 60608
Hours: by appointment only.
www.antenapilsen.com
I like the addition of little, vignette-almost, commentary. Enriches it all a lot.
MSB: I have been very reluctant to add commentary. I've watched, quietly, what has passed since 1981. My effort, over the course of the last two years, has been to document, as objectively as possible, artwork being made and shown in Chicago.
But, maybe, it is time to speak. If I've worried before about speaking [writing] poorly, now I worry too about remaining silent.
Thank you for your [continuing] encouragement.