Art Chicago 2009

Top two images are from the Forum Gallery .. The lady in the top image is Danuta Zarek, an impressionist painter, who I met at the fair. I thank her for allowing me to take her photos ...

Art Chicago 2009 ... The annual international fair of contemporary and modern art, was held in the Merchandise Mart [May 1 to 4, 2009] .. Art Chicago, brings together curators, collectors, artists and art critics and enthusiasts and offers a comprehensive survey of current and historic work, in a wide variety of media including painting, photography, drawings, prints, sculpture, video and special installations ...



I was enthralled by the richness and diversity of the exhibits ... Even people with the most unusual, rare or esoteric taste had something to connect with ...

As for me, I was particularly impressed by the work of Jesus Curia Perez [his tribal sculptures]... in the Ann Nathan Gallery .. .. as shown in the left image and below ...



Above image of the Ann Nathan Gallery ..





There were many remarkable pieces, as the above two figurative clay sculptures by Javier Marin, titled .. "Seven Heads and Three Wigs" ... in the Nohra Haime Gallery ...



Above two works are by Dan Dailey [Blown glass, sandblasted and acid polished. Anodized aluminum] ... Hawk Galleries ..

SPECIAL EXHIBITS:
# The Hairy Who & The Imagist legacy
# Flashpoint
# Partisan
# Society for Contemporary Arts ...



The Hairy Who & The Imagist Legacy ... It refers to a group of Chicago artists, best known for a colorful and subversive aesthetic ... It included works by artists like Roger Brown, Ed Paschke, Karl Wirsum, Barbara Rossi, Gladys Nilsson, Art Green and others ...





Partisan is a special exhibition of works culled from Art Chicago galleries that are dedicated to the artistic exploration of social and political ideas. With hopes of initiating dialogue about art, activism and social change, Partisan provides a critical and challenging space of thought provoking and project-oriented works within an art fair context ... The oil-on-canvas image [above left] is by Guillermo Munez Vera titled, "Maia with Kalashnicov [AK-47]", 2008 ... la Ribera Galeria de Arte ..



My Special Thanks to Darrell Roberts, for informing about the art fair ... Two of his oil-on-canvas works were on display in the McCormick Gallery ...
# "Autumn Mist Chicago" [left image] ... and
# "Gravel Pit Chicago" ...
His ostensibly abstract paintings are inspired by the ever changing landscape of the city ... The colors and the texture brings out the moment, the push-n-pull of city life ...



The McCormick Gallery ...



One of the most whimsical pieces of art was by artist Jason Hackenwerth, commissioned by ... AXA Art .. This transient piece of art, reminiscent of prehistoric sea animal, called "Evolution Gone Wild" ... is created by hundreds of colorful balloons .. and was meant to be destroyed by the end of the day! What an ingenious way to promote insurance of art pieces!!!