September
thursday23
Columbia College Glass Curtain Gallery 1104 S. Wabash: Keep It Slick Exhibit documenting the work of anticorporate activists the Yes Men. Reception Thu 9/23, 5-7 PM. 9/7-10/23.
Roosevelt University Gage Gallery 18 S. Michigan: Crisis & Opportunity: Documenting the Global Recession Group photo show. 9/23-12/31.
friday24
Floating World Gallery 1925 N. Halsted: Creating What Has Never Been Japanese postwar paintings and contemporary ceramics. Reception 9/24, 6-9 PM. 9/24-11/19.
The Hills Esthetic Center 128 N. Campbell, Unit G: Girls Photos by Caitlin Arnold. Reception Fri 9/24, 8-11 PM. 9/24-10/16.
Northwestern University Block Museum of Art 40 Arts Circle, Evanston: Live & Die Like a Lion? Drawings by Leon Golub; Rapture Video and sound installation by Shirin Neshat. 9/24-12/12.
Zhou B Art Center 1029 W. 35th: Orange Meditations Sculpture by Herbert George. Reception Fri 9/24, 6-10 PM. 9/24-10/30.
saturday25
Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan: Seven Centuries of Art Works on paper from the Richard and Mary L. Gray Collection. 9/25-1/2. Prototypes/Ronde del Nuit Work by Lewis Baltz. 9/25-1/9.
Loyola University Museum of Art Lewis Towers, 820 N. Michigan: Contemporary Arabic Calligraphy Nihad Dukhan’s postmodern interpretation of Arabic letters. 9/25-1/16.
Randolph Street Market Festival The biggest attractions here are the Chicago Antique Market, with 150 vendors selling furnishings, housewares, clothing, jewelry, and more, and the Indie Designer Market, where you can buy directly from the designers and artists.
sunday26
Evanston Art Center 2603 Sheridan, Evanston: Through the Looking Glass Group show. 9/26-11/7.
thursday30
Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair
Columbia College A+D Gallery 619 S. Wabash: Data Mining Group show curated by Bill Linehan and Terence Hannum. Reception Thu 9/30, 5-8 PM. 9/30-11/6.
Smart Museum of Art University of Chicago, 5550 S. Greenwood: Echoes of the Past See Best Bet. Reception Thu 9/30, 5:30-7:30 PM. 9/30-1/16.
Unveiled: Mexican Treasures Young professionals group Evening Associates celebrates Mexico’s independence with an after-hours event featuring a scavenger hunt, cash bar, themed appetizers, and access to museum exhibits.
October
friday1
Center on Halsted 3656 N. Halsted: Menagerie/Construct Paintings and drawings by Jessie Mott and photography by Chester Munro. Reception Fri 10/1, 6:30 PM. 10/1-11/15.
Elephant Room, Inc. 704 S. Wabash: Common Ground Work by Sam Kirk, Hebru Brantley, and Hugo Style. Reception Fri 10/1, 6-10 PM. 9/27-11/17.
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell: Close Encounters Part II An off-site project by Maddie Leach. 10/1-10/31.
Milktooth Gallery 657 W. Lake: Group Show. Fri 10/1, 8 PM-1 AM.
saturday2
Museum of Contemporary Art 220 E. Chicago: Tim Louis Graham. 10/2-10/31. Luc Tuymans Paintings from 1985 to the present. 10/2-1/9.
sunday3
Finestra 410 S. Michigan, #516: Take Stock A working installation by Deborah Adams Doering. Reception 10/8, 5-9 PM. 10/3-10/30.
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell: Pushing Boundaries Selections from HPAC’s large-format-painting class. Reception 11/21, 3-5 PM. Gallery tour 12/12, 2 PM. 10/3-1/23.
wednesday6
Filter Photo Festival A juried exhibit, portfolio reviews for aspiring photographers, and lectures and master classes from experienced ones.
thursday7
3C Gallery 2955 W. Lyndale: No Vacancy: An Urban Artist Studio Group show. Reception Thus 10/7, 6-10 PM. 10/7-10/31.
friday8
Flourish Studios 3020 N. Lincoln: Healing from Brokenness Work by Sharon Burrink and Toni Ruppert. Reception Fri 10/8, 6-8 PM. 10/3-10/30.
Josef Glimer Gallery 207 W. Superior: Dripping Jewels . . . Painted Poetry Paintings by Sheila Finnigan. Receptions Fri 10/8, 8 PM, and Fri 10/15, 7 PM. 10/8-10/30.
Loyola University Ralph Arnold Fine Arts Annex 1131 W. Sheridan: The Picture Man Photos by Milton Rogovin. Reception Fri 10/8, 5-6:30 PM. 10/8-11/14.
Thomas Masters Gallery 245 W. North: Susan Hall Paintings. Reception 10/8, 6-9 PM. 10/8-10/31.
Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College 600 S. Michigan: La Frontera Photographs exploring the dynamics of the U.S.-Mexican border. 10/8-12/23.
saturday9
Art Book Swap Any art book in good condition can be traded for one of hundreds of art books donated by publishers, distributors, galleries, and individuals.
Chicago Printmakers Collaborative 4642 N. Western: Paris-Chicago-Paris: An Exchange of Etchings Work by French artists. Reception 10/9, 5:30-8:30 PM. 10/9-10/23.
Handmade Market Jewelry, clothes, handbags, paper, and more by local crafters are for sale at this monthly event. Parents with kids and 21+. Sat 10/9, noon-4 PM, Sat 11/13, noon-4 PM, at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, handmadechicago.com.
Lillstreet Art Center 4401 N. Ravenswood: Member Show Work by students. 10/9-10/10.
sunday15
Art Loop Open The Chicago Loop Alliance and the Chicago Artists’ Coalition present a juried art showcase and competition at a dozen Loop venues, including Macy’s, Palmer House, the Oriental Theater, and Merchandise Mart.
4Art Gallery 1029 W. 35th, #403 (Zhou B Art Center): City-e-Scape Group show. Reception Sun 10/15, 7-10 PM. 10/15-11/6.
Western Exhibitions 119 N. Peoria, suite 2A: Miller & Shellabarger. 10/15-11/13.
saturday16
Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan: Chicago Cabinet: Views from the Street Photographs of Chicago by seven artists. 10/16-1/16.
Lillstreet Art Center 4401 N. Ravenswood: Illinois Artists Show Group show curated by Dan Anderson. Opening reception Sat 10/16, 3-6 PM. Artists’ reception Sat 11/6, 6-10 PM. 10/16-11/14.
Museum of Contemporary Art 220 E. Chicago: Informal Cities A retrospective of the magazine Urban China. 10/16-4/3.
sunday17
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell: Beds and Guns Paintings by Kim Piotrowski. Reception 11/21, 3-5 PM. Artist talk 1/30, 3 PM. 10/17-1/30.
Zygman Voss 222 W. Superior: Salvador Dali 10/16-1/1.
friday22
Antena 1765 S. Laflin: Amelia Winger-Bearskin. Reception Fri 10/22, 6-10 PM. 10/22-11/20.
Art Institute of Chicago 111 S. Michigan: Third Mind Work by Richard Hawkins. 10/22-1/16.
saturday23
Carrie Secrist Gallery 835 W. Washington: David Maisel and Kim Keever Chromogenic color prints. 10/23-12/4.
Thomas Robertello Gallery 939 W. Randolph: Sarah Hicks Ceramic sculpture. Reception Sat 10/22, 5-8 PM. 10/22-12/4.
sunday24
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell: Rust and Flowers A site-responsive photographic mural by Philippe Durand. Reception Sun 11/21, 3-5 PM. 10/24-3/20.
friday29
Rhona Hoffman Gallery 118 N. Peoria: Hamish Fulton. Reception Fri 10/29, 5-7 PM. 10/29-12/18.
Kasia Kay Gallery 1044 W. Fulton: Body Work by Claudia Hart and Rim Lee. Reception 10/29, 6-8 PM. 10/29-11/18.
School of the Art Institute Sullivan Galleries 33 S. State, 7th fl: Fall Undergraduate Exhibition Work by SAIC students graduating this fall. Reception Fri 10/29, 6-8 PM. 10/30-11/20.
Linda Warren Gallery 1052 W. Fulton Mkt: Zach Taylor Collaborative work. Reception Fri 10/29, 6-9 PM. 10/29-12/4.
saturday30
MCA Art Auction The MCA’s biggest fund-raiser, this auction features work by contemporary artists including Olafur Eliasson, Ed Ruscha, Luc Tuymans, Lorna Simpson, and Christopher Wool.
November
wednesday3
Finestra 410 S. Michigan, #516: Tokunoma: Visions of Home Interactive installation by Denise Laurin-Donatelle. Reception 11/12, 5-9 PM. 11/3-11/30.
thursday4
Columbia College C33 Gallery 33 E. Congress Pkwy: Fossil Record Collaborative work by students in Columbia College’s departments of theater and science and math. Reception Thu 11/4, 5 PM. 11/1-12/17.
Columbia College Arcade Gallery 618 S. Michigan, 2nd fl: Post-Human/Future Tense Group show exploring post-humanism. Reception Thu 11/4, 5 PM. 11/1-12/17.
SOFA Chicago The annual Sculpture Objects and Art Fair features ceramics, glass, woodwork, and other art from more than 80 galleries and dealers. Ticket price includes admission to the Intuit Outsider and Folk Art Fair.
friday5
Gallery KH 311 W. Superior: Layers and Dimensions Work by Mark Dickson and Richard Taylor. Reception Fri 11/5, 5-8 PM. 11/5-1/4.
Thomas Masters Gallery 245 W. North: Melinda Stickney-Gibson Paintings. Reception 11/5, 6-9 PM. 11/5-11/30.
Museum of Contemporary Art 220 E. Chicago: Derek Chan. See Best Bet. 11/5-11/28.
Judy Saslow Gallery 300 W. Superior: Laurie Rubin and Nicholas Battis. 11/5-12/4.
Schneider Gallery 230 W. Superior: Culture & the Body Group show featuring Liu Bolin, Victor Vasquez, Magdalena Campos-Pons, and Ian van Coller. Reception Fri 11/5, 5-7:30 PM. 11/5-12/31.
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art 2320 W. Chicago: Vasyl & Svetlana Yarych Sculpture and watercolors. 11/5-1/16.
saturday6
Josef Glimer Gallery 207 W. Superior: Resume Paintings by Mira Hermoni-Levine. Receptions Sat 11/6, 8 PM, and Wed 11/10, 7 PM. 11/6-11/30.
HungryMan Gallery 2135 N. Rockwell: Metratron’s Roof A large-scale, site-specific installation by Jacob C. Hammes. Receptions Sat 11/6, 6-11 PM, and Sun 12/19, 4-7 PM. 11/6-12/19.
sunday7
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell: Material Poems Sculptures by Máximo González. 11/7-3/5.
thursday11
Columbia College Glass Curtain Gallery 1104 S. Wabash: Tomboy Group show by queer women artists. Reception Thu 11/11, 5 PM. 11/8-1/7.
friday12
School of the Art Institute Sullivan Galleries 33 S. State, 7th fl: Touch and Go Retrospective subtitled “Ray Yoshida and His Spheres of Influence.” Reception Fri 11/12, 6-8 PM. 11/13-2/12.
saturday13
Handmade Market Jewelry, clothes, handbags, paper, and more by local crafters are for sale at this monthly event. Parents with kids and 21+.
thursday18
Columbia College A+D Gallery 619 S. Wabash: 89th Art Director’s Club Annual Awards A traveling exhibition of contest winners. Reception Thu 11/18, 5 PM. 11/18-12/18.
Loyola University Ralph Arnold Fine Arts Annex 1131 W. Sheridan: Why Are the Arts Always Last Subtitled “A Student Art Advocacy Project.” Reception Thu 11/18, 5-6:30 PM. 11/18-1/22.
Holiday Art Sale Annual sale showcasing work by more than 120 SAIC students.
Winter Arts & Crafts Expo Work by more than 100 selected artisans, including jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, and more. Preview party 11/19. 11/20-12/19, at Evanston Art Center, 2603 Sheridan, 847-475-5300, evanstonartcenter.org.
friday19
Kasia Kay Gallery 1044 W. Fulton: David A. Parker. Reception Fri 11/19, 6-8 PM. 11/19-12/4.
Lillstreet Art Center 4401 N. Ravenswood: Lillstreet Holiday Show Group show. Reception and holiday party Fri 11/19, 6-10 PM. 11/19-12/31.
Western Exhibitions 119 N. Peoria, suite 2A: Deb Sokolow; The Power of Selection Part 3. 11/19-12/31.
saturday20
Randolph Street Market Festival The biggest attractions here are the Chicago Antique Market, with 150 vendors selling furnishings, housewares, clothing, jewelry, and more, and the Indie Designer Market, where you can buy directly from the designers and artists.
sunday21
Hyde Park Art Center 5020 S. Cornell: Not Just Another Pretty Face Part IV Group show of portraits commissioned as part of a HPAC program that connects artists with patrons. Reception Sun 11/21, 3-5 PM. 11/21-2/20.
friday26
360See Gallery 1924 N. Damen: Door Busters Group show. Reception Fri 11/26, 7-10 PM. 11/26-1/1.
Listings compiled by Robin Peterson
More Fall Arts Guide