2024 EXPO ART WEEK Programs
Use the EXPO ART WEEK map to explore exhibitions and events taking place around Chicago during EXPO CHICAGO.
Tuesday, April 9
South Side Opening & Events
Tuesday, April 9 | 4:00–10:00pm
Cultural partners across Hyde Park, Bronzeville, and surrounding areas.
As the official start of EXPO ART WEEK, join EXPO CHICAGO on the South Side for an evening of exhibitions, tours, talks, and performances. Visitors are encouraged to explore the many galleries, museums, and exhibition spaces in this dynamic community for arts and culture. Find out more
Event: Get Lit!
Tuesday, April 9 |5:30–7:30pm
American Writers Museum | 180 N Michigan Ave
Spend your happy hours in downtown Chicago by exploring the American Writers Museum’s exhibits with a refreshing beverage in hand. Featuring EXPO CHICAGO exhibiting artist Tim Youd—a performance and studio artist—who is engaged in the retyping of 100 novels over a fifteen-year period for his "100 Novels Project." Youd's work will be on display at Cristin Tierney Gallery at EXPO CHICAGO.
Conversation: Dawoud Bey and Antawan Byrd on Elegy
Tuesday, April 9 | 6:00–7:30pm
The Arts Club of Chicago | 201 E Ontario St
On the occasion of the exhibition and publication of Elegy, artist Dawoud Bey and curator Antawan Byrd will engage in a conversation about the ways in which Bey has reimagined photography’s capacity for considering and evoking the now invisible history of the Black presence in the American landscape. Register here.
Performance: Purpose
Tuesday, April 9 | 7:30pm
Steppenwolf Theatre | 1650 N Halsted St
Steppenwolf Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Purpose, an epic family drama by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad. Rowdy, hilarious and filled with intrigue, Purpose is an epic family drama—a long-awaited world premiere from one of the country’s most celebrated voices. Additional performances take place during EXPO ART WEEK on April 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14. Find out more.
Wednesday, April 10
Artist Tour & Talk: Victoria Martinez
Wednesday, April 10 | 12:00–1:00pm
Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) | Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington Street
Listen to Chicago-based creative Victoria Martinez discuss her solo exhibition Braiding Histories.
OFF-SPRING: New Generations with 21c Chief Curator Alice Gray Stites
Wednesday, April 10 |4:00–5:00pm
21c Museum Hotel Chicago | 55 E Ontario St
Learn about the exhibition OFF-SPRING: New Generations and the artists in the exhibition through this guided tour with 21c Chief Curator and Museum Director Alice Gray Stites.
Opening Reception: Isabella Mellado: Te Diré Quien Eres
Wednesday, April 10 | 5:00–9:00pm
Povos | 1541 W Chicago Ave
Celebrate the opening of Te Diré Quien Eres, a solo exhibition of paintings, photographs, and small works by Isabella Mellado. Works in this show are to the artist as sigils are to the witch, and are a visual exploration of self-actualization through relationships—coven, platonic, romantic, familial and self. The works on display centralize queer narrative, framing it with symbolism taken from mythology, folklore, tarot, astrology and Puerto Rican pop culture.
Newcity Breakout Artists Exhibition
Wednesday, April 10 | 5:00–9:00pm
Chicago Artists Coalition | 2130 W Fulton St
In partnership with Newcity and coinciding with EXPO CHICAGO 2024, Chicago Artists Coalition will host an opening reception for the Newcity Breakout Artists Exhibition. Established in 2004, Newcity’s annual Breakout Artists issue has become a leading indicator of future success in contemporary art.
Opening Reception: Harold Mendez and Jamal Cyrus
Wednesday, April 10 | 5:00–9:00pm
PATRON | 1612 W Chicago Ave
Celebrate the opening of solo exhibitions by Harold Mendez and Jamal Cyrus.
Costumes and Collapse: A screening and conversation with Nick Cave, with a performance by CHAOS
Wednesday, April 10 | 5:30–7:30pm
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts | 915 E 60th St
This symposium will bring Chicago-based artist Nick Cave into dialogue with the Tbilisi, Georgia-based experimental performance group CHAOS. The program will feature a live performance by CHAOS followed by a screening of Cave’s film Here, shot in Detroit on the occasion of his 2015 exhibition Hear, Here at the Cranbrook Art Museum. Afterward, CHAOS and Cave will join the research team on the Neubauer Collegium’s Costumes and Collapse project for a discussion about performance and material culture in relation to forms of embodied resistance.
Chad Kouri Exhibition Opening
Wednesday, April 10 | 6:00–8:00pm
NoMI Gallery, Park Hyatt Chicago | 800 N Michigan Ave
Celebrate artist and musician Chad Kouri’s new exhibition at this cocktail reception. The Chicago-based polymath will bring his Jazz Movement Studies collection to life through a live improvised creation of a monumental wall drawing, while Isaiah Collier and other musicians will interpret and perform the wall drawing as if it were sheet music. NoMI’s culinary team will create interpretations of Kouri’s art through decadent hors d’oeuvres and pastries.
Public Reception for Cosmic Rhythms
Wednesday, April 10 | 6:00–8:00pm
150 Media Stream | 150 N Riverside Plaza
Please join the celebration of this first-of-its-kind collaboration between Action Lines Media, the Joffrey Ballet, the Adler Planetarium and 150 Media Stream. Cosmic Rhythms connects the motion of celestial bodies with the motion of human bodies—the relationships that echo throughout the universe. Featuring Adler Planetarium astronomer's expertise, breathtaking imagery, and bold choreography by Joffrey Ballet dancer, Xavier Nuñez, the twenty-minute dance film takes audiences on a mesmerizing journey through the cosmos. Meet the artists, astronomers, and dancers; and enjoy light refreshments.
How We See Things Opening Night
Wednesday, April 10 | 6:00–10:00pm
Fourtunehouse Art Center | 4410 South Cottage Grove
Celebrate the opening night of exhibition How We See Things with light refreshments and drinks, and an Afro-Funk DJ set by Leah Damte and Jhanee Kimbrough.
RenBen 2024
Wednesday, April 10 | 7:00–10:00pm
The Former Church of the Epiphany at Epiphany Center for the Arts
The RenBen is an annual fundraising event that raises a significant portion of The Renaissance Society’s annual budget, enabling new artistic commissions, scholarly discourse, and lasting publications. Special features of the evening will be designed by New York–based artist Kevin Beasley, who works in sculpture, sound and performance, with deep collaborative ties to legendary musicians and esteemed artists within his own creative circle. Ticketed event.
Thursday, April 11
OFF-SPRING Guided Tour with 21c Chicago Museum Manager Jennifer Murray
Thursday, April 11 | 4:00–5:00pm
21c Museum Hotel | 55 E Ontario St
Learn about 21c Chicago’s exhibition, OFF-SPRING: New Generations, and the artists behind the works on a guided tour with 21c Chicago Museum Manager Jennifer Murray. Meet in the Lobby.
Opening Night of EXPO CHICAGO
Thursday, April 11 | 6:00–9:00pm
Navy Pier | 600 E Grand Ave
Celebrate the Opening Night of EXPO CHICAGO! In addition to previewing the 170 exhibitors from 29 countries, enjoy exclusive benefits including a complimentary drink, a ride on Navy Pier’s iconic Centennial Wheel, discounts from frieze magazine and MCA Chicago and more. Learn more and purchase at expochicago.tix123.com
Opening Night ticket required (limited availability). General Admission tickets are not valid.
Friday, April 12
Annual Breakfast + BOLT Open Studios
Friday, April 12 | 9:00–11:00am
Chicago Artists Coalition | 2130 W Fulton St
The annual breakfast is an opportunity to connect with artists, curators, collectors, and art enthusiasts from around the world, while getting a glimpse into what’s happening in Chicago’s art scene. This year, the exhibitions on view will feature both HATCH and BOLT residents: artists-in-residence bARBER and Shonna Pryor, curated by Abreihona Lenihan; and artist-in-residence Salvador Andrade Arévalo has a solo exhibition; alongside open studios of Abraham Cone, Ále Campos, Alexis de Chaunac, ebere agwuncha, Olya Salimova, and Salvador Andrade. RSVP required.
Museum Highlights Public Tours
Friday, April 12 | 3:00pm
American Writers Museum | 180 N Michigan Ave
Enhance your visit to the American Writers Museum with a highlights tour presented by the museum’s storytellers. Tours are offered daily at 3:00 pm, and are included with museum admission.
Art After Hours
Friday April 12 | 4:00pm–2:00am
Galleries across the city
Join EXPO CHICAGO for Art After Hours powered by Gertie! Sponsored by Arete Wealth & Masterworks, Art After Hours takes place on Friday evening of EXPO ART WEEK, and features extended hours at over 45 galleries and creative spaces throughout the city of Chicago. With a myriad of exciting events unfolding throughout the evening, be sure to plan your night accordingly using the Gertie programming schedule and map. No matter your background—whether you’re an art aficionado or a newly minted collector—Art After Hours is a great place to forge relationships with new galleries, artists and other collectors!
Featuring EXPO CHICAGO exhibitors: AMFM, Arts of Life – Circle Contemporary, Corbett vs. Dempsey, DOCUMENT, Hyde Park Art Center, Mariane Ibrahim, McCormick Gallery, MICKEY, moniquemeloche, Povos Downtown, Secrist | Beach, Volume Gallery, and 65GRAND. Find out more.
Book Launch: Julia Phillips Energy Exchange
Friday, April 12 | 4:30pm
Graham Foundation | 4 W Burton Pl
Join Graham Foundation for the book launch of Julia Phillips’ first monograph Energy Exchange (Mousse, 2023), featuring a conversation between Phillips and scholar and writer Nana Adusei-Poku, as well as commissioned performances by artists Tina Wang and Eli Greene. A reception will follow the event; copies of Energy Exchange will be available in the Graham Foundation bookshop. RSVP required
If The Sky Could Dream: Art, Climate, Community, and Social Change
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–7:00pm
Heritage Museum of Asian Art | 3500 S Morgan St
Elizabeth Corr, Associate Director of Arts and Cultural Partnerships at the Natural Resources Defense Council, discusses environmental activism in art, including past exhibitions at EXPO Chicago, in conversation with a performance installation by Irene Hsiao, as part of the Heritage Museum of Asian Art’s Year of the Dragon: Early China to LEGO exhibition.
Reception and Catalog Release Party
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–7:00pm
Glass Curtain Gallery, Columbia College Chicago | 1104 S Wabash Ave
Celebrate the catalog release for Seven Skins, a solo exhibition by Regin Igloria. Through the lens of dry absurdity, Igloria explores diverse topics such as survival, competition, and the Western iconography of the outdoorsman.
Povos Downtown Launch
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–8:00pm
Povos Downtown | 600 W Van Buren St
A formal event and the official debut of Povos' new downtown location at 600 W Van Buren, opening with exhibition Downtown Launch Show.
Opening Reception: Paul Mpagi Sepuya at DOCUMENT
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–8:00pm
DOCUMENT | 1709 W Chicago Ave
DOCUMENT is pleased to present Paul Mpagi Sepuya's fourth solo exhibition at the gallery.
Opening Reception: Christy Matson at Volume Gallery
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–8:00pm
Volume Gallery | 1709 W Chicago Ave
Join us for the opening of Christy Matson's fourth solo exhibition with Volume Gallery. Matson’s painterly explorations of surface and pictorial space reference the history of Modernism as well as the history of textiles from all over the world.
Opening Reception: Leonardo Kaplan at MICKEY
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–8:00pm
MICKEY | 1635 W Grand Ave
During Art After Hours, MICKEY is pleased to celebrate the opening of a new exhibition by Chicago-based artist Leonardo Kaplan.
Heritage Auctions
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–8:00pm
Heritage Auctions | 222 W Hubbard St
Enjoy photography from the legendary Vivian Maier Collection and Modern & Contemporary highlights from Scully to Stella, all previewed for upcoming auctions.
Freeman’s | Hindman Spring Preview
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–8:00pm
Freeman's | Hindman | 1550 W Carroll Ave
Join Freeman’s | Hindman for an after hours preview of our spring Fine Art Auctions. Featuring powerhouse artists such as Gertrude Abercrombie, Andy Warhol, Al Held, Louise Nevelson, Pat Steir, and more, this event is not be missed.
Fine Arts Building Second Fridays
Friday, April 12 | 5:00–9:00pm
Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave
Second Fridays open studios is a free event for visitors to take a self-guided tour of the Fine Arts Building’s 10 floors of artists studios, meet the artists working here, and learn about the history of this incredible 125-year-old landmark.
Open Studios: Spring 2024
Friday, April 12 | 5:30–7:00pm
Art | Design Columbia College Chicago | 1104 S Wabash Ave, Basement
Visit the Spring 2024 Open Studios hosted by the Art | Design Department and Career Center. The Columbia College Chicago community and guests are invited to explore the work of their undergraduate and graduate students. Registration required.
Exhibition Opening: Extra --- Ordinary
Friday, April 12 | 6:00–9:00pm
1960 N Clybourn Ave
Extra --- Ordinary features new paintings by Andy Paczos, landscapes and interior paintings completed on location. Presented by Future Gods in conjunction with Lorenzo Rodriguez in cooperation with Convexity Real Estate.
Opening: Sandra Binion
Friday, April 12 | 6:00–9:00pm
Experimental Sound Studio | 5925 N Ravenswood Ave
This public event will celebrate the opening of the retrospective exhibition of interdisciplinary artist Sandra Binion’s five-decade career.
Opening Reception: BARELY FAIR
Friday, April 12 | 6:00–10:00pm
Color Club | 4146 N Elston Ave
The fourth edition of BARELY FAIR, Chicago’s international miniature art fair, presents a tiny peek inside the programming of thirty-six contemporary art galleries, project spaces, and curatorial projects. Included spaces will exhibit works in 1:12 scale booths built to mimic the design of a standard fair.
Performance “knock, and the doors of perception shall be opened unto you” by Gordon Dic-Lun Fung
Friday, April 12 | 7:00–8:30pm
International Museum of Surgical Science | 1524 Lake Shore Dr
Exploring the concept of bodies, minds, and perceptions, this experimental community theater activates the exhibition space of the International Museum of Surgical Science through an intermix of media, technology, and performances. By transforming the space into a gigantic and performative installation, leading artists blur the boundaries between audiences and performers by an overloading amount of actions and happenings.
Brendan Fernandes: New Monuments | Chicago Performance
Friday, April 12 | 7:00–10:00pm
Logan Monument in Grant Park, S Michigan Ave & E 9th St
Activating Brendan Fernandes’ site-specific project at the General John Alexander Logan Monument, this durational performance choreographed by Fernandes will feature light, sound, and a cast of dancers from Chicago’s BIPOC and Queer communities. Taking place after dark, the Logan Monument will be illuminated to reveal the dancers’ bodies forming physical expressions of tableaux, incorporating elements of lifting, carrying, and contact improvisation. Free and open to the public.
Rm 921: Selina Trepp
Friday April 12 | 7:30–8:30pm
21c Museum Hotel Chicago | 55 E Ontario St
Join 21c Museum Hotel Chicago for a unique art viewing experience. On view is Selina Trepp’s stop motion animation, Working the Flow, the second site-specific artwork created for Elevate: Rm 921. Projected onto a 48-foot wall, the film is only viewable after dusk from the windows of interior-facing rooms. For this viewing, there will be improvised music performed live as a soundtrack to the animation inside the hotel room. Free, registration required.
Bronzeville The Musical
Friday, April 12 | 7:30–10:00pm
Studebaker Theater at the Fine Arts Building | 410 S Michigan Ave
Mahdi Theatre Company presents an intriguing, thought-provoking and enchanting soulful musical. Bronzeville The Musical is about a father’s love for his son, the legacy and courage of a people as it honors the significance of the Black Family and its “role” in preserving the community.
Lyracle: Musicians of the Tenshō Embassy
Friday, April 12 | 7:30–9:00pm
Logan Center for the Arts | 915 E 60th St
Lyracle’s Early Music program pays tribute to Japanese students (1549–1613) from Jesuit schools in Japan. Actor Danielle Boivin joins five musicians for a blend of music and historical text, honoring the legacy of the accomplished young students.
Nora Turato: THIS IS A TEST OF SEVERANCE. can you let go?
Friday, April 12 | 8:00pm
ART on THE MART | Chicago Riverwalk Jetty between Wells and Franklin Street
Attend the public launch event for Nora Turato’s ART on THE MART commission and the opening of ART on THE MART’s 2024 season. Chicago community members are invited to join the first public screening of the projection and hear remarks from ART on THE MART leadership.
“Pothole²” M. LeBlanc and Good Weather hosted by Rainbo Club
Friday, April 12 | 8:00pm–2:00am
Rainbo Club | 1150 N Damen Ave
Good Weather and M. LeBlanc present a group exhibition curated by artists Ron Ewert and Cameron Spratley at Wicker Park’s beloved Rainbo Club, featuring artists Peppi Bottrop, Mike Cloud, COBRA, Ruby Eve Dickson, Liza Jo Eilers, Raque Ford, Judith Geichman, Gaylen Gerber, Max Guy, Tristan Higginbotham, JPW3, Tony Hope, Arnold J. Kemp, Nazafarin Lotfi, Kunle Martens, Fern O’Carolan, Sara Greenberger-Rafferty, Zack Rafuls, Amber Renaye, Jack Walls, Alex Wolfe, Jason S. Wright, and Bruno Zhu.
Saturday, April 13
Roll Call: A Black Women in the Arts Convening
Saturday, April 13 | 11:00am–2:00pm
South Side Community Art Center | 3831 S Michigan Ave
This annual celebratory gathering highlights Black women women/femme/non-binary curators, artists, arts administrators, and culture workers. The event seeks to encourage fellowship and connection amongst Black women in the arts based here in Chicago and elsewhere, alongside mimosas, small bites, and music. SSCAC acknowledges that woman-identifying people are expansive. This event is LGBTQIA inclusive. Registration required.
Open House & Exhibition Opening
Saturday, April 13 | 11:00am–5:00pm
LATITUDE | 2003 W Fulton Ave #211
LATITUDE is excited to celebrate its ongoing collaboration with its community members through a benefit exhibition and Open House. Works in this show will highlight the talent of our lab users. Stop by for a peek into what is on offer at LATITUDE!
Amplify the Revolutionary Power of Your Voice with Artist Activist Whitney Bradshaw
Saturday, April 13 | 11:30am–1:00pm
21c Museum Hotel Chicago | 55 E Ontario St
Angry? Want to do something about it? Join Whitney Bradshaw, the feminist artist and activist behind the celebrated social practice project OUTCRY for a workshop regarding anger, silencing, finding your voice and using it to heal and fight for what you believe in. Whitney will give a brief overview of OUTCRY, lead you through some writing prompts that will help you pinpoint what you’d like to scream about, teach you how to make your very own scream box and provide an opportunity for you to let it all out! You’ll have time to personalize your box by decorating it with images, words, drawings, protest slogans, or whatever else you come up with that best amplifies the message you want to convey. Basic materials will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring specific pictures or words to decorate their boxes, feel free to bring them along. Limited to 15 participants. RSVP required.
Family Day: Paper Quilting Workshop with Jason Wesaw
Saturday, April 13 | 12:00–2:00pm
Museum of Contemporary Photography | 600 S Michigan Ave
Families are invited for an artmaking workshop in creating paper quilts. Attendees are asked to bring their own family photographs, inspired by Wendy Red Star’s collages that weave photographs of her family into Apsáalooke star quilt patterns. This workshop will be led by artist Jason Wesaw, member of the Potawatomi Nation and multi-disciplinary artist who works with ceramics, textiles, paper, and traditional cultural pieces.
Celebrate Neon
Saturday, April 13 | 12:00–3:00pm
Ken Saunders Gallery | 2041 W Carroll Ave
Artists will be present to discuss their work at this special event at Ken Saunders Gallery with drinks and snacks served.
mano a mano
Saturday, April 13 | 12:00–3:00pm
cam contemporarie (in partnership with AMFM) | 2233 S Throop St #920
Meet the artist Carina Vargas Nunez, and view the work presented in their first solo exhibition mano a mano at cam.contemporarie.
SCREENING: Art21 Presents Michael Rakowitz in Conversation
Saturday, April 13 | 1:00–2:00pm
Gene Siskel Film Center | 164 N State St
Join Art21 for a special screening and conversation with celebrated artist Michael Rakowitz. The program will begin with a screening of the Art21 Extended Play film Haunting the West featuring Rakowitz. Following the screening, the artist will join for a conversation.
On Creative Practice: Raeleen Kao and Aimée Beaubien
Saturday, April 13 | 1:00–2:00pm
21c Museum Hotel Chicago | 55 E Ontario St
On Creative Practice brings together two artists in conversation to discuss studio practices, materiality and creation, and what it means to be a working artist today. Join us for this intimate conversation with Raeleen Kao, current Elevate artist at 21c Chicago, and Aimée Beaubien, whose work is currently on view at Hyde Park Art Center.
A Conversation on How We See Things
Saturday, April 13 | 1:00–3:00pm
Fourtunehouse Art Center | 4410 S Cottage Grove Ave
A conversation at the Fourtunehouse Art Center with How We See Things curator and founder Makafui Kofi Searcy, Exhibition Coordinator Udochukwu Anidobu, and a special guest. The event will feature light refreshments and provide space for visitors to view the exhibition and engage in conversation with other attendees.
Performance: Nora Turato—pool 6
Saturday, April 13 | 2:00–3:00pm
The Art Institute of Chicago | 111 S Michigan Ave
Artist Nora Turato explores the anxiety that permeates wellness and self-optimization in a new monologue, pool 6. Drawing from the vernacular of self-improvement, which has widely circulated online and seeped into daily life, pool 6 explores the relationship between perception and well-being. Registration required.
A Conversation on Painting
Saturday, April 13 | 2:00–4:00pm
Goldfinch | 319 N Albany Ave
Join Goldfinch for a lively, moderated conversation on contemporary painting practices with current exhibiting artists Leslie Baum and Andreas Fischer, both of whom live and work in Chicago. Light refreshments will be served.
Artist Talk: Harold Mendez and Jamal Cyrus
Saturday, April 13 | 3:00–4:00pm
PATRON | 1612 W Chicago Ave
Listen to artists Harold Mendez and Jamal Cyrus in a moderated discussion at the gallery on the occasion of their exhibition at PATRON.
Victoria Martinez in Conversation with Iris Colburn
Saturday, April 13 | 3:00–4:00pm
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) | Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St
A conversation between artist Victoria Martinez and Iris Colburn, Curatorial Associate at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.
FOREVER CHAMP
Saturday, April 13 | 4:00–8:00pm
Artist Replete | 835 Michigan Ave, Flr 2
Artist Replete presents FOREVER CHAMP, a solo exhibition featuring artwork from Chicago’s most prolific street artist, JC Rivera. In celebration of over 15 years as The Bear Champ, this marks the artist's most unique collection of work ever displayed. Sponsored by Topo Chico, the event will also debut a guest curation from Ogechi Harry, the founder of Golden Our Collective. Like the two most sacred hours of the day, sunrise and sunset, Golden Our Collective aims to illuminate and amplify Black creatives. Show your EXPO CHICAGO ticket for express entry to the show.
The Weatherproof Anniversarial
Saturday, April 13 | 4:00–9:00pm
Weatherproof | 3336 W Lawrence Ave
Weatherproof is excited to open our two year anniversary benefit auction, featuring works from more than thirty artists and community members. All works will be on view at Weatherproof, with bidding facilitated online by The Auction Collective.
Vida Colorida
Saturday, April 13 | 4:00pm–2:00am
Carnivale | 702 W Fulton St
Vibeapple and Dance Rituals team up to bring you Vida Colorida - a celebration of a vibrant and colorful life. Immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of colors that reflect the beauty of Spring. The event features 4 dance floors, 20 DJs, 10 hours of music, samba dancing, aerial performances, stilt performances, food all day and more! Purchase tickets
Publication Release: Nicki Cherry
Saturday, April 13 | 5:00–7:00pm
Slow Dance | 319 N Albany Ave
Publication release in conjunction with Nicki Cherry’s solo exhibition I can be a woman for you at Slow Dance, featuring writings and images from the artist and additional contributors. Drinks and snacks provided.
Exhibition Opening
Saturday, April 13 | 5:00–8:00pm
M. LeBlanc | 3514 W Fullerton Ave
M. LeBlanc is proud to present a group exhibition featuring Andy Hope 1930, Sergej Jensen, Cameron Spratley, et al.
Exhibition Opening: Scherben (Berlin) Hosted By Good Weather
Saturday, April 13 | 6:00–8:00pm
Good Weather | 1524 S Western Ave, Ste 403-407
Good Weather is excited to host Scherben (Berlin) for the group exhibition Nemo with work by Max Eulitz & Sophia Eisenhut, Doug Ischar, Irina Lotarevich, Henrike Naumann, and Julian Van Der Moere.
Exhibition Opening: Jerry Phillips “Phantom Redux”
Saturday, April 13 | 6:00–8:00pm
Good Weather | 1524 S Western Ave, Ste 408-410
Jerry Phillips’ presentation of new graphite drawings and collages is the artist’s second solo exhibition with Good Weather and first in the gallery’s Chicago location.
DiscarDisco
Saturday, April 13 | 6:00–10:00pm
Chicago Athletic Association | 12 S Michigan Ave
DiscarDisco is a sustainable sartorial soiree, a detritus dance party, and a conscientious community event featuring a live runway show, dancing, crafting, silent auction and raffle. This fabulous fashion show competition is The WasteShed’s major annual fundraiser, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to preventing landfill and supporting arts and education.
Art and Madness: A Special Storytelling Night
Saturday, April 13 | 7:00–8:30pm
South Asia Institute | 1925 S Michigan Ave
This special storytelling event will be hosted by Jitesh Jaggi, an immigrant South Asian dancer, poet, and storyteller, alongside Chicago’s best storytellers, as they explore everything about art from various media—from writing foibles to painting mishaps, from dancers breaking limbs to filmmakers cutting the scene short. This promises to be a night of funny, emotional, sometimes silly and other times life-altering, stories surrounded by the art works from the collection at South Asia Institute.
EXPO CHICAGO After-Party hosted by Tala
Saturday, April 13 | 9:00pm–late
The California Clipper | 1002 N California Ave
Celebrate EXPO ART WEEK at the historic California Clipper with Night Moves, a premier night of sound and dancing hosted by Tala. Night Moves, queer-friendly and dance positive environment curated by resident DJ’s Jesse Sandwich and Ross Kelly, presents guest DJ Dana this month. The home for endless musically visionary nights, the California Clipper is Humboldt Park’s longest-standing neighborhood bar established in 1937. Hosted by Tala, a gallery and independent contemporary art space in West Town founded and directed by Francine Almeda. Co-hosted by BLESSTONIO, DJ and nightlife curator. $5 entry.
Sunday, April 14
Open Studio at Lillstreet Art Center
Sunday, April 14 | 9:00am–2:00pm
Lillstreet Art Center | 4401 N Ravenswood Ave
Artists-in-Residents and Studio artists at Lillstreet Art Center will open their studios for viewing, conversation and exploration. We invite you to tour the current exhibition by Lillstreet's first Digital Art Resident, Francesca Carletto-Leon, meet our studio artists, and check out our class offerings!
Chicago Into the World: Artistic and Cultural Exchange Along a Continuum
Sunday, April 14 | 10:00–11:00am
21c Museum Hotel Chicago | 55 E Ontario St
If we understand artists as change makers, organizers, and civic leaders locally, how might we expand the impact of their work through intentional connection with relevant artists and communities across the globe? Join ART WORKS Projects, CEC ArtsLink, and Villa Albertine in dialogue with Jennifer Murray from 21c Museum Hotel for coffee, pastries, and conversation on the last day of EXPO CHICAGO to learn about the ways these unique platforms support international artistic and cultural exchange for artists, partner with civic and government entities, as well as private foundations, and forge new pathways supporting the essential role of artists in society. Hear from artists and collaborators who have worked with these organizations about the network impact that can be achieved when we work together.
Isabella Mellado: Artist Talk, Tea, Tarot
Sunday, April 14 | 12:00–4:00pm
Povos | 1541 W Chicago Ave
An afternoon of tea, tarot, and conversation at Isabella Mellado’s solo exhibition at Povos, “Te Diré Quien Eres”.
McCormick House Tour
Sunday, April 14 | 1:00–2:15pm
Elmhurst Art Museum | 150 S Cottage Hill Ave, Elmhurst
Learn more about the unique history and design of Mies van der Rohe’s 1952 McCormick House, which includes a portion of the A Love Supreme installation by over 30 artists and designers. Tours are led by museum docents. Capacity is limited, advance tickets required.
Opening Reception: Ai Kijima: Wanderer’s Tales
Sunday, April 14 | 1:00–4:00pm
Facility | 3616 N Milwaukee Ave
Celebrate the opening of this exhibition by Ai Kijima Wanderer’s Tales. In each sculpted painting, the artist stitches together segments from a wide range of source textiles from around the world—Uzbek ikats found in Turkish bazaars, strips of indigo-dyed Japanese kimonos, Indian silk sarees—managing to reverently preserve phrases from the stories these fabrics tell, while collaging them to tell new stories of her own.
CSO Chamber Music at the University of Chicago
Sunday, April 14 | 3:00–4:30pm
Mandel Hall | 1131 E 57th St
Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians explore Music in the Vernacular with a well-known Haydn piano trio, Bartók’s Contrasts (with Hungarian & Romanian dance melodies), and a chamber work by Brahms, one of the first of its kind to feature clarinet.
Sydney Gush: Low Fidelity
Sunday, April 14 | 5:00–8:00pm
Chicago Athletic Association | 12 S Michigan Ave
Low Fidelity speaks to the mind, the memory, and the radio. Unreliable, fragmented, transitory; like the fleeting ringing in your ear it oscillates between now and then, here and there. For one evening in Madison Ballroom on the eighth floor, the fourth iteration of the sonic installation comes to life. Twenty vintage AM transistor radio photo cubes rotate and transmit signal simultaneously, featuring street photography taken with Polaroid 600 film. Automated tuning forks offer an uneasy disruption to the sonic field, emphasizing their highly unpredictable and often low audio fidelity.
Unbroken Chain
Sunday, April 14 | 8:00–10:00pm
The Franklin | 3522 W Franklin Blvd
Unbroken Chain, named after the song by The Grateful Dead, presents works by artists using light, candles and candleholders. This special event will be activated by musical performances.