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| Expo Chicago 2012 Vernissage. (Image courtesy of Carol Fox and Associates Public Relations.) |
Art lovers, clear your schedules. This week, Expo Chicago, the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, is back for its second year.
Art from 125 premier galleries will grace Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, transformed
once again by Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang Architects into an engaging interior environment.
Also returning to Expo are EXPOSURE,
a platform for emerging galleries; IN/SITU,
a showcase of large-scale installations and performative works; the culmination
of /Dialogues,
a roster of discussion panels featuring leaders in the art field; and a VIP Program.
New this year are Expo Video, a section for cutting-edge film and new media, and Expo Art Week, an ambitious, city-wide
celebration of Chicago’s rich cultural landscape. Highlights of Expo Art Week include
museum exhibitions and gallery openings; public art projects; music, theater,
and dance performances; special dining experiences, and more. Shuttles will be
available to take visitors from Navy Pier to the Museum of Contemporary Art
Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the River North and West Loop
gallery districts.
As if that weren’t enough to sate your art and
culture appetites, there will also be two new satellite fairs: the inaugural EDITION Chicago at Chicago Artists Coalition in the West Loop; and the
Chicago debut of the alternative-minded Fountain Art Fair at Mana Contemporary in Pilsen.
What sophomore slump?
I sat down and chatted with Expo’s President and
Director, Tony Karman, for a preview.
(He also shared his opinion on the rise of the mega-fair, gave [actually good] career advice to young artists and arts professionals, and talked about his favorite
things to do in his [rare] spare time, which may or may not involve having a
beer at the Hideout.) Continue reading below.
