Here are four excellent exhibits for you to visit in Chicago before the next semester begins. There are two one-person shows and two two-person shows, in every kind of venue one might imagine.
At the Museum of Contemporary Photography, on the ground floor of Columbia College’s main building, you can see “Michael Wolf: The Transparent City.” Perhaps you recall I pooh-poohed* it when the poster first arrived, dismissing what appeared to be visual trickery; I was wrong. It’s mature and fascinating.
http://www.mocp.org/exhibitions/2008/11/michael_wolf_th.php
About a mile and a half up Michigan Avenue, in the old Water Tower, Columbia has also mounted around two dozen sparkling prints by Scott Fortino, an acquaintance of mine from Ray Metzker’s Senior Seminar class. Is Scott the only Chicago police officer with major gallery representation? Could be.
http://www.colum.edu/Academics/Photography/City_Gallery.php
Several blocks west, and down on Superior, are Schneider Gallery and Catherine Edelman. At Schneider, see what’s glibly described (by me) as photographs embedded in glass by Pablo Soria; and more serious work by Jorge Martin. At Edelman, one of the exhibits is “It’s Complicated: The American Teenager” by Robin Bowman.
http://schneidergallerychicago.com/home.html
Lastly, about another mile and a half west of there at 1433 West Chicago Avenue, a place I have not visited called Architrouve with a presentation called “Fine Art Rescue Revisited.” The Reader says it’s “Photos by Robert Mapplethorpe and Jock Sturges; the exhibit also addresses art preservation.” Judging by the names of the photographers, there is more than a little flesh in the photographs; that’s OK, don’t worry. I also don’t know what the preservation portion is—yet. Better call before going, to see what their hours are (or watch this space): 312.563.0977. Stop in at Rockstar Hot Dogs, too, a block away at the corner of Ashland. You get a free tattoo with every order, and you can see photographs by Philin Phlash (!).
All of these happen to be free, and it makes for a big day in the big downtown, including luncheon. Plus, you can do it all without an automobile. I can help you with logistics. Galleries aren’t open on Mondays, so the days after finals are best. Do it. Bonus karma for all.
* a real word
Creative Camerawork 