Although we can’t split any birthday cupcakes with him (that’s a lot of candles), help celebrate President Lincoln’s 302nd birthday at the Chicago History Museum this week. Two exhibitions will be opening in his honor on Saturday, February 12: “Abraham Lincoln” and “Lincoln’s Chicago.” And if those don’t satisfy your historical cravings, “My Chinatown” and “Facing Freedom” are also up!
Chicago History Museum
1601 North Clark Street
Free Mondays
Flash cards, how I loathe thee and thee’s stupid math problems or verb conjugations. However, I’m willing to give you a second chance and an upcoming show at FourSided Custom Framing Gallery will provide just that. Anyone who has passed by on Clark St. knows the imaginative and well-crafted window display at this store rival those in the downtown stores at Christmas. Go meet the gal behind the giant paper workings and the show, Chelcie Laggis.
Pick a Card Open House Art Show
Friday, February 11 · 6:00pm - 10:00pm
Foursided Custom Framing Gallery
5061 N. Clark St.Chicago, IL
Get your Godzilla on and go get a glimpse of Chicago from a different perspective. The Chicago Architecture Foundation’s “Chicago Model City” has transformed the Windy City into a 320-square foot model where you can check out all your favorite buildings and get a better idea of how they’ve been laid out since they don’t just grow where they want.
Chicago Model City
Chicago Architecture Foundation, Atrium Gallery
224 South Michigan Avenue
Free
Oh, Vivian Maier, what a terrible hider you are. I found her in broad daylight and you can too at the Chicago Cultural Center. Not many of us think our old pictures will get their own gallery show one day (although some of us are probably thankful for that…I’m looking at you seventh grade) and Maier likely didn’t either. After over 3,000 prints and 1,000 negatives were discovered in an estate sale, her hobby has turned into our window to Chicago and other cities from back in the day. Neat.
Finding Vivian Maier: Chicago Street Photographer
January 8-April 3, 2011
78 East Washington Street
Free
Give the movie theater a break and put that student I.D. card to another use with The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s $10 student ticket offering. Whether you be a music lover or tonally challenged, the CSO extends the invitation for all of you to put on the fancy pants.
If you were to ask strangers to name a few favorite Chicago museums, I’m pretty confident (=absolutely positive) you’d hear at least one Art Institute, MCA, Field or MSI. While I love these cultural gems, many of the things that make me proud of this city are found away from the lake front. Smaller museums are sprinkled in almost every hood and offer totally unique experiences. The National Public Housing Museum is looking to do just that on the west side and currently raising funds to get its Taylor St. site up and running by 2012.
Whatever your politics may be about public housing, check them out and see how a museum grows from the ground up. We’ll be providing updates as they come through.
http://www.publichousingmuseum.org/
Info also available for viewing at 72 E. Randolph until April
Hey! Remember that time we snuck into the Museum of Contemporary Photography for FREE? Of course you do! Because it happens all the time. Every day but Sunday and Monday to be exact. Check out their new show of Guy Tillim starting today. I heart free museums.
Museum of Contemporary Photography- 600 South Michigan Avenue
Below is a re-post of a free event for the Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago and Donald Judd. Give him a google search if you aren’t familiar with his work. Like him? So do I. Be sure to bring other people you also like to this thing, you may end up standing VERY close to each other.
On January 30 2011 at 2pm, The Renaissance Society will present a roundtable discussion regarding Donald Judd titled, “Donald Judd: Artist, Critic, Designer, Activist, Curator”. The discussion will be led by Christine Mehring, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of Chicago. For more information, click here.
donald judd / architectural digest
via mondoblogo
Ah First Fridays, this time comes but once a month. Seasoned art kids and those of you interested in checking out the scene for the first time (we’re looking at you 9-5ers) see below for a list of galleries with openings tonight. Many attendees like to plan their hopping path beforehand but certainly not required. Just grab some buddies and get ready for a good night of art and people watching.
January 7
Addington Gallery
Jean Albano Gallery
The Art Center Highland Park
Andrew Bae Gallery
Robert Bills Contemporary
Russell Bowman Art Advisory
Chicago Cultural Center
Deer Path Art League Gallery
Gruen Galleries
Carl Hammer Gallery
Rhona Hoffman Gallery
Jackson Junge Gallery
Lakeside Legacy Arts Park
Dole and Sage Galleries
Gallerie MK
Nicole Gallery
Jennifer Norback Fine Art, Inc.
Packer Schopf Gallery
Perimeter Gallery
Schneider Gallery
David Weinberg Gallery
Thank you to The Chicago Gallery News for providing the info.
Since the dawn of time art and coffee have gone hand in hand. Those brown smears near cave paintings? Dirt you say? Oh no, those are nothing less than centuries old stains of Costa Rican brew. The tradition continues today with many artists getting their beginnings in some of our favorite coffee shop hangouts. Check out below just a tiny portion of the places where the art comes free with a cup of two buck chuck.
Star Lounge Coffee Bar- 2521 W. Chicago Ave.
Intelligentsia (Multiple Locations)- 3123 North Broadway Street/53 East Randolph Street (recommend Broadway for maximum seating opportunities, best to do this on weekdays)
Dollop- 4181 North Clarendon Avenue
Metropolis- 1039 West Granville Avenue
Sip- 1223 W. Grand Avenue
So many more. Additions encouraged.
