Art is manna from the eyes, free for the entire world to munch on. When we say free, we don’t mean free like the “telemarketer that keeps calling, going on and on about how you could be the winner of a free trip to Jamaica” kind of free. No, no, we’re talking about the “just walk in and have a look around and eat a cracker with cheese and sip some red wine” kind of free.
Unit B Gallery
“Atomic”
Through Dec. 6
RATING: “{0}” NO EARS
Unit B Gallery is quietly making a name for itself down yonder in Pilsen town. You want to see people who are entrenched in the art world? The people who are the real deal? Unit B’s got that mojo—and its newest video installation from British artist Mathew Noel-Tod is no exception. “Atomic” is a remake of a Blondie’s ‘80s video promo, complete with a Debbie Harry look-alike and vamp costumes. Just to mix it up a little, Noel-Tod sets this video remake against a contemporary score from F. W. Murnau’s silent film, Nosferatu. The artist uses context like a brush, blending and contrasting sight and sound.
Linda Warren Gallery
“Public Domain”
Through Jan. 31
RATING: {0} TWO EARS
Nobody can buy it, it’s public domain, baby. This show explores the experience of home and surroundings and public vs. private space—as serving up some good old-fashioned voyeurism. Why would anyone want to examine someone else’s whites? Find out for yourself through the work of Amy Bennett, Lance Edwards, Conrad Freiburg, Paula Henderson, Jeremy Long, Mary McCarthy, Alex O’Neal, Pat Roberts and Dan Witz. Bennett’s paintings remove the roofs and walls from living spaces to expose the chewy centers where we all live. Witz paints voyeuristic/surveillance-type works of lamps, lobbies and windows. Long paints finely detailed urban landscapes of no place in particular. O’Neal draws from Southern American lore to create panoramic dreamscapes full of apocalyptic turmoil and symbols.
Freiburg creates domiciles in yet another public domain: trees. He constructs small wooden tree houses and places them in domestic plants as a metaphor for refuge. Henderson and Bennett both present paintings using the modernist grid and how it relates to domestic walls, floors and also as a map of city resources. Roberts produces monoprints for our perusal; maybe some of them will look familiar as Roberts has copped most of these images from the Internet. He takes text and inlays his words with the images for a satirical take on who owns what in this mad, mad world.
Body Builder and Sportsman Gallery
“Contingent Living”
Through Jan. 10
RATING: 0} ONE EAR
You can’t help but grin when you read the name of this gallery, can you? Its truck driver-flavored name aside, this adventurous gallery is an international art tour de force in the bowels of the West Loop. If you haven’t been, go; you’re missing out on a huge chuck of Chicago’s most deliciously progressive gallery space.
Michelle Grabner curates this show about the unpredictability of life. Artists Jennifer Bolande, Yvette Brackman, Jeanee, Dunning, Paula Halyes, Amy Saxe, Annika Strom and Danniele Tegeder exhibit a wide array of work. Hayes shows off her new harness outfitted with a living plant. Look for Brackman’s glow-in-the-dark footrest and tundra stones. Strom set of window ledge pillows are meant for watching your urban goings-by. She observes that in some cultures, such as in Berlin, it is completely acceptable to peer out at the world from your window. But others, such as Scandanavian cultures, consider the practice embarrassing.
Habatat Galleries
“Dale Chihuly: Drawings”
Through Dec. 20
RATING: 0} ONE EAR
He makes drawings too! Perhaps one of the most talked-about artists in recent times, you may be wondering why we’re talking about him here. Chihuly was given the first National Living Treasure award ever given in the United States, proving that even if he has gotten his, he’s still got it going on. This is a good show to take just about anyone to; organic and experimental drawings that preconceive his famous blown-glass sculptures are a wonderful treasure that should be seen firsthand. It’s like seeing an Elvis show pre-jowls.
Chicago Botanic Garden
“Reindog Parade” through Nov. 28 and “Flowers, Lights and Music! Celebrations!” through Jan. 4
RATING: 0} ONE EAR
This Chicago-area gem hosts a dog-eat-dog parade and costume competition. (But if your dog eats someone else’s, chances are you’ll be relegated to the truly dog-eat-dog world of litigation). So leave “Killer” at home and doll up “Mr. Wiggles” in his best holiday vest, hat and thong, er kilt. The Garden promises “celebrity judges,” prizes and demonstrations from expert animal behaviorists. You have to shell out 10 bones to register your dog via the phone, web or onsite. All this cheer is to christen the opening of their winter festival, “Celebrations,” which boasts of plethora of activities including photos with Santa, ice sculptures, take home projects, storytelling and musical performances.
Centerstage Will Feed You
Installation Scion Art Tour
