There is just too much good stuff this weekend, 5 spots aren’t enough. Here’s what I think everyone should see, in chronological and alphabetical order:

Friday (4/1) -

UIUC MFA Show: Artsplosia at Co-Prosperity Sphere

Work by Will Arnold, Jung Eun Chang, Justin Farkas, Karri Anne Fischer, Motoko Furuhashi, Amy Gilles, Jim Graham, Dan Gratz, Ben Grosser, Ben Hatcher, Dan Krueger, Katie Latona, Erica Leohner, Maria Lux, Nick Mullins, Kerianne Quick, Michael Smith, Paul Shortt, Laura Tanner, Jessica Tolbert, Nicki Werner, Sarah Beth Woods, and Michael Woody.

Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219 S Morgan St. Reception Friday from 6-10pm.

Weaving Healing Waters at Fill in the Blank Gallery

Work by Maria Calderon.

Fill in the Blank Gallery is located at 5038 N. Lincoln Ave. Reception Friday from 7-11pm.

That’s Odd, I Feel So Alive at Packer Schopf Gallery

Work by Casey Riordan Millard

Packer Schopf Gallery is located at 942 W. Lake St. Reception Friday from 5-8pm.

6/6/6: SIX ARTISTS, SIX CITIES, SIX CONNECTIONS at Lloyd Dobler

Work by Jeff Badger, Carl Baratta, Amanda Curreri, Joanne Lefrak, Kathy Leisen, and Dan Schank.

Lloyd Dobler is located at 1545 W. Division, 2nd Fl. Reception Friday from 6-10pm.

When the Cathedrals Were White at Thomas Robertello Gallery

Work by Peter Allen Hoffmann.

NOTE NEW LOCATION: Thomas Robertello Gallery is located at 27 N Morgan St. Reception Friday from 6-8pm.

Saturday (4/2) -

Country Club Presents ‘Abstract Location’ & Anthotypes at Andrew Rafacz Gallery

Abstract Location features work by work by Steven Bankhead, Katarina Burin, Fritz Chesnut, Jacob Dyrenforth, Freeman & Lowe, and Ryan McGinness. Anthotypes features work by John Opera.

Andrew Rafacz Gallery is located at 835 W. Washington. Reception Saturday from 4-7pm.

No Joke at LVL3

Work by Andy Cahill, Alan & Michael Fleming, Yasi Ghanbari, Danny Greene, Joe Grimm, Marissa Perel, Arron David Ross, and Michael Vallera.

LVL3 is located at 1542 N Milwaukee Ave #3. Reception Saturday from 6-10pm.

Sunday (4/3) -

Irritable Abstraction at Julius Cæsar

Work by Joe Baldwin, Timothy Bergstrom, Brian Calvin, Federico Cattaneo, Edmund Chia, Dana DeGiulio, Dan Devening, Cheryl Donegan, Judith Geichman, Andrew Greene, Magalie Guérin, Antonia Gurkovska, Seth Hunter, Michiko Itatani, Eric Lebofsky, Diego Leclery, José Lerma, Jim Lutes, Rebecca Morris, Sabina Ott, Noah Rorem, Erin Washington and Molly Zuckerman-Hartung.

Julius Cæsar is located at 3144 W Carroll Ave, 2G. Reception Sunday from 4-7pm.

This week you are getting a Top 3. Why? Well, do you want the truth or a lie? Too bad, this is what you get: these are the shows I think are absolutly worth going to this weekend. All three at new (in one way or another) spaces, and all three (we’ll ok, the first two, I don’t know anything about what is actually showing in the parking lot) feature awesome work. This is my chosen route, perhaps I’ll see you out there. If you see two people dressed like bats, I’m one of ‘em.

1) Means Without End at The Chicago Cultural Center

This is where I’m going tonight. Means Without End is an ongoing project by local photographer Shannon Benine. I’m pretty bad at describing work, so here’s a quote from the CPC website, “Means Without End, 2009 consists of hundreds of 10” x 10” unfolded photograms of peace cranes tiled together to form a large installation. The number of color analog photograms represents the number of American deaths in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 19, 2003.” I’ve seen these things in real life, they’re friggin’ awesome. The opening reception is tonight, Friday, from 7-9pm.

The Chicago Photography Center is located at 3301 N. Lincoln Ave.

2. Stone on Stone at ebersmoore

Formerly ebersb9, ebersmoore is featuring the work of Rob Carter for their first exhibition (their first exibition was actually the second half on and exhibition that opened at the old location, so I’m calling this their first). I went to the new space last week, it’s friggin’ beautiful, and I’m into this work. If you check out their website, be sure to wait for the video to load, then watch it. Opening reception is tonight, Friday, from 6-9pm.

ebersmoore is located at 213 N Morgan St., #3C

3. Helter Sculpture at Parking Space

Ok, so this is totally not Parking Space’s image. I made it because I went to their site and all they had was a show card with text, and this image instantly popped into my head. Regardless, this is another new space (not sure if it’s even going to have a second show, seeing as it’s operating in a abandoned parking structure, or so they say), and I have no friggin idea what the work is going to look like. Take a chance, I bet it will at least be weird. Helter Sculpture is the curatorial project of Andrew Greene, E.J. Hill, and Matthew Schaffer, and is hosting a reception Saturday from 4-7pm.

Parking Space is located at 1448 N Leavitt St.