1. Living By Example at Northeastern Illinois University Fine Arts Center

Work by Jeroen Nelemans, Ryan Richey, Ryan Travis Christian, Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Deborah Boardman, Dana Carter, Kirsten Leenaars, Zachary Cahill, Ann Toebbe, Melissa Oresky, Alberto Alguilar, Corinne Halbert, Meg Duguid, Heidi Norton, Paul Nudd, Maria Gaspar, Mindy Rose-Schwartz, Eric Brown, Catie Olsen, and Michael Rea.

Northeastern Illinois University Fine Arts Center is located at 5500 N St. Louis. Reception Friday from 6-9pm.

2. the big stink moves like a moth towards the light at HungryMan Gallery

Work by Ethan Cook, McKeever Donovan, Michael Hunter, Andrew Laumann, Mallory Anita Lawson, Sofia Leiby, John Roebas, Letha Wilson, and Eric Veit.

HungryMan Gallery is located at 2135 N. Rockwell St. Reception Saturday from 7-10pm.

3. The Warmest Guest at Autumn Space Gallery

Work by Magalie Guérin.

Autumn Space Gallery is located at 1700 Irving Park #207. Reception Saturday from 6-9pm.

4. Honk If You Love Painting at Terrain

Work by Anna Kunz.

Terrain is located at 704 Highland Ave., Oak Park. Reception is Sunday from 2-4pm.

5. Accidents in Gravity at ACRE Projects

Work by Michelle Anne Harris.

ACRE Projects is located at 1913 W 17th St. Reception is Sunday from 4-8pm.

The latest episode of “Fielding Practice,” the Chicago-centric podcast/gabfest featuring Duncan MacKenzie, Dan Gunn and me has just been posted on the Art21 Blog as part of Bad at Sports’ ongoing Centerfield column.  This week, regular panelists Duncan MacKenzie, Dan Gunn and I discuss the demise of Next/Art Chicago–which up until last week had been the US’ longest-running art fair –and the subsequent rise of Expo, a new Chicago-based art fair slated to debut on Navy Pier in September 2012. We also review current exhibitions by Laura Letinsky at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, whose show Negative Joy is on view at Corbett vs. Dempsey gallery, plus we offer some “best bet” picks for the coming month in Chicago. As an added bonus, this week we keep the conversation blissfully short, at a running time of approximately 38 minutes — as always, thank you so much for tuning in!

Click here for Fielding Practice Episode 12 on the Art21 blog.

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.

1. Lumpen 1995 Sex Issue Release Party at Co-Prosperity Sphere

An evening of sexy-ness inspired by the 1995 Sex Issue! Music by Ornery Little Darlings, HotChaCha, The Loneliest Monk, Grace Kulp, and DJ BSide.

Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219 S. Morgan St. Party is Friday from 7pm-midnight.

2. The Warmth I Feel Is So Cold at Murdertown

Work by Lindsey Hook, Jessica Minckley and Amber Renaye. Opening lecture with Jessica Minckley.

Murdertown is located at 2351 N Milwaukee Ave, #2. Reception is Friday from 6-9pm.

3. Every Thing That Rises Must Converge at Rainbo Club

Images from New Orleans by Marzena Abrahamik, Andrea Bauer, Maral Hashemi, and Evan Jenkins.

Rainbo Club is located at 1150 N. Damen Ave. Reception is Friday from 6-10pm.

4. Breaking Up With Chicago at Swimming Pool Project Space

A curated selection of “Liz by Lina” for sale at the last hurrah for The Pool.

Swimming Pool Project Space is located at 2858 W. Montrose. Show and sale on Saturday from 2-8pm.

5. A Coupling at HungryMan Gallery

Work by couples: Frank Piatek and Judith Geichman, Dana Degiulio and Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Samantha Bittman and Mike Nudelman, and Amber Thomas and Josh Reames.

HungryMan Gallery is located at 2135 N Rockwell St. Reception is Saturday from 6-11pm.