1. Uncle Freddy’s All-Stars at Co-Prosperity Sphere

Work by Em’rynn Artunian, Thomas Hagen, and Billy Pozzo.

Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219 S. Morgan St. Reception is Friday from 6-9pm.

2. Uh-Oh It’s Magic at Threewalls

Work by Ben Russell.

Threewalls is located at 119 N. Peoria St., #2C. Reception is Friday from 6-9pm.

3. Dawoud Bey: Early Portraits at Stephen Daiter Gallery

Early work by Dawoud Bey.

Stephen Daiter Gallery is located at 311 W. Superior St., #408. Reception is Friday from 5-8pm.

4. Black at Peregrineprogram

Work by Candida Alvarez.

Peregrineprogram is located at 500 W. Cermak Rd., #727. Reception is Saturday from 1-4pm.

5. Waiting for Daylight at Iceberg Projects

Work by Dana Carter.

Iceberg Projects is located at 7714 N. Sheridan Rd. Reception is Saturday from 6-9pm.

Sorry I’ve missed you all over the Christmas and New Year holiday, I was gallivanting about in California. Now I’m back, and looking forward to another great year of Chicago art.

-Steph

1. Mars: Adrift on the Hourglass Sea at Carl Hammer Gallery

Work by Nicholas Kahn and Richard Selesnick.

Carl Hammer Gallery is located at 740 N. Wells St. Reception is Friday from 5:30-8pm.

2. The Collective at David Weinberg Gallery

Work by Eric Blum, David Burdeny, Helen Maureen Cooper, Jordan Eagles, Bob Emser, Amanda Friedman, Joseph Ivacic, Yvette Kaiser-Smith, Beverly Kedzior, Daniel Kim, Kelly McCormick, Robert McGuire, Jennifer Scott McLaughlin, Elizabeth Opalenik, Michael Parker, Michael Ratulowski, Tricia Rumbolz, Stephanie Serpick, Dylan Vitone, David Weinberg, and Rhonda Wheatley. This is the final show at Weinberg Gallery.

David Weinberg Gallery is located at 300 W. Superior St., #203. Reception is Friday from 5-8pm.

3. Mostly Small and Serious at Stephen Daiter Gallery

Work by Elliott Erwitt.

Stephen Daiter Gallery is located at 230 W. Superior. Reception is Friday from 5-8pm.

4. Cryptogram, So Alone and Mystified, & You’re Partially to Blame at Packer Schopf Gallery

Work by Deborah Baker, Michael Krueger, and Dominic Paul Moore, respectively.

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

5. Thing is a Hole in a Thing It is Not at The Renaissance Society

Work by Gerard Byrne.

The Renaissance Society is located at 5811 S. Ellis Ave., Cobb Hall 418. Reception is Sunday from 4-7pm, with and artist talk from 5-6pm.

This week my Top 5 in actually a Top 4. Why? ‘Cus I say so damn it!  I’ll probably be out of town on Saturday, but luckily, my Top 4 are all on Friday. So, without further ado…

1. The First Five Years at 65Grand

We all know the city gives shit to apartment galleries, even though it was recently discovered that the city itself didn’t even have its own damn story straight on what was illegal and what wasn’t. Well, unfortunately, Bill was one of those that ended up with the shi..ahem…short end of the stick. This is your last chance to see 65Grand in its original incarnation, and get an overview of the last five years of exhibitions.

65Grand is located at, well, you figure it out. Reception is from 7pm to 1am.

2. The Intuitive Photography of Jay King and Lee Balterman at Stephen Daiter Gallery

Daiter presenting more of the work he does best. I’ve really come to love Stephen Daiter Gallery over the last year. Street and personal photography spanning a 60 year period by Chicago natives Jay King and Lee Balterman.

Stephen Daiter Gallery is located at 230 W. Superior St. Reception is from 5-8pm.

3. I’ll Be Your Mirror at Spoke

From the venue that brought puppies into the gallery (I shit you not, it was awesome), comes another round of strangness. The artists of I’ll Be Your Mirror, and I quote, “will focus their energy on exploring the possibilities of mutually beneficial relationships rooted in conversation, exchange and sincerity.” Included in the exhibition are Lise Haller Baggesen and Anni Holm of Chicago, Gitte Bog of Mexico City, Gudrun Hasle and Berit Nørgaard of Copenhagen.

Spoke is located at 119 N Peoria St. #3D. Reception is from 5-8pm.

4. About Face at Thomas Robertello Gallery

An amazing show dealing with the face. Don’t miss it, you will be sad if you do. Including works by Jason Robert Bell, Cody Critcheloe (SSION), John Delk, Scott Fife, Emily Noelle Lambert , Nikki S Lee , Noelle Mason, Mike Nudelman, Ed Paschke, Grant Schexnider, Travis Leroy Southworth, and Julie Weitz.

Thomas Robertello Gallery  is located at 939 W. Randolph St. Reception is from 5-8pm.

It’s the weekend of art fairs (and labor struggles), and another weekend of listings from Yours Truly. This was a hard pick, as a lot of great shows are opening this weekend (and everything in River North and West Loop are open, at least Saturday night). If you do make it into Art Chicago and NEXT (make sure you get one of those free passes floating around), you should defiantly come take part in Tara Strickstein’s Bloodshed Event: Pataphor, where Jeriah and I will be doing battle with participants. Alright everyone, start your engines. It’s time for art, and time for free drinks! Hooray!

1. SAIC Graduate Exhibition at The Sullivan Galleries

Come see what those freshly minted MFAs are churnin’ out.

The Sullivan Galleries are located at 33 S. State St. Reception Friday, 8-10pm.

2. Lazy Shadows at Golden Gallery

Awesome new work by Jessica Labatte. Come and enjoy the smoke and mirrors.

Golden Gallery is located at 816 W. Newport Ave. Reception Friday, 7-10pm.

3. All the Colors of the Dark at Ebersmoore

Collage and cryptic messages? Oh, so Victorian. Work by Alexis Mackenzie.

Ebersmoore is located at  213 N. Morgan. Reception Saturday, 6-10pm.

4. Passing the Torch: The Chicago Students of Callahan and Siskind at Stephen Daiter Gallery

Come see the children of the masters. Work by Barbara Crane, Stef Leinwohl, Joseph Jachna, Joseph Sterling, Kenneth Josephson, Charles Swedlund, Tom Knudtson, Bob Tanner, and Mary Ann Lea (Dorr).

Stephen Daiter Gallery  is located at  230 W. Superior St. Reception Saturday, 5-8pm.

5. Erect at Julius Ceasar

Dana DeGiulio holding up the world at Julius Ceasar.

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