1. Playboy Redux: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Iconic Playboy Bunny at Rotofugi

Group show at the new location.

Rotofugi is located at 2780 N Lincoln Ave. Reception Friday, from 7-10pm.

2. Beach Party at The Hills Esthetic Center

Work by Caitlin Arnold, Michael Boles, Jessica Taylor Caponigro, Olivia Ciummo, Sarica Douglas, Deep Earth, Ron Ewert, Michael Hunter, Leo Kaplan, Katy Keefe, Nicole Kita, Michael Kloss, Ben Marcus, Joseph Mohan, Sara Mosk, DJ Rad Pitt, Dustin Ruegger, Margaret Taylor, Frank Van Duerm, Kate Walsh and Lauren Walsh.

The Hills Esthetic Center is located at 128 N. Campbell Ave., Unit G. Reception Saturday, from 8-11pm.

3. Uncrumpling This Much Crumpled Thing at The Exhibition Agency

Work by Gina Beavers, Chris Bradley, Andrew Guenther, Anna Krachey, Elisa Lendvay, Tim Louis Graham, and Eliza Myrie.

The Exhibition Agency is located at 2351 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd fl. Reception Saturday, from 7-10pm.

4. Kabinett 1 + 2 at devening projects + editions

Work by Richard Rezac and Gary Stephan.

devening projects + editions is located at 3039 W Carroll Ave. Reception Sunday, from 4-7pm.

5. The Chromatic number of objects in a room at What It Is

Work by Susan Garguilo and Troy Hagenbart.

What It Is is located at 1155 S Lyman Ave, Oak Park. Reception Sunday, from 3-8pm.

Hey, dude, art…hella.

1. Carny at Eastern Expansion

And I quote, “Carny is a salon installation of 75 plus photographs captured during Paul’s recent observations while working for traveling carnivals around the midwest.” Photographs by Paul Rizzuto.

Eastern Expansion is located at 244 W. 31st St. Reception is Friday from 6-10pm.

2. If Nature Could Talk at Spoke

And I quote, “is an interactive event that explores the uncanny relationship between art, science, and nature. Based on the investigation of Human/Nature dynamics through marks, traces and symbols of pseudo- scientific experiments, the work suggests what nature might be thinking and feeling in an evidentiary context.” Photographs, sculptures, objects, and evidence created and collected by Grant W. Ray.

Spoke is located at 119 N Peoria St, 3D. Reception is Friday from 6-9pm.

3. Looks Like A Place I Came In at The Hills Esthetic Center

And I quote, “The Hills Esthetic Center [presents] a site-specific installation titled “Looks Like A Place I Came In”. Caponigro’s response to the space draws influence from her family’s history by means of the decadent lacy fabrics juxtaposed  with gaudy laminate flooring, jungles of houseplants, screenprinted  temporary wallpaper and halls of astroturf.” Installation by Jessica Taylor Caponigro.

The Hills Esthetic Center is located at 128 N. Campbell Ave., Unit G. Reception is Friday from 8-11pm.

4. Slideluck Potshow Chicago IV at Columbia College

And I quote, “Slideluck Potshow is a slideshow and potluck to which members of Chicago’s arts, photography and media communities bring food, drink and enjoy slideshows from local artists. The evening begins with two hours of dining on the home-cooked delights of participants, while drinking and mingling. Following the potluck, the lights are dimmed, the crowd hushed as a spectacular slideshow commences. Slideluck Potshow is a forum for exposing artists, curators and editors to new work while infusing the arts community with a non-commercial vitality and refreshing exchange.” Work by various artists, bring food with ya to share.

The Conaway Center at Columbia College is located at 1104 S. Wabash St. Saturday night, food at 7pm, slide shows from 9-11pm.

5. Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century at The Art Institute of Chicago

Why should you go? Because Cartier-Bresson was a fucking bad-ass, that’s why.

The Art Institute of Chicago is located at 111 S. Michigan Ave. Exhibition begins Sunday.

This week I do have a full Top 5 for you, and this isn’t all there is out there worth seeing this weekend. Golden Gallery is opening a new show, as well as their annex. HungryMan is hosting a solo exhibit curated by Jason Lazaus. NoCoast and Perigrineprogram are both rocking out with new shows over in Pilsen. Revolution Tattoo looks like it’s hosting some fucked-up version of the Muppet show, and the grand ole’ ‘Tute is beginning a fantastic tribute show to Louis Sullivan. And to top it off, you can go see punk-folk at CvsD. And this isn’t even the Top 5 picks yet! It’s squaring up to be a good weekend. No sitting at home drinking beer, get off your ass and go see some art!

1. Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is…A LOVE STORY at Western Exhibitions

The second iteration of a joint show featuring the works of Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and Daniel Albrigo. Also opening that night at WesEx: The Power of Selection, part 2, curated by Ryan Travis Christian and featuring the work of Evan Gruzis, Denise Kupferschmidt, Keegan McHargue, and Dana Dart-McLean.

Western Exhibitions is located at 119 N. Peoria St., suite 2A. Reception is Friday from 5-8pm.

2. My Funhouse at Eastern Expansion

Oh ICP, you will never cease to inspire amazing things. My Funhouse, a series from Johanna Wawro and Andy Resekis, is a photo and video installation about the Juggalo Family.

Eastern Expansion is located at 244 W 31st St. Reception is Saturday from 7-11pm.

3. Remembering the Future at The Hills Esthetic Center

And I quote, “A conglomeration of new photographs, drawings, sculpture, moving image and sound by the founding members of ACRE, Chicago’s newest Artist Residency (that takes place in the great state of Wisconsin!).” Including the work of Caitlin Arnold, Olivia Ciummo, Scott Cowan, Kyle Cronan, Melissa Damasauskas, Rachel Ettling, Aron Gent, Henry James Glover, John Paul Glover, Emily Green, Brieanne Hauger, Katy Keefe, Jason Lazarus, Greg Stimac and Nicholas Wylie.

The Hills Esthetic Center is located at 128 N Campbell Ave, G. Reception is Friday from 8-11pm.

4. Passionate Holiness at La Llorona

And I quote, “The images depict influential, yet highly overlooked and occasionally controversial Christian figures who, had they lived in the present, might have been a source of inspiration to gays and lesbians.” Work by Robert Lentz, Lewis Williams, William Hart McNichols, and David Lee Csicsko.

La Llorona is located at 1474 W. Webster Ave. Reception is Friday from 6pm-1am.

5. New Directions in Collage “Contemporary Collage” at the NEIU Fine Arts Center Gallery

And I quote, “Contemporary collage inspired work by Juan Angel Chavez, Lydia Diemer, Stephen Eichhorn, Clark Ellithorpe, Chad Kouri, Alexis Mackenzie, Leslie Mutchler, and Neva Sills.”

NEIU Fine Arts Center Gallery is located at 5500 N St Louis Ave. Reception is Friday from 6-9pm.

Hello again, my lovelies. So, as I was sayin’ on my gallery crawl blog, I was a little worried Monday when I started putting the listing together. At that point it was looking a little bleak. Thankfully that situation has remedied itself. It’s always nice when the weekend picks are relatively easy, and this weekend there is so much good stuff that picking was easy, it was whittling down that was hard. Here are a few places that still look awesome, but didn’t make it to the Top 5: Visions from a Foxhole at Pritzker Military Library, Rune at Ben Russell (dude, get a website, please! or if you have one, tell me where it is), We Are the World at Roots and Culture, and Ethan Greenbaum and Katrin Sigurdardottir at The Suburban. This is seriously the Alt. Space Weekend! As an odd testament, not one opening (that I could find) in River North. So go out, support your local project spaces, alternative spaces, apartment galleries, garage galleries, corners-of-living-rooms-with-art-badly-hung-in-them places, and enjoy the (inevitable and awesome) cheap beer.  SALLY FOURTH!

1. ChicagoLand at PeregrineProgram

So I saw Daniel Lavitt out in the streets last weekend and asked him about the show. I’d seen the announcement card around (you’ve probably seen it too, him staring Godzilla-style through a tiny window), but wasn’t sure exactly what the hell was going on. Well, my friends, this stuff looks like a whole pile of awesome! I love miniaturized work, it’s always a bit creepy and awkward.  For this work, Lavitt is not only miniaturizing Chicago, he’s doing it to culturally and personally significant places AND wiring them along an economic gradient. I’ve never been to this space, so I’m super stoked on seeing a new venue and Lavitt’s new work.

PeregrineProgram is located at 500 W Cermak Rd, #727. Reception is Friday from 6-9pm. Read more