EXPO Chicago: Vernissage

October 26, 2019

Susan's recap from EXPO Chicago's opening night at Vernissage! Discover her favorite artists from this year's event below.

Oh, what a night! I had the pleasure of attending EXPO Chicago with friends Stephanie Pouladakis and Peggy Papaioannou at Vernissage- the opening night of the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art that raised $265,000 to benefit the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. In its eighth edition and most global to date, the expo featured135 galleries from 24 countries, representing hundreds of artists. While the art was spectacular, the people watching was equally as fabulous! Some of my favorites included:

1. Chinese artist Zhuang Hong Yi via Smith Davidson Gallery in Amsterdam. The standout? Vibrant colors with thickly applied paint to give texture.

2. Chicago artist Dan Gunn via Monique Meloche Gallery. The standout? Undulating and colorfully striped rope art.

3. Brazilian artist Marina Rheingantz via Bortolami Gallery in NYC. Peaceful with an unusual combination of colors, her landscapes are reminiscent of Cy Twombly’s work.

4. Artist Anna Kunz via McCormick Gallery in Chicago. The standout? The symmetry of color in the 6 pieces that made a unified whole.

5. Artist Paul Jenkins via McCormick Gallery in Chicago, once again! The standout? Boldly colorful and purposeful work.

6. American artist Micheal Brown via Marc Straus Gallery in NYC. Last fall I visited Marc’s private art collection and his gallery and had an inciteful conversation with Michael about his “cracked mirror” art that has now evolved but still has a definitive center point! The photo shows me reflected in the cracked mirror!

7. Artist Ranu Mukherjee via Gallery Wendi Norris in San Francisco. The standout? The connectivity yet tension is palpable.

I also loved seeing Chicago lighting artist Lucy Slivinskis’ latest collection of chandeliers hanging above the dining area. I wish I could have spent more time viewing the art and talking with the gallery owners and artists as I enjoy hearing about the inspiration behind their work. Typically, I return by myself for an afternoon over the weekend but this year was off to my niece’s wedding in CO.