Exhibiton Review: Expo Chicago 2023
Expo Chicago 2022. Image Courtesy Of Expo Chicago. Photo by Justin Barbin
Written by Amanda Smith
Photo Edited by Olivia Castillo
Zizipho Poswa, uBuhle boKhokho (Beauty of Our Ancestors), 2022
The newest addition to the exposition this year will be a debut exhibit from Southern Guild Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa, showcasing works by both fine art artists and photographers. The gallery focuses on creating globally relevant work through curatorial programming and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Zizipho Poswa and hairstylist Samantha T. Mushamba worked together to produce 12 customary African hairstyles captured in portraits. The photographer and sculptor Zanele Muholi is conducting a workshop called "Connect the dots", along with presenting the artist’s image workbook for children of all ages. The project stemmed from Muholi's continued series of self-portrait photography and aims to inspire future creative minds. Muholi's artistic focus is on the documentation and celebration of the lives of South Africa's LGBTQI+ communities.
Alice Quaresma, Remain Open, 2023, photographic print on cotton paper with
color photo and paper, acrylic paint, and color pencil, 15 x 22 in, 38 x 56 cm
Pablo's Birthday Gallery from New York is dedicating the theme of this year to minimal abstraction. The spotlight is on Alice Quaresma's photographic prints. In Quaresma's collages, her artistic approach is showcased through a harmonious fusion of vibrant colors, abstract art, geometric shapes, and freeform lines, which offer an experimental exploration of the photography.
Craig Cameron MACKINTOSH (1987- )_The Fun of Anonymity_2023_Oil Paint, Oil Stick and Acrylic on Italian Cotton_60 x 50 x 1.75 cm
EBONY/CURATED, a South African gallery with locations in Cape Town and Franschhoek, presents Craig Cameron-Mackintosh's portraits at their booth, The contemporary artwork offers another interpretation of the conventional silhouette, using acrylic and oil to experiment with light and shade based on the foundational knowledge of photographic composition. Mackintosh's artistic vision has been shaped by his background in filmmaking, gained from his studies at AFDA, which has infused his portrait work with a cinematic quality.
Noémie Goudal, Phoenix VI, 2021 (image)
The Edel Assanti Gallery from London has brought an installation by the artist Noémie Goudal to the Exposition in Chicago. The installation, titled "Giant Phoenix VI, 2022", engages in an artistic discourse related to climate change and geology. Goudal uses 3-dimensional printing to create a visual installation that enhances the human understanding of the global warming effects on Earth.
Matthew Eguavoen
“Solitude II”, 2022
Acrylic and oil on Canvas
160cm x 120cm
(EGU012)
Badr El Jundi is a contemporary art gallery based in Marbella and Madrid that collaborates with international artists and fosters creative experimentation. This year, one of the featured artists is Lagos-based Matthew Eguavoen, who explores gender, race, and Nigerian and African history through portraiture. The artist focuses on vibrant color and composition, and tackles topics such as love, mental health stigmas, and the impact of slavery and Westernization on African culture.
Skin + Masks Installation View
Photo by Saida Blair
Chicago's Kavi Gupta Gallery features a group exhibition for a third iteration of “Skin + Masks.” The exhibition is co-curated by Vic Mensa and Chanelle Lacy and aims to explore the idea of identity and decolonize Black art beyond the awareness of politics. The gallery promotes a continuing dialogue about art and ideas through creative exhibitions, multimedia programs, and publications.
Karen Navarro, Sliced, 2022
Foto Relevance, based in Houston, will be exhibiting the works of three contemporary female multimedia artists. Alia Ali's photo sculptural works address the politicization of the body, colonization, and imperialism by concealing identities with textiles and silhouettes. The richly colored images expose histories of colonialism, migration, and language. Daisy Patton explores storytelling, family conventions, and identity through her art. Karen Navarro investigates self-representation, race, gender, belonging, and Indigenous identity through a multimedia practice.
Alina Frieske
Rehearsing (One) 2023
Archival print on Baryta paper
55.2 x 45.3 in
Edition of 2 plus 1 artist's proof
(FRI044)
From Fabienne Levy Gallery in Lausanne, Alina Frieske's artwork explores online social media profiles and the recognizable aspects of humanity that remain. To create these works Frieske finds photographic material from algorithms, which she then reconstructs into new scenarios. Using photomontage techniques, Frieske creates layers of imagery by superimposing the fragments with photography acting as the artist’s palette of colors.
Expo Chicago presents to its audience a range of themes and artistic perspectives, whether your interests lie in abstract art, collages, portraits, or multimedia works. This event inspires future generations of artists and highlights the vitality and vibrancy of the global art scene.
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