Over 25 international curators attended EXPO CHICAGO this year, with new participants from Taiwan, Lithuania, and Mexico
America’s Heartland: EXPO CHICAGO
«If you look at any artist’s resume, there’s always a tie to Chicago», stated EXPO CHICAGO director of programming Kate Sierzputowski. The 10th anniversary of EXPO CHICAGO, the largest contemporary art fair in the midwest, took place from April 13-16, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois, at the historic Navy Pier.
It might have been the official 10th anniversary for EXPO CHICAGO, but there has been an international art fair in the city for over 40 years, bringing the international contemporary art scene to America’s midwest capital. «One of the goals of EXPO CHICAGO is to bring the international art world to the city to see the communities and neighborhoods that exist outside of just downtown», said Sierzputowski, who has called the city home for over a decade.
Part of this year’s edition of EXPO CHICAGO was orchestrated thanks to Ms. Sierzputowski’s partnerships with international embassies and consulates to bring in premier global talent for a week filled with exhibitions and events to immerse the world in Chicago’s art community and to give the windy city an international flair.
All Roads Lead to Chicago
Chicago is a city crucial for American art. It’s a city filled with universities and art institutions while also providing a more laid-back, livable vibe in comparison to other large American cities like New York or Los Angeles. «It’s hard to find an artist that doesn’t have some sort of triangulation back to Chicago. Here you don’t have to hustle as hard due to a lower cost of living than in New York. Artists may not need to have three jobs to afford a studio, a nice place to live, and actually support their practice», explained Sierzputowski.
In Chicago it is considered a rite of passage for an artist to have an exhibition space to show their friends in the community; it’s a city that nurtures and welcomes young talent to flourish and grow. Many of these spaces are featured in EXPO CHICAGO’s EXPO ART WEEK programming which promotes events and exhibition openings throughout the city during the week of the fair. This scene is further supported by the world-class institutions and art schools in Chicago that are famous for bringing international curators and artists to teach and exhibit which also have events during this busy week.
An International Effort at EXPO CHICAGO: Taiwan, Mexico, and Lithuania
«I feel like it’s my secret mission to matchmake», states Sierzputowski regarding pairing international curators with Chicago institutions and artists. Over 25 international curators attended this year, with first time participants from Taiwan, Mexico, and Lithuania. Curators are able to explore the city – meeting with local artists and visiting the many institutions that compose the city’s vast cultural system.
One of Ms. Sierzputowski‘s roles is to liaise with consulates to bring these international curators to Chicago for the exposition, «sometimes curators bring Chicago-based artists to present shows in different countries, and those curators often want to come back to do international projects in Chicago. Having this exchange is crucial to the program and the city of Chicago».
One international highlight included Woo woo Woo, an exhibition and performance curated by previous Curatorial Exchange participant Jeanette Bisschops, which featured a film program of Dutch video artists, and a performance by Michele Rizzo, at EXPO CHICAGO on Friday April 14th. «EXPO CHICAGO is in support of the local community while also being an international art fair. I often like to quote our president and director Tony Karman by saying that we are an international fair in service of the region».
All Eyes on The Windy City for EXPO CHICAGO 2023
Ms. Sierzputowski continued to discuss that sometimes Chicago can get overlooked with respect to New York or Los Angeles, and EXPO CHICAGO is Chicago-centric. International visitors admire EXPO CHICAGO as the international programs are woven within the local agenda.
EXPOSURE Section: EXPO CHICAGO
The EXPOSURE section of EXPO CHICAGO is exclusively for galleries ten years old or younger. This year, it was curated by Aimé Iglesias Lukin, Director and Chief Curator of Visual Arts at Americas Society in New York. «This year’s section is the most diversely represented in terms of location that we’ve had thus far», explained Sierzputowski.
This year EXPOSURE hosted 40 galleries worldwide, including Galerìa Karen Huber from Mexico City, Martin Arts Projects from Cape Town, and Kó from Lagos, to name a few.
The Profile and Editions + Books sections
Focusing on established international galleries, the Profile section presented solo booths and focused projects. Here, the focus is on major projects by a solo artist or theme which featured booths by Shulamit Nazarian (Los Angeles), Overduin & Co. (Los Angeles), Eduardo Secci (Florence, Milan), and WHATIFTHEWORLD (Cape Town, Tulbagh).
Additionally, the Editions + Books section offered a variety of artist books, editions, prints, and more, from limited edition pieces to commissioned prints. Exhibitors, including Stoney Road Press from Dublin, LeRoy Neiman Center for Print Studies from Columbia University in New York, and René Schmitt from Berlin, offered an array of media from collages, drawings, photography, and more.
An Event Inspired by Its Background
EXPO CHICAGO is an event that gives back to its city. It embraces the city’s artistic side for four days, immersing Chicago in an air of education and encouraging people to open their eyes and minds. In 2018, EXPO CHICAGO founded the Curatorial Exchange to expand their international curator presence. These curators have often returned after EXPO CHICAGO to do international projects in Chicago such as Jeanette Bisschops’ project Woo woo Woo which further activated Dutch artists within Chicago.
«One other way that we involve the community is through the programming happening throughout the week. One program in particular is through a collaboration with City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)», titled OVERRIDE, which showcases ten artists on digital billboards throughout Chicago. This year included both local unrepresented artists and artists represented by EXPO CHICAGO exhibitors such as Lola Ayisha Ogbara, Ceargio Bagenda, Pelle Cass (Foto Relevance, Houston), Rico Gatson (Miles McEnery Gallery, New York), Kristin McWharter, Esmaa Mohamoud (Kavi Gupta, Chicago), Aïda Muluneh (Public Art Fund, Jenkins Johnson Gallery; San Francisco, New York), Max Sansing, Eddie Santana White aka ‘Edo’, Stephanie Syjuco (Ryan Lee Gallery, New York; Catharine Clark Gallery, San Francisco).
/Dialogues Stage: EXPO CHICAGO
Continuing in the spirit of supporting talent on an international platform, the second annual Directors Summit brought seven emerging museum directors to Chicago for a three-day convening on the future of museum leadership and institutional reinvention, and featured a keynote lecture by Paul R. Provost, founding CEO of Art Bridges.
The directors participated in two roundtable discussions on the /Dialogue Stage, to examine «how institutions have had to adapt and change in the last few years with social uprisings and the pandemic to reshape their audiences, programs, collections, and initiatives», explained Sierzputowski. In addition, the /Dialogues stage hosted a conversation with Chance the Rapper and artist Hank Willis Thomas during the opening of the fair, focused on building community through working with underrepresented artists.
Visitors were also able to see Madeleine Grynsztejn, the Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in conversation with Dimitris Daskalopoulos on how leading international collectors/philanthropists continue to impact the future of museums through substantial donations and catalyzing art commissions. In addition, there were various institutional talks, for example, one featured the Center for Native Futures, a local organization focused on presenting native voices in contemporary art in anticipation of their physical location opening in the fall.
Ms. Sierzputowski highlighted a talk with Hamza Walker that also took place. During this discussion, Walker previewed his upcoming exhibition MONUMENTS which will display Confederate monuments that were removed from public view.
Visitors also viewed a conversation with Richard Bell, an indigenous artist from Australia about his practice and public protest art, and previewed his film at the Gene Siskel Film Center on Wednesday, April 12 and Saturday, April 15 where Bell was in attendance for a post-screening Q&A.
Curator of the Museu d’Art Contemporani di Barcelona, Claudia Segura
Showcasing large-scale sculptures, film, video, and site-specific works throughout Festival Hall, the IN/SITU program was curated by the Curator of Exhibitions and Collection of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Claudia Segura.
This year, it’s all about alternative ways of storytelling. This section featured work by Carlos Alfonso (Casas Riegner, Bogotá), Richard Bell (OSMOS; New York, Stamford), Julien Creuzet (DOCUMENT; Chicago, Lisbon), Jeanne Gaigher (Southern Guild, Cape Town), Andrea Galvani (CURRO, Guadalajara), Paul Mignard (Galerie Poggi, Paris), Ebony G. Patterson (moniquemeloche, Chicago), Sun Ra (Corbett Vs. Dempsey, Chicago), Carlos Rolón (Hexton Gallery, Aspen), Nep Sidhu (Patel Brown; Toronto, Montreal), Rosario Zorraquin (Isla Flotante, Buenos Aires).
EXPO CHICAGO: focus on regional institutions
«The cities surrounding Chicago also have institutions; of course, we encourage institutions from across the country and the world to come, but we are also focused on regional institutions»
«In addition to the Curatorial Forum, Curatorial Exchange, and Directors Summit,, with about 80 curators, we also strive to host museum groups that bring their directors, curators, and boards to Chicago».
Another way the fair is institutionally activated is through the Northern Trust Purchase Prize, which since 2022 has presented three institutions an artwork from the fair’s EXPOSURE section. This year the institutions were the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Saint Louis Art Museum and Seattle Art Museum.
