Block Club Chicago

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 7, 2026

Intuit Solo Show A Dream Come True For Self-Taught Morgan Park Artist Marvin Young

Self-taught artist Marvin Young, 64, who has an intellectual and developmental disability, will have his first solo exhibition, “Impressions of a City,” at the Intuit Art Museum in Chicago from April 9 to August 23, 2026. Curated by Christina Stavros, the show features Young’s vivid drawings of Chicago cityscapes, architecture, and portraits, created from memory using graphite, colored pencils, crayons, and markers. Young, who works at Envision Unlimited and Arts of Life—nonprofits supporting people with disabilities—has long dreamed of selling his art, and this exhibition marks a major milestone in that goal.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 3, 2026

Expo Chicago art fair returns with a ‘refined’ floor plan and Obama Center ties

Expo Chicago, the city's major international art fair, has opened its 2024 edition at Navy Pier with a redesigned floor plan intended to improve visitor flow and gallery visibility. The fair features over 170 galleries from 29 countries, with a notable contingent of Chicago-based exhibitors and a special section dedicated to art from the African diaspora.

article local schedule Apr 3, 2026

Beyond Expo: Here Are 6 Neighborhood Art Shows To Check Out In April

The article highlights six local art exhibitions taking place across various Chicago neighborhoods in April, moving beyond the city's major art fair. It details shows in areas like Pilsen, Logan Square, and West Town, featuring a mix of emerging and established artists working in diverse mediums.

article policy schedule Mar 20, 2026

DePaul Faculty, Artists Put Pressure On University To Save Art Museum

DePaul University faculty, students, and community members are mounting a public campaign to reverse the university's abrupt decision to close the DePaul Art Museum (DPAM) on June 30. An open letter led by philosophy professor Sean Kirkland has garnered nearly 3,800 signatures, while the museum's advisory board issued a separate statement condemning the closure as "egregious." Critics argue the decision was made without faculty consultation and undermines the institution's academic mission.

article policy schedule Feb 26, 2026

DePaul Art Museum Closing In June: ‘It’s A Huge Loss’

DePaul University has announced the permanent closure of the DePaul Art Museum (DPAM), effective June 30, 2025. University leadership cited the need for long-term financial sustainability and ongoing budget planning as the primary reasons for the decision. The closure follows a period of significant financial strain for the institution, which has already resulted in over 100 staff layoffs and cutbacks to other campus facilities like the Loop library.

article local schedule Sep 5, 2025

Third City Art Studio Opening In Austin, 1st In Project To Transform North Avenue Into Arts District

Third City Studio, an art gallery, studio, classroom, and event space, will open in October 2025 at 5538 W. North Avenue in Austin, Chicago, as the first phase of the North Austin Arts District. Next door, Third City Cafe is set to open in early 2026. The projects are spearheaded by Jon Womack of Third City Properties, in partnership with community leaders including Vanessa Stokes of Outwest Gallery & Cafe. The studio will highlight West Side artists, offer artists-in-residency programs, and partner with after-school programs. Executive director Sid Zalani is organizing the inaugural exhibition, accepting submissions through September 15.

museum exhibitions schedule May 22, 2025

Chicago And Tokyo Artists Elevate Mosaics From Decorative Craft To Fine Art In New Exhibit

The Gallery of Contemporary Mosaics in Chicago has opened a new group exhibition titled "Perspectives from Japan," featuring works by eight Japanese artists, including master mosaicist Toyoharu Kii. Kii, known for his monochromatic white marble pieces, has taught at the Chicago Mosaic School for over a decade and traveled from Tokyo for the show, which runs through July 12. The exhibition aims to highlight the artistic sophistication of mosaic as a contemporary fine-art medium.

museum exhibitions schedule May 14, 2025

Chicago Is The Only City To Host 'The First Homosexuals,' An Extensive Collection Of Queer Art

The article reports that 'The First Homosexuals: The Birth of a New Identity, 1869-1939,' a major international exhibition of queer art, is currently on view at Wrightwood 659 in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Curated by art historian Jonathan D. Katz, the show features around 350 works from over 100 lenders, including private collectors and major museums, and runs through July 26. Katz notes that no other institution in the world has agreed to host the exhibition, citing widespread refusals from venues in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia.

museum exhibitions schedule Apr 30, 2025

Art Institute’s Frida Kahlo-Themed Exhibit Highlights Artist’s Paris Years

The Art Institute of Chicago has opened "Frida Kahlo’s Month in Paris: A Friendship With Mary Reynolds," its first dedicated exhibition to the Mexican artist. The show explores Kahlo’s 1939 stay in Paris, where she lived with American bookbinder Mary Reynolds and artist Marcel Duchamp after being hospitalized with a kidney infection. Featuring 100 objects—including seven self-portraits, letters, photographs, and book bindings—the exhibition draws on the Art Institute’s own Mary Reynolds Collection and loans from public and private collections across the U.S., Mexico, and Europe. Curated by Caitlin Haskell, Tamar Kharatishvili, and Alivé Piliado, the display reveals new details about Kahlo’s recovery and creative re-inspiration in the avant-garde hub of Reynolds and Duchamp’s home.

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