Expo Chicago opened on Thursday at Navy Pier Festival Hall, featuring 20 exhibitors from South Korea in partnership with the Galleries Association of Korea. The fair, acquired by Frieze in 2023 alongside the Armory Show, balances regional character with an increasingly international feel. In the 'Exposure' section spotlighting emerging artists, New York-based Palo Gallery devoted its booth to New Orleans artist Auudi Dorsey (b. 1992). By opening day, Dorsey's painting *Rumble* (2025), depicting a Black boxer, sold for $14,000. The work belongs to his 'Gunslinger' series, named after the Louisiana State Penitentiary's boxing team and inspired by boxer Clifford Etienne. Dorsey's booth, designed with wood-like wallpaper to evoke boxing gyms, drew praise. His recent group show at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 'In The Game: Sports, Art, Culture,' and a forthcoming solo exhibition at Palo Gallery, 'Southern Whips' (opening May 15), underscore his rising profile.
The fair's ability to spotlight a young regional artist like Auudi Dorsey while expanding its international reach demonstrates Expo Chicago's strategic position in the art market. The sale of *Rumble* for $14,000 signals growing collector interest in Dorsey's work, which addresses Black heritage and Southern culture through sports imagery. The partnership with the Galleries Association of Korea and support from Frieze further solidify Expo Chicago as a bridge between local art scenes and global market forces, making it a bellwether for mid-tier fairs navigating post-pandemic recovery.