A new art space called tête-à-tête-à-tête has opened in Chicago, founded by curator Shannon Rae Stratton in collaboration with seven artists. The space is designed not as a traditional gallery but as a contemporary salon, featuring a waiting room and a reading room centered on intimate, one-on-one conversation. Its inaugural exhibition, “Shadow,” presents works by Holly Murkerson, Robin Arseneault, and Cristina Umaña Durán, alongside artist-designed chairs, exploring themes of shadow, light, and the unconscious. The exhibition also includes a bespoke fragrance created by Stratton, reinforcing the space’s emphasis on sensory experience and personal exchange.
This opening matters because tête-à-tête-à-tête challenges conventional models of art viewing by prioritizing intimacy, slowness, and dialogue over commercial transaction. In an art world increasingly dominated by large-scale fairs and rapid turnover, the space offers a deliberate alternative rooted in the historical salon tradition. Its collaborative, artist-driven structure and multi-sensory approach—combining visual art, design, and scent—signal a growing interest in experiential, community-oriented spaces that resist easy categorization and foster deeper engagement with art.