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Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies

William Zbaren

Galleries & Museums

Galleries

Arts & Artisans It bills itself as “an American gallery,” but while it does display original work by artists around the country, the shelves stocked with ceramics, sculptures, textiles, and jewelry—all with prominently displayed price tags—make it read as a store first and a place to see art second. But the staff is knowledgeable about the artists represented, and the art, starting around $20, is pretty affordable. One of four downtown locations, this one’s in the Chicago Hilton & Towers and caters to hotel guests, so it’s open only part-time (hours vary) when the hotel’s not full.  720 S. Michigan, 312-786-6224 or artsartisans.com.

Framing Mode Gallery Marci Rubin’s gallery, open since 2003 as part of her picture framing shop, features mostly contemporary work from local emerging artists. “The Darkest Star,” an exhibition of “dark, spooky art,” opens 3/22 at 8 PM with cocktails, DJs, and tarot readings, and continues through 4/12, $10.  Tue-Thu 11 AM-7 PM, Fri-Sat 11 AM-5 PM, 1526 S. Wabash, 312-566-0027 or framingmode.com.

Francine Turk Gallery Turk made headlines in 2006 when several of her paintings were stolen from her gallery/studio shortly after her work gained attention for being featured in the Jennifer Aniston vehicle The Break-Up. She’s continued to display her figurative paintings and drawings at the gallery—horses are her latest focus—but it’s temporarily closed due to water damage. She expects to be open again (by appointment only) by Memorial Day.  18 E. Cullerton, 312-674-1818 or francineturk.com.

Wiessman Gallery Named for owners Sharon Wiess and Rhonda Hartman, this tiny gallery has been featuring work by local contemporary artists since 2005 and now has a second location in Roscoe Village. In addition to the rotating exhibitions, there’s a corner permanently showcasing crafts like jewelry and textiles for sale along with lotions and candles. The current show, abstract paintings by Armando Pedroso, continues through 3/28.  Tue-Sat 10 AM-6 PM, 1130 S. Wabash, 312-291-0752 or wiessmangallery.com.

Museums

Clarke House Museum Chicago’s oldest building is an example of the Greek Revival style, fashionable in the early 19th century, when the house was built for Henry B. Clarke. In 1977 it was restored and moved from the 4500 block of South Wabash to its current site, next to Glessner House in the historic Prairie Avenue District.  Tours Wed-Sun, noon, 1, and 2 PM, 1827 S. Indiana, 312-326-1480 or clarkehousemuseum.org. $10 (free Wed); tours of both the Clarke and Glessner houses $15.

Fashion Columbia Study Collection This 6,000-item collection, created in 1989 as a teaching tool for Columbia fashion students, contains mostly clothing from the last century by European, American, and Japanese designers but also features accessories like bags, jewelry, and hats. There’s also a library of books, fashion magazines, patterns, videotapes, and slides. It’s open by appointment only, but you can browse by time period and designer and see photos of most of the clothing on the collection’s impressive Web site.  1006 S. Michigan, 4th floor, 312-344-6283 or fashioncollection.colum.edu.

Glessner House Museum The only remain­ing building in Chicago designed by Boston architect Henry Hobson Richardson, this 1887 Romanesque Revival mansion on Prarie Avenue narrowly escaped demolition in the late 1960s. Now it’s an official Chicago landmark.  Tours Wed-Sun, 1 and 3 PM, 1800 S. Prairie, 312-326-1480 or glessnerhouse.org/museum. $10 (free Wed); tours of both the Clarke and Glessner houses $15.

National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum In its current space for about 12 years, the museum has a collection of more than 1,500 works of art by vets, but it’s looking for a new home: the city is planning to buy back the building, which it donated to the museum in 1996. It won’t necessarily have to move, but it’s been struggling to survive here and hopes to find a location with more foot traffic.  Tue-Fri 11 AM-6 PM, Sat 10 AM-5 PM, 1801 S. Indiana, 312-326-0270 or nvvam.org. $10.

Spertus Museum Located on the ninth and tenth floors of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, the museum is divided into two parts. The permanent exhibit displays 1,500 objects from the museum’s collection, ranging from menorahs to stained glass windows to paintings. The placard describes it as “visible storage,” and that’s what it feels like: there are no signs identifying the objects, and the old clothing in the collection is hung together as if in a closet. Consider, a Holocaust memorial installation by Ranbir Kaleka consisting of video and audio, is also permanent. Currently on display in the gallery with changing exhibitions is “The New Authentics,” work by 16 artists exploring “contemporary notions of Jewish identity.” It runs through 4/13. a Sun-Wed 10 AM-6 PM, Thu 10 AM-7 PM, Fri 10 AM-3 PM, 610 S. Michigan, 312-322-1700, spertus.edu. $7 (free Tue till noon, Thu 3-7 PM).

Columbia College Many of the spaces that Columbia uses to display art are so casual it’s possible to walk through without even realizing you’re in a gallery; some you couldn’t stumble across if you tried. The C33, Hokin, and Hokin Annex galleries, for instance, are integrated with student centers and like most of Columbia’s galleries they have no street entrances. The most formal, traditional art spaces are the A+D Gallery, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the Glass Curtain Gallery, and the gallery at the Center for Book and Paper Arts.

A+D Gallery “Multiplicity-based forms” by Robert Krawczyk, Jesse Seay, and Alyson Shotz, through Sat 4/19.  Tue-Sat 11 AM-5 PM (Thu till 8), 619 S. Wabash, 312-344-8687 or colum.edu/undergraduate/artanddesign/11th.

Anchor Graphics This not-for-profit printshop, which moved in 2006 from River North to its current location on campus, doesn’t have its own gallery but it collaborates with the college on print-related exhibitions and lectures. It offers free classes to high schoolers (to “hook them early”) as well as adult classes and workshops, internships, and artist residencies; individual visitors are welcome during business hours and groups can schedule tours in advance. Artists can rent studio time for $10 an hour during normal business hours or attend the open studios, 6-9 PM Thursdays and 2-5 PM Saturdays, for $22 per session.  Mon-Fri 9:30 AM-5 PM, 623 S. Wabash, 312-344-6864 or colum.edu/anchorgraphics.

C33 “Everyday Runway,” photos of street fashion in Asia and the U.S., opens 3/13, 5-7 PM, and runs through 4/25. Mon-Thu 9 AM-7 PM, Fri 9 AM-5 PM, 33 E. Congress, 312-344-6643 or cspaces.colum.edu.

Center for Book and Paper Arts An exhibition of The Journal of Artists’ Books, a 13-year-old publication that takes a critical look at the artist’s book, or works of art in the form of a book, runs through 3/22.  Mon-Sat 10 AM-6 PM, 1104 S. Wabash, room 204, 312-344-6630 or colum.edu/centers/bpa.

Glass Curtain Gallery “Secrets,” an exhibition organized by the women’s art collective 6+ and eight Palestinian artists, opens 3/19, 5-7 PM, and runs through 4/25.  Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM (Thu till 7), 1104 S. Wabash, 312-344-6643 or cspaces.colum.edu.

Hokin Gallery and Annex “(C)Spaces Honors,” a juried show of student work “of outstanding artistic achievement,” opens 3/19, 5-7 PM, and runs through 4/18.  Mon-Thu 9 AM-7 PM, Fri 9 AM-5 PM, 623 S. Wabash, 312-344-8177 or cspaces.colum.edu.

Columbia College Library “Art of the Library,” work by students, staff, and faculty, through 5/1.  Mon-Thu 8 AM-10 PM, Fri 8 AM-6 PM, Sat 9 AM-5 PM, Sun noon-5 PM, 624 S. Michigan, 2nd fl., 312-344-7900 or lib.colum.edu.

Museum of Contemporary Photography “This Land Is Your Land,” work by seven photographers “offering diverse perceptions of the United States,” through 3/22; “Building Pictures,” group show examining the relationship between architecture and photography, 4/4-5/31.  Mon-Sat 10 AM-5 PM (Thu till 8), Sun noon-5 PM. 600 S. Michigan, 312-663-5554 or mocp.org.

Project Room “Nimble Projections,” work by students exploring art created in and for public places, through 3/21; reception 3/20, 4-6 PM.  Mon-Thu 9 AM-7 PM; Fri-Sat 9 AM-5 PM, 623 S. Wabash, room 416, 312-344-8177 or colum.edu/Academics/Interactive_Arts_Media/Featured_Exhibition/Gallery_416.php. —Julia Thiel

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