Ash on This

Ah, the smoking ban. Home to lots of hearty discussions. Since January, proprietors and patrons have been either meekly complying with or blatantly ignoring the ban, while some just snicker at the smokers miserably standing outside in the cold.

Meanwhile, West Town Tavern owner Susan Gross collected now-obsolete ashtrays from the community’s bars and restaurants and asked Chicago artists to turn them into signature works of art. Beginning tonight the new exhibition Ashtrays to Art will be on display at the West Town Tavern and the Architrouve, an arts exhibition space at 1433 W. Chicago. Opening reception is this evening from 6-9 p.m.

The exhibition runs through February 26, when ashtrays will then be sold in an “Ashtrays to Art” public auction, taking place from 6-8 p.m. that evening. All proceeds from sales will be donated to the Erie Neighborhood House, a community service house for Latino families.