Most Chicagoans spend the summer avoiding tourist traps like Navy Pier, save the prerequisite trip with the friend from college that's in town for the weekend, but now we may have a very good reason to make the trek up there. Just announced yesterday, a juried art fair dubbed Exposition Chicago will debut in September 2012 according the the Tribune. more ›

If you didn't get a chance to stop by the SOFA (Sculpture Objects & Functional Art), now incorporating the Intuit Show of Folk and Outsider Art, this weekend, we have few thoughts upon the show's wrap-up. more ›

Atropolis is here and here are 10 things not to miss more ›

Today’s your last chance to visit ARTropolis. It’s “Student Day” at Art Chicago, where students, professors, and professionals discuss the basics of an arts career. A pass admitting two people to five fairs is $15. The Illinois Bureau of Tourism has announced its Seven Wonders of Illinois, the top regional attractions selected by popular vote. Cubs fans hit the polls early and often, naming Wrigley Field Chicago’s top attraction. Wilmette’s gorgeous Baha'i Temple represents... more ›

While we love art, we’re not huge fans of the occasionally pricey admission costs to get into museums and exhibits. more ›

In an interview last month, veteran West Loop gallery owner Rhona Hoffman reflected on how art collection has evolved throughout her career, how the internet has supersized the art fair and made the global scene more accessible than ever. But this interview came not from Art in America or an academic panel but from a Bad At Sports podcast event at ThreeWalls gallery. Art enthusiasts have access to more information, images and, thanks to last... more ›

Chicagoist never gets the last word. Shows run long after we’ve weighed in, discussions evolve beyond our ramblings, companies grow, companies fold, artists work hard to make a living or to make the next news cycle. For our curious and attention-deficient readers, some quick updates on previously reported stories. Art Fairs and Festivals At the eleventh hour, the Merch Mart saved Art Chicago 2006. Soon after the exhibitors packed up came word that Merchandise Mart... more ›

Art Chicago is a go. After days of rumors and uneasy speculation prompted by wrangling with the labor unions, Thomas Blackman’s international showcase will proceed on a slightly smaller scale. Through some combination of serendipity and persuasion most could only dream of, Mr. Blackman arranged a sweet deal with the Merchandise Mart to rent space on the eighth floor for free. Even before this latest episode, Chicago’s largest and most prestigious art fair garnered... more ›

This week brings an embarrassment of riches for art lovers. Longer, warmer days inspire artists, collectors, and curious bystanders to hook up, talk art, and put some serious coin in a few dealers’ and artists’ pockets. Everyday through Friday we’ll be featuring the highlights of another spring festival, helping you stay sane in these frenzied days of wheeling and dealing. more ›

Few artists inspire as much delight and wrath from even the most casual art observer as Andy Warhol. You love/hate how he made accessible/denigrated his work by putting it on soup cans, how his 8-hour shot of the Empire State Building blew your mind/messed with your mind, how he took silver balloons and made them art, how he captured Marilyn Monroe’s essence over and over again. Starting this weekend, the MCA exhibits many shades... more ›

Some of our readers think we don’t pay enough attention to the world of news and entertainment on the south side. Point taken. It’s nothing personal. We love the south side and would get down there more often if it wasn’t such a trek. So for our readers looking to explore south of the South Loop, we’ve put together a late summer art gallery crawl for your enjoyment. In Pilsen, the alternative art space Polvo... more ›

We're just jumping on the bandwagon with the title of this post.. it seems like the thing to do when writing about the art fairs this weekend. We're not sure who came up with the headline first, but Time Out Chicago ran a multi-page feature on the art fair "war" and so did the Sun-Times. We're guessing that TOC had it in print first. more ›

In case you didn't know, Chicago has one of the largest convention centers in the world, McCormick Place, and as a result, Chicago's one of the top convention cities in the world -- number one by some measures. But a few things have happened this past year that might knock the crown from Chi-town. more ›