Sink Your Teeth Into Ryan Duggan's Hot-Dog-Stand Poster Art

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on May 26, 2017 9:22PM

Two arenas in which Chicago towers above the competition come together in a new exhibition by local artist and printmaker Ryan Duggan: hot dogs and screen-printing.

OK, so maybe Chicago's screen-print culture isn't as globally famous as its hot dogs, but the scene is deservedly vaunted among those in the know. (See the city's prominent placement in the 2012 gig-poster documentary Just Like Being There. One of the city's foremost practitioners is Ryan Duggan. His clean, even style is instantly recognizable, in no small part to it's deadpan goofball streak. (He once listed his influences as "punk rock, skateboarding, the Wisconsin Dells, and beer").

That, along with a not insignificant dose of tasty civic pride, is on display in his latest series of prints, all depictions of classic Chicago-area hot dog stands. The full collection, a dozen strong is being showcased on Friday in partnership with Land and Sea Dept. at LetherB+B (3656 W. Wrightwood Ave.) in an exhibition appropriately dubbed "Mr. D's Snack Shack". Hot dogs (natch) and Old Style will available; and attendees will get first shot at purchasing prints of each design. But if you miss the boat or get tied up with Memorial Day weekend plans, never fear. Duggan is putting up the full stock of remainders on his website, Drug Factory Press, on Saturday.

It's just about the most platonically ideal Chicago thing imaginable.

"Mr. D's Snack Shack" is on view at LetherB+B from 6 to 10 p.m.

[H/T Time Out Chicago]