This week kicks off Chicago’s art world Olympics as EXPO CHICAGO returns to Navy Pier from April 24 to 27. The fair will showcase a wide array of galleries, site-specific projects, talks, and multi-disciplinary programming both downtown and throughout the city.
To assist you in navigating this expansive event, we’ve compiled a list of the artworks that we are most excited to see. And if you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, don’t forget to use the code COLOSSAL25 for a $5 discount.
1. Wangari Mathenge with Pippy Houldsworth Gallery (London)
Chicago-based artist Wangari Mathenge will be presenting a collection of vibrant new paintings that reflect the extensive research she conducts. Surrounded by books, plants, and colorful East African Kanga fabrics, Mathenge’s figures relax among objects that transcend colonial narratives.
2. Ilhwa Kim, Gordon Cheung, and Zheng Lu with HOFA (London)
Ilhwa Kim’s intricate, rolled-paper compositions will be exhibited alongside Gordon Cheung’s decadent paintings and Zheng Lu’s stainless steel splashes. Kim’s works create dynamic pathways through expansive landscapes, capturing the viewer’s attention.
3. Florence Solis with The Mission Projects (Chicago)
Florence Solis’ ethereal portraits of women, infused with Filipino folklore, will be on display at The Mission Projects. Delicate leaves and flowers intertwine with coiled hair, while veils envelop the figures in a luminous embrace, adding layers of protection and mystery.
4. Suntai Yoo with Galerie Gaia (Seoul)
Surrealist landscapes take center stage in Suntai Yoo’s paintings, where everyday objects are paired with Korean letters to create fragmented and thought-provoking compositions. Yoo’s work explores the interaction between distinct items to convey deeper meanings and metaphorical narratives.
5. Desmond Beach with Richard Beavers Gallery (Brooklyn)
Desmond Beach’s bold portraits, created through a mix of digital painting and patchwork quilts, evoke themes of trauma, resistance, and collective solidarity. The artist’s innovative approach showcases the power of art in addressing social issues and fostering unity.
6. Jimmy Beauquesne with Fragment (New York)
Jimmy Beauquesne’s colored-pencil works, displayed within hand-cut metallic frames, transport viewers to a dreamy, apocalyptic world filled with fantastical details. The artist’s narrative unfolds through nine pieces, exploring themes of transformation and otherworldly change.
As EXPO CHICAGO unfolds, these artists and their works promise to captivate and inspire visitors with their diverse perspectives and creative expressions. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this dynamic showcase of contemporary art in one of the world’s most vibrant cultural hubs.
