One of my favorite weekends ~ Artropolis Chicago 2010!

If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, look no further. This is one of my favorite weekends of the year, when the Merchandise Mart opens its doors and shows all its glory, becoming the beautiful venue for Artropolis.

There are not one, not two, but three main shows which start today and go through Monday. As a press release often says it best, here you go: Attendees will have the opportunity to experience a fabulous collection of contemporary art, emerging artists and timeless antiques, all the while enjoying a wide range of world-class programming and performances from over 85 cultural partners across the city.

How does that sound to you? To me it sounds splendid. Coming from a family of artists and art enthusiasts, I attend year after year. I love perusing the art showcased in the largest building in Chicago (and once upon a time the world!) until my feet are badly blistered and I must sit down in the lovely café for a café au lait until I can manage to move again.

Visit http://www.artropolischicago.com/ for more information on show hours and ticket information.

This is where I’ll be this weekend~

[all pictures are works from previous years I particularly enjoyed]

ART CHICAGO®

Art Chicago, the renowned international fair of contemporary and modern art, will once again bring together the world’s leading emerging and established galleries.

Located on the 12th floor of The Mart, Art Chicago will feature events throughout the weekend, enticing both the novice and experienced collector.

Throughout the four days, cutting-edge speaker programs, Art Chicago Speaks and Converge Chicago: Contemporary Curators Forum will feature an international roster of artists, writers, curators and critics, discussing current trends and provocative issues confronting the contemporary art market.

In addition, the fair will also feature onsite exhibitions including New Insight, an annual exhibition of rising MFA students from the country's most influential art programs, curated by Susanne Ghez of The Renaissance Society; Partisan, a display of works that critically explore social and political ideas; and Survey America, a floor-wide exhibit that highlights extraordinary works by artists living and working in the United States.



THE MERCHANDISE MART INTERNATIONAL ANTIQUES FAIR™

Thousands of spectacular pieces and more than 100 of the top national and international dealers will converge on the 8th Floor of The Mart during Artropolis for the 13th annual Merchandise Mart International Antiques Fair.

Recognized as the premier antiques shows in the Midwest and offering an eclectic mix of vintage finds and exquisite antiques, The Antiques Fair hosts an attractive roster of high-profile speakers, charitable special events, designer consultations and services and an engaging lecture series for both experienced and novice collectors.

A wide range of antique genres to shop from, including: 20th Century Design, Americana, Architectural Design, Asian Art & Antiquities, Barometers, Books, Ceramics, Clocks, Clothing and Accessories, Decorative Arts, Folk Art, Furniture, Glass, Jewelry, Paintings, Posters, Prints, Maps, Sculpture, Silver, Textiles and Tribal Art, will be showcased.



NEXT

More than an art fair, NEXT is the critically acclaimed complement fair to Art Chicago, which debuted in 2008 at The Mart. NEXT is an invitational exhibition of emerging art includes which features a showcase for the world’s talents and an adventure in cutting-edge culture.

Located on the 7th Floor of The Mart, NEXT offers guests to Artropolis a portal to seeing contemporary art in new, innovative, eye-opening ways, and will include works from both commercial and non-commercial arts organizations. NEXT is dedicated to placing the newest developments in contemporary art in a truly global context, and will be showing galleries from Antwerp, Dublin, London, Melbourne, Tenerife, among others, as well as galleries from around the United States.

NEXT is a unique model for experiencing the best of contemporary art – carving a niche for presenting brilliant if as yet under-known work.

Hope you'll join me~