CAConline.org pages presented within Robert's Tour frameset with the approval of the Chicago Artists' Coalition. Text Copyright © 2002 |
Curators and directors come in all states of mind about art but, being only human, they can only judge via their personal tastes and perceptions. But history shows that most great art movements ran against the trend of what curators and directors thought was the "right stuff." Good examples of this are the impressionists, the post-impressionists, the cubists, the expressionists, the surrealists and various other groups now recognized as major innovators. These artists were always on the outside of the art establishment in their early years — sometimes even for their entire lives — and only later recognized for their originality and depth of thought. The art world would be a healthier place if the public trusted its own judgment. The old quip that "I don't know about art, I just know what I like" has been used to disparage, but it is probably a safe bet to simply trust what you like in today's topsy-turvey world of contemporary art. Chances are you have as much of a chance of being right as any "expert." So where do you go to see the "real" visual art scene in Chicago? Local museums have been remiss in hosting any kind of broadly inclusive shows, instead preferring to pick a few artists they like from time to time. Ever since the Art Institute closed down its yearly juried Chicago Show, we haven't seen an extensive exhibition of Chicago artists at any major museum. Maybe Chicago museums should think about getting their act in gear, or they may end up being left along the sidelines. The current lack of attention they provide to Chicago is a pity — Chicago art is of a very high quality and has its own personality: racy, down-to-earth, poetic and imaginative, with a deep feeling for reality. We are either the second- or the third-largest city in America (depending on how you judge size). If there are no major artists in Chicago, were the blazes are they? One place to look for unrecognized talent is the Chicago Art Open, the only major unjuried show in Chicago. This makes it as about as diverse as an art exhibit can get and a fascinating show. "This is the only show which is inclusive, rather than exclusive," said Betty Anne Mocek, co-director of the 2002 Chicago Art Open. "This exhibit gives an opportunity for Chicago artists of all styles to be recognized. You get to see what Chicago artists are doing in the trenches. This show is truly the place for a reality check." The Chicago Art Open indeed offers a dazzling display of variety. And most artists in the show maintain a high level of integrity, which puts the artists community of Chicago in good stead. In fact, it is quite rare to find anything really bad in the show. Most of it is pretty sincere, although levels of imagination and skill vary. The diversity of styles present is awe-inspiring and very difficult to categorize. Included in the show is realism, surrealism, social realism, quasi-cubism, symbolism, abstraction, formalistic art, cartoons, abstract expressionism, expressionism, neo-conceptual, classicism, political art, non-political art, art brute, Zen funky, weird, and those perennial favorites of art through the ages: really sweet and really nasty, sometimes both in combination. Click the category links on this page to view a couple dozen profiles of the top individual works of art. These are just some of the many high-quality pieces in the show.
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