day 1 peek at expo chicago 2015.

Things started off creatively. Upon picking up press credentials last night we were given this very cleverly designed wristband. Looking like a yellow tongue depressor when handed to us, when bent a bit it snapped around the wrist. TY MCA.

Expo Chicago 2015 is our fourth consecutive visit. Our first impression, the event is maturing, getting better. But to-the-point. In 2013, our second year, the concept of asking the galleries if they’ere showing work from artists who studied architecture and/or design.

To solidify this bent, the night before at the Making place: The Architecture of David Adjaye at an Art Institute special conversation with David, we learn he discovered architecture while attending an art school. In his acceptance speech of the 2016 McDermott Award, “in my career I have sought to cross creative platforms and to focus on the creative discourse surrounding the act of making things.”

above> washington skeleton chair, 2012 | david adjaye for knoll | salon 94 – the very chair that david and zoë ryan were sitting on at Making Place the night before.

What does DesignApplause look for? You have to consider our introduction to the co-existence of fine art and design, found at Art Basel and DesignMiami. The last three years we’ve asked Tony Karman if the design gallery would pop-up. Here’s what he said in our 2013 interview, “we want quality over quantity, meaning a smaller show, about 100 exhibitors. ‘When the marketplace can sustain it and quality of dealers are beating down the door, we’ll consider it. But only if the exhibitors want it, not me. It’s their space.’

We didn’t have to ask in 2015. When sent the 2015 exhibitor list, near the bottom:

To complement the intersections between art and design, the 2015 edition will present some of the leading international exhibitors specializing in this field interspersed throughout the main fair. Galleries include: HOSTLER BURROWS | New York; casati gallery | Chicago; R & Company | New York; and Volume Gallery | Chicago.

above> beddy white, 20015 | the haas brothers | r & company – when we approach zesty meyers, founder of r & company, and one of the 15 founding galleries Design Miami ten years ago, we ask who’s a trained architect or designer, he says, “pick anyone you like.”

An aside, the past three years about 50% of the galleries are showing trained architects, designers or artists inspired by architecture & design. Tonight we have three hours and our ‘see first’ list are those galleries we posted in the past. We’ve put an (*) next to their name in the exhibitors list below. There are 26 on this list, a testament to returning galleries, and regretfully three hours is not enough to see all tonight.

Rhona Hoffman Gallery wowed us by saying none of their artists were formally trained but the gallery provided a special room for those artists (5) inspired by a&d.

above> circus, 1978 | gordon matta-clark | rhona hoffman gallery – matta-clark creates installation art from buildings about to be demolished. below> untitled (15-05), 2015 | richard rezac | rhona hoffman gallery – created works are comprised of discarded architectural hardware.

Another surprise, furniture by Chicago-bred Virgil Abloh. We know him as the outspoken creative director of Kanye West, a popular D.J., a fashion designer, with a Chicago clothing store, RSVP gallery. We didn’t know he’s an architect and engineer and left a Chicago office to do what he’s doing now.

above> grid system, 2015 | virgil abloh – his furniture appears to embody a little of abloh’s energy too.

above> portraits with mona, 2015 | gregory scott | catherine edelman gallery – former graphic designer mr. scott is admiring his own work.

We look at our watches, it’s 9p. We’re hungry. btw, before we left we took an aisle by aisle walk with an at-glance eye at everything. this is a great event.

above> – we walk out a side door to the outside – we’re hungry AND tired. TY Expo Chicago

above> click on image > navigate lightbox

The 2015 exhibitor list was chosen by the international Selection Committee comprised of Marianne Boesky, Marianne Boesky Gallery * | New York; Isabella Bortolozzi, Isabella Bortolozzi Galerie | Berlin; John Corbett, Corbett vs. Dempsey | Chicago; Chris D’Amelio, David Zwirner | London, New York; Rhona Hoffman, Rhona Hoffman Gallery * | Chicago; David Nolan, David Nolan Gallery | New York; Jessica Silverman, Jessica Silverman Gallery | San Francisco; and Susanne Vielmetter, Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects | Los Angeles.

EXPOSURE, the section of the fair dedicated to galleries that have been in business seven years or less, allows the opportunity for younger galleries to participate in a major international exposition. A special exhibition of one or two artists by each of the participating galleries provides critical exposure for their programs, offering an important opportunity for curators, collectors and art enthusiasts to survey the best in innovative and emerging work. The EXPOSURE Selection Committee was led by returning gallerist Candice Madey, On Stellar Rays | New York and Kate Werble, Kate Werble Gallery | New York.

The list of 2015 EXPOSURE exhibiting galleries includes:

[ expo chicago ] The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, is presented by Art Expositions, LLC. Now in its fourth year as a leading international art fair, EXPO CHICAGO (Sept. 17 – 20, 2015) is a four-day art event featuring more than 140 leading international galleries and offering diverse programming including /Dialogues, IN/SITU and EXPO VIDEO. Under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city’s rich history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the region’s contemporary arts community and inspiring its collector base. Vernissage, the opening night preview benefiting the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, takes place Thursday, 17 September 6 – 9 p.m. General Admission to the exposition is Friday, 18 September – Sunday, 20 September. Tickets to the exposition are $20 for one day, $30 for three days.

day 1 peek at expo chicago 2015.

day 1 peek at expo chicago 2015.

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