Visual arts of Chicago

Visual arts of Chicago refers to paintings, prints, illustrations, textile art, sculpture, ceramics and other visual artworks produced in Chicago or by people with a connection to Chicago. Since World War II, Chicago visual art has had a strong individualistic streak, little influenced by outside fashions. "One of the unique characteristics of Chicago," said Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts curator Bob Cozzolino, "is there's always been a very pronounced effort to not be derivative, to not follow the status quo."[1] The Chicago art world has been described as having "a stubborn sense ... of tolerant pluralism."[2] However, Chicago's art scene is "critically neglected."[3] Critic Andrew Patner has said, "Chicago's commitment to figurative painting, dating back to the post-War period, has often put it at odds with New York critics and dealers."[4] It is argued that Chicago art is rarely found in Chicago museums; some of the most remarkable Chicago artworks are found in other cities (such as the brilliantly warped epic drawings of Henry Darger at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, or Carlos Cortez' collection of early 20th-century Chicago "Wobbly" (Industrial Workers of the World) woodcut prints, now in the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University in Detroit).[5]

  1. ^ Joann Loviglio, "Chicago Art Stars in Philly Exhibition", Chicago Sun-Times, Wednesday, February 22, 2006, p. 49
  2. ^ Diane Thodos, "Self-Portraits 2000", New Art Examiner, May–June 2001, Vol. 28, no. 8-9, p. 92
  3. ^ Richard Vine, "Where the Wild Things Were", Art in America, May 1997, pp. 98-111 [dead link]
  4. ^ Andrew Patner, "Chicago: Special Report: Contemporary Art", Art and Antiques Magazine, Summer 1996, p. 53-55
  5. ^ Maureen P. Sherlock, "Missing/Inaction: 'Art in Chicago, 1945-95'", New Art Examiner, February 1997, Volume 24, no. 5, pp. 23-27