EXPO Chicago 2019
Expo Chicago 2019
SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22, 2019
CHICAGO – Wexler Gallery will present an exhibition of artists whose artwork explores the construction of identity in contemporary society. By illuminating deeply personal themes, the work of these artists examine how art can operate as both individual expression and social activism. Featuring the work of Roberto Lugo, Mami Kato, Lousie Nevelson, Tim Rollins & KOS, and Kukuli Velarde.
Roberto Lugo is an emerging artist, activist, poet, and educator based in Philadelphia. Having been raised in Kensington, a neighborhood infamous for extreme poverty and inequality, Lugo’s approach to artwork is informed by graffiti and hip hop. He combines these cultural influences with his knowledge of craft history to create sculptural mash-ups that often contain imagery of people who have been historically oppressed and underrepresented in the tradition of art. His work speaks to both an art-educated and mainstream audience.
Peruvian-American artist Kukuli Velarde is known for her feminist reinterpretations of Western and Pre-Columbian art. Her vibrant and performative paintings examine and critique the ways in which colonialism and the male gaze impact perceptions of beauty. She works simultaneously in European and Pre-Columbian modes of art-making, exposing the contradictions and complexities of Latin American identity through this sly juxtaposition of style.
In her sculptural practice, Mami Kato often utilizes materials that are significant to her Japanese heritage and serve as allusions to various life sustaining energies. The tediousness of her hand-made sculptures speak to quotidian labor as a commodity and a means of survival. The materials and method of working are humble, while the concept and form of the sculptures are often ambitious and imaginative.
Entering its eighth year as a leading international art fair, EXPO CHICAGO, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art hosts more than 135 leading international exhibitors in Navy Pier Festival Hall, presented alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture. The exposition draws upon the city’s rich history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while engaging the region’s contemporary art community and collector base. The 2019 edition of EXPO CHICAGO will align with the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial (September 19, 2019 – January 5, 2020) and present various programs and events throughout Chicago during EXPO ART WEEK (September 16–22, 2019).