Of all the museums in Chicago, this one takes dedication to both get to and try to understand…read more It's one large room in an academic building deep in the heart of the campus. I've been to at least 10 to 15 exhibitions here over the past 20 years, and I'm still not a fan of conceptual art. I love contemporary art, but the exhibitions here can sometimes be confusing. Maybe that's the intention.

The Renaissance Society is easily one of Chicago's most interesting, critical, and dynamic…read morecontemporary art institutions. Don't be put off by the name - it's an historical anomaly - this place shows difficult, fascinating and beautiful contemporary art. Its curators write brilliantly and invite some fantastic artists. Plus - the gallery space itself is wonderful - sun streams in the windows, high ceilings, big enough to create all sorts of different assemblages. Their shows are often quite sparse, they never over fill the space. It's a little hard to find -- inside a U-Chicago Building -- but once you have found 5811 Ellis, find the stairs and go up 4 floors. Well worth the trip down to Hyde Park, if you happen to live in the north. Some great recent shows included Francis Alys & Paul Chan.

This is a wonderful museum. We planned an hour but it wasn't enough. It needs 90 or more minutes…read more Excellent quality exhibits. The downstairs is extensive and reminded me of the African American Museum in DC. Well worth th price of admission. Parking on site. Where do you find that anywhere. Definitely a must see!

Great experience with my grands aged 4 & 8. Was very interested in seeing a wax museum exhibit. The…read moreMayor Washington wax figure was the only one. Some facts were incorrect because of years stated and the actual wax figure is in need of minor repairs. His hair could be more grey to match the videos presented. The mechanical Mayor Washington had penetrating eyes. He only resembled the actual mayor a slight bit. In all the exhibit was adequate, rather than excellent, which is what it should be. The other exhibits were well done and well preserved. We had a good visit and will return as the children mature. I did like the pricing categories : senior, adult, student and child. We were them all.

Unfortunately, it seems as if the Podmajersky's have really priced out all of the working artists…read morein Pilsen. About 10 years ago almost all of the buildings between 18th street and Cermak along Halsted were filled with high quality fine artists. From photographers to large scale installation artists. I personally knew the tenant who rented the building smack dab on the corner of Halsted and 18th and he had a wonderful working installation piece that was an arch with thousands of bottle caps riveted into the 20 foot sculpture....he was priced out of the space. Moved to LA where the rent is just as high but the exposure and acceptance of artists is much more viable. Chicago is a shitty place for most visual artists who have not yet made a name for themselves. Most midwesterners have more interest in the Cubs than the arts. Even if the Cubs continue to lose they still have people paying for tickets. Not so with art. The minute the economy got bad and the real estate market started sliding the artists who used to be part of this vibrant community were shafted by slumlord tactics of high rents and an 'imagined' River North Gallery atmosphere. When it was evident the 'district' was not going to bloom in the gentrified way they wanted, the owners just alienated the artists enough by raising the rents and leaving the buildings in dilapidated conditions so they would leave. AND, guess what? Surprise, they did. They mecca'd to NYC and LA. I wasn't surprised. The artistic environment in Chicago is quite small and limited and does very little to encourage artists to reach their creative peak and then, even if they do, most of the community is ready to tear them down for fear of never clawing their way to the figurative 'top'. It is no surprise that most of the reviews of the Chicago Arts District are negative. If you could have actually seen the district when it was a supportive, creative, vibrant microcosm of art you probably would have a different opinion. But, all we can do now is continue to support the people who have stuck it out in Pilsen, literally against all odds. There are some really great stores, Deliciously Vintage, Agga B....to name a couple. The Chicago Art department is an artists collective that has gallery space there and they produce some stunning works for working peoples' prices. Attend the 2nd Friday's event they host once a month. Stop in at the 'tourist center' on the south corner of 18th and Halsted and grab a brochure of galleries open during the event. You will be amazed and surprised that there is life beyond River North. The galleries are warm and friendly, not pretentious. Most of the owners and artists are present and love to talk about their work. The last 2nd friday's event was even sponsored by the Italian Expo...and they had the best risotto I have ever had. It is important to support this community instead of just schlepping down Halsted and complaining that you don't like the art. Now more than ever, Pilsen artists need to be supported in Chicago. Otherwise they will just move on to where they are appreciated and then you can have something else to bitch about.

If you are coming from out of town, don't get mislead by the name if this neighborhood, and think…read moreit's some thriving artists' community. It's not. Once a year, there is an open house of the artists-who-live-and-work-here galleries/workshops and lofts, which is fun and voyeuristic. The other 363 days of the year, it's a depressing ghost town. It sucks. Hardly a "community" in any sense of the word. No street life or activity. No storefront businesses. No public transit save a long wait for the Halsted bus. You can count on one hand the places remotely worth visiting: The Sylark, Kristoffer's Cafe and Bakery, Simone's., and of course the galleries on Halsted, when you can find one open. If you are looking for vibrant, stimulating, diverse, areas with street traffic, human activities, art, food, theater, cafes, live music and good pubs, head to Wicker Park or the Morse/Glenwood area of Rogers Park. I don't understand where this area of East Pilsen deserves the seemingly centralized and offciial moniker "Chicago Arts District." There may be some artists living and working there, but otherwise the title is quite the misnomer.

Coming from the I.E./L.A., it was hard for me to wrap my mind around a large vibrant Mexican…read morecommunity outside of the Southwest. Growing up in a pre-social media era, I knew the the Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Dominicans claimed major metropolitan areas on the East Coast (NYC and Miami), but I never associated Mexicanos in the cold AF Midwest and East Coast. My god, I'm grateful for discovering the Pilsen neighborhood and this museum. I represent the third generation-guero faction of my Mexican American family, but I grew up surrounded by the cultura, with a deep appreciation for the culture. And this museum, much like Placita Olvera, gave me the "feels." It's in a super residential neighborhood. I guess you could say the same thing about LACMA, but it just feels different here, and in a good way. All the "Fuera Ice" signs in the area around the museum made me proud of Chi-City. I don't see these signs around LACMA, but I could be wrong. Nevertheless, if you're visiting from out of town, I strongly encourage you to stop by here and chill. Spend some time here. Check out the graffiti murals around 18th street. Soak in all the exhibits. The good. The bad (colonization). And the ugly. The continued racism and othering of a community that fights and dies for this country, that takes care of this country's kids, that handles this country's landscaping, that builds this country's neighborhoods and cities, that feeds this county's people, con sabor, and so much more--con todo!

It's mediocre the expos are whatever Chicano Expos (not for everybody)…read more The store sale cheap souvenirs at high prices it doesn't represent the real Mexican art Also it's very focus in Dia de Muertos, Frida, Virgen de Gpe the Mexican art it's very extensive every state has its own art it should have more variety Over Priced Cheap Art

I always enjoy some time here. Hard to believe this was where the now defunct Defender South side…read morenewspaper was written/printed. This time the artist was out and about, answering questions. Paul Branton's 'Blck Hand Side' was in the final days of the exhibit. There were more snacks/drinks available too. The outdoor seating was not a factor, it was cool and rainy. This is a less 'warm' room, all white (duh) but a great space for art. The multiple stalls in the restrooms and benches help too! The space is available for rental too, FYI.

This was our second time attending an art show opening at the Bridgeport Art Center. Other than…read moretwo popular event venues, namely the Skyline Loft on the 5th floor and the Sculpture Garden on the first floor, the huge building also provides art studios and office spaces, and two spacious art galleries on the 3rd and 4th floors. Both times we attended the art openings on the 4th floor by taking a manned-freight elevator from the 1st floor. The first time we went two years ago, there was a public ticketed event going on. So, there were long lines just getting into the building. This time we arrived at 8:00 pm for a 7:00 - 10:00 pm opening, they had the entrance on the side of the building, and there were no lines. We attended "The Landscape is Changing" art exhibition that runs from July 18 to September 5, 2025 on the 4th Floor Gallery. It featured multimedia artworks from 101 contributing artist. There were paintings, photos, 3-D art, and sculptures that depicted natural and man-made structures of our surroundings, inspired and influenced by the landscape. The galleries were spacious and well-lit, and the exhibitions well-planned and professionally done. Since refreshments and beverages were on the 3rd floor, we decided to go down one floor by taking the stairs instead of the freight elevator. However, be prepared to go through quiet hallways of storage spaces that felt like a maze and adventure. It was nice that all the spaces were clean and well-maintained. However, I hope Bridgeport Art Center would look into improving the air conditioning in the art gallery spaces. Two years ago, it was hot and miserable during a hot summer night. This year, we were lucky that we had an exceptionally cool summer evening, that the outside temperature was only in the 70s. But the inside of the galleries was not too hot, but still on the warm side. I saw a couple of ladies fanning themselves with paper or something in their hands, while complaining about being too warm. However, other parts of the building could be nice and cool, that included their office. When we were leaving, the freight elevator door opened on the 5th floor, where a wedding reception was going on, we could feel a nice blast of cold air getting into the elevator. I highly recommend "The Landscape is Changing" art exhibition with free admission and runs until September 5, 2025, but please check the weather forecast and pick a cool day so that your experience will be more enjoyable.

Was at the venue as a guest for a wedding in the Sculpture garden…read more Was an elegant well run event. Building is gorgeous and all was done efficiently and without issue. Plenty of parking was a nice bonus. Dinner service was done effortlessly. No complaints as a guest.

I'm SO glad Jackson Junge Gallery is next door to Oiistar. While we waited for a table we visited…read morethe gallery. The place is bursting at the seams with beautiful works of art. I was attracted to their current exhibit, Ten by Ten... over 300 works of art all in a 10 x 10 format. Kaitlyn was super helpful and took plenty of time to explain the exhibit. She also mentioned all the pieces were available online. We looked and looked and looked. We found a few pieces we liked, but the prices seemed out of our price range. We liked one that was affordable, but we didn't love it. When we were called for our table next door, we didn't think we'd get to come back before the gallery closed, but that wasn't the case. We were excited to be able to come back in for another view. Here's the thing. I am more likely to spend money online than I am in person. I suppose it makes no sense, but as soon as we got back to the hotel I checked out the art online and ended up buying the piece we both loved and decided (in the gallery) that it was simply too expensive. Hmm, I suppose it wasn't too expensive after all. We would have had any art purchased shipped to us even if we had purchased it in the gallery. Ordering it online was no different. We can't wait for it to arrive.

We attended the "Ten by Ten" art exhibit opening at the Jackson Junge Gallery on November 7, 2025…read more It is a fun show that involves about 300 artists, who produced artworks that measure 10" x 10" each with different media. The styles cannot be more different from each other. If you are an artist, this would be a good chance to get inspired. If you are a patron, this is a compact exhibit with so many artworks in very reasonable prices. The show runs through January 11, 2026. The gallery is about 3,500 sq. feet. On a normal day, it would be airy and modern, providing a tranquil environment for patrons or any walk in to appreciate the art. However, with about 300 artists, who also invited their friends and relatives to the show opening, it was loud and very crowded, and was even chaotic at times. The "Ten by Ten" show took up about ¼ to 1/3 of the space, causing attendees to congregate in that small area. With the opening running from 6:00 pm to 10 pm, we arrived around 8:30 pm, it was still jam-packed with people. There was a bar station close to the entrance, with white wine, cranberry juice (or some fruit juice), and water available. There was a sign suggesting a $2 donation for each of the beverages. Pop corn was free and self-served, that attracted some pop-corn lovers. I accidentally saw stacks and stacks of 10" x 10" art work on a table in the back room that were still not hanged. Apparently, if an artist has more than one piece of art chosen for the show, he/she would only get one piece of art displayed at a time. It is only after his/her first piece of art is sold that the second piece would be displayed. Some artists only had one piece of art in the show, after their art had been sold, there's an empty spot on the wall. I also saw three pieces of artwork like a set in display, and also two similar artworks in the exact style being displayed at the same time. Their system seems to be flawed and unfair to some of the artists. Expect to use street parking as the gallery does not have a parking lot or garage. All-in-all, it was a fun night to the artists and the people whom they invited. There's a group of 5 to 6 friends who all wore a green beret to support their artist, who had a green beret in the little self-sculpture that he made. Fun!

Ben and Kathy are amazing. Wonderful art, cozy place, great service. Recommended.read more

I am honored and blessed to work at Studio 71 Art Gallery. Kathy & Ben are always motivating me as…read morean artist. The gallery is one of South Shore's treasure that I hope many will appreciate its value. The website's face lift is very colorful, engaging and a true sense of the gallery's atmosphere and art. Do visit the website and the gallery - you will not regret it ! Patricia Travis