Above Image:  Jaume Plensa at MCA

Jan 1, 2014

The beginning of a New Year is always a good time to reflect on the year gone by.

So this post is on the highlights of the year 2013.

 

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HIGHLIGHTS  2013

 

[1]  Meeting with  one of the most important ceramic sculptor in the world today, Jun Kaneko.  To add to the joy was getting commissioned to document of the Opening Reception, as well as the Exhibition “Legends, Myths and Truths” at Boeing Galleries,  Millennium Park, . Thanks to the curator Lucas Cowan for the awesome exhibit!

[2]  Meeting with some internationally renowned artists,   Icelandic Steinunn Thorarinsdottir, Scottish Andy Scott, Spanish Jaume Plensa and Italian-American Virginio Ferrari! Not only did I see them, but got to talk with each one of them,  and then of course,  document their work.

[3] Continued with my  Studio-Visit of some artists, who have made headlines nationally and internationally, but have their studio right here in Chicago.. A BIG Thank You to these artists who opened their studios for me, and allowed me to get a glimpse of their work-day…  In the year 2013, I visited the studios of Barbara Cooper,  Jean Jacques Porret,  Steve Mueller,  Mike Baur, Nicole Beck,  Christopher M. Gent, Erik Lowe and John Himmelfarb. Met few other artists at their exhibition, like Clair Ashley, Dusty Folwarczny and Indira Johnson;  and met with Preston Jackson in his class at SAIC  [School of Art Institute of Chicago].

[4] Met some behind the scene movers and shakers of Chicago at their work: Tony Karman [President, Director, EXPO Chicago],   Daniel Schulman [Program Director, Visual Art at Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, City of Chicago], Nathan Mason [Curator of Exhibits and Public Art at Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, City of Chicago], Lucas Cowan [Director of Public Art at Maryland State Arts Council], Rolf Achilles [curator of Smith Museum and Macy’s Pedway’s installation of American Victorian Stained Glass Windows, and much more] and Claire Molek [Founder-Director of the Brave New Art World].

 

 

[5] Continued close relation with the sculptor group of Chicago,  the Chicago Sculpture International [CSI].  It was nice to be in constant touch with many artists and was commissioned to cover few of their exhibitions..  SIX to the THIRD  at Cliff Dwellers, and exhibition by various CSI artists at Bridgeport Art Center.

[6] Website for Vector Fabricating Inc. I worked with the best and most talented group of people. Documenting the fabrication of sculptures is something I absolutely loved doing!

 

 

[7] Towards the end of the year,  I developed a new interest in  stained glass art. I covered Smith Museum and Driehause Gallery [both at Navy Pier] and installation of American Victorian Stained Glass Windows at Macy’s Pedway. In the process I met with one of the most fascinating person, the curator of both Smith Museum and Macy’s Pedway’s installations Rolf Achilles.

 

 

COMING to PERSONAL LEVEL

[8] One of the biggest highlight in  year 2013, was my India Trip.  It was the 50th marriage anniversary of my parents and my in-laws, and everyone  in my family had gathered to celebrate! Then I also took some small trips to various tourist hotspots.. It was lots of fun! of special significance was visiting the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, where I have spent many of childhood days.

[9] Also at personal level, a highlight was meeting with a school friend Somnath Sen, after 30 years.. It was fun showing him around the Chi-Town..

 

 

FAILURE

[10] Something I have been planning for past few years, did not get done  again in 2013. A coffee table book on Contemporary Sculptors of Chicago. Although  I have been covering the topic on my website, but I wanted a book. I am not focused enough!

SUCCESS:  Continued with documentation of some exhibitions..   [ I will cover this in a seperate post]

[11] Continued with documentation of some exhibitions.. “Frizzflopsqueezepop” by Claire Ashley [Chicago Cultural Center],  “Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals at Talladega College” [Chicago Cultural Center],  “Legends, Myths and Truths” by Jun Kaneko [Boeing Galleries, Millennium Park],  “Breeze Keeper” by Christine Rojek [Evanston Art Center] ,  “Borders” by Steinunn Thorarinsdottir [Solti Garden, Grant Park],  “Give” by Dusty Folwarczny [Loop],  Giant Head Planters  [Chicago Cultural Mile],  The Great Chicago Fire Hydrants [Multiple Locations],  “Ten Thousand Ripples – by Indira Johnson [LUMA],   “Continuing Experience” by Virginio Ferrari [Bridgeport Art Center], “Paint, Paste, Sticker”  by  Various Chicago Artists [Chicago Cultural Center],   “Sperm Whale sculpture” by Preston Jackson [Queen’s Landing, Grant Park] and American Victorian Stained Glass Windows [Macy’s Pedway]

 

Coming Soon : Documentation of some exhibitions in 2013..

 

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