artXposium Skie Mall (Sky Mall) curated by Anni Holm

I am pleased to announce the inclusion of two of my photographs in Skie Mall curated by Anni Holm. It will be an honor and privilege to exhibit work along side these fellow international and local artist

"On May 15, 2010, in conjunction with the annual West Chicago Blooming Fest, the STUDIO, located at 203 Turner Court behind Main Street, will open its doors to the 4th biannual artXposium. This multimedia art experience, organized by People Made Visible, Inc. featuring regional, national and international artists who will display a variety of art work inspired by the inflight SkyMall catalog.

In addition to the SkieMall, artXposium events and exhibitions will take place in front of the 19th century CB&Q Depot, at the West Chicago City Museum and on Main Street. Saturday, May 15 the exhibition opens at 9am, with an artist reception from 6 to 9 pm which will feature a performance by Alison Rhoades along with food, drinks and a silent auction. (Full program available at artxposium.org.)

New to the program this year is a tent among Blooming Fest vendors hosting the West Chicago International Artist in Residency Program featuring Gitte Bog’s project: Fusion Foods.

Featured artists include: Claus Ankersen (DK), Lise Haller Baggesen (DK/NL/US), Tom Burtonwood (UK/US), Mario Contreras (US), Gemma Correll (UK), Diana Gabriel (US), Aron Gent (US), Richard Holland (US), Holly Holmes (US), Matt Logan (US), Mark Osterman (US), Sara Phalen (US), Grant Ray (US), Alison Rhoades (US), Andrew Rigsby (US), Steve Ruiz (US), Victor Yanez-Lazcano (US) and Matt Austin (US). This year's exhibition has been curated by Anni Holm.

artXposium Hours: Saturday 9am-9pm & Sunday 10am-2pm. This event is free and open to the public. (Suggested donation $2)."

Start Time: Saturday, May 15, 2010 at 9:00am
End Time: Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 2:00pm
Location: 203 Turner Court, West Chicago, IL 60185

New blood.

Change can be good. As easily as that word is thrown around in the United States it's use can at times ring hollow. Michael Weinstein "Portrait of the Curator: Matthew Witkovsky" in New City wrote an informative albeit short introduction about Matthew Witkovsky, the new Chair of the Photography Department at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the changes he has in store for the department.

As a photographer who's practice relies on the relationship between text and image I'm biased when it comes to the oft complicated presentation of text and image. Specifically I'm interested in Matthew Witkovsky intention of educating the audience to the works of photography through the placement of text and image on the wall. This idea has been gaining traction in Chicago's photography community for some time as curators seek to deconstruct the white cube and by default change the relationship to photography and text. For the Art Institute of Chicago's Photography Department however it presents a bold new direction. Witkovsky's curatorial practice along with an all ready shifting focus found in assistant curator Katherine A. Bussard recent curatorial practices for "so the story goes" and "On the Scene: Kota Ezawa, Sarah Hobbs, Angela Strassheim" presents the foundation and direction for a decidedly smarter approach. One that will be interesting to see develop given the recent addition of 20,ooo square feet portion of the new Modern wing for the photography department.