Image Credit: Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend..., 2017 by Robyn Day as seen in Bringing Sexy Back on view at Jackson Junge Gallery

With the solstice we officially start the season of summer! And like the seasons, we've got some neighborhood art shows coming to a close while we've got others opening. It's sure to be a busy week, especially as the city celebrates Pride! So be sure you get your fill of art and happenings as you kick it this weekend!

Start your weekend off at Agitator Gallery on Thursday with the Art of Science: Cosmic Microwave Background and the Early Universe from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Join the University of Chicago's Dr. Basu Thakur as he discusses the universe's "first light" and all that we've learned from it through science. 

Swing by Quimby's Bookstore on Friday when Philip Becnel reads from Freedom City at 7:00. Celebrate your pride and step into the social discourse with the opening reception for ARC Gallery's new exhibition Pride and Prejudice: Gender Realities in the 21st Century from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Finish out your night with The Sick Muse #10: Uptopia Release Party from 7:00pm to 11:00pm at No Nation Art Gallery and Tangential Unspace Lab.

Saturday is a busy one in the neighborhood as we ramp up toward the Chicago Pride Parade. Jackson Junge Gallery will be hosting their Stefani B Jewelry Trunk Show from noon to 5:00pm. Also starting at noon, Sideshow Gallery will be showing Bat Baby v Poodle People, with a print party from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Saturday is also the final day to see Mel Cook & Molly Colleen O'Connell- Mother of the Clown at Roots & Culture with Clothilde Cook- Ascension Turns In On Itself in the Window Gallery before the shows close.

Sunday is Chicago's 49th Annual Pride Parade! If you love the parade, but not so much the crowded after parties, head back to Wicker Park and Bucktown for some art! And before you head to the parade, stop in for snacks and a performance by the 1099 String Quartet at the Wicker Park Farmers Market! Heaven Gallery hosts an artist talk for Monster at 1:00pm. This will be the last chance to catch either Monster or The Smile Behind the Mask at Heaven as both shows come to a close. Bat Baby v Poodle People returns to Sideshow Gallery from noon to 6:00pm in conjunction with the Spudnik Press Print Crawl. Firefly Fiber Arts Studio will hold an Intro to Contemporary Latch Hook Workshop from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. And Gallery Cafe will hold an artist reception for their show Exhausted by Joe Miller from 7:00pm to 11:00pm. Sunday will also be the final viewing days for Vito Desalvo: Back and Forth at Firecat Projects and Gun Ballet: The Aesthetisization of Violence in Video Games at VGA Gallery as both exhibitions close. For the more literary crowd, Sunday evening Volumes Bookcafe will be hosting the Northwestern University MA/MFA Graduate/Faculty Reading from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.

Other ongoing exhibitions, art shows, and happenings around the neighborhood include Where The Years Take You by Rick Telander at AdventureLand Works on Paper; Andrea Kaspryk: Carrying Burdens and Tracy Kostenbader: Eating Words at Agitator Gallery; Josiah McElheny: Cosmic Love at Corbett vs. Dempsey; Bringing Sexy Back and Nostalgic Perspectives by Aaron Wooten at Jackson Junge Gallery; Moments in Between at LVL3 Gallery; and Ben Foch & Josue Pellot at Rainbo Club.

Locations

Click on gallery/location names below for links to more information! 

Thursday (6/21/2018)
Agitator Gallery: Art of Science: CMB and the Early Universe - 7:00pm to 10:00pm

Friday (6/22/2018)
ARC Gallery: Pride and Prejudice: Gender Realities in the 21st Century - opening reception 6:00pm to 9:00pm
No Nation Art Gallery and Tangential Unspace Lab: The Sick Muse #10: Utopia Release Party - 7:00pm to 11:00pm
Quimby's Bookstore: Philip Becnel reads from Freedom City - 7:00pm

Saturday (6/23/2018)

Jackson Junge Gallery: Stefani B Jewelry Trunk Show - noon to 5:00pm
Roots & Culture: Mel Cook & Molly Colleen O'Connell- Mother of the Clown with Clothilde Cook- Ascension Turns In On Itself in the Window Gallery - close
Sideshow Gallery: Bat Baby v Poodle People - noon to 10:00pm

Sunday (6/24/2018)
Firecat Projects: Vito Desalvo: Back and Forth - closes
Firefly Fiber Arts Studio: Intro to Contemporary Latch Hook Workshop - 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Gallery Cafe: Exhausted by Joe Miller - artist reception 7:00pm to 11:00pm
Heaven Gallery: Monster and The Smile Behind the Mask - close with Monster artist talk at 1:00pm
Sideshow Gallery: Bat Baby v Poodle People - noon to 6:00pm
VGA Gallery: Gun Ballet: The Aestheticization of Violence in Video Games - closes
Volumes Bookcafe: Northwestern University MA/MFA Graduate/Faculty Reading - 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Wicker Park Farmers Market: 1099 String Quartet - market open 8:00am to 2:00pm with performances 10:00am to 12:30pm

Ongoing Exhibitions
AdventureLand Works on Paper: Where The Years Take You by Rick Telander
Agitator Gallery: Andrea Kaspryk: Carrying Burdens + Tracy Kostenbader: Eating Words
Corbett vs. Dempsey: Josiah McElheny: Cosmic Love
Jackson Junge Gallery: Bringing Sexy Back + Nostalgic Perspectives by Aaron Wooten
LVL3 Gallery: Moments in Between
Rainbo Club: Ben Foch & Josue Pellot