Collectors from the Midwest and beyond turned up for the fair’s VIP preview, as did the city’s next mayor and one of its most famous rappers
Local dealer Kavi Gupta placed a work by Marie Watt with a public collection and a work by Roger Brown, a member of the Chicago Imagists, with a major private collector.
The strength of the Chicago art scene derives in part from the city’s institutions. Chicago is home to some of the country’s top MFA programs and world-class museums, like the Art Institute of Chicago. Those structures, paired with more affordable costs of living compared to some other large US cities, make Chicago an attractive place for artists to live and work and allows them the freedom to experiment.
“Chicago enables us to be away from the hubbub and the craziness of other art centres. It gives you room to breathe and think about how you can break new ground,” says Phillip Barcio, associate director of interpretation at Kavi Gupta, who adds that Chicago’s art ecosystem can support a “gallery crazy enough to just throw money and resources and time at an artist”.
