SOFA Chicago, so named for it’s wide ranging offerings of sculpture, objects, functional art and design, returns to Chicago’s Navy Pier from November 3–6.
The 23rd edition features 70 galleries, with both new and repeat exhibitors, and organizers expect around 35,000 visitors.
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An expected highlight of the upcoming edition is a major work by glass artist Bertil Vallien, who has created a glass boat, titled Passage, for Sweden’s oldest glasswork company, Kosta Boda. Priced at $1 million the boat will be on display at Columbus, Ohio-based Hawk Galleries. “With this project, Bertil Vallien is portraying the mythology of the history of the world, from birth to death,” according to a statement from Kosta Boda.
Tom Hawk, director of the gallery, said “Passage embodies an extraordinary artistic partnership” between Vallien and Kosta Boda, who have enjoyed a 53-year collaboration. “Hawk Galleries feels privileged to unveil [this] crown jewel,” he added.
New York’s Aaron Faber Gallery, which focuses on contemporary studio jewelry, classic jewelry and collectible vintage timepieces, will be showing work by Glenda Arentzen, Arata Fuchi, Baiyang Qiu, Tod Pardon, Rebekah Laskin, and Kim Rawdin.
Robert Lugo. Courtesy of Wexler Gallery and SOFA Chicago.
Abmeyer + Wood of Seattle, which specializes in contemporary painting and sculpture, will be showing works by Christopher David White, William Morris, Calvin Ma, Patti Warashina, Erika Sanada, and Crystal Morey.
Santa Fe’s Blue Rain Gallery will show artists working in a wide variety of mediums including painting, ceramics, bronze, glass, wood, and jewelry. Artists whose work will be on view include Preston Singletary, Leroy Garcia, Rik Allen, and Chris Pappan, the latter of whom has a show opening at the Field Museum during SOFA Chicago’s four-day run.
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Judy Mulford’s room-sized mixed-media installation Empty Chairs, will be at browngrotta arts’ booth. The Wilton, Connecticut gallery is known for showing artists working in textiles and mixed media.
Cordesa Fine Art of San Francisco will be showing the work of Sean Newport, Sara Lundkuis and Jud Bergeron.
In addition to works on view at SOFA this year, there are also a series of lectures. Chubb senior fine art and collections specialist Caitlyn Brancovsky noted that the insurer has sponsored SOFA Chicago for 11 years. She’s particularly keen to hear the discussion “Landscape of Glass in America,” and said “as a lover of Dale Chihuly glass sculptures, I’m excited to learn about the Glass Art Society and Chihuly Garden and Glass’s research and recommendations into this area of collecting.”