The Around the Coyote Gallery is excited to announce our November group show, The first annual Mary Beth Cregier Memorial Photo Exhibition. Selected from a pool of over 130 applicants from across the country, the artists in this show were chosen by a talented team of curators, including Gary Schirmer (Chicago-based photographer and instructor), Hantao Shi (EPSON Gallery, Shanghai), and Katie Toscano of the Museum of Contemporary Photography. Artists were chosen for the excellence and originality of their aesthetic and conceptual vision, as mobilized through the photographic medium.
The purpose of this exhibition is to honor the legacy of former Around the Coyote Director Mary Beth Cregier, who was known for her passionate dedication to the artists of Chicago's emerging arts community. As ATC Director, Cregier's vision helped make ATC into the dynamic and vital arts center that it is today. Mary Beth is remembered for her wide-ranging talent as a photographer, as she possessed the rare ability to photograph all things well. While the curators selected thirteen photographers for the exhibition, a best in show award was granted to the artistic duo Mariah Doren and Johanna Paas (see image below). Given in honor of Mary Beth, this $1000 prize is meant as both a symbolic and financial gesture of support. As exemplified by Cregier herself, supporting artists both financially and through providing professional opportunities for exhibiting is the cornerstone of Around the Coyote's mission.
Individually, Doren and Paas, our best in show artist-duo, make work that is both visually and technically different. Paas makes mixed media prints with an emphasis on color and abstraction, while Doren works photographically to create composite landscapes. As artistic collaborators looking for common ground, they seek to describe the dichotomous and at the same time co-dependant interaction between order and chaos.
RE:Action Reading Series Don't miss the opening night party (Nov. 2 from 6-10pm), with refreshments provided by Peroni, featuring our RE:Action Reading Series, curated by Margot Bordelon and J. Adams Oaks. In this literary series, readers present new works that were created in response to specific pieces in the show. Readers for this month's RE:Action Reading Series include Margot Bordelon, J. Adams Oaks, Justin Palmer and Marjorie Armstrong.
Additional Events in November at Around the Coyote Gallery
(Un)holy Selves: Women, Muslim, Artists Creating Change. November 9 from 7-9pm In this evening of performances and readings, writers, poets and visual artists work to redefine the stereotypical depictions of Muslim women that inundate current Western discourse on the Islamic "other." By confronting war, empire, homophobia, and patriarchy, the contributors explore topics both personal and global, and challenge the narrow perceptions about the contemporary realities of Muslim women. Free admission. Sponsored by the Guild Complex and Around the Coyote.
Wicker Park Bucktown Gallery Association 2nd Saturday Gallery Walk. November 10 from 6-10pm Numerous Wicker Park and Bucktown galleries come together to host exhibitions, parties and performances. For a list of participating galleries visit www.wpbga.com.
Guest Critic Night with Caroline Picard November 10 at 6pm Our Guest Critic Night will feature a lecture by Caroline Picard, owner and curator of Green Lantern Gallery, followed by a portfolio critique of selected artists work. The lecture and reception are free and open to the public. The critique is by application only. For more info visit. www.aroundthecoyote.org/gallery.
3rd Thursday Playwrights Reading Series November 12 at 7pm Actors, directors and playwrights come together to workshop new plays in front of an audience. This months reading will be of Love Variation by David Perez. A panel discussion will follow with the director, playwright and actors available for questions. $5 suggested donation. Curated by Megan Shuchman.
Synpase Arts Collective Performs November 16 and November 18th from 8 to 10pm SLIT: an evening of performance + poetry by Rachel Damon and Sarah Haas premieres works on ripening, recall, and radical females. Dances, writings, and experimental audience participation opportunities will occur throughout the gallery. Presented by Synapse Arts Collective and Sarah Haas in partnership with Around the Coyote. www.synapsearts.com. www.myspace.com/truthcreateschoice. tickets $10
Around the Coyote, a 501(c)3 non-profit, supports, promotes and makes accessible Chicago's multidisciplinary arts community. Our activities enhance public discourse and provide creative outlets for emerging artists. Year-round programming includes multi-media arts festivals featuring visual art, theater, dance, video and poetry in the spring and fall; art exhibitions in the Around the Coyote gallery; an artist-in-residence program; membership opportunities for artists and art aficionados; educational outreach for all ages through multi-media art workshops, lectures, collaborations with local schools and agencies, and career development workshops for artists. This programming is partially supported by a generous grant from Peroni beer, the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the CityArts Program 2 grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
Gallery/Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday 10-6pm and Saturday 12-6pm. Mondays by appointment only. Directions: Located in the historic Flat Iron Arts Building, take the Blue Line to Damen Avenue. Chicago, Illinois USA
