Do you feel like you could use a bit more art in your life? For the first time since 2019, EXPO Chicago returns to Navy Pier this weekend, bringing together more than 140 modern art galleries from around the globe for four days of roundtable discussions, art installations, and other exciting programming. This weekend also sees the start of Art on theMART’s spring display series, which is themed around climate change, and a new show at Hyde Park Art Center, which is focused on intimacy during the epidemic. If you want to add to your list of favorite Chicago breweries, go to Time Out Market Chicago for a sampling event featuring some of the city’s best Black-owned breweries. Take advantage of the warm weather and explore all of the events in Chicago and other greatest weekend activities.
- Art on theMART: Art on theMart’s spring program, which includes a 25-story-tall video projection on the side of the Merchandise Mart, focuses on two climate change-themed presentations presented in collaboration with the Shedd Aquarium. The first, Floe, was developed by Chicago choreographer Carrie Hanson (in association with her dance troupe, The Seldoms) and explores climate change through melting ice, harsh weather, and the human body, set to an iceberg, water, and rain soundscapes. The second piece, Choral, was created in collaboration with local style and illustrates the influence of humans on coral reefs.
Every evening at 8:30 and 9 p.m., Art on theMART’s 34 digital projectors show the 30-minute presentation. The event is best seen from the Chicago Riverwalk stretch between Wells and Franklin Streets.
- EXPO Chicago: For the first time since 2019, the International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art (commonly known as EXPO Chicago) returns to Navy Pier, bringing with it more than 140 of the world’s most prestigious contemporary galleries. At this yearly event, which exhibits work by artists from all over the world, you’ll see towering installations, expansive canvases, interesting sculptures, and more cutting-edge art. Conversations with artists, public art installations, and other methods to engage yourself in the event’s creative spirit are all available at EXPO Chicago.
- What to Send Up When It Goes Down: The Chicago debut of What to Send Up When It Goes Down, an incisive, vignette-style drama by playwright Aleshea B. Harris, brings Congo Square Theatre back to live performances for the first time in two years. The production, which is aimed toward a Black audience but is open to all, explores solutions to address and heal from persistent violence against Black people, incorporating audience involvement to immerse viewers in the story. The show will be shown at GRAY Chicago for the first half of its run before moving to Rebuild Foundation’s Stony Island Arts Bank for the second half.
These are some of the events you can discover when in Chicago. Apart from this, do not forget to explore the nightlife in Chicago. You will be in awe. There is so much to do, eat, drink, and watch. Therefore, wait no more and get your tickets today. Make the most out of your weekend and you are all set to go.