Art Chicago snub spawns ARTEahora
Chicago-based Latin-American art dealer Aldo Castillo has been trying for a decade to be accepted as an exhibitor at Art Chicago, and the answer has always been no way, no how.
He didn't apply this year. If you can't join 'em, he decided, beat 'em -- or at least do your own thing.
(Scott Stewart/Sun-Times)
Castillo, who operates galleries in River North and Streeterville, has created ARTEahora, a curated Latin-American art fair at the River East Art Center, opening Thursday and continuing through April 28 -- the exact dates, wouldn't you know it, of Art Chicago.
The fair features about 200 artworks by about 130 artists from throughout Latin America, working in a variety of media from painting, sculpture and photography to ceramics, video and installations. They include both cutting-edge contemporary artists and modern masters such as Fernando Botero, Rufino Tamayo and Roberto Matta.
A special highlight is "10 Years of Contemporary Cuban Photography, 1997-2007," featuring works by Rene Pena, Alejandro Gonzalez Mendez, Jose Julian Marti, Harold Vasquez, Michel Pastor Pon Diaz, Alicia Leal and others.
"I've had a lot of support in my mission of giving voice to Latin-American art in Chicago, but there have been some along the way who have not given me the opportunities I needed," Castillo says. "One example is Art Chicago, which rejected me almost 10 times in a row. So, yes, this was one of the inspirations for me to create my own fair."
Eventually, he says, ARTEahora will expand. The inaugural edition is off to a good start, however, drawing support from companies such as Macy's, Bentley and American Airlines, which is flying 35 of the artists to Chicago to attend the fair and its related educational and performance events.
A kickoff party benefitting the Center on Halsted is at 6-9 p.m. today. For more information, go to Chicagoarteahora.com.
Kevin Nance
