The 57th Street Art Fair


Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
Explore Forgotten Chicago
Have a question about a specific element in Chicago's history? Ask Away! 
The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: February 26, 2015 12:01PM

I have read that the Art Fair has been held on the first full weekend in June every year since 1948; on 57th Street between Kimbark and Kenwood Avenues.

Have you attended this interesting Art Fair in the past? I am curious to know your thoughts; and did you make any purchases?

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Date: February 26, 2015 11:53PM

[b]Is it still there?[/b]

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: February 27, 2015 09:00AM

Richard Stachowski Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is it still there?


57th Street Art Fair

http://www.57thstreetartfair.org/

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: davey7 ()
Date: March 03, 2015 07:59PM

Many times visited, very little purchased. The alternative/community art fair is to the east at Bixler (Playlot). Lot of craft rather than fine arts these days.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: March 03, 2015 09:47PM

davey7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Many times visited, very little purchased. The
> alternative/community art fair is to the east at
> Bixler (Playlot). Lot of craft rather than fine
> arts these days.


Thanks for your reply. The art colony that existed near the location of the fair in the 40s and earlier, painted city scenes that appeal to me, and I wondered if any of the new breed of artists at the fair may still be interested in painting the street and building scenes.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: davey7 ()
Date: March 10, 2015 05:35PM

You're very welcome. Many, if not most, of the artists are not local. There are some who do paint Chicago street/city scenes (and seem to have the same paintings every year). Check it out if you can, it's a pleasant afternoons outing and a good excuse to explore the area.

nordsider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> davey7 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Many times visited, very little purchased. The
> > alternative/community art fair is to the east
> at
> > Bixler (Playlot). Lot of craft rather than fine
> > arts these days.
>
>
> Thanks for your reply. The art colony that existed
> near the location of the fair in the 40s and
> earlier, painted city scenes that appeal to me,
> and I wondered if any of the new breed of artists
> at the fair may still be interested in painting
> the street and building scenes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/10/2015 05:35PM by davey7.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: March 10, 2015 07:16PM

davey7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You're very welcome. Many, if not most, of the
> artists are not local. There are some who do paint
> Chicago street/city scenes (and seem to have the
> same paintings every year). Check it out if you
> can, it's a pleasant afternoons outing and a good
> excuse to explore the area.


If I were to attend the art fair, I would be looking for an artist painting with this same feeling and style, by my all-time favorite Chicago artist, Aaron Bohrod, painted this with the title "Drug Store" sometime in the 1930s.

http://www.unc.edu/ackland/collection/?action=simple&search=aaron%20bohrod



And also, Ogden Avenue Viaduct painted in 1939.

http://www.americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=2284

Both of these paintings have the feeling of the Depression Era.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/2015 09:06AM by nordsider.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: davey7 ()
Date: March 11, 2015 06:05PM

There IS a guy who does somewhat similar stuff, though rather more Hopperesque through amber lenses (well, more orange). I think there is another who does something related.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: March 11, 2015 08:27PM

davey7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There IS a guy who does somewhat similar stuff,
> though rather more Hopperesque through amber
> lenses (well, more orange). I think there is
> another who does something related.

Edward Hopper is another favorite of mine; especially his Nighthawks.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2015 11:43AM by nordsider.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: davey7 ()
Date: March 12, 2015 12:58PM

Well then, I think you should definitely come to/go to the Art Fair!

nordsider Wrote:
>
> Edward Hopper is another favorite of mine;
> especially his Nighthawks.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: March 25, 2015 08:02PM

Another Chicago artist, Robert Anderson; that I presume, surely must have exhibited his city scenes in the past, at the 57th Street Art Fair

See his painting El Tracks, 1949:

http://www.robertaddisongallery.com/Biography.html

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: March 26, 2015 10:10AM

And, some 57th Street Art Fair history that I have found; the artist Gertrude Abercrombie, " with her surreal paintings propped up against her ancient Rolls Royce automobile parked at the curb."

Three examples of her "surreal" paintings:

http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/results/index.cfm?rows=10&q=&page=1&start=0&fq=name:%22Abercrombie%2C%20Gertrude%22

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: davey7 ()
Date: March 26, 2015 12:41PM

Thanks for the link to Robert Anderson - I like his commercial art quite a lot.

My parents (and a lot of other people in HP-K of their generation) have paintings by a local woman named Hubby (can't remember her first name, might have been Ruth) who usually painted women or birds in three's with shedding layers. She went "nuts" later (I think committed) - don't know exactly what, breakdown, illness or "women's problems" but after than everyone started analyzing her paintings. They really are quite good.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:

Re: The 57th Street Art Fair
Posted by: nordsider ()
Date: March 27, 2015 05:41PM

I also like this painting: Canal Street by artist Mattie Lietz

http://richardnortongallery.com/artists/mattie-lietz/artworks/6721-canal-street



And, Richard Stachowski is familiar with this artist (Josef) Pierre Nuyttens; one of Nuyttens' paintings, untitled (East Lake Shore Drive) ca. 1950

http://richardnortongallery.com/artists/josef-pierre-nuyttens/artworks/6791-untitled-east-lake



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2015 10:58PM by nordsider.

Options: ReplyQuote

AD:



Home | Columns | Articles | Features | Links | Forum | Mission Statement | Staff | Media & Press | Maps | FAQ | Contact