The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago (SOFA CHICAGO 2019), its 26th Edition--the largest and longest running fair focused on three-dimensional art in the United States—opened with a Halloween costumed crowd.
"New Glass Now + Next" discussion at SOFA CHICAGO 2019 Lecture Series presented by the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass
Detail of Bender Gallery's booth at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Exhibits included sculpture, jewelry, furniture, and ceramics. The Female Design Council presented a special exhibition of textile arts entitled Intricate: Complexity and Beauty Sewn Up.Programming shared the stage with the exhibited objects. Programming included Do-it-Yourself Happiness with jewelry artist Reka Lorincz of Charon Fine Arts, Dual Bilateralism with sculptor Mike Renard presented by KessArt, The B Team: Punk Performance and Experimental Galls Practice in the 90s with Zesty Meyers of R & Company, artist Thor Bueno represented by Monumentum Gallery, Susie Sibert,Curator of Modern and Contemporary Glass at The Corning Museum of Glass, Modern Fiber Arts: Collectibility, Feminism and Community with Female Design Council with Lora Appleton of kinder MODERN Gallery, Erica Warren, a curator in the Department of Textiles at the Art Institute of Chicago, and end-of-day chats with the dynamic Art History Babes who were SOFA’s podcasters in residence.
Travor Gallery's booth at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Sculpture installation by The Nandibull at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Gallery SP's booth at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Interactive performances included the Corning Museum of Glass’s Hot Glass Road Show, presenting top glass blowers from all over the country. Winner of the Netflix hit show Blown Away, glass artist Deborah Czeresko, represented by New York-based Heller.The Chicago Wood Turners gave ongoing master classes in woodturning.
Special exhibition guest curator Emily Mackie, who presented Still Counting….. an exhibition that notes the milestones in the women’s equal rights journey that make up a movement. The Special Exhibition platform also included booths by the Female Design Council, a national organization supporting women in design; Woman Made Gallery’s exhibition curated by artist Mary King; Collaborations with Queer Voices curated by artist Matthew Day Perez and presented by Heller Gallery; the celebrated Tiny Pricks project by Diana Weymar, which is the largest art-based protest piece in history; along with eclectic exhibitions by The Documenta Project Presents: A Celebration of portraits by Mary Van Cline, Contemporary Forged Steel presented by Helen Street Studios and curated by Artist Zach Lihatsh, and Dinnerware + Design + Decoration, presented by the International Museum of Dinnerware Design.
SOFA will return next year. For updates bookmark the SOFA website.
Photos courtesy of SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Detail from Blanc Gallery's booth at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
"Collaboration of Queer Voices" Special Exhibit presented by Heller Gallery & FagSigns at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Gallery SP's booth at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Female Design Council's "Intricate: Complexity & Beauty Sewn Up" Special Exhibit at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
Detail from Tiny Pricks Project's Special Exhibit at SOFA CHICAGO 2019
