Two new West Loop art exhibits contribute to Fulton Market's rising bohemian aesthetic


From "Sugarcraft" / Photographs by Drake Baer

At the corner of Fulton Market and Aberdeen is a lovely row of galleries, including Kasia Kay and Linda Warren. “Sugarcraft” at Kasia Kay is an effervescent collection lovingly curated by Wynter Whiteside. It features the work of dozens of artists, from beautiful cake to “sugar prints” to artisan plushies — and a whole lot of pink.

The show nails a certain pop style, vibrant and unpretentious. Mark Seaman’s titanic wedding cake rules over the exhibition, a sculpture in fructose. One interesting dynamic in the show is the role of femininity and feminism: the “sugar, spice and everything nice” of soft-serve sculpture greeting the visitor at the door contrasts with the edge of other pieces, including a self-referential, ironic board game with landing a husband as the goal.


From "The Earth on the Back of the Giant Turtle"

Hollis Brown Thornton’s new solo show is a few doors down at the Linda Warren Gallery. His exhibit has distinct styles: large format, dripped paintings, digital-to-analog transfers and interesting play with family photos. The South Carolina-based artist makes comment upon mediation, as his own work is mediated; much of it starts out in Photoshop. The show, “The Earth on the Back of the Giant Turtle,” explores the role of creation myth in modern life while making room for autobiographical, existential exploration. Space Invaders and HTML code —one canvas features the code of his Web site — make their way into his work, a reflection upon virtual and actual space, sort of like what you’re reading right now. – Drake Baer