Chicago-based artist Edra Soto created a series of work about Puerto Rico and her migration to her adopted hometown. Architectural motifs mirror patterns seen on houses in Puerto Rico. A hand-fabricated domino table reflects a popular pastime on the island. And there are photographs embedded in the work.
Stories by Marc Vitali
Chicago Artist’s Superpower is Painting Marvel Superheroes
Jun 14, 2023 | Marc Vitali
Artist Alex Ross is a hero to fans of comic book art and graphic novels. For 30 years from his home near Chicago, Ross has been the go-to artist for revitalizing beloved characters — from Spider-Man and Superman to Iron Man and the Fantastic Four.
Reviving a Gospel Musical with Ancient Roots
May 25, 2023 | Marc Vitali
“The Gospel at Colonus” is based on “Oedipus at Colonus,” Sophocles’ 2,500-year-old play about an aging king who seeks redemption after a life of sin. The revival just opened at Court Theatre in Hyde Park.
Art Institute Summer Show Reframes Vincent Van Gogh and Friends
May 18, 2023 | Marc Vitali
The star attraction is Vincent Van Gogh, and he has a stellar supporting cast — including the painters George Seurat, Paul Signac, Emile Bernard and Charles Angrand. The exhibit features landscapes from the suburbs of Paris in the 19th century.
Photographer Kwame Brathwaite Captured Black Beauty, Power in the ‘60s and ‘70s
Apr 19, 2023 | Marc Vitali
From Stevie Wonder and high-fashion models to everyday people, photographer Kwame Brathwaite documented Black culture across the globe. “He’s essentially synonymous with the Black is Beautiful movement,” said Grace Deveney of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Intuit Museum Awarded ‘Transformative’ $5 Million Grant to Support Outsider Art
Jan 4, 2023 | Marc Vitali
Intuit, the Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, has been on Milwaukee Avenue near Chicago and Ogden avenues since 1999. The museum showcases artwork by self-taught and often marginalized artists who didn’t follow a traditional path to art-making.
The 23 Must-Know Chicago Arts and Culture Events for 2023
Jan 3, 2023 | Marc Vitali
From the obvious to the obscure, we’ve pulled together a rundown of promising arts and culture events to stir the senses in the new year.
Pair of Chicago Children’s Musicians Up for Same Grammy Award
Dec 29, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Two of the five Grammy nominees this year for Best Children’s Album are from the Chicago area. For Justin Roberts, it’s his fifth nomination. And for the duo Wendy and DB, it’s their first.
Santa Claus’ Varied Depictions Can Be Viewed Through a Local Library’s Postcard Archive
Dec 22, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Over time there have been many interpretations of Santa’s look – and vintage postcards from the early 20th century prove that he’s had more makeovers than a movie star. At the Newberry Library, a rare collection tracks Santa’s evolution.
Artist Creates Work to Uplift People, Heal Own Memories of Combat in Vietnam
Dec 12, 2022 | Marc Vitali
In 1968, a U.S. Marine was wounded and evacuated from Vietnam and returned to Chicago. He found his calling making artwork with an approach that could be called obsessive.
Grammy-Winning Chicago Ensemble Explores Possibilities of Percussion
Dec 6, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Third Coast Percussion is nominated for a Grammy for the fourth year in a row. “Gauntlet” is a new work that has the ensemble making music from a table full of toys and everyday items.
Chicago Painter Michiko Itatani Looks to the Cosmos for Inspiration
Nov 21, 2022 | Marc Vitali
The unpopulated environments created by Michiko Itatani suggest settings for sci-fi stories, filled with rockets, planets, books and music. In short, art and science. The work is about inner space – and outer space.
A Conversation With Patti Smith Reveals Her Thoughts on Poetry, Prose and Veal Parmigiana
Nov 17, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Born in Chicago and raised in New Jersey, Patti Smith has lived an incomparable life as a poet and performer. Known as “the punk poet laureate,” she’s in the Rock Hall of Fame and won a National Book Award.
Pianist Recalls Roots in Chicago and Ukraine – and an Early Appearance on WTTW
Nov 14, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Pianist Inna Faliks is an educator, mom and a distinguished concert pianist who is in demand across the globe. But before all that, one of her first television appearances was on WTTW in 1994 when she was just 15 years old.
‘Native Truths’ Offer Fresh Perspective at the Field Museum
Nov 7, 2022 | Marc Vitali
The Field Museum renovated its Native North America Hall and drastically shifted its focus. The new approach emphasizes story-telling and contemporary art – as well as historical items from the collection. The exhibition space is called “Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories.”
New Chicago Exhibition Showcases Historical Artwork Depicting Same-Sex Desire
Nov 3, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Called “The First Homosexuals,” the show is about a time when the art world released a flood of new representations of same-sex desire.
Returning to Chicago for Poetry Prize, Patti Smith Looks Back on Local Roots and Eclectic Career
Nov 1, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Patti Smith was honored by Chicago’s Poetry Foundation with a Pegasus Award.
10 Things You Might Not Know About Chicago-Born Patti Smith
Nov 1, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Legendary musician, poet and writer Patti Smith was born in Chicago. Here's a rundown of her cultural connections.
Theater Critic Hedy Weiss on Must-See Plays, Ballet Program
Oct 18, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Hedy Weiss joins “Chicago Tonight” to preview a new program from Joffrey Ballet, Goodman Theater’s production of “Swing Stat” and to recap the Joseph Jefferson Awards.
Local Color on View in Show About Modernism and Monochromatic Art
Oct 17, 2022 | Marc Vitali
The Smart Museum on the University of Chicago campus is currently saturated with monochromatic modern art. The curators call the show “Monochrome Multitudes.”
MacArthur ‘Genius Grant’ Recipient From Chicago Uses Color, Art to Explore Issues of Race
Oct 14, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Three Chicago residents were among the group honored this year. One of those honorees is Amanda Williams, an artist who uses color and architecture to explore issues of race and the built environment.
Art of Remembrance Celebrates Day of the Dead at Pilsen Museum
Oct 12, 2022 | Marc Vitali
For the 36th year, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen is presenting an ever-changing art exhibit that celebrates love and loss. This year’s Day of the Dead exhibition blends the contemporary with the traditional. Its somber tone is meant to be a reflection of the world at large.
Starstruck Memories from Chicago International Film Festival Founder
Oct 5, 2022 | Marc Vitali
Michael Kutza was just 22 years old when he launched the Chicago International Film Festival. Decades later, he looks back on a life among the movie stars.
Paintings from Puerto Rico Arrive in Chicago for New Exhibit
Sep 27, 2022 | Marc Vitali
The artwork is on loan from a museum in the town of Ponce on the southern coast. Now, Chicago’s National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture in Humboldt Park is the temporary home to a small but significant exhibit.
Maestro Riccardo Muti Takes a Look Back as He Begins Final Season at Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Sep 22, 2022 | Marc Vitali
This weekend marks the beginning of the end of Maestro Riccardo Muti’s tenure as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. WTTW News visited Symphony Center to hear him lead the orchestra in a rousing rehearsal of works by Tchaikovsky.
Hellenic Museum Reopens with Photographs by a Greek Prince
Sep 15, 2022 | Marc Vitali
The first show back for one of the last museums in Chicago to reopen following the COVID-19 shutdown has a royal pedigree.