Mugs @ Merchandise Mart | 10/22/2010 – 10/31/2010


Mugs| Friday, October 22, 2010 – Sunday, October 31, 2010

Opening Reception:
Friday, October 22, 2010
5:00pm – 9:00pm
222 West Merchandise Mart Plaza
Suite 1573
Coffee mugs represent a place of sentimental permanence. Mass produced and in the homes of practically everyone you know, coffee mugs are an interesting way to gain unique insight about an individual. As an object, they are a symptom of consumer culture and tradition. We buy them, drink from them, collect them and give them as gifts.

In a traditional sense, the technique and material used to craft mugs still remains the same. In studying ceramics, forming a vessel able to contain a liquid is traditionally one of the first skills a student will learn. The artist’s act of creating a mug is recognized as time consuming, personal, an investment. However, with the explosion of mass consumerism, the cute and kitsch mugs that look so unique in your own kitchen cabinets can actually be found by the cookie cutter dozen at the store. Popular culture, obsessed with ephemeral objects, exploits and capitalizes on the once unique artist crafted mugs. We are left with the significances of our traditional studio practices overshadowed.

This project showcases the artist and the mug as a unit. The show is located at LVL3’s temporary project space on the 15th floor of the Merchandise Mart. This project is also being held in conjunction with Chicago Artist Month. The theme this year focuses on the artist’s studio.

In this show, mugs are selected by each artist and displayed as a symbolic entity. This unconventional approach provides the viewer a glimpse of the artist through the artist’s representative mug — an object that is common to us all, but unique in its connection to the owner. While focusing on the artist, this show also provides a larger conversation on culture and tradition.
(text by: Nicolette Caldwell)

Alysia Kaplan
Andrew Holmquist
Andrew Norman Wilson
Annie Bielski
Ben Russell
Brook Sinkinson Withrow
Carson Fisk-Vittori
Clara Kim
Clint Enns
Daniel Eatock
Daniel Shea
David Robert Elliott
David Sampson
Dominic Paul Moore
Easton Miller
EJ Hill
Jason Lazarus
Jason Pickleman
Je Je Je Jiyeon Lim
Jeremy Tinder
Jessica Bardsley
John Riepenhoff
Kate Ruggeri
Kate Steciw
Katie Kraft
Katy Keefe
Laurra Hieber
Leslie Supnet
Liz Nielsen
Lucy Chinen
Marco Kane Braunschweiler
Martine Syms
Mat Rappaport
McKeever Donovan
Megan Plunkett
Michael Fleming
Michael Sirianni
Michael Hunter
Nick Nold
Olivia Swider
Patrick Bobilin
Paul Kenneth
Rachel Niffenegger
Randy Sterling Hunter
Ryan Travis Christian
Samuel D York
Sangho Choi
Stephen Eichhorn
Steve Lacy
Tiana Tucker
Todd Beyer
Will Goss

*put on in part with the Chicago Artist Coalition