June Ahleman Chen
Identity & Fortune - March 12, 2023
Asian American Identities Through Large-Scale Portraits
Identity & Fortune is a solo show of artist June Chen Ahleman’s most recent work. The exhibition includes four large (4’x8’) oil-on-wood portraits of Asian Americans and audio from her interviews with the subjects.
The installation draws on her interest in racial identity, the intersection of how we see ourselves and how others perceive us, and the role of fortune in shaping the relationship between the two.
Listen to interviews with the subjects Camelia, Melissa, Mark, June on June’s website here.
June is a senior at Chicago Waldorf Highschool and the installation is the basis of her Independent Senior Project.
Click here to listen to a conversation with June and curator of 1100 Florence Gallery, Lisa Degliantoni
Showing: Midwestern! Punk! Mom! DIY Retrospective of Art & Objects by Ellen Greene
Midwestern! Punk! Mom! is a three word title that both describes artist Ellen Greene as a person as well the three phases of development in her artwork.
This exhibition that Greene describes as a “DIY retrospective”, her art and objects hang on the gallery walls of the Evanston Gallery, 1100 Florence, with painted text and infographics surrounding them. Together they tell Ellen’s story of her life in art.
“I am obsessed with reading memoirs and wanted to try my hand at it. But the words and memories wouldn’t come. I kept digging into my storage unit for objects that would trigger memories and hopefully words. Then it hit me. I think in pictures, and I make pictures. My artwork and objects are the core of the story. My whole life things like zines, journals, records, toys, books, clothes and photographs influenced my work. Also that work was in direct response to what I was going through emotionally and therefore completing to the overarching narrative. Call it a ‘DIY retrospective’ or ‘punk rock show and tell’… its my life and my stuff so I just want to share it in the most direct way I know how: put it up on a wall and then write about it.”
"Run don’t walk to the awesome new show by artist Ellen Greene! Midwestern! Punk! Mom! DIY retrospective at 1100 Florence Gallery. Whimsical, funny, powerful, overwhelming, inspiring, unique." -Matt Golosinski, photo taken at top of page
Click here to listen to an interview with Ellen on The Lisa D Show podcast.
Kristin Mariani
Artist in Residence, “Two Sides of the Horizon”
Meet Kristin and learn about her process Saturday, Feb. 2, 5-7p, during First Saturday Evanston Art Events.
Two Sides to the Horizon - Is an extended wall installation to reflect the viewpoints from inside and outside the corner space of 1100 Florence. Merging these viewpoints over the four week period of the residency, this installation will evolve, merging multiple vantages into the visible sphere of the gallery space.
Click MORE for a schedule of hours during February where the public is invited to come into the gallery space to see Kristin’s works in process.
Kirstin Mariani photographed in her studio by Joerg Metzner for his Picturing Evanston project.
Showing Now thru Nov. 23: “This Show we are in” solo exhibit featuring works by Daniela Kovacic. Gallery hours Sundays 12=5, Wednesdays 5-8p, Fridays 12-9p. To schedule private viewing appointments, email evanstonmade@gmail.com
Recollection, works by Ben Blount
Recollection examines the notions of race and culture we encounter growing up in the United States. Shared through reimagined learning tools and remembered narratives, this work explores how we collect these formative ideas about identity and commit them to memory. Photo of Ben Blount by Yvette Meltzer
Mound Town, works by Joey Garfield
Mound Town originated from an obsession with building snowmen and a continued obsession of using vinyl and found objects as an art medium. Artist, filmmaker, creative Joey Garfield manages to bring to life mounds, all over town. This installation is no longer in the gallery.
