March 2025 Newsletter
News from Outdoor Exhibits
Image credits (clockwise): Pandora's Shepherd by Terry Karpowicz (Hamilton Park); Ecoaestheticism by Anthony Heinz May (Humboldt Park); Our City by Shencheng Xu (Ping Tom Memorial Park)
2025-2027 Sculpture in the Parks
Call for Entries
Application Deadline: March 20, 2025, 11:59PM CST
Chicago Sculpture International, in collaboration with the Chicago Park District and parks in the Chicagoland area, is inviting artists to submit proposals for the 2025-2027 Sculpture in the Parks (Park Cultural Centers and Arts in the Parks initiatives) and Ronan Park exhibition season.
Works must be large-scale and suitable for outdoors. They will be installed on hardscape or soft scape (grass), so artists must be prepared for, and make provisions for, either type of installation. Only select sites have concrete pads; all other sites are soft scape. Sculptures will be on view for two years, from October 2025 to October 2027 (exact dates to be determined). Each sculpture will receive a stipend of $4,200.
For more details, click HERE
Click HERE to download a submission form.
Image credits (clockwise): Pandora's Shepherd by Terry Karpowicz (Hamilton Park); Ecoaestheticism by Anthony Heinz May (Humboldt Park); Our City by Shencheng Xu (Ping Tom Memorial Park)
News from CSI Project Space
Image credits: (Left) Active Ingredients, Bill Mitchell (Right) Looking for the refractions in the light, Christine Forni
Shadows: Members Spring Exhibit
Exhibition Dates: March 1 - April 25, 2025
Shadows are more than just the absence of light—they are symbols of the hidden, the fleeting, and the ambiguous. Across psychology, literature, art, and philosophy, shadows have long served as metaphors for the complexities of human experience. They invite us to explore what lies beneath the surface, confront the unseen, and embrace the mystery of what we cannot fully grasp.
Carl Jung’s concept of the “shadow self” speaks to the parts of ourselves we often deny or suppress—the fears, flaws, and truths that challenge our ideal self-image. Yet, in engaging with this shadow, we embark on a journey of self-discovery, finding strength in vulnerability and balance in the dualities of our existence.
Shadows shift, stretch, and dissolve, echoing the impermanence of our world. They remind us to savor the fleeting beauty of the moment, to find wonder in the transient, and to reflect on life’s fragile brilliance.
Exhibiting Artists: Nicole Beck, Charlotte Briskin, Catie Burrill, Bethany Cordero, Helen Dannelly, Christine Forni, James Hajicek, Alex Jarus, Jen Leibowitz, Dawn Liddicoatt, Marianne Lovink, Dana Major, Angela McElwain, Bill Mitchell, Julia Paloma, Kelly Pelka, Thomas Plum, Vaso Georgulis Powers, Marky Salvati, Howard Sandroff, Zelene Jiang Schlosberg, Marvin Shafer, David Vosburg, Sishi Wang, Bruce Webber, Charles Yost
Curator - Micki LeMieux
Above: Patience by Shencheng Xu
Chimera
Call for Entries
Submission Deadline: Sunday, May 4, 2025
Drop off artwork: May 31 and June 1, from 1-5PM
Opening Reception: Saturday, June 7, from 6-9PM
Exhibition Dates: June 7 - July 18, 2025
Chimeras are hybrid creatures combining different animals into one creature, some examples which are combined with humans are a centaur (half horse, half human), a mermaid (half human, half fish), Anubis (half human, half jackal). Ganesha (half elephant, half human). Then there are creatures combining different animal parts, like Akhekh - A creature from Egyptian mythology with the body of an oryx and the wings and snout of a bird, and Hieracosphinx – A type of Sphinx that had a hawk head.
We are expanding the definition of Chimera for this exhibition to include any hybrid combining two of more of inanimate or biological objects, such as household objects, machinery, animal, botanical, fungal, or microscopic organisms that normally do not go together, but when combined become a hybrid.
This also has a reference to Dada and Surrealism, described very well with the famous line from Les Chants de Maldoror by the Comte de Lautréamont/Isidore Ducasse: “beautiful as a chance encounter on a dissecting table of a sewing-machine and an umbrella." So, inanimate objects as well as the biological are encouraged as part of any submission to this call.
Curator - Victoria Fuller
If selected for the exhibition, artists must be a current CSI member or sign-up for membership: www.chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member
Learn more about requirements and submit your entry HERE.
News from Indoor Exhibits
Chicago Sculpture International 2025 Biennale Call for Entries:
Materiality in Sculpture:
A Dialogue Between Substance and Form
This exhibition explores the interplay of materials in the realm of sculpture, showcasing works that challenge, celebrate, and redefine our understanding of material substance. To connect your own work to this theme, consider how your choice of medium and subject matter can simultaneously reflect the physical and conceptual aspects. Formats include freestanding, wall hung, interactive, installation & video. Open interpretations of the exhibit theme are welcomed.
About the Juror
Debra Favre is an artist who has exhibited in the Washington, DC and the Chicago areas. She is the past Chair of the Board of the Evanston Art Center and has been a juror on the Evanston Art Center’s Exhibitions Committee for the last 14 years. She studied Fine Arts at McDaniel College in Maryland and at the Corcoran School of Art and Design in Washington, DC.
Submission Deadline: Sunday, August 3, 2025, 11:59pm
Notification Date: Friday, August 29, 2025
Exhibition: September 27th, 2025 through November 9th, 2025
Opening Reception: Sunday, September 28th, 2025
If selected for the exhibition, artists must be a current CSI member or sign-up for membership: www.chicagosculpture.org/become-a-member
Exhibition Location:
Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central St., Evanston, IL 60201
Learn more about requirements submit your entry HERE
Questions? Contact info@chicagosculptors.com
News from the Board
New Social Media Specialist
Marisa Dean is thrilled to be joining Chicago Sculpture International as the Social Media Specialist. Passionate about working with non-profit arts organizations, she leverages her skills gained from marketing for theatre organizations across the midwest. She is excited to dive into the world of sculpture with CSI, and to uplift this group of amazing artists on Instagram & Facebook!
Member News
Image credits: (left) Universal Index by Yasaman Moussavi; (right) Bushwhacking by Gina Lee-Robbins
Unbounded Territories: Where to Imagine an Alternative
March 1 - April 13, 2025
Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central Street, Evanston, IL
Unbounded Territories invites you to question the spaces we inhabit and envision radical alternatives. Drawing inspiration from Borges's "The Library of Babel," the exhibition transposes the author's infinite yet fragmented universe of knowledge into our lived reality. Just as Borges's labyrinthine library reflects the paradoxes of human conditions, Unbounded Territories posits that our contemporary spaces—private, public, and national—are arenas where multiple, intersecting struggles materialize. Unbounded Territories exposes how our surroundings—from city layouts to office designs—shape society's valuation of human work, often dulling our senses and alienating us from our labor. By highlighting the clash between human creativity's boundless potential and the constraints of capitalist spatial arrangements, Unbounded Territories encourages the participants to reimagine our relationship with space. We prompt you to consider how collective action might reconfigure our material conditions, dismantle oppressive structures, and foster new social organizations that awaken our senses and reclaim our full human potential.
Participating Artists: Azadeh Hussaini, Yasaman Moussavi, Zahra Khosroshahi, Linda Abdullah, Farhad Bahram, Elmira Sarreshtehdari, Pia Cruzalegui, Ramin Takloo-Bighash, and Gina Lee Robbins.
Co-Curated by Kaveh Rafie and Azadeh Hussaini
Above: Artwork by Cherry Tung
Delicate Nature
March 5 - May 19, 2025, by appointment
Third Floor Gallery
at the Union League Club Chicago
65 W Jackson Blvd
Chicago, 60604 IL
Cheuk Yan Cherry Tung, a Hong Kong-born artist currently based in Chicago, showcases her silk paintings and porcelain sculptures, capturing the delicate essence of life.
Above: Ceramic sculpture by Micelle Corazzo at Cliff Dwellers Club.
Five Female Sculptors
Now until March 31, 2025
The show contains seven of Michele Corazzo’s ceramic sculptures positioned with the Chicago lake shore as backdrop. The pieces, five of which I call menhirs, some with heads, and two newer towers or spires, all relate strongly to nature.
Cliff Dwellers
200 S. Michigan Ave.
22 fl. Chicago IL
Hours: Tues. - Fri., 11 am to 9 pm, viewing available with mention of Michele’s name.
Above: Sculptures by Richard Pitts
TIME and Space: Painting and Sculpture
“Vision ricochets off shapes to trace a position in time and space” - Kathleen Hulse
A solo exhibit by CSI member Richard Pitts at Center for the Arts of Homer.
Exhibit runs March 6th through April 26, 2025.
Center for the Arts of Homer
72 South Main St.
Homer, NY 13077
Hours: Tu-Fri, 11AM - 4PM
Gunner Theel sculpture at the Met
On exhibit through January 10, 2027
Joy of Art#49, a sculpture by CSI member Gunnar Theel is in the group exhibit, Afterlives: Contemporary Art in the Byzantine Crypt at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.
“In this transhistorical presentation, the Byzantine Crypt’s religious and secular jewelry, textiles, ivory objects, vessels, and architectural sculpture from Early Christian and Coptic monastic sites are complemented and enriched by contemporary sculptures, works on paper, and installations from the 1960s to present day…”
Afterlives was curated by Andrea Myers Achi, Mary & Michael Jaharis Associate Curatorfo Byzantine Art, Department of Medieval Art and the Cloisters; and by Akili Tommasino, Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. The exhibition is made possible by the Jaharis Family Foundation.
Click here for more information about the exhibit.
The Met Fifth Avenue
1000 Fifth Avenue
82nd Street
New York, NY,10028
Hours:
Sunday–Tuesday and Thursday: 10 am–5 pm
Friday and Saturday: 10 am–9 pm
Closed: Wednesday
Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1, and the first Monday in May.
Ragdale Tree Project
Artist Talk: Thursday, May 23 at 5PM
Artist talk moderated by Margot McMahon
Seven CSI members, a photographer, and the Ragdale Foundation collaborated to bring the Chicago Tree Project to the Ragdale Foundation. As part of this initiative, eight artists participated in a residency to transform the foundation's beloved 200-year-old elm tree into a work of art.
Collaborating sculptors: Margot McMahon, Jyl Bonaguro, Anthony Heinz May, Nicole Beck, Mia Capadulipo, Fredy Mallqui, and Julia Sulmasy.
Artist in Residence Photographer: Laurie Irwin
The Artist Talk's moderator Margot McMahon is grateful to Dr. Richard A. Berger for his inventive surgery technique which allowed her to work with her fellow sculptors.
Ragdale Foundation
1260 Greenbay Road
Lake Forest IL
Barbara Cooper and Bobbi Meier in
Group Exhibition at the Driehaus Museum
February 7 - April 27, 2025
A Tale of Today: Materialities features fourteen artists who have created, adapted, and restaged artworks in response to specific objects in the Driehaus Museum’s Nickerson Mansion, bringing to light compelling and often forgotten histories in which the material itself is just as important as the message it conveys through its design. With guest curator Dr. Giovanni Aloi.
Major support for Materialities is generously provided by the Driehaus Trust Company, LLC., and Gary Metzner and Scott Johnson, with additional support from Russell Reynolds and Friends of Materialities.
Opportunities for Complimentary Visits to the Exhibition
Free Wednesdays
From 4-7PM every Wednesday evening, admission to the Museum is free for all visitors
Dates throughout the run of Materialities:2/12, 2/19, 2/26, 3/5, 3/12. 3/19, 3/26, 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/23
Community Days
Supported by the Terra Foundation, admission is free all day (11am-5pm) during our two Materialities Community Days
Dates: Saturday, March 1 and Saturday, April 5
Image credit: (top) Moorish Idol/Coral Reef by Margot McMahon; (bottom) Untitled (Turkey Tail) by Sandra Wilcoxon
Land and Sea: Lichen-Coral
CSI Member Margot McMahonis and Sandra Wilcoxon are in a two-person exhibit at the Ukrainian Museum of Art, which opens on April 4th and runs through June 29th, 2025
Opening Reception: April 4th, 2025, 1:00pm
Ukrainian Museum of Modern Art
2320 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 227-5522
Hours: Wednesdays through Sundays, 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Margot will also be having an upcoming one-person exhibition at Epiphany Center for the Arts, scheduled for May 9th through July 5th, 2025, Opening Reception: May 9th, 5:30pm
Margot will also be having an upcoming one-person exhibition at Epiphany Center for the Arts, scheduled for May 9th through July 5th, 2025, Opening Reception: May 9th, 5:30pm
Image credit: (top) Moorish Idol/Coral Reef by Margot McMahon; (bottom) Untitled (Turkey Tail) by Sandra Wilcoxon
The following are not CSI sponsored projects
but may be of interest to our members
Creative Accelerator Fund 2026
Individual artists must demonstrate an active and sustained practice, be age 21 or older, be established as an Illinois resident, and not be currently enrolled full-time at a college or university in any undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral program.
$10,000 taxable award. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
https://arts.illinois.gov/granting-opportunities/grants-programs/creative-accelerator-fund.html
Six-Mile Sculpture Works Outdoor Exhibition
Six-Mile Sculpture Works is excited to announce our third outdoor sculpture exhibition in downtown Granite City, IL! This exhibition is a partnership between Six Mile Sculpture Works, a program of Alfresco Productions, and America's Central Port. We'd like to invite submissions - and please share this invitation with folks you know who might be interested. To get a prospectus for the show, please send all inquiries to SixMileSculptureWorks@gmail.com. The exhibition begins in August of 2025. Thanks! We look forward to seeing your entries!
The deadline to apply is 5PM (central) on May 30th, 2025.
Honorarium for year-long exhibition is $1,500.
Exhibition begins August 2025.
https://www.facebook.com/p/Six-Mile-Sculpture-Works-100066231353706/
Rock Falls’ Art in the Park Sculpture Walk exhibition season
Call for Entries
Important Dates:
Application Deadline: June 1, 2025
Artwork must be installed by August 22, 2025
Rock Falls’ Art in the Park Sculpture Walk is making preparations for its 8th year of bringing sculptures to its RB&W District. They are now accepting submissions for sculpture art to be on display at the RB&W District Park along the Rock River. This open space park is used by many organizations putting on events and draws people from surrounding communities and states, which will ensure a high amount of visibility for your art throughout the year.
The Rock Falls Tourism Department has opened the selection process to all sculpture artists. The sculptures will be installed at the RB&W District, on August 22, 2025.Artists will be given a $1,250 stipend and will be able to make their sculpture available for purchase. Artists are encouraged to promote their sculpture throughout the year.
Requirements:
Sturdy sculptures that can withstand all types of weather
Base dimensions to stay within 4ft x 4ft
Artist must record an audio for the Otocast app
Must be able to deliver and install the work.
Artwork must be installed on August 22, 2025
Artist must submit pictures of the work they want to display
Artist responsible for transporting the sculpture to and from the park and making deinstallation arrangements with the park
Artist must install their own artwork and provide their own installation hardware
Upon request, the City of Rock Falls will help with assisting the placement of sculptures on concrete pads
Requests for boom, lift or crane must be submitted by August 1, 2025.
Benefits:
$1,250 stipend for1-year installation
Exhibitor provides artist with a one-night stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites for the night of August 22, 2025, only
Opportunity for the artist to sell and promote their artwork
Constant exposure for the artist and their sculpture/artwork
Digital exposure on the Visit Rock Falls website
Notifications go out on July 1, 2025
Location:
Rock Falls Tourism
603 W 10th Street
Rock Falls, IA
(815)622-1106
director@visitrockfalls.com
Include documents and submit everything (including photos) on or before June 1, 2025, either by mail or as an email attachment to director@visitrockfalls.com. On the artist agreement, you only need to fill out page 3 (top with your name, address, etc.) and then page 4 of the sculpture name and specifications. The rest of the agreement can/will be filled out at a later time if your piece is selected.
Submit Your News
Have any news to share?
Shows, awards, residencies etc? Submit here and we'll include them in an upcoming newsletter.
While you're at it, your profile and images on CSI’s website are important. When CSI applies for grants and upcoming shows, images are solely chosen from those you have uploaded to our website. Please take a minute to look over what you have posted and make sure you are presenting the best work. Member Shelley Gilchrist sgilchristart@gmail.com has volunteered to help you if you need it, so feel free to contact her.
CSI projects are partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency for CSI programming including exhibitions and funding for Project Space Gallery.
CSI is a proud recipient of the Driehaus Foundation Arts and Culture Grant to help support funding and programming.
Above: (right) Ron Gard’s sculpture The Struggle Against Death; (right) Ron in 2014 working in Lincoln Park on one of three tree sculptures, Dying to Survive Nos. #3, #6 & #9.
In Memory of Ron Gard
Chicago Sculpture International acknowledges Ivy Gard, who in 2020 graciously donated ongoing exhibition space (CSI Project Space) to CSI and its members in memory of Ron Gard and his achievements in sculpture and dedicated service for several years as treasurer of the organization.
Ron’s exquisite and exacting craftsmanship, along with his vast knowledge of materials and methods, is widely regarded and revered by CSI and his circle of peers.
Land Acknowledgement
The City of Chicago, and its surrounding areas, have always been and always will be, home to numerous Native American communities. As a team dedicated to the uplifting of Indigenous People's sovereignty everywhere, we recognize that each program and exhibition associated with this project is taking place on the traditional homelands of the Council of Three Fires - the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa - as well as the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk Nations. Further, we acknowledge that Chicago is home to one of the largest urban Native American communities in the US. We therefore invite each of our non-Indigenous colleagues to learn more about the forced removal of many of the communities listed above from the state of Illinois and to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into their line of work. To provide immediate assistance to Native American Communities in Chicago, you can send donations to the city's American Indian Center here
Cover image: Patience by Shencheng Xu, mixed media
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