Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller - The Art Center-Highland Park

Installation View, The Art Center Highland Park

I was first introduced to the work of Sandro Miller while attending this year’s Member Show at The Arts Club of Chicago. I arrived early and was waiting for a friend, so I began to wander around the space. I found myself standing in front of a black and white photograph, gazing at an intense portrait of a man whose face displayed the lines and creases earned by years of lived experience. His expression conveyed both exhaustion and pain. I looked down at the label and found that the subject was actor Al Pacino. (The image can be found at the conclusion of this article)

Later, I came across a post in which Miller reflected on the image:

"Capturing legends on the fly! This candid black and white portrait of the iconic Al Pacino was taken just as he walked out the stage door after his performance in the 2012 Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross. Even in an impromptu moment, the raw emotion and presence shine through, showcasing the timeless power of photography." —Sandro Miller

That encounter stuck with me, so last weekend, I made a point of visiting The Art Center - Highland Park, to see Miller’s exhibition titled Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller.

The exhibition presents a beautifully curated portrait series featuring performers from the historic Steppenwolf Theatre Company. While the exhibition includes two expansive groupings of individual images as well as singular portraits, its centerpiece is a series of diptychs displayed throughout the main gallery. The evident collaborations between each uniquely theatrical subject and the gifted photographer result in the collection of compelling diptychs. Each pairing includes a bold black-and-white headshot, with a vibrant—and often playful—color image in which the actor engages with a large circular aperture set against a bold red backdrop. Together, the images reveal both the introspective and performative sides of the subject.

Installation View, The Art Center Highland Park

As I moved through the exhibition, a hypnotic French soundtrack drifted through the gallery, creating a cinematic atmosphere that somehow heightened the photographs’ dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The experience was immersive, intensifying Miller’s presentation of each individual subject.

At the entrance to the main gallery, a curator’s statement sets the tone for the exhibition with a thoughtful observation by TAC Manager, Caleb John Smith:

"...Miller captures humanity at its most animated; Steppenwolf 50 is an intimate look at the physicality of the contemporary actor through the eye of someone who sees them as they are: human, alive, and full of light."

Smith’s observation aptly describes the exhibition. While the photographs celebrate the actors as well as their abilities to perform, they are ultimately images of people—revealing vulnerability, confidence, and humor. The images present the existence between the artist’s public persona and the private self. Miller’s gift is his ability to unite the subject’s authentic humanity through stunning images of artistic beauty.

Steppenwolf 50: Through the Eye of Sandro Miller continues through June 13 at The Art Center - Highland Park. The Art Center is located at 1957 Sheridan Road, in Highland Park. Learn more at theartcenterhp.org

Sandro Miller, Al Pacino, New York City, 2012, Digital archival print, 17 x 22"

From The Arts Club of Chicago, 2026 Members Show

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Sandro Miller is a globally renowned photographic and video artist whose mastery of lighting and visual storytelling has shaped a distinguished career spanning 45 years. Based in Chicago, he has developed an approach that blends artistry with empathy, treating his subjects as collaborators rather than mere sitters. Drawing inspiration from legends like Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, and Sebastião Salgado, Miller absorbed the visual history of photography, building on these influences to create his expressive style.

Miller’s approach is rooted in collaboration and authenticity, emphasizing genuine emotional exchanges during portrait sessions. His skilful use of light and composition allows him to capture the essence of his subjects, revealing the truth behind their appearances. His work, whether in black and white or colour, digital or film, explores the deeper dialogues of contemporary life, transcending cultures and settings. His global reach, combined with his local roots, creates a dynamic, evolving body of work that reflects the complexities of human experience.

The Art Center Highland Park, a not-for-profit organization, is the North Shore’s home for artistic discovery and creative exploration. Through innovative programs, exhibitions, and classes designed for all levels and ages, The Art Center provides a welcoming space for our diverse communities to experience and participate in the arts.

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Susan Aurinko - Hofheimer Gallery

Susan Aurinko, Two and One, Paris, digital photography

A few months ago, I was asked to curate an exhibition of recent photographs produced by Susan Aurinko. Aurinko is known for her photographic self-portraits—the hazy reflection of self, amidst artifacts found in storefront windows throughout the world. The reflections—at times—quietly allude to an unknowing passerby, while other images only explore the abstract reflections glistening in the glass. 

In preparation for the exhibition, I reviewed more than three-hundred of Aurinko’s never-been-seen before images. The process was an ideal opportunity to delve into the artist’s evolving creative vision. What I found was an expanded concept of “reflection” referencing private moments of contemplation, introspection and meditation. But there was more.

Many of these images explore the geometry of life as visual vocabulary for these serene moments. Aurinko embraces line, shape, pattern and texture—the repetitive texture of foliage, the sparkling spray of water droplets, the unique patterns of dappled sunlight… all brilliantly presented in what becomes a significant flash in time. 

Susan Aurinko, Idyllique, Paris, digital photography

Aurinko captures these moments, causing us to stop and take notice—a reflecting pond distorting the ornate formality of a park setting; a sea of decorative statues randomly huddled together in a flea market; an aerial perspective of a sun-filled atrium producing shadows of unique shapes and patterns. These compositions force a glimpse into an actual reality which is typically missed. They remind us of the surrounding beauty—often neglected—in a hectic world.

Susan Aurinko, Café Society, Berlin, digital photography

The title of Susan Aurinko’s upcoming Hofheimer Gallery exhibition is europa europa—referencing the continent on which the work was created. The show will open this Friday, May 3—with a reception for the artist—and continue through May 30, 2019. The reception runs from 5 to 8pm. 

The Hofheimer Gallery is located at 4823 North Damen—on the north side of Chicago in the Ravenswood area. The gallery is dedicated to introducing contemporary fine art in painting, drawing and sculpture from established and emerging artists. Through the year, the Hofheimer Gallery will feature provocative, engaging, solo and group exhibitions.

Susan Aurinko, Selbst, Vienna, digital photography

I will be joining Susan Aurinko at Hofheimer Gallery for an artist talk on Saturday, May 18 from 2-4pm. Please join us for a relaxed discussion about the artist and this wonderful collection of imagery.


SUSAN AURINKO, a photographer and curator, has shown her work in solo exhibitions in France, Italy, and India, as well as in the US. Her exhibition about India, entitled STILL POINT INDIA, opened at Kriti Gallery in Varanasi, India in February 2013, is touring India’s largest cities, and is now available as a book, STILL POINT INDIA, the cover image for which won both a Jury Award and a Public Choice award from Px3 in Paris. Aurinko’s work appears on several book covers, including The Stranger Among Us, Ariel, Scar Tissue, and Slut Lullabies, in the US and UK, and four of her photographs are included in the Museum of Contemporary Photography’s permanent collection. Her photographs hang in private collections in France, Italy, India, Monaco, the UK, and the US. Aurinko is on the Advisory Committees of the International Photography Awards (Lucie Awards) and has been an IPA and Px3 Juror for several years and is on the Advisory Board for Filter Photo Festival.

Aurinko’s preview exhibition for her series SEARCHING FOR JEHANNE –The Joan of Arc Project, at Takohl Gallery in Chicago, was named among THE FIVE BEST PHOTOGRAPHY SHOWS OF 2014, by New City Magazine.

As a curator, Aurinko has created over 250 exhibitions, both at FLATFILEgalleries, the gallery she founded and directed for 9 years, and in a variety of other gallery and museum venues, including IIT and CAC, and exhibitions for both the Japanese and Danish governments. She has led workshops for photographers and artists in the US, Canada, and India. Aurinko is on the Boards of Directors of Universe of Poetry, Chicago Artists Coalition, Apprentice Lab, and the Advisory Board for Chicago Photography Center, for whom she also curated the gallery’s 11 annual exhibitions from 2010 until 2013. Aurinko is also the founder of the f8collective. Aurinko is represented by HILTON/ASMUS FOTO in Chicago and Kriti Gallery in Varanasi, India.

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Maggie Meiners ~ ...Day to Day Life

Maggie Meiners, "Great Grandmum"

There are just a few days left to see the Maggie Meiners exhibition, "Vignettes of Day to Day Life", at ZIA Gallery in Winettka. The show presents a series of compositionally-exciting unconventional portraits observed from Meiners' everyday life. The images are large, creating strong visual impact. Meiners' defines the work on her newly-revised web site and I've included it—in part—here...

Every person has aspects of their life that they would prefer to deny or disguise. Here, each vignette is filled with the accoutrements of my day-to-day life. While I greatly admire the works of Cindy Sherman and Tina Barney, I have chosen to capture the events around me as they happen, rather than setting a stage or directing. These works remain personal observations commenting on my own life story, while nodding toward the multiplicities that comprise the totality of every human experience.

As an artist in an unexpected socio-economic construct, I have found that my journey and those of my peers, is no different than those who may be from a different demographic.  Looking clearly and unapologetically at these various roles has afforded me a larger view of the human condition; and an awareness of the self we expose and the self we keep private.

Don't miss this exhibition. "Vignettes of Day to Day Life" continues at ZIA Gallery through July 28th. ZIA Gallery is located at 548 Chestnut Street in Winnetka, IL. The gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10-5. Additional work by Maggie Meiners can be seen at: maggiemeiners.com

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Ken Konchel ~ Gallery 180

Ken Konchel, Serpentine

Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago presents the black and white, architectural photography of St. Louis Artist, Ken Konchel. His abstracted imagery presents an alternative view of the man-made structures that surround us. Konchel explores his surroundings and—through composition, light and line—presents exciting imagery that defines the expressive power of buildings. For Konchel, a successful image removes the context and distills architecture to nothing but relationships of shape, line, pattern, detail, tonality, and/or surface. Konchel explains:

“Architecture forms the physical environment of our lives. It connects us to the past, it helps define our relationships to one another, and it gives us a sense of place and identity. Architecture also embodies our values and expresses our individual and collective aspirations. And most importantly, architecture enhances and advances our creative legacy. Yet something so integral to the sense of who we are—something that contributes immeasurably to our quality of life—is often dismissed as mundane, taken for granted, or at worst ignored. My ambition is to raise awareness of, and appreciation for, architecture by presenting it as engaging and dynamic geometric arrangements and interactions.”

The photography of Ken Konchel will be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago through May 3. An Opening Reception will take place on Friday, March 16 from 5:30-7:30 pm. This exhibition is free and open to the public. All works are available for purchase. Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. Additional information can be found at gallery180.com.

Additional imagery can be found on Konchels website at: kenkonchelphoto.com

Ken Konchel has won 67 awards including second place at the Photo 2009 Black & White Classic Juried Photography Show at Brush Art Gallery & Studios in Lowell, Massachusetts, best of show at the Birmingham, Michigan Art in the Park, second place in photography at The Sausalito Art Fair, first place in photography at the Armonk New York Outdoor Art Fair, award winner at the Milwaukee Lakefront Festival of Arts, best of two dimensional media at the Chicago Old Town Art Fair, award winner at The Kansas City Artists Coalition’s River Market Regional Exhibition, first place at the Denver Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and award winner at the Kansas City Plaza Art Fair.

His work has been reviewed or cited in the Chicago Newcity Art Magazine, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on twelve occasions, the St. Louis Riverfront Times on four occasions, and the Kansas City Star on three occasions. His photography has been included in the books St. Louis Seen and Unseen, St. Louis: Landmarks & Historic Districts, and St. Louis for the Record.
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Ted Preuss ~ human

Image: Ted Preuss, "Recline", Silver Gelatin Print, 17" x 22", edition of 10

One of the amazing artists, selected to exhibit at the upcoming "human" exhibition, soon to be presented at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is photographer, Ted Preuss. Preuss, a Colorado native, is currently living and working in Chicago. His work is not new to me. I've followed his career for the past six or eight years. His imagery has always been tasteful and exquisitely elegant. Three pieces will be included in the exhibition. Preuss defines his work:

The subject matter in which I photograph is not unique. It is what captures my mind’s eye and imagination. As an artist, I have always been interested in the human form and its many interpretations. I believe there is something inherently beautiful about the human body.

Through my lens I seek to capture the elegance and natural beauty of the female form, yet secretly wishing to leave traces of their identity forever. My images are studies in light and form, which blend formal and sensual qualities, radiating the individuality of my subjects through their emotion-laced gestures. Consequently the images I have captured have a warmth inner beauty with a poetic and distinct elegance.

Join us for "human", which opens to previews on January 16th. An opening reception is scheduled for Friday, January 20th from 5:30-7:30. The "human" exhibition is a national juried exhibition benefiting Heartland Alliance. Commissions from the sale of work, will be donated directly to Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, which provides life changing opportunities to people who are homeless, seeking safety or living in poverty.

Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash—at the corner of Lake and Wabash—in Chicago’s Loop. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8am-8pm, Friday 8am-5:30pm and Saturday 9am-5pm. Additional information can be found at gallery180.com. Other work by Ted Preuss can be found at: preussphotography.com

Ted Preuss, a self-taught photographer, was born in Colorado in 1962. He picked up his first camera at the age of seven and instantly became obsessed with the nature of the medium. His passion for photography led to a career as a freelance architectural photographer for a decade in Boston and San Francisco. Today his work is primarily fine art B&W photography using vintage view camera with century old lenses. The process of making prints is as important to him as the practice of creating photographs. Preuss chose hand coated platinum-palladium as a medium for its distinct vintage quality and archival properties. His work been featured in Zoom Magazine, Focus Magazine, and Large Format Magazine.
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The Opening of Filter Photo Festival at Gallery 180

The Filter Photo Festival opens tomorrow with an evening reception at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. The exhibition—presenting the photography of Chris Raecker and the sculpture of Audry Cramblit—opened on September 5th and continues through November 3rd. This second reception is scheduled for tomorrow… Wednesday, October 12 from 5-6:30. Gallery 180 is located at 180 N. Wabash in Chicago’s Loop.

Image: Chris Raecker, Time to Go

A little back ground about The Filter Photo Festival... from the web site:

Filter is an organization dedicated to producing the Midwest’s premier photography event, the annual Filter Photo Festival. The Festival’s ongoing mission is to connect emerging, mid-level, and professional photographers from across the country with gallerists, educators, curators, editors, and other elite photo professionals, focusing particularly on those of the Midwest.
Filter’s goal is to not only facilitate a dialogue between members of the burgeoning Midwestern photo community, but also to extend this dialogue beyond to the north, south, and both coasts.

The 2011 Festival will take place from October 12th-16th during Chicago Artists Month, and programming will encompass a variety of events, including workshops, lectures, tours, panel discussions, networking events, and of course the portfolio reviews that remain at the heart of the Festival. The majority of our events will take place in Chicago’s downtown Loop, a vital metropolitan area famous for its world-class cultural institutions.

We are proud to be offering private tours of both the Museum of Contemporary Photography and the Art Institute of Chicago’s respective collections, and to be working with Columbia College and the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago to co-host some of our events.
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Debbie Yost ~ photo '11

Debbie Yost is relatively new to the world of fine art photography, yet her work is stunningly beautiful and sophisticatedly consistent. Yost presents the beauty of fresh frozen plant life trapped in a geometric crystallization of ice. The imagery brings to mind our youth-obsessed culture with its fears of the aging process and its preoccupation with Botox. The budding artist freezes her subjects before the wilting and imperfections begin. Yost's doesn't make reference to the use of metaphor, Instead, she focuses her comments on the visual aesthetic created by the natural and reoccurring patterns found within the imagery. Yost explains:

My inspiration for this series comes from the photographic work of Karl Blossfeldt (Urformen Der Kunst), as well as the work of Edward Weston, and the allure of nature itself. I’m interested in the variety of forms, details and patterns naturally occurring in all botanicals and organics. The intricate detail within the structure of plants is captivating, providing an abstract view of nature through the repetition of shapes and patterns. I’m inspired to investigate this diverse but orderly world that sometimes goes unnoticed or taken for granted. Plants should be valued for their aesthetic, architectural structures, and my photographs depict the appearance of these structural elements. They are displayed in ice. With the density, opacity and texture both on the interior and on its surface, ice provides an interesting medium within which to observe the plants. Furthermore, the division of space, light and shadow accentuates nature’s details, while the silhouettes highlight the structure and texture. The detail present in these organic forms ultimately reveals the fundamental structure of the natural world.

Yost is one of ten artist exhibiting in photo '11 at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Commissions from sales will benefit Heartland Alliance in their Human Rights efforts. The entire exhibition can be seen at gallery180.com The exhibition continues through March 3rd.



Images:
[top] Sunflowers in Ice
Silver Gelatin Print, edition of 20, 12.5” x 10", 2009

[above] Anthurium in Ice
Silver Gelatin Print, edition of 20, 12.5” x 10", 2009
Crabapples in Ice
Silver Gelatin Print, edition of 20, 12.5” x 10", 2009

Each image is available for $400.
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Filter Photo Festival

What a wonderful idea...

With a mission to bring fine art, commercial and documentary photographers together with some of the Midwest's top gallerists, photo editors, educators, and curators, Chicago's Filter Photo Festival will take place this October 6-10th at the Chicago Photography Center. Included in this year's event are workshops, exhibitions and lectures with world-renowned photographers. Also included is a portfolio review segment where photographers have an opportunity to meet face-to-face with educators, photo editors and curators, for feedback. The reviews are scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 9th and Sunday, October 10th from 9 am – 5 pm. Participants can sign up for either 4 or 8, twenty minute reviews to receive candid advice about their work, as well as tips for getting photographs published and exhibited.

On Sunday, October 10th, I will be participating as a reviewer.

The Filter Photo Festival will be held at The Chicago Photography Center, located at 3301 North Lincoln Avenue. Find more information on this event at chicagophoto.org
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Call for Work: photo'11

Following is a link to the prospectus for the upcoming photo‘11 Exhibition. If you are not working with photography, or using photographic content within your work, please pass this information on to someone who may be interested.

photo‘11 is a National Juried Exhibition of work using photography or photographic content for its creation. The exhibition will run from January 17 through March 3 with an opening reception on Friday, January 17th.

This call for work can include everything from traditional to experimental imagery but all must be original. Each artist may submit up to 3 images for consideration. A $30 entry fee is required. The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago will present at least one Purchase Award, with the acquired piece being added to the school’s fine art collection. All imagery selected for the exhibition will be included in a printed exhibition catalog.

Submissions must be received by the end of day November 5, 2010.

The Important Part:
Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is supportive of working artists as well as the community at large. With the intent of promoting individual artists and supporting charitable organizations, Gallery 180 will be donating their portion of the commission split to Heartland Alliance for their Human Rights effort. The exhibition will be highly publicized and multiple sales will be encouraged.

You can download the prospectus from the gallery 180 home page at: gallery180.com

Image, from the Fine Art Collection of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago:
Sarah Hadley, "Loss" photograph, 13" x 19"

Jon W. Balke... In the Absence of Color

I work downtown in Chicago’s Loop, just steps away from Millennium Park, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The Chicago Cultural Center. Occasionally before classes—or when I just want to clear my head—I’ll walk over the Cultural Center and explore the latest exhibit. Today was one of those days.

The Cultural Center usually presents a number of wonderful exhibitions. One of the exhibitions—currently on exhibit—is a show of brilliantly rich black & white photographs which can be found in the Renaissance Court Gallery. The show titled “In the Absence of Color”, is the work of the self-taught photographer, Jon W. Balke. Balke creates environmental images with a large format camera and develops the prints in his darkroom using the traditional silver gelatin process. Balke’s black & white prints capture the natural world with amazing lighting and force the viewer to explore the elements of texture, line, surface, and pattern. The above image, "Peeling Paint" is one of the more abstract images in the exhibition. Many of the pieces are direct nature studies.


From the materials that I read while in the gallery, Balke studied darkroom techniques with Ansel Adams & John Sexton, and photographic composition with Willard Clay. If you have an opportunity to visit this show, you will not be disappointed. The imagery is really quite wonderful. The show continues through March 21st. The Chicago Cultural Center is located at 78 E. Washington Street in Chicago. You can also review Balke’s work on line at: balkephotography.com

...Enjoy.

Ken Konchel... Graphically Beautiful

When selling art, if the patron is “on the fence” about the purchase, I’ll suggest that they go home. I tell them that if they’re still thinking about the piece the next day—or a week later—then they probably need to make the purchase. I’m one of those people who purchase work because it moves me… not really knowing where it will eventually live.

A few years back, I produced an exhibition for photographer, Ken Konchel at Gallery 350 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Konchel’s work was—and continues to be—a beautiful presentation of graphic black and white photographic abstraction created from architecture. From Konchel’s web site:

"My aim is to photograph buildings in arresting ways, creating compositions that do not immediately reveal themselves as architecture. Buildings present rich opportunities for me to imaginatively explore the angle, the cube, the curve, the triangle, and the rectangle. By examining these forms individually or by grouping them into unconventional configurations, I aspire to challenge and captivate people by introducing them to architecture’s intriguing visual possibilities. I strive to take photographs that disclose their content in layers of meaning that more richly reward with repeated viewings."

Well the reason I bring this up is that I purchased one of the pieces from that exhibition… The piece, titled “Beam”, is dated 2003. The image is of the ceiling of Windhover Hall, a ninety-foot high glass-walled reception area at the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Quadracci Pavillion. The photograph has been leaning against the wall on my living room for the past few years. It’s a relatively large piece—framed to 30 x 36”— so I’ve been looking for the perfect placement… I found it. Today, I hung the work in our freshly painted office. The contrast of the steel blue walls and the forms created by the flanking window blinds—which obviously mimic the image—create the perfect environment for Konchel's tranquil composition.

You can find other work by Ken Konchel at: kenkonchelphoto.com. Check it out… his work is quite amazing.