les dames noire • meet heejin koo

Born in Korea, Heejin (Jinny) Koo spent most of her childhood in Singapore. In 2007 she relocated to Chicago to attend the School of the Art Institute where she is currently a senior. As a student of painting, she has exhibited at the Portage ART space and the Sullivan Gallery.

My paintings explore the idea of existing and non-existing spaces-- where it is enough to express a stream of light with a stroke of thick paint or a line to divide the sky and the ground. I choose material and color depending on the intention and boldness of a stroke. I then edit out the unnecessary parts to simplify the intention of that stroke.

My art is a space, or place, where I can stay as a child, without the burden of reality or questions of the future. I play with the paint like I would play with building blocks. The blocks come together on the canvas as my version of a rocket ship that can take me to my destination, that space or place where I can revisit my childhood.

I paint to stay on track with reality, yet It is like a medicine I take to escape that reality.  

The Art in the Dark series continues at the RGB Lounge with a group show of superb female artist entitled Les Dames Noire. 

Anchored by 2006 SAIC alumna and prolific Chicago artist Kiwon Choi,  Les Dames Noire is intended to explore the dark spaces encountered in the experience of multi-media artists. Kiwon brings her extensive understanding of installation and curation to the lounge with live painting to the music of Lady D, the re-intallation "Cosmic Garden" (a ceiling and wall installation of vinyl flowers and LED lights), as well as an exhibition of current and new works.  

Joining Kiwon is soon to be SAIC graduate, Heejin Koo. Heejin brings with her work recently exhibited at the SAIC BFA show, as well as, recent works and live painting. We are also fortunate for  the short notice inclusion of Robin Monique Rios. Rios, a resident of the Zhou B Art Center will be exhibiting a portion of her Observation Series-- photo collages of X-rays and MRIs coupled with her own photography. Finally, we welcome Junko Kajino who will be screening a number of her film shorts. 

Art in the Dark is a series of art shows, installations and events that challenges the typical rules of engagement between art and viewer. Through the use of technical advancements in lighting, the art is immersed in varying combinations of red, green and blue light, animating and bringing the work into a new dimension with specific intent of being viewed in a darkened environment. 

Opening reception, Thursday, April 14th, 7 pm to 11 pm. RGB Lounge 1420 N. Milwaukee Av. Chicago, Il 60622 

Co-curated by Stuart Hall and Kiwon Choi

http://www.rgblounge.com/home/

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les dames noire • meet robin monique rios

Whether it’s x-rays or chessboards, Robin Monique Rios continues to impress and surprise anyone who views her art. After getting her start with photography, Robin has delved into digital mediums as her creative outlet. Using Photoshop like a painter uses canvas and a pallet of paint, Robin has created many thought provoking 2D and 3D works. With her ability to use her own images to create such pieces, she is not just a digital artist, but a Digital Painter. In 2003, Robin graduated from the Illinois Institute of Art, Chicago with a Bachelors degree of Fine Arts in Visual Communications.

"I begin and end with my own photography to create each piece. I add layer upon layer until I have reached my own desired imaging effects. I take great pride in my work as a digital artist and I challenge myself with every new piece as there are no short cuts to mastering one’s craft.”

Robin is a Chicago native and is the founder and director of 4Art Inc Gallery. She graduated with honors from the Illinois Insitute of Art, Chicago with a bachelors degree of Fine Arts in Visual Communication. Robin not only challenges herself through her art, but enjoys motivating other young artists and entrepreneurs to pursue their creative visions as well. Throughout her time as a gallery owner, Robin has worked hard in uniting the local gallery community in order to establish the now highly anticipated 3rd Fridays Gallery Night; a free monthly gallery and studio tour located in the internationally renowned Zhou B Art Center. Robin dedicates many hours to mentoring emerging artists and gallery owners by sharing her experiences and assisting them in their creative process.  With every passing year Robin watches with great pride as the arts community, where she has firmly planted her feet, continues to thrive.


"My hand will forever be held out to those who wish to take hold. Success doesn’t belong to just one." 

The Art in the Dark series continues at the RGB Lounge with a group show of superb female artist entitled Les Dames Noire. 

Anchored by 2006 SAIC alumna and prolific Chicago artist Kiwon Choi,  Les Dames Noire is intended to explore the dark spaces encountered in the experience of multi-media artists. Kiwon brings her extensive understanding of installation and curation to the lounge with live painting to the music of Lady D, the re-intallation "Cosmic Garden" (a ceiling and wall installation of vinyl flowers and LED lights), as well as an exhibition of current and new works.  

Joining Kiwon is soon to be SAIC graduate, Heejin Koo. Heejin brings with her work recently exhibited at the SAIC BFA show, as well as, recent works and live painting. We are also fortunate for  the short notice inclusion of Robin Monique Rios. Rios, a resident of the Zhou B Art Center will be exhibiting a portion of her Observation Series-- photo collages of X-rays and MRIs coupled with her own photography. Finally, we welcome Junko Kajino who will be screening a number of her film shorts. 

Art in the Dark is a series of art shows, installations and events that challenges the typical rules of engagement between art and viewer. Through the use of technical advancements in lighting, the art is immersed in varying combinations of red, green and blue light, animating and bringing the work into a new dimension with specific intent of being viewed in a darkened environment. 

Opening reception, Thursday, April 14th, 7 pm to 11 pm. RGB Lounge 1420 N. Milwaukee Av. Chicago, Il 60622 

Co-curated by Stuart Hall and Kiwon Choi

http://www.rgblounge.com/home/

tag you're, it!

overunder: Helping Hand

overunder: Helping Hand

pop up jazz

Jazz'n with the Chicago Loop Alliance in the Pop-Up Art Loop Galleries, as part the Miles Davis Festival Winter Gallery Walk. Listen to live jazz while viewing some amazing art! 

Wednesday, February 16 and March 16, in three locations - 

220 S Wabash, 205 S State & 310 S Michigan from 5-8 pm. 

Admission is free.

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art in the dark

RGB Lounge presents Ivan Garcia • Art in the Dark

As an exhibition of Abstract Surrealism, Garcia's art is animated by light and shadow breathing through the spectrum of RGB illumination. As an anti-gallery art show (anti-matter rather than against or opposed to) this production has been specifically designed to be viewed in a darkened environment. 

Ivan is a native of Mexico City and has resided in Chicago for six years. He began his artist's work in Chicago as part of the Flat Iron Artist's community in Wicker Park, and is a distinguished alumnus of that institution. He studied at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, in Mexico City and cites his influences as Wassily Kandynsky, Salvador Dali, Remedios Varo and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Garcia's curriculum vitae includes Art on Track '08 and '10, Chicago Loop Alliance's Pop Up Art Loop, as well as, group and solo shows at Quennect 4 and the Black Gate. He is currently an artist in residence at the Multi-Kulti creative use space in Chicago, Il.

Co-curated by RGB's Julie Braunstein and Stuart Hall of tag 2.0.

Opening reception Thursday, February 10, 1800 to 2100. Refreshments served.... music by The North (aka Snorre Sjønøst Henriksen)

RGB Lounge •  1420 N. Milwaukee Ave, • Chicago, Il • 60622

art in the dark

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aot... the final countdown

count down to art on track, the world's largest mobile exhibition of art, nears launch.


saturday morning, nearly 80 artists will converge on the chicago transit authority's midway terminus and commence converting an 8-car transit train into a moveable feast of visual, performance, fashion and sound art. upon completion of their tasks, the art and artists are to be piloted around downtown chicago's loop.


the accidental gallery welcomes some of chicago's best artists to train car #2. ray noland, slang jones and cta artist, joe nelson have graciously lent us their talents and produced some superb art for the advertising spaces and the ceiling of our car. isabella ng and carrie wong will engage riders and explore transit travel with a sound installation and performance art designed to simultaneously render time and space. artist rodney wade has consented to allow us to install two of his sculptural pieces and carolina i. reyes, ivan garcia and karen gagich will display traditional art media in a non traditional gallery sense. we also have some impressive window graphics provided by pieces of peace artist, misha esterkin and karen gagich. it promises to an art experience like none other.


tag would also like to acknowledge some of the organizations that have helped bring this piece of art history to fruition. blacksheep roar, llc and nic semanta have kindly provided their time and resources to production and wise counsel-- slangism.com blacksheeproar.com thank you, also to allen vandever for window graphics and insight sign company for our overhead graphics, and lastly sam hall's generous donation to itinerate artist brother.


the show is saturday, august 7 from 5 to 10 pm. boarding will be at the adams and wabash platform. admission is $10, however tag has a limited number of advanced sale tickets for $5.


hop onboard the art train.

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art on track-- the buzz is on and rush hour quickly approaches.

yes indeed ladies and gentlemen, t-minus 18 days until the launch of art train 2010 and the buzz is on. our websites have had hits from domestic cities-- philadelphia, washington d.c., new york and los angles, as well as international cities-- london, madrid, rio de janeiro, and sydney. we have also been featured in several local and national blogs, as well as, garnered a shout out in a london based art blog. we are indeed nationwide and going global! 

the accidental gallery's participation this year has taken on a grander scope than ever before. as a three year veteran of art on track, we have ceased mere site specific installations, as in years past, and graduated to the curation of an entire car. the nature of our art show has taken on the very characteristics of transit travel. it is liquid, it is movement, is that of constant change. daily evolution and persistent flux of concept, aside, we have finalized our roster, refined our vision and commenced mulling over installation requirements.

we have also managed to recruit a selection uber-talented artists, and have complied a suitable gamut of artistic disciplines. 

artists among the likes of slang jones, ray nolan, and rodney wade fill out our roster, along with cta graphic artist joe nelson. also recently acquired are saic alumnae, isabella ng, and local artist of renown, ennis martin. these new additions join artists carolina i. reyes, karen gagich (co-curator) and pop murals to complete our line up. performance art, sound installation, a three dimensional site specific sculpture, high end design/marketing/branding art and traditional media will all be part of this year's car.

sorry kids, if you, aint onboard by now you'll have to wait until next year! our call for artists is officially closed.

we also have unprecedented documentation this year. the gallery would like to welcome photographer, melissa gin as our official documentarian and elysabeth alfano, host of the wttv show fear no art.

art on track, the world's largest mobile art gallery, will be circling the loop from 5 to 10 pm, saturday,  aug. 7. discounted, advanced sale tickets are still available on the aot website www.artontrack.com. enter promotional code: AoTFriend.

get on board or be bored-- tag! you're it!