Menas Gallery Chicago will be at the Hoffman Estates Zine Fest, Saturday, October 3rd, from 11:00am to 4:00pm. We’ll be selling copies of /mæn-ʌs/ A Chicago Art Zine and will be up to five issues by that time! The fest will be held at the Hoffman Estates Village Hall, 1900 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169.

No cost to attend, but bring money to purchase a zine and support our self-publishing culture here in the ‘burbs.

There are some well known zine fests in Chicago itself, but very few out in the suburbs. Anyway, it occurred to me that I could take a little bit of time (how’s that for optimistic) and plan a zine fest for the suburb I currently reside in, Downers Grove. There’s not a lot of culture here and not much for kids or alternative folks to do, so a zine fest might provide a few hours of fun for those inclined to come out for it.

The new issue of /mæn-ʌs/ A Chicago Art Zine (July 2026) is out and now in color! Looks pretty cool, if I do say so myself. Lots of interesting stuff this month: Petition - Rename Park #567; Feature Gallery; Harry Bouras drawing; Tunis Ponsen watercolor; Cadurcis Plantagenet Ream; Michiko Itatani print; Meet the artist Tim Reardon; Dredske’s Clusterfuk;  Naked Raygun and more!

There are Pros and Cons to buying art at auction. Pros include price transparency, access to more artworks, and perhaps get a deal. Cons include all the additional charges, Buyer’s fever, and the fact that the artist rarely benefits when a piece is sold at auction.

May Musings: Expo Chicago, /mæn-ʌs/ A Chicago Art Zine, Mike Cloud, Edgar Calel, Wright Plus 2026.

/mæn-ʌs/ A Chicago Art Zine Volume II, Issue 2, April 2026, is now available in the webshop and all the finest establishments. Meet Collector Susan Gescheidle; Poems by Kevin Coval; Chicago artists Daniel Wilson and David Alton; Pullman Arts, and more Chicago art, ephemera, art history.

Out in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, a hidden gem of a museum (heehee) awaits you. The Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art displays gemstones, new and old, with earth science exhibits and carved pieces of every size and color.

The Art Institute’s Chicago and Vicinity exhibitions supported the city's artistic community, gave it an artistic home, and connected it with the public. Such a shame the Art Institute no longer supports local artists in that manner.

What a way to start the New Year, as the second issue of /mæn-ʌs/ A Chicago Art Zine is now available for purchase in the website SHOP! Tony Fitzpatrick RIP; Was it something I said?; Chicago Art History: Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA); Gwendolyn Brooks Quote; Chicago Surrealist Art; Meet the Collector: Michael Esparza; Roger Brown ephemera, and so much more!

Since the 1940s, Surrealism has found a home in Chicago, both in the collections of our institutions and collectors, as well as among our homegrown artists.

Tony Fitzpatrick (November 24, 1958 – October 11, 2025) was an American artist, actor, and author. Fitzpatrick is best known for his prints and collage, which were often made up of multiple media. Tony was the author of books on his art and poetry. His artwork was exhibited in art galleries and museums across the United States.

The first issue of /mæn-ʌs/ Chicago Art Zine is now available in the shop! A lot of cool content - check out Tom Billings’ print; a Nelson Algren Quote; Carl Sandburg’s poem, FREE THE MAN IN THE BEAN!, and a whole lot more. We appreciate your consideration and request that you spread this news far and wide.

A Chicago Art Zine - Volume I, Issue 1 of /mæn-ʌs/ is coming! It’s planned to be a quarterly zine, published by Menas Gallery Chicago. The focus will be on Chicago art, artists, and art history, but we reserve the right to indulge ourselves as wanted or needed.

Chicago has a rich history of collage art, with examples spanning from early portrait collages to modern installations, and a vibrant community of contemporary collage artists. 

The exhibition catalog for “Alternative Spaces: A History in Chicago" (Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 1984) is a nice primer on the early alternative art spaces in Chicago and worth searching out.

Beauty is Embarrassing, a documentary about the artist Wayne White, is a fantastic movie, delving deeply into his art and personality, inspiring and well worth watching.

“Tony Tasset Better Me” is a wonderful primer of all things (most things? Some things?) Tony Tasset. Explanatory essays and an interview really give a good insight into his work and his way of looking at things.

Chicago Artist Colonies, by Keith M. Stolte, does a great job of reviewing Chicago’s art culture in the nineteenth century, the effect on it by the World’s Columbian Exposition, and the better known (at the time) artists, both local and those who had moved from elsewhere.

Short and easy read, highly recommended.

Anselm, a portrait of the German artist Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) is profound, moving, disturbing, and an overall look at the artist’s career without delving too deeply into the work or the man himself.

The Apostles of Humboldt Park (I, Apostle), is a beautiful book of poetry and collage by famed Chicago artist, Tony Fitzpatrick