ART ON THE MART 2024 HEADLINERS INCLUDE NEW COMMISSIONS BY INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS NORA TURATO AND YINKA ILORI

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — ART on THE MART, an innovative digital art project that transforms a Chicago architectural landmark into a larger-than-life canvas, announces its lineup for the 2024 seasons with new commissions by leading artists Nora Turato, Yinka Ilori, Cory Arcangel, and Brendan Fernandes, as well as a new collaboration with the Poetry Foundation. The year ahead also features the return of projections by the beloved Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 2023, in honor of its 5th anniversary, ART on THE MART announced Dr. Raphael Gygax as the first curator of digital art. The 2024 programming will reveal the inaugural projections from the partnership between Gygax and ART on THE MART while showcasing work by international, national artists, local institutions and artists.

ART on THE MART’s spring season (April 12—June 5) will kick off to coincide with EXPO Chicago’s 11^th edition (April 8—14) with a commission by internationally acclaimed artist Nora Turato. This new projection will explore contemporary society’s fixation with self-optimization while also continuing the artist’s exploration of language. On view alongside Turato’s work for the 2024 spring season will be the annual CPS projection (May 1—May 12) made in conjunction with the All-City Visual Arts program and featuring artwork by CPS seniors.

Two commissions by celebrated international artists will debut during the 2024 summer season (June 6—September 11). Launching during NeoCon, the world’s leading event for commercial and interior design (June 10—14), ART on THE MART will present a new immersive commission by the British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori, in partnership with Momentum Textiles + Wallcovering, exploring memories and mindfulness. During NeoCon, Ilori will also debut a new line of textiles together with Momentum Textiles + Wallcovering. A new commission by the esteemed post-conceptual artist Cory Arcangel, whose work considers the potential and failures of modern and historic digital technologies, will run coinciding Ilori’s. The much-admired ‘Pride’ and ‘Independence Day’ projections will also return for runs around these celebrated seasonal moments (June 13—July 7).

The fall season (September 12—November 20) will debut a new work by Chicago-based artist Brendan Fernandes that will explore the idea of decolonizing architecture across the Western world through the projection of “new” doorways and windows onto the façade of the building. This will be accompanied by a house music soundscape, turning the Riverwalk into a space to gather and dance. ART on THE MART will also initiate a unique partnership with the Poetry Foundation to present collaborations between poets and visual artists.

The winter season (November 21—December 30) will see a return of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago which celebrates the emerging and established talent coming from the beloved Chicago institution, internationally regarded as one of the top art and design schools in the world. Under the leadership of former ART on THE MART artist Jan Tichy, working together with Judd Morrissey and Austen Brown, faculty members in the Art & Technology / Sound Practices department, undergraduate and graduate students from the fall 2024 Digital Light Projections and Analog Synthesis courses will create new projections.

“This is the first year of our collaboration with Dr. Raphael Gygax, and we are thrilled to debut the work of international artists spanning the globe, as well as continuing our local partnership with Chicago institutions. This balance of programming ensures that we are both celebrating local talent while also bringing international talent to The MART and Chicago, which is core to our mission,” said Cynthia Noble, Executive Director of ART on THE MART. 

ART on THE MART can best be experienced from the jetty section of the Chicago Riverwalk on Wacker Drive between Wells Street and Franklin Street, where accompanying audio can also be heard. ART on THE MART is presented in collaboration with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and is complimentary to all viewers. Spring programming will be on view nightly at 8:30 p.m. from April 12 to June 5. Summer programming will premiere the evening of June 6 with a new start time of 9:00 p.m. on view through September 11. Fall and winter programming will begin at 7:30 p.m. from September 12 to December 30.

For more information, please visit artonthemart.com or follow #ARTonTHEMART.

About ART on THE MART
ART on THE MART, presented in partnership with Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), is an innovative digital art project that transforms a Chicago architectural landmark into a larger-than-life canvas, spanning over 2.5 acres of THE MART along the city’s Riverwalk. Founded in 2018, ART on THE MART is a platform for cutting-edge moving image work by renowned local, national and international interdisciplinary artists. Under the direction of Cynthia Noble, the program has commissioned work by celebrated names like Nick Cave, Barbara Kruger and Charles Atlas, along with projections by Chicago-based artists and local organizations that elevate voices and artists from underrepresented communities. 

The program is a result of a 30-year commitment by THE MART owner Vornado Realty Trust, in close collaboration with the City of Chicago, with a shared goal to provide public access to innovative contemporary digital art for thousands of visitors traversing the Chicago Riverwalk each day. The project marks the first time a projection of its size and scope is completely dedicated to digital art with no branding, sponsorship credits or messaging. The permanent projection system illuminates THE MART with 34 state-of-the-art projectors totaling almost one million lumens. The program content rotates seasonally and is selected with the assistance and expertise of the Curatorial Advisory Board, along with the support of a curator that was appointed in 2023.

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About THE MART
THE MART (formerly The Merchandise Mart), located in the center of the sought-after River North submarket, is interwoven into the fabric of Chicago as an innovator in business, technology, culture, art, media and more. As the largest privately owned commercial building in the United States, it is also one of the world’s leading commercial buildings, wholesale design centers and the preeminent international business location in Chicago. Encompassing 4.2 million gross square feet, THE MART spans two city blocks, rises 25 stories and is visited by an average of 30,000 people each business day and nearly 10 million people annually. Offering continuous innovation and creativity from leading manufacturers and design forward showrooms, THE MART serves as the home to Chicago’s most creative and technologically innovative companies including Motorola Mobility, 1871, PayPal and MATTER, as well as Fortune 500 companies ConAgra Brands, Allstate, Medline Industries, Beam Suntory, Avant and Grainger. For more information, visit themart.com.

About the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE)
The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. As a collaborative cultural presenter, arts funder and advocate for creative workers, our programs and events serve Chicagoans and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, downtown and in diverse communities across our city – to strengthen and celebrate Chicago. DCASE produces some of the city’s most iconic festivals, markets, events and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and in communities across the city – serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. The Department offers cultural grants and resources, manages public art, supports TV and film production and other creative industries, and permits special events throughout Chicago. For further details, visit Chicago.gov/DCASE and stay connected via newsletters and social media.

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