If the crowds at opening night of SOFA Chicago were any indication, the economy is well on its way to a full recovery. SOFA, which stands for Sculpture, Object, and Functional Art is the annual showcase for some of the best artists in the world. Its focus is on 3 dimensional art, as opposed to painting, drawing, photography, etc. The show is somewhat smaller this year, 70 galleries, down from 100 last year, but no less compelling or fulfilling. If anything fewer galleries means more space to showcase the work. Things don't have quite as much of a cramped feeling as in years past. It's easier to focus on the piece at hand without something else invading its space. That said, there's still an incredible amount of work to see.

 

The work is decidedly contemporary- no Ruebenesque statues or Mayan pottery here. Glass, ceramics, wood, just about any material available for creative transformation are here in a stunning variety of forms, shapes, and textures. Every year the show seems to raise the bar for artistic achievement. Just when you think you've seen it all...... 

 

In a way, it's a very life affirming and uplifting experience. We live in an age of extreme mass production of often shoddy and poorly made construction. Handcrafted objects, whether they be purely functional like salad bowls and flower pots or finely honed art pieces, are becoming increasingly rare. The incredible talents and skills the SOFA artists display are testaments to the true enduring value of art. These are very hard working dedicated people who have an obvious love and respect for their mediums. You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices when they talk about their work, the pride and sometimes almost astonishment that they've created something unique and beautiful. Having been an artist myself for over 30 years I can relate directly to that feeling.

 

Beauty is in the eye, of course, and not everything is equally appealing. As in any contemporary show, there is a smattering of pretentious art-speak and mile-wide-inch-deep self importance, but that's okay. It just makes the good stuff look even better. IMHO, of course. My contemptuous drivel may be your Best Thing Ever.

 

The show is more than just the artwork. There are a number of lectures and workshops and daily demonstrations of glass blowing and woodturning. The woodturning demos in particular feature some of the best and most famous woodturners in the world. If you're an aspiring glass or wood artist, these demos are a must see.

 

The $15.00 daily admission includes all these events and is a real bargain. Plan on spending much of the day if you want to really see everything. You could probably zip through it in an hour or 2 but you would miss out on a lot. The vast array of such divergent art forms is mind boggling and can result in sensory overload if you're not careful. An occasional break away from it can help clear your mind a bit and let you refocus.

 

If I sound like a big fan of this show, I am. It fits right in with my feelings about art and serves as a tremendous inspiration for me to improve on my own work. Even if you're not an artist, you can benefit from the experience. Just being around all that creativity has to have a possitive effect.

 

SOFA Chicago is at Navy Pier now through Sunday, Nov. 8th. Daily admission is $15.00 and a catalog is available. For more info go to sofaexpo.com.

 

When Alan isn't raving about art shows, he designs and makes sculptural objects at alancarterstudio.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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