Chicago-born architect Germane Barnes explores the connections between identity and the built environment—using research, design, and activism to mine the social and political agency of architecture and uncover the spatial histories and futures of Black self-determination.

Messenger of Salvation and Liberation showcases the visionary work of self-taught artist Purvis Young, who transformed discarded materials into vibrant narratives of resistance and redemption. Rooted in the streets of Overtown, Young’s paintings reflect the pain of systemic oppression and the hope of spiritual salvation. His signature imagery—processions of figures, angelic messengers, and urban landscapes—serves as a testament to resilience and community struggle. Drawing inspiration from history books, mural traditions, and everyday life, Young’s art is both a document of Black life in America and an urgent call for justice and renewal.

"Arthur Jafa: Works from the MCA Collection" offers an in-depth look into Jafa's artistic evolution over the past ten years. Key video works such as "APEX" (2013), "Love is the Message, The Message is Death" (2016), "The White Album" (2018), and "Akingdoncomethas" (2018) are featured, alongside select sculptural and photographic pieces. Jafa's innovative approach blurs the lines between popular and high culture, intertwining personal experiences with political commentary to explore the diverse realities of Black existence.

His gestural compositions invite viewers to engage with themes of friendship, cultural heritage, and the transmission of values across generations. Moses Salihou’s BOND series reflects on personal and collective memory through thick layers of oil paint, evoking the emotional depth of human relationships. Drawing from photographic references and lived experiences, Salihou’s figures are intentionally abstracted—allowing identity to remain fluid and open to interpretation. His compositions celebrate the ties that bind families and communities while highlighting the evolving nature of cultural heritage. Presented at EXPO CHICAGO, this exhibition marks an important milestone for both the artist and Tanya Weddemire Gallery, introducing Salihou’s dynamic practice to an international audience.

Unto Thee is constructed around several core collections Gates acquired during his tenure at the University of Chicago—glass lantern slides, display vitrines from the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures, paint-stained concrete, and wooden pews from Bond Chapel—all previously considered obsolete. In his installations at the Smart, Gates weaves these materials together with recent paintings, ceramics, film works, and furniture from the Johnson Publishing Company archive. The exhibition evokes Gates’s broader commitment: to cultivate things once discarded, activate memory through material, and connect art to South Side Chicago’s communities.

GLORY! GLORY! is an exhibition and public programming initiative organized by Pigment International that centers Black artistic interpretations of the U.S. flag. Through both representational and conceptual approaches, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on national symbolism, belonging, and civic participation. Featured artists include Robert Lewis Clark, Nate Austin, Scott Terry, Candace Hunter, Nnaemeka Ekwelum, and Paul Branton, alongside work by students from the Gary Comer Youth Center. The exhibition highlights intergenerational creativity and the enduring role of Black artists in shaping America’s visual and civic landscape. Opening Night takes place on Friday, February 20 from 7–10 PM, featuring artist meet-and-greet opportunities, interactive discussion, light refreshments, and spirit sampling. Public engagement prompts include: “What does the U.S. flag represent?”, “Share your voting story,” and “Register to vote.” Closing Night is scheduled for March 20. Registration is free via Eventbrite.

Volta Photo: Starring Sanlé Sory and the People of Bobo-Dioulasso in the Small but Musically Mighty Country of Burkina Faso featured photographs by Sanlé Sory, a Burkinabè photographer known for his studio portraits and images of nightlife, youth culture, and performance in Bobo-Dioulasso. Working primarily in black-and-white photography, Sory documented sitters posed with radios, telephones, motorbikes, record players, and painted backdrops, creating images that reflect both personal style and the broader energy of social change in post-independence Burkina Faso. The Art Institute of Chicago, 111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603. April 26, 2018 — Runs through August 19, 2018. The exhibition presented Sory’s work as both portraiture and historical record, showing how photography could function as a site of aspiration, performance, and self-definition. His images capture young people negotiating modernity through dress, pose, music, and attitude, while also preserving the atmosphere of a rapidly changing cultural moment. Installed as an immersive environment, Volta Photo extended beyond framed photographs to evoke the social world surrounding the studio itself. By linking photography with popular music and everyday objects, the exhibition emphasized how Sory’s practice documented not only individuals, but also a wider collective imagination shaped by independence, style, and possibility.

ReLeaf Print presents the outcomes of a community-based printmaking project developed in collaboration with artists Alexandra Antoine along with Rayshawn Nowlin, Saúl Aguirre, and Jesús Oviedo. Working through relief printmaking, the project invited North Lawndale residents to create prints inspired by artifacts and specimens from the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, linking nature, memory, and local cultural expression. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago, IL 60614. from October 11, 2025 to October 4, 2026.