RECOMMENDED

Upon walking in the familiar glass doors of Rhona Hoffman Gallery, one might have the first impression that this will be a show with the usual cast of characters—not that one minds the usual cast of characters, but, well, you know… Beautiful and mysterious Robert Overby rubbings and a cast concrete door leans to the right. “Tree Dance” (1971) by Gordon Matta-Clark plays on a monitor straight ahead. New and fascinating terrain is revealed in the work of Mary Heilman, who pairs photographs with their re-writing in the form of geometric landscape designs read like blueprints for a more regular and orderly social space. Elsewhere, a gigantic woven plaid cube by Jim Isermann sits near colorful—and functional—stacked ceramic dishes and cups by Steve Keister. Venturing beyond a black curtain to the back room of the gallery, one can sit on the floor and watch four video works, including “Ziggurat (Believer)” (2006) and “Disappearer” (2005) by Laura Riboli. Both playfully propose poetic, and technically skillful, uses of everyday materials, while Jennifer West’s digitized 16mm films strongly evoke the ghost of Stan Brakhage as she colorizes and texturizes road-trip footage and a film of Led Zeppelin with such materials as lemon juice, honey, tumbleweed, tire treads, pine needles and energy pills. Overall, this show opens up unexpected new vistas in the minimalist/post-minimalist territory we may have thought we knew, breathing a fresh, stirring wind across the gridded fields. The attention given by curator Terry Meyers to women creating contemporary work in response to this history was particularly appreciated by this reviewer. (Michelle Tupko)

Through October 11 at Rhona Hoffman Gallery, 118 North Peoria, (312)455-1990