Lenin Del Sol

RECOMMENDED

Begun in 1913, the Gold Medal Show of the Palette and Chisel Academy has had some distinguished winners, two of whom, Victor Higgins and Rudolph Ingerle, can still be seen at the Art Institute. That was almost a century ago, and much has changed since then, but not the style of painting practiced at the Palette and Chisel. These local artists have no interest in the repressed psychic reality of living in America or the deep disturbance of our time. What the Hell is wrong with them? They just want to paint pretty pictures and, actually, regarding beautiful landscapes, they are not alone. Chicago galleries show several contemporary landscape painters, often of exceptional quality. But regarding the beautiful nude, the Palette and Chisel Gallery is in a world of its own. The figures by Judith McCabe Renner and Lenin Del Sol stand out, but this is also a good show for other traditional genres, notably the florals by Mary Qian and  Diane Rath, the portraits by Lawrence Paulsen and Clayton Beck,  and the still life by Helen Oh. (Chris Miller)

Through February 22 at Palette and Chisel Gallery, 1012 N. Dearborn