One of the most gifted and accomplished street photographers still plying the trade, Susan Aurinko exploits the possibilities of such subjects as multi-layered peeling wall posters and mannequins shot through shop windows to produce intriguing complex images—mainly in traditional black and white—that finely balance the aesthetic power of abstraction with political and cultural meaning. Whereas most wall and window photographers today go for bold color that heightens hype and emotion, Aurinko’s studies are muted and nuanced, making us explore details that escape us in ordinary perception, and impelling us into a meditative mood. Aurinko demonstrates that she can also be thoroughly postmodern with two digital color prints depicting advertising posters of sultry insouciant women that are suffused with reflections from the street. Here she also strikes a balance, this time between her native subtlety and the assertiveness of her medium. Whatever Aurinko does, there is always a play of opposites expressed in layered involvement. (Michael Weinstein)
Through April 15 at the Chicago Photography Center, 3301 N. Lincoln
Fleeing Desperation: A Review of Ada Trillo at Chicago Center for Photojournalism In this heartbreaking yet visually beautiful exhibition, Ada Trillo implicates herself within her subjects to shine a light on both the hope and the hopelessness of their lives. If you are not moved by these images, surely your heart is made of stone.
The Roots of Pride: A Review of Jerry Pritikin at The Chicago Center for Photojournalism The show “When Then Was Now” gives a glimpse of early LGBTQ+ life in San Francisco—Harvey Milk became mayor and gay activism was gaining momentum. Pritikin, a legend of reportage, takes us back to a time before AIDS reared its ugly head and shows us how the movement looked all those decades ago.
Home Is Where the Family Is: A Review of Chicago Chiquito at Bridgeport Art Center This small but significant exhibition shows the history of Chicago Chiquito, or little Chicago, the nickname given to La Hacienda, a small town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Its families have migrated north to find work for over one hundred years.
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