Andrew Holmquist. Ten books in the conXion box set, offset printed books, 2014
Now in its second year, Chicago’s young art book fair has expanded for its latest iteration this weekend, spread across two days, at two sites, with two different focuses. Founded by designer Ria Roberts, Medium Cool is one of the most recent additions to Chicago’s literati culture of fairs, independent presses and book-minded artist projects.
Tomorrow, Saturday, August 9, from 11am to 8pm, Western Exhibitions in the West Loop will host a designed objects shop. Exhibitors from Chicago—such as the boutique Tusk and the Wicker Park gallery LVL3—will show alongside out-of-towners like the Welcome Workshop, a print studio in New York. On Sunday, August 10, from 10am to 8pm, the book fair returns to Prairie Production, the event hall that hosted Medium Cool last summer. Artists’ books from Western Exhibitions’ gallery roster, recent comics and other editioned works by Andrew Holmquist offered by Carrie Secrist Gallery, publications by the nomadic residency program Summer Forum and clever conceptual texts by Temporary Services are among the rare, unique and limited-edition projects that will be available. Objects at the pop-up shop at Western Exhibitions are priced from $10 to $500, and for books the following day, prices range from $5 to $50. (Matt Morris)
Western Exhibitions is located at 845 West Washington. Prairie Production is located at 1314 West Randolph.
