The Hyde Park Art Center, located at 5020 S. Cornell Ave., is set to open a new exhibition on October 12 featuring the works of interdisciplinary artist Cecilia Beaven. Hailing from Mexico City, Beaven’s exhibition titled „Flickering Cocoon“ will showcase large graphic wall paintings, drawings, small sculptures, and a temporary mural. These works will present mystical environments and narratives that highlight the women-centered worlds Beaven has been crafting for the past five years. Running until April 6, this exhibition at HPAC is a companion to Beaven’s concurrent show, „Semilla,“ at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.
Cecilia Beaven, known for painting murals all over the world, including on the border wall between Mexico and the United States, was also a 2021 Radicle Studio Resident at HPAC. On October 26, HPAC will debut another exhibition titled „Positions: New Landscapes,“ a group show that explores the potential of landscape in contemporary art to spark conversations about history, belonging, environmental justice, and stewardship. Running until February 23, this exhibition will feature the work of artists Lydia Cheshewalla, Kelly Kristin Jones, Norman Long, Elsa Muñoz, zakkiyyah najeebah dumas o’neal, and Leticia Pardo, using mediums such as painting, sculpture, photography, sound, and installations to reinvent the traditional genre of landscape.
Moving on to the Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society at 5701 S. Woodlawn Ave., the upcoming exhibition „Mascon: A Massive Concentration of Black Experiential Energy“ by the London-based Otolith Group will be on display from September 27 to January 10. This immersive analysis of Senegalese film will use moving images and sound from the films of directors Ousmane Sembene and Djibril Diop Mambety to explore the themes of „Black experiential energy“ or „Mascon.“ Founded in 2002 by British artists Kodwo Eshun and Anjalika Sagar, the Otolith Group focuses on auditory and sensory processes in their art, with their work being featured in prestigious institutions around the world.
At the Renaissance Society located at 5811 S. Ellis Ave., the solo show „Humanities“ by French-Algerian artist Neïl Beloufa will run from October 4 to January 19. This multimedia exhibition will feature computer-generated works that focus on visitors as individual storytellers in building their own success story. Beloufa’s work challenges moral judgment, cultural cynicism, and power structures through film, sculpture, installation, and illustration, exploring the reality of everyday life and home technology.
Lastly, the Smart Museum of Art at 5550 S. Greenwood Ave. will reopen in time for its 50th anniversary on September 24 with two exhibitions. The first exhibition, „Give the Drummer Some!“ by South Side artist and designer Robert Earl Paige, will be a multi-part pattern-based installation inviting the community into the museum for a collective experience of space. Rooted in Paige’s decades as an interdisciplinary artist and designer, this exhibition blurs the line between fine art and craft, fostering a shared sense of belonging. The second exhibition, „The 50th: An Anniversary Exhibition,“ will explore the museum’s evolution since its opening in 1974, tracing its history and impact on the art world.
In conclusion, the art scene in Hyde Park is vibrant and diverse, with institutions like the Hyde Park Art Center, Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, Renaissance Society, and Smart Museum of Art offering a range of exhibitions that showcase the talent and creativity of artists from around the world. These exhibitions provide a platform for artists to explore important themes, spark conversations, and engage with the community, making Hyde Park a hub for contemporary art and culture.
