Absurdity: In DADA We Trust

Absurdity: In DADA We Trust

A Festival of Absurdity in a World Gone Mad

Summer 2023

Created in partnership with The Art Center Highland Park, Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art and Stola Contemporary Art.

Mission: Unifying Chicago and the surrounding cities through a common exhibition theme in order to bring arts organizations together, to build on our connections and community.

Theme: Dadaism was a movement with explicitly political overtones – a reaction to the senselessness of WWI. It essentially declared war against war, countering the absurdity of the establishment’s descent into chaos with its own kind of nonsense. Our version of Dadaism reignites the reaction to the political divisiveness, increased violence, and tensions within communities seen today through a similar lens of propaganda. Chicago is the perfect place to react and act.

Action: Each artist and/or institution will create either an exhibition or individual works of art (both for public outdoor spaces and indoor galleries) that address the definition of Absurdity. Galleries will act as separate entities with different iterations, curating their spaces how they see fit, from selected artists to call for entry exhibitions, as long as the focus revolves around the theme of absurdity. 

It starts now but there is no end date to join our collaboration: https://bit.ly/3j1ZKmR 

The collaboration continues up until Spring of 2024 (and maybe even beyond) when we hope to present our project! The goal is to  forge connections to break divisions in our city, in our country and in our world that are not a one time thing but last into the future!

WHATS HAPPENING:

This is a photograph showing many different people with the quote "no one is safe"
Sally Edelstein
  • The Art Center Highland Park- Caren Helene Rudman** Sally Edelstein guest juror/ featured artist-  June 23-August 5, 2023/ Opening Reception: June 23, 5:30-8:00pm
  • Stola Contemporary Art & Chicago Women’s Caucus for Art
    A painting of monkey covering it's ears while things are going on in the background. He is wearing a hat with a dart stuck in the middle of it, there is a bird with its beak stuck in a target board, and a fish swimming in the air behind it.
    Sandie Bacon

    – Kelly Mathews** Hosting Women’s Caucus for Art Members-  June 24-August 6, 2023 / Opening Reception: June 24, 5:00pm-8:00pm

  • Woman Made Gallery: 2150 S Canalport Ave, 4A-3, Chicago, IL
    A picture that is taking place in nature, with two girls sitting on a bench with a pink and green face mask on.
    Caroline Bick

    60608 – Juried by co-founders, Kelly P Hensen and Beate Minkovski ** July 22 – August 19, 2023/

    Opening Reception: July 22, 4:00-7:00pm https://womanmade.org/absurdity-in-dada-we-trust/

  • Alma Interiors- Kimberly Oliva curator- The Ocean Between VI- July 7- August 5 – curator: Marianna Buckwald, Cem Koc and Janet Trierweiler  
Metal sculpture entangled with many other little metal sculptures fused into it.
Franz Betz (Germany)
  • Evanston Art Center 1717 Central St. Evanston, IL 60201 -Paula Danoff- 2023 TBD 
  • Industry of the Ordinary -Adam Brooks and Mathew Wilson**  Chicago, IL 60640  June-August 2023 Artwork@The Art Center Highland Park
  • Beverly Arts Center: 2407 W. 111th Street, Chicago IL 60655- August 11 – September 8, 2023

Call for Artists – Absurdity: In Dada We Trust