Small Treasures

I discovered some treasures in Chicago. New artists and new galleries for me.

The first was found "upstairs" at Art Chicago. I was only able to spend a few hours at Art Chicago. The fair felt more cramped, most likely because of the lower ceilings and traditional booths that created a mall-like feeling. Tucked away in a corner of a booth shared by Galerie Anita Beckers (one of my favorites) and Galerie Martina Detterer, both from Frankfurt, Germany, were these...

Tossed into the corner like empties at a frat party, these life size gems by Lei Xue attracted a lot of smiles and snickers. Beautifully executed, the artist must sculpt the cans larger than life because they shrink when fired. Applied to the cans are traditional Chinese motifs and colors. Each "can" cost $2,000. The artist made 100 of them. These are the last available and no more are planned. Each can is unique.

Lei Xue, Drinking Tea, 2004-2008, bone china