New exhibition explores Chicago's rich comics culture
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From "Linework." Photo: Courtesy of Cleve Carney Museum of Art
A new exhibition takes Chicago's rich comics history from the page and into the gallery.
The big picture: "Linework: Chicago Comics and Community" explores what makes Chicago such a creative center for contemporary comics and artists.
What to expect: The show at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA) in Glen Ellyn centers on "Linework," a comics anthology from the early 2000s.
- It serves as the foundation of the exhibit, displaying work by the Chicago artists and illustrators who contributed to the publication.
- Cartoonist, designer and Columbia College professor Ivan Brunetti launched "Linework" to showcase Columbia students and alumni.
- Brunetti's work regularly appears in The New Yorker and has been featured in the Chicago Reader, Spin and other publications.
What they're saying: "Linework became a gathering point for many of the most compelling voices in Chicago's comics scene," CCMA director and curator Justin Witte said in a press release.
- "Bringing together emerging and established artists, the publication fostered a period of creative exchange that reflected the diversity, experimentation and collaborative spirit of the city's alternative comics community."
Zoom in: Artists featured in the show include Nick Drnaso, whose "Sabrina" became the first graphic novel longlisted for the Booker Prize.
- Other artists include Keiler Roberts, whose autobiographical comics explore everyday life, Elias Gonzalez, who makes "funny" comics for "mature" readers, and Abby Jo Turner, who has contributed to animated shows like "Lazor Wulf."
If you go: The show opens with a free reception at 5:30pm Thursday. "Linework: Chicago Comics and Community" runs through Nov. 21 at the CCMA on the College of DuPage campus in Glen Ellyn.