DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT has a secret.
They’re not just a contemporary art gallery. They’re a contemporary art gallery with a photographic printmaking studio* in the back. And they’re not just a gallery-slash-print studio. They also have a sister gallery in Lisbon.
DOCUMENT’s international connection gives them a special angle on what’s happening with Contemporary art outside of The States, while their print studio connects them with local artists, putting them at a unique intersection between local and international art.
Geraldo de Barros, Untitled (Atelier Vieira da Silva, Paris) (above)
Victoria Fu, Installation View (below)
Images courtesy of DOCUMENT
About the art/ists
DOCUMENT used to primarily represent photographers, complimenting their photo printing studio (it’s really easy to get work to the gallery if it’s printed in the back room), but as the gallery grew, they expanded their roster of emerging artists to include a wider variety of media. While they represent sculptors, video artists, and performance artists, most of the work they show has some connection to photography and its expanded uses* in Contemporary art. Artists like Geraldo de Barros represent a more traditional photography practice, while Victoria Fu’s practice centers on light and color, and work by Julien Creuzet seems to diverge completely from a photographic focus.
*What exactly is a photographic printmaking studio?
I had this same question. They actually had to show me the studio space, watch me point at the printer and ask what it was for and then realize that the room is literally named after the function of the thing I was pointing at, before I understood. Basically, when an artist prints their work — physical copies of photographs, prints of paintings, etc. — they usually want something a little fancier than the CVS “prints ready in minutes” service. Photographic printmaking studios use the best of the best to make beautiful, museum-quality copies of their work.
It’s not like other galleries
Being an internationally-linked gallery, DOCUMENT’s artists have a serious geographic range – in addition to their artistic range, of course. DOCUMENT represents artists from Sao Paulo, to Paris, to the Netherlands, to Lithuania — with shows coming from an even longer list of international artists. During their 11 years in Chicago, they’ve gone from hanging work fresh off their printing studio presses, to hosting art that’s racked up enough miles to own the Delta SkyClub. Despite their ability to identify artists with international appeal, they don’t neglect our local stars, representing a number of artists living and working in Chicago.
The artists at DOCUMENT — while different in geography — are united by their connection to expanded photographic media and their willingness to engage with politicized social topics through their work. DOCUMENT’s shows aim to bring challenging work to the table, offering opportunities for people to reflect on artists’ interpretations of topics like sexuality, race, capitalism, identity, and their many intersections. You’ll always find thoughtfully crafted shows at DOCUMENT, where media and methods go hand in hand with investigative and critical practices.
*What are “expanded uses of photography”?
Ok, one term at a time. In art, “media” can mean a few things. It could be the plural form of “medium,” meaning the materials used to make an artwork. It could also refer to technology-based practices — video, photography, sound art, etc. DOCUMENT refers to the latter when describing their artists’ practices. To add to the confusion, they talk about “expanded uses” of media. This means that their artists aren’t necessarily producing traditional photography and might instead be using photographed images on a textile, or taking inspiration from photography techniques — like the deliberate consideration of light — when making a glass sculpture. If this is still confusing, think about “expanded uses of media” as artists using familiar technology in unexpected ways.
Inside the gallery
DOCUMENT is to the left of the stairs, at the far end of the hallway it shares with Western Exhibitions and Volume Gallery.
Once inside, take a left to find a list of works in the current show, the entrance to their print studio, and the door to the office, where you can say hi, ask questions, or tell them you’ll buy it all! Every last piece in the show!
It’s a one-room gallery, but don’t underestimate what they can do with the space. She’s little but she’s fierce, or whatever Shakespeare said!
DOCUMENT’s focus on emerging artists means the work you’ll find there is unlikely to be found in major museums or other art institutions…yet. Visit soon so you can say you were an original fan of the next art world celeb!
Julien Creuzet, Subjective heritage, there are unknown parts in us that isolate us a little more every day. (left)
Julien Creuzet, installation view (below)
Images courtesy of DOCUMENT
DOCUMENT shares a floor with Western Exhibitions, Volume Gallery, and David Salkin Creative, with Rhona Hoffman Gallery on the first floor. Call it a five-for-one deal!
New shows every six weeks
Visit DOCUMENT
1709 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Hours
Tuesday-Saturday
11 am–6 pm
How to get there:
Train & Bus
Take the Metra to Ashland & Cortland. Then, catch the southbound 9 Bus to Ashland & Chicago.