Abelardo Morell @ Art Institute of Chicago

[Richard Wasserman]

The Art Institute of Chicago has put on a retrospective show of Abelardo Morell's work from the last 25 years. It runs until September, 2 in both the downstairs and New Wing photo galleries. It will then travel to the Getty in LA from 10/1-1/5 2014 and the High Museum in Atlanta from 2/22-5/18, 2014. DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!!! It left me speechless.....

I was not familiar with all that he has done. I was aware of the camera obscura work, but not the older things he did at home while taking care of his 2 young children. They are astounding. As nice as the catalog for the show is, the prints themselves need to be seen. He photographed the simplest things—glasses, toys, pencils, and transformed them into another realm. His homage to Ansel Adams created with a kitchen pot with water pouring out of it is a wonder. The exhibit is aptly named The Universe Next Door (from an E. E. Cummings poem). He is currently working with a camera obscura that projects images on the ground which he then photographs in color. They are pointilistic and complex.

I don't have the words to do this show justice. Get yourself to the Art Institute, you will not be disappointed. http://www.artic.edu/exhibition/abel...erse-next-door

[Mark Sampson]

Agreed. I saw his work, and heard him speak, at the George Eastman House a few years back. Remarkable work and an inspirational speaker.