Exhibition Text

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ANDREW RAFACZ is pleased to announce Winter Romance, an exhibition of painting and sculpture in Gallery One curated by Andrew Rafacz and Nataliya Kotlova.

Chicago, IL, January 20, 2018 – ANDREW RAFACZ begins 2018 with Winter Romance, a group exhibition of painting and sculpture by Mel Cook, Matthew Hilshorst, Alejandro Jimenez Flores, Ignacio Maria Manrique, Kailyn Perry, Alex Peyton-Levine, Dan Rizzo-Orr, Mindy Rose Schwartz, Jenn Smith, Cody Tumblin, and Ryan M Pfeiffer + Rebecca Walz. The exhibition continues through Saturday, February 24, 2018.

Winter Romance focuses on notions of romance, or the Romantic, and what it means to make art in a dark time.

Amidst the gloom and cold of the winter months, how can one harness hope and affection within isolation? Exploring an array of responses to this question, the works in Winter Romance employ wit and mystery within a range of diverse material considerations. Using romance as a means of comfort, affection, and companionship these artists present the different levels of romanticism in art making. Winter Romance explores dreamy spaces, warm gestures, and intentionality as a trenchant rebuttal to the dreary winter in Chicago.

Would you love me through the winter?

MEL COOK (American, b. 1986) lives and works in Chicago, IL. She received her MFA from Illinois State University in 2012, and her BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2009.

MATTHEW HILSHORST (American, b. 1979) lives and works in Chicago, IL. He received his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and his BFA from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis/St. Paul.

ALEJANDRO JIMENEZ FLORES (Mexican, b. 1989) lives and works in Chicago, IL. They received a BFA in Studio Arts from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2012 & a very minor in Poetry from School of Poetics in Marseille France in 2013.

IGNACIO MARIA MANRIQUE (Colombian, b. 1987) lives and works in Chicago, IL. He received his MFA in 2017 and BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2014.

KAILYN PERRY (American, b. 1990) lives and works in Chicago, IL. She received her BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2013.

ALEX PEYTON LEVINE (American) lives and works in Chicago, IL. She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017, and her BFA from the University of Oregon in 2011.

DAN RIZZO-ORR (American, b. 1989) lives and works in Chicago, IL. He received his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013.

MINDY ROSE SCHWARTZ (American) lives and works in Chicago, IL. She received her MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1996 and her BFA at the University of Illinois at Urbana in 1985.

JENN SMITH (American, b. 1979) lives and works in Chicago, IL. She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016, and her BS at Illinois State University in 2001.

CODY TUMBLIN (American, b. 1991) lives and works in Chicago, IL. He received his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013.

RYAN M PFEIFFER + REBECCA WALZ Ryan M. Pfeiffer (American) received his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012. Rebecca Walz (American) received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2012, and her BFA from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They have been collaborating since 2014, and live and work in Chicago.

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