Chicago's MDW Fall showcase is the second presentation in the past seven months of the loosely structured art fair and projects organized by Illinois non-profits Threewalls, Roots and Culture, and the Public Media Institute.  An even mix of performative pieces, non-commercial installation, small presses and cleanly presented 2 and 3D works for sale, the quality of the art was consistently high, while approach and project goals varied. The fair, which ran concurrently (although separated by floor) with the Hand in Glove conference on DIY arts organization, alternative funding and sustainability, encouraged networking and camaraderie, while building steam to perhaps become a destination for savvy collectors interested in work by emerging artists. The fair featured many amazing galleries, including Nudashank, run by our Baltimore contributor, Alex Ebstein. Pictures after the jump!

Steven Ruiz covered the fair for Artslant, a link can be found here: http://www.artslant.com/chi/articles/picklist#p28480

Paul Nudd, Western Exhibitions' Booth at MDW

Galleries at the showcase included: 2612 Space | 65GRAND | ACRE | Alderman Exhibitions | antenna | ANTIDOTE | Bad at Sports | Chicago Artists Coalition | BOLT Residency | Chicago Urban Arts | DEFIBRILLATOR | Devening Projects + Editions | Document | Drawn Lots | Green Gallery | Happy Collaborationists | Harold Arts | High Concept Lab | The Hills | Hinge Gallery | Hungryman | Iceberg Projects | Itsa_pony | LVL3 | Trevor Martin
n | Abr Gallery | North Branch Projects | Nudashank | Old Seoul | Packer Schopf Gallery | Peanut Gallery | Pentagon | portage ARTspace | Reference | Reuben Kincaid | Roots & Culture | Sixty Inches From Center | Small Space | Spudnik Press | threewalls | Uncle Freddy’s Treats | Linda Warren | Western Exhibitions | What It Is | Propeller Fund grantees 2010

Here are a few highlights:

Paul Nudd (NAP #71, 83, 95), Western Exhibitions' Booth at MDW

Michael Hunter and Paul Cowan's installation with Document

Alberto Aguilar solo booth with Roots & Culture

Alberto Aguilar Installation detail, Roots & Culture

Brian Kapernekas | Bramble, Acrylic String and Bamboo on Canvas and Wood, 19 x 15 in

Alex Valentine at Devening Projects

Letha Wilson at LVL 3

Letha Wilson at LVL 3

Austin Eddy at Hungryman

Bettina Yung | Composition #2, mixed media, dimensions variable, Nudashank's booth

Bettina Yung and Tracy Thomason, Nudashank's booth