April 2010 Chicago Events | What's Happening in Chicago | Visitor Things To Do from Chicago Traveler

Celebrate Arts & Culture

April in Chicago can be quite pleasant, depending on mother nature’s temperament. Even though the home opener for the White Sox is April 5 and the Cub’s home opener is April 12, Spring hasn’t quite yet “sprung” and it’s still a bit wet and chilly outside. So, we’re going to keep our highlights indoors this month.

We’ll tell you all about the Art Institute’s newest exhibit showcasing the works of Henri Matisse during a unique period in his artistic career; the Artropolis 2010 festival of art, antiques and culture at the Merchandise Mart; the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo at McCormick Place Convention Center; and, finally, we’ll warm your spirit and your body temperature with venues for Latin Dancing in Chicago.

Experience Matisse!

Henri Matisse is considered one of the most creative and influential artists of the 20th century. While this French artist’s works often stirred controversy, he was steadfast in his desire to experiment in his painting, sculpting and various other art forms.

The Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art in New York have assembled an impressive collection of his works and collaborated in this exhibition featuring Matisse’s paintings from 1913 to 1917, aptly named “Radical Invention: 1913-1917”. During this time, Matisse experimented with layered painting and texture, through scraping and indentation of the canvas. Over 100 pieces of work are included in this exhibit.

To compliment this new exhibit, the Art Institute is offering several “Matisse” special events in April.

• April 3, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 & 25, 11am-3pm – The Artist’s Studio: Modern Constructions (a drop-in family event, no registration required)
• April 8, 6-7pm – Special lecture, “Henri Matisse and the Methods of Modern Construction”, Fullerton Hall.
• April 13, 12:00-12:45pm – The curator will present an Exhibit Overview, Fullerton Hall.
• April 15, 6-7pm, Music for Matisse Performance, Fullerton Hall
• April 18, 3-5pm – Matisse-Inspired Cooking Class, Terzo Piano Restaurant, Modern Wing ($35)

The Art Institute of Chicago is located on S. Michigan Avenue at Adams Street, just south of Millennium Park. Admission is $18, with discounts for seniors and students; there is no charge for children under 14. The Art Institute of Chicago is one of the many attractions included in the Go Chicago Card. To learn more about the Art Institute, check out Art Institute's Traveler’s Visitor’s Guide and Attraction Page.

Artropolis 2010

This celebration of arts and antiques will be held at the Merchandise Mart and will consist primarily of three main events: “Art Chicago”, “Next” and the “International Antiques Fair”. Celebrate new art and authentic antiques!

Beginning April 30 and ending May 3, Chicago hosts Artropolis 2010. The three showcase events for Artropolis 2010 will be held at the Merchandise Mart.

Here’s what’s in store for you:

• Art Chicago. The Merchandise Mart will host this exhibit of contemporary and modern art, featuring over 150 exhibitors. Special exhibitions include “Partisan”, a collection of art highlighting social and political ideas; Florian Graf, a Swiss artist who embraces architectural and social surroundings in his work; and “New Insight”, featuring new artists from across the country.
• Next: The Invitational Exhibition of Emerging Art This portion of Artropolis 2010 at the Merchandise Mart focuses on cutting-edge art by emerging artists from around the world.
• International Antiques Fair Also at the Mart, this antiques fair will include over 100 dealers from around the world in a wide range of antique and fine art categories, such as Americana, Asian Art, Ceramics, Clocks, Folk Art, Jewelry, Posters, Maps and more. Here you’ll find the perfect new addition to your home décor. Additionally, there will be various special events and speakers.

The Merchandise Mart is a huge venue, spanning two city blocks along the Chicago River and consisting of 4.2 million square feet among its 25 floors. It is the largest trade center in the world and one of Chicago’s premier international business locations.

In addition to the events we’ve described above, venues throughout the city will participate, bringing a variety of arts to Artropolis 2010 – music, film, dance and more. Artropolis 2010 has assembled an extensive list of its Cultural Partners for this show, including galleries, museums, schools, theaters and more.

Artropolis 2010 tickets may be purchased online or onsite. One ticket is valid for all three main events: Art Chicago, NEXT and the International Antiques Fair. Adult tickets are $20 daily or $25 for a multi-day pass. A multi-day discount is offered to seniors, students and groups. There is no charge for children 12 and under.

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo

The C2E2 pop-culture convention is coming to McCormick Place. This one-of-a-kind convention will feature the best in comics, movies, anime, gaming, toys and more, with over 250 artists and over 200 exhibitors. Calling all pop-culture fans!

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) will invade the McCormick Place convention center from Friday, April 16 through Sunday, April 18.

This pop-culture extravaganza features the best of comics, movies, television, toys, anime, manga, video games and more. The Expo will host hundreds of artists and exhibitors, sneak peeks of upcoming movies and TV shows, gaming play, and autograph opportunities from your favorite characters.

The Guest of Honor for the Expo is Alex Ross, one of the most respected comic book artists in the world. Other top artists include Mark Bagley, Art Baltazar, Terry & Rachel Dodson, Jimmy Palmiotti and Jim Valentino. The list of artists is endless (over 250 that is) and there will be over 200 exhibitors. DC Comics and Marvel will each have a 2,500 square foot exhibition booth. We couldn’t begin to list all the great events that will all happen here. There will be onsite Dungeons & Dragons and Magic play for beginners and experienced players. A special Avatar event will be held Friday night. There will be an Iron Man Auction of props and costumes. Carrie Fisher and others will be at the Star Wars Celebration Booth. You can get a tattoo from a professional, licensed artist at the Ink-Fusion Tattoo Festival hosted by Marc Draven.

For those of you interested in pursuing a career in this field, Portfolio Reviews will be available from DC Comics, Marvel and Top Cow. Kids Day will be on Sunday, April 18, when you’ll have a chance to meet Spider Man and Stormtroopers, take a workshop to learn about drawing or making your own comics, and meet Lance Briggs from the Chicago Bears.

Ticket options include a one-day ticket for $25, a weekend pass for $50, and various special event tickets and premium packages. On Kids Day, children under 12 will be admitted free. For some “tips” on Chicago etiquette during the Expo, check out this video on YouTube.

Get Sizzling with Latin Dance

Latin Dance has become very popular and Chicago offers a variety of venues to choose from, with special feature events held just about every night of the week. The Latin Street Dancing company hosts many of these events and offers dance lessons at the venues earlier in the evening, before the real party begins.

Consider one fo these options to get your salsa fix:

• For “Tropical Thursdays”, join Latin Street Dancing at Excalibur (upstairs at Club X) from 7pm until 4am (salsa and cha cha cha lessons are offered from 8:30-9:30pm). Excalibur is a top nightclub and entertainment venue located at 632 N. Dearborn in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Excalibur consists of multiple nightclubs and lounges all in one building, specializing in live entertainment, as well as dancing, pool tables and arcade games. Excalibur also offers a casual dining menu.
• For “Latin Street Fridays” and “Salsa Saturdays”, meet up at Rumba, located at 351 W. Hubbard Street, also in River North. Latin Street Dancing offers lessons at 10pm, then enjoy club dancing until close. At Rumba you can also enjoy some serious Latin cuisine.
• Cubby Bear Wrigleyville features “Salsa Sundays” from 6pm until 2am, with Latin Street Dancing lessons at 7pm. Cubby Bear is located on Chicago’s north side, across the street from Wrigley Field (home of the Cubs). Cubby Bear has an upscale sports bar atmosphere with over 75 plasma TVs, but uniquely adds live entertainment and dancing. Their menu includes a wide variety of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and entrees.
• At Nacional 27 complimentary salsa lessons are offered on Thursdays from 6:30-8pm. Latin Dance is featured on “Fiesta Fridays” from 11pm-2am and on “Salsa Saturdays” from 11pm-3am. Nacional 27 highlights include a variety of Sangrias, Mojitos and South American cuisine. Also, in April, Nacional 27 is hosting a salsa dance competition. Join the competition, or just watch while having dinner. Competition dates are April 8, 15 and 22, with the finals on April 30. The top three prizes are impressive – check out Nacional 27’s website for more details.

For more Latin Dance venue information, check with Center Stage Chicago Latin/Salsa Nightclubs, and for more extensive dance lesson programs, check with Ballroom Dance Chicago.

For many other April events, see our Chicago Events Calendar.

Chicago Highlights is a publication of Chicago Traveler. For more issues, see the Chicago Highlights Archive.