24 May 2017

Looking at the Present: Recent Works by Jim Dine

Richard Gray Gallery, Gray Warehouse

Reviewed by Tom Pekovitch

2044 W. Carroll Avenue, an address that meant nothing just weeks ago, has burst onto the map with ferocity. Richard Gray's new warehouse space has surely seated itself as the most impressive gallery in the city of Chicago. With this momentous addition to the community comes an inaugural show which is just as stunning, Jim Dine's "Looking at the Present."

Chaotic self-investigation and claustrophobic disturbances in Dine's paintings contrast with the structured spaciousness, and the spotlit arena in which they are hung. Like the placement of the gallery in its incongruent surroundings, "Looking at the Present" holds the captivating impression of a buried B-side to Dine's classic repertoire.

Dine delivers a level of excellence that has been lacking in Chicago as of late. However, there are works that bring it, such as, The Funny Pleasures of War, and sit noticeably above, while others seem to just be there to fill the colossus that is Gray's new space.