Hungry for Alternative Art Space

The women of HungryMan Gallery feed the need for a different type of venue.

By Luke Lasky
Published: March 23rd, 2010 | 5:35pm

The art world is steeped in financial turmoil, which has forced many commercial galleries to close their doors. Alternative spaces like "apartment galleries" have nothing to lose in inserting programming in their place. HungryMan Gallery at 2135 N. Rockwell in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood is capitalizing on the economic troubles in the art world.

HungryMan is a little different than the typical “art show in the living room” that many of apartment-based spaces practice. It has its own dedicated storefront attached to the historic Congress Theater building; it just so happens that the four female organizers live in the storefront next door. Each one of the curators-in-residence brings their own unique background, vision, and dynamic to the table, forming one of the most professional and well-versed spaces in town.

In two years of consistent monthly programming, HungryMan has exhibited photography, painting, sound, performance, and large installation works, and hosted community outreach events. Even though most of the curators are students, their consistent professionalism has been one of the gallery's best assets in separating itself from other spaces.

Always pushing the envelope, HungryMan’s most recent curatorial strategy has been to let professors and mentors from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College present the works of a few chosen pupils. This academic circumvention is a testament to the power and creative freedom that makes alternative galleries so profound, proving that large art institutions aren't the only venues that can make an impact.

What advice do the HungryMan girls have for other curatorial hopefuls? “Network outside of your own social circle, be willing to learn, and maintain an open line of communication. We all wear different hats, but defining those roles among ourselves—combined with a professional attitude—allows us to utilize our space most appropriately,” said curator Robin Juan. Hungryman’s next opening is a black and white photo exhibit by Casey McGonagle. The show opens April 10; hours are 6 to 11pm.