Vertical Gallery, Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery, is very proud to present ‘B-Sides,’ an immersive multimedia showcase featuring illustrator, designer and muralist Blake Jones. 

‘B-Sides,’ Jones’ first solo exhibit at Vertical following a series of group show appearances and collaborative efforts, channels the artist’s lifelong passion for music into an array of canvases, drawings and bespoke objects celebrating the sensory delights of collecting records. ‘B-Sides’ runs October 4-26; Jones will attend the show’s opening reception, taking place at the gallery (2006 W. Chicago Ave. #1R) on Friday, Oct. 4 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  

‘B-Sides’ transforms Vertical’s West Town space into an ersatz record shop, highlighted by more than 100 original drawings packaged inside polyethylene LP sleeves and displayed in bins fabricated by Chicago designer Jacob Polhill. The exhibit also incorporates hand-painted cassette players, custom neon signs and myriad other totems and talismans familiar to music retail habitués the world over. 

“‘B-Sides’ pays homage to the musicians who blew my mind when I was growing up, as well as the new music I’m discovering today,” Jones explains. “When you flip through the drawings, each one includes a QR code that goes to a 8.5-hour playlist I created for the show. I also designed fake record label logos and graphics, and I’m projecting short animated videos inspired by old-school MTV music videos. This is still an art show, but it’s branded like a real record store to make it more cohesive and more interactive.”

While ‘B-Sides’ retains many of the hallmarks of Jones’ recent projects (including his vivid color palette, striking line work and menagerie of anthropomorphic characters), its emphasis on interactivity harks back to the Texas-born artist’s earliest endeavors. “When I was in my teens and 20s, I used to love doing installation work and making my own little videos, but I haven't done that stuff since I moved to Chicago seven years ago. In fact, a lot of people here have no idea that’s what I used to do,” Jones says. “‘B-Sides’ brings me back to that more experimental, DIY mindset. It’s about the stuff that I'm into as a person. I want the show to feel like a pop song — the kind that’s undeniable when you hear it. Most of all, I want people to have fun.” 

Jones came of age in La Porte, Tex. and studied design at the Art Institute of Houston. Prior to ‘B-Sides,’ he headlined solo exhibits in Chicago, New York City, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and partnered with brands including UVD Toys, Collective Arts Brewing and the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.

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