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Vertical Gallery, Christy Grossmann unveil ‘Something Lost; Something Gained’

Vertical Gallery, Chicago’s premier urban-contemporary art gallery, is very proud to present 'Something Lost; Something Gained,' Chicago-area painter Christy Grossmann’s first solo gallery showcase.

VIEW THE EXHIBITION HERE

‘Something Lost; Something Gained,’ which runs Feb. 7- Mar. 1 at Vertical’s flagship West Town location (2006 W. Chicago Ave. #1R; enter via the alley off Damen Ave.), captures and celebrates the feminine mystique in all its myriad forms. The exhibition draws insight and inspiration from seismic shifts in Grossmann’s personal and professional life: in the months leading up to ‘Something Lost; Something Gained,’ she hit pause on a 13-year career teaching art to elementary school students, and gave birth to her first child. 

“I was an artist and teacher. Now I am a mom. I did not fully understand what that transition would mean professionally, emotionally and spiritually,” Grossmann says. “The work presented in this collection explores themes of internal growth, change, possibility and expanding beyond self-imposed boundaries.”

‘Something Lost; Something Gained’ spotlights Grossmann’s signature magical-realist portraits of enigmatic young women rendered in vivid acrylic hues. “I love to paint femininity — the flowing hair and the bright colors,” she says. “I have always been drawn to feminine energy, especially now. There are so many cool things about women and what we do.”

Each piece in ‘Something Lost; Something Gained’ incorporates antique picture framing and other upcycled materials. “The frames are part of the work,” Grossmann explains. “They demonstrate that you can take something that used to be a boundary and go past it, and make it part of something new. There are so many hidden little details and storylines in this body of work, and I'm hoping viewers can take time to reflect and really enjoy the moment.”

Grossmann was born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Brookfield. While studying art education at Illinois State University, she focused on studio painting, and after earning her master’s degree in educational technology from Concordia University, she taught art to K-5 students in Lombard, Ill. Grossmann made her Vertical Gallery debut via the 2021 group show ‘Atomic Number 13,’ and returned the following year for its sequel; she’s also exhibited in group shows presented by Chicago Truborn Gallery, Seventh Corner Gallery and other local venues. 

‘Something Lost; Something Gained’ sets in motion Vertical’s 2025 programming slate opposite 'ALLIANCE,' a globe-spanning collaborative group show on view in the gallery’s main showroom. Grossmann will attend the exhibition’s opening reception on Friday, Feb. 7 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

Joseph Renda Jr. is a Vertical Gallery institution. The Chicago-based pop surrealist painter (IG: j.renda_artist) first exhibited in our space in 2017 as part of our all-star holiday pop-up event, and in mid-2020 we presented ‘Biophilia,’ his first-ever solo gallery show. A second solo showcase, ‘Larger Than Life,’ followed two years later. You can find Joe’s work for sale on our website, including pieces never exhibited in the gallery. 

In the debut installment of Vertical’s Artist Spotlight series, Joe previews his newest work, tips his hat to René Magritte and explains why surrealism is here to stay.

Vertical Gallery: You’re exhibiting next month in Brussels opposite French street artist Onemizer in an Affordable Art Fair duo show presented by Galerie One. Tell us about the work you’re presenting. 

Joseph Renda Jr.: Around the end of 2023, I began revamping what I’m doing with my art, and what I want to be doing. At that time, I was packing in as much visual imagery as I could, and everything was so busy. I wanted to take a step back, and do something more refined. 

I developed a series about freedom, free will and choice — the things in our lives that we can control, and those we can’t control. All of the pieces included a cloud, which is a motif for freedom. A cloud can take any form, and it can go anywhere. It’s also a contradiction, because it’s really heavy, but it floats in the air. Some of the pieces were about manmade objects built to contain the cloud, and others were about objects built in order to reach the cloud. 

The paintings I’m exhibiting in Brussels are similar in concept. They bring back the landscapes and larger-than-life objects in my previous work, but I’m still focused on keeping things simple, although painting them wasn’t simple, because I was painting things that were complicated. There are three paintings with bricks — hundreds of bricks between them — and I painted each brick individually, which took a lot of hours. 

Belgium is the birthplace of René Magritte, a profound influence on your work. What does it mean to you to exhibit there?

It’s awesome. What I like about Magritte is that everything in his paintings exists within reality, and when I first visited Brussels a year ago, I saw how much the environment influenced his work. So many of the interiors in his paintings came from inside his own house, like the fireplace in “Time Transfixed” [a.k.a. 1938’s “La durée poignardée,” part of the Art Institute of Chicago’s permanent collection]. I’m hoping the Brussels audience will respond to Magritte’s influence on my work. 

One hundred years ago this November, Galerie Pierre Colle in Paris presented ‘La peinture surréaliste,’ the first-ever group survey of Surrealist painters, among them Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Paul Klee. Why does surrealism remain so relevant and so resonant a century on?

The point of all art is to make people think. Landscapes and portraits do it in a certain way, pop art does it in another way, but surrealism does it so effectively because it’s visually odd. You can’t look at a surrealist painting without questioning something about it. No other medium does that. 

When I look at work by the artists I love, whether it’s Magritte or Salvador Dali, HERA or Collin van der Sluijs, it feels like it comes from their subconscious. I’ve always wanted to do that, but it’s not how I create. I’m very much a planned painter, which is why I like Magritte’s juxtapositions — the real things in odd situations.      

Will surrealism endure for another century?

Surrealism came out of World War I. Life was as crazy then as it is now, and the Surrealists created work that expressed their confusion. As long as the world stays crazy, there will continue to be surrealist artists. 

Besides Brussels, where can we see your work in the months to come?

I’m part of a three-person Vertical Gallery show in September alongside Laura Catherwood and Jerome Tiunayan. I’m creating a series of paintings on windows, exploring what windows mean to people and treating them as portals to different places. Windows are a motif that recurs throughout my work, but this is the first time I’ve made them the focus. 

Vertical Gallery’s debut Collector Spotlight profiles Alisha Rajani (IG: @alisharajani), a Chicago native and owner of Frame Chicago. Alisha seamlessly blends her passion for art with Frame Chicago’s mission, helping tell the story of the city’s dynamic art scene by ensuring that collectors not only display their pieces but also preserve and elevate them with bold, design-forward framing solutions. 

Vertical Gallery: Why do you collect art?

Alisha Rajani: Art has the power to capture emotions, stories and moments in time that words alone cannot express. It enriches my daily life, and each piece tells a unique story that adds depth to my surroundings.

Whose art do you collect?

My collection primarily focuses on Chicago artists, as I’m passionate about supporting and showcasing the incredible talent within this city. However, Vertical Gallery has broadened my perspective, introducing me to a variety of talented artists from around the world. Over the years, I've collected works from artists including Sentrock, Flog, 2CHOEY, Delisha, lefty OUT there, Mia Lee and Noelle Berexa.

What is the first piece you acquired from Vertical Gallery?

The first piece I acquired from Vertical Gallery was by Australian artist Ben Frost. It was a piece of Bambi on a contraceptives package.

Whose work do you hope to add to your collection in the coming months?

I’m always on the lookout for new artists to support. I’d love to continue discovering both local Chicago talent and international artists that reflect diverse perspectives and creative innovation. A few artists I've got my eye on include Liz Flores, Jess Owens-Young and Morgan Nicolette Marshall.

What's your advice for new and aspiring collectors?

Collect what speaks to you personally. Art is about connection, and you’ll know when a piece resonates with you. Take your time, do your research and don’t feel pressured to follow trends. The more you learn and the more you immerse yourself in the art community, the more fulfilling the process becomes.

Join us for a special In-Person Only SALE! We will have select originals, sculptures, prints and books for 30% OFF! Yes, you read that correctly, this is our first ever SALE at the gallery! You can take them with you the same day!

VERTICAL GALLERY 30% SALE
In-Person Only
Select Originals, Prints, Sculptures & Books

OPEN Everyday January 11-18, 2025
Hours:
Sat Jan 11: 11a-6p
Sun Jan 12 - Sat Jan 18: noon-5p

Vertical Gallery, 2006 W Chicago Ave #1R
(Entrance in alley off Damen)

Vertical Gallery presents their annual Holiday Group Show Dec 13 - Jan 4. This year, the gallery asked 9 artists to each create a collection of work. Featuring Margie Criner (US), Pollyanna (PH), Jerome Tiunayan (US), Morgan Nicolette (US), Delisha (US), Julieta XLF (ES), Andria Beighton (AU), Noelle Berexa (US), and Jenia Cher (US).

Holiday Group Show
December 13 - January 4, 2024
Opening reception: Friday December 13, 5:00-8:00pm
Vertical Gallery, 2006 W Chicago Ave. #1R, Chicago