Openings for Friday, February 13th (or Will you be my St. Valentine?)

Oh Valentine's Day, how do we love thee. Let's reflect on the history of this joyful occasion momentarily: Back in the 200's, Ole Valentine was jailed after helping marry Christians (this being back in the day when their primary function was as lion food). After trying to convert the the emperor while in jail, he was condemned to death by stoning. This didn't manage to finish him, however, so he was finally beheaded before the Flaming Gate (very LOTR if you ask me). Fast forward to the 1700's, and two English dudes decide the little known St. Valentine's story would make a perfect replacement for the pagan holiday of Lupercalia. Out with the love fest, in with the martyr. Ain't that just damn typical. Well, how about instead of wasting all your money on overpriced roses and crappy chocolates to celebrate someone getting their head chopped of in front of something called the "Flaming Gate," how about you and your special someone go out to galleries. It's free, romantic, and involves no beheading. Who could ask for more?

Shout out time: Helene Palser, one of our ladies of the cage, is in a group show at Par Populus Gallery, a new place down in Pilsen. If you're down there for Second Friday's, make sure you stop by. Amy Casey has some weird paintings of houses up at Zg. Linda Warren Gallery is showing some animations by Peter Drake. I watched some of the samples on her site, there pretty cool (though I do have a soft spot for tin toys). You can wrap up you night, yet again, in Heaven. Doesn't that seem appropriate? See ya'll out there!

OPENINGS FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13TH 2009:

BOWMANVILLE -
Avram Eisen - 5202 N. Damen. The Colorful Life, Work by Keiran McGonnel, John Kirkpatrick, and Antonio Guerrero. Reception Fri 2/13, 5-9 PM. 2/13-2/28.

BUCKTOWN –
Flat Iron Arts Building - 1935 1/2 W. North. Critical Mass Bike Winter Art Show, group show. Reception Fri 2/13, 6 PM. 2/13-2/27.

Revolution Tattoo - 2221 N. Western. Valentine's Day Art Show, group show. Fri., Feb. 13, 8 p.m.-12 a.m.

The Silver Room - 1442 N. Milwaukee. The Word According To Sura Dupart. Opening Reception 2.13.09, 7pm – 10pm

HYDE PARK -
Hyde Park Art Center - 5020 S. Cornell Avenue. Cocktails and Clay Friday, February 13, 8pm - midnight.

LAKEVIEW -
A. Okay Official - 3270 N. Clark. A. Okay Loves CTA: Chicago Train Art 2009, Trains from hobby shops, toy stores, and junkyards that have been "painted, sculpted, or defiled" by local artists. Reception Fri 2/13, 6-10 PM. 2/13-3/1.

Golden - 816 W. Newport #1. Big Mess, Paintings by Sonja Drummond and Andrew Holmquist. Reception Fri 2/13, 7-10 PM. 2/13-3/22.

LOOP -
Beacon Street - 410 S. Michigan. Art as a Catalyst for Change: 5 Years at Brennemann Elementary School, Group show curated by Shannon Coogan Hautman & Young Native American Artists of Chicago, Group show curated by Debra Yepa Pappan. Reception Fri 2/13, 5-8 PM. 2/13-4/18.

Finestra - 410 S. Michigan #516. Homegalleryhome, Collaborative installation by Rose DiSalvo, Jen Lopez, Laura Shaeffer, and Rachel Tredon. Reception Fri 2/13, 5-9 PM. 2/3-2/27.

Gallery Uno - 410 S. Michigan #541. Conversations: A Comic Relief, Manipulated vintage comics by Sarah Kaiser. Reception Fri 2/13, 6-9 PM. 2/13-2/28.

PILSEN -
4Art - 1932 S. Halsted #100. Phase VII, group show. Reception Fri 2/13, 6-10 PM. 2/13-2/28.

Chicago Art Department - 1837 S Halsted St. 200 Lincolns, The CAD celebrates Abraham Lincoln's bicentennial by displaying 200 new portraits of the 16th president. For more information, visit chicagoartdepartment.org. Fri 6pm–10pm

Chicago Arts District - 1945 S. Halsted, Ste. 101. February 13: 2nd Fridays Gallery Night. Reception 6-10pm

Logsdon - 1909 S. Halsted. The Oscillation of Line and Color, Paintings by Jim Dee. Reception Fri 2/13, 6-10 PM. 2/13-3/7.

Per Populus Gallery – 626 W. 18th St. Three Feet High and Rising: work by Sarah Crump, Sunny Sharma, Helene L. Palser, Sara Renar Jones, Rik Garrett, and The Every Day Club. Feb 13th – Mar 12th. Opening: Feb 13th, 8-12pm.

Vespine - 1907 S. Halsted. Intervention, Photos by Brandon Blunden, Allison Grant, and Andrew McComb. Reception Fri 2/13, 7-9 PM. 2/6-2/28.

RIVER NORTH -
Aldo Castillo Contemporary - 465 E. Illinois. Life Riders, Work by Krzysztof Wasko. Reception Fri 2/13, 5:30-8:30 PM. 2/13-3/13.

Ann Nathan – 212 W. Superor. Selections, group show. Reception Fri 2/13, 5-8 PM. 2/13-3/31.

Gruen Galleries – 226 W. Superior. February 13 – March 4: Gallery 1: Tomislav Nikolic: Nudes, Gallery 2: Tom Brydelsky: Encaustic Landscapes, Gallery 3: African Art

I space - 230 W. Superior. February 13 – March 14: Between: Barbara Kendrick and Sam Ainsley, featuring painting, drawing and installation.

Perimeter Gallery - 210 W. Superior. February 13 – March 7: Joseph Piccillo: New Drawings.

Zg - 300 W. Superior. ClusterF*#k, group show. Feb. 13-March 28.

WEST LOOP -
EC Gallery - 215 N. Aberdeen. February 13 – March 28: Recent painting by Ewa Czeremuszkin. Opening Reception: Friday, February 13, 2009, 6-9 pm

Kasia Kay - 1044 W. Fulton Mkt. You Talk Greasily, Work by Allison Katz and Aliza Nisenbaum. Reception Fri 2/13, 6-9 PM. 2/13-3/28.

Linda Warren - 1052 W. Fulton Mkt. All the King's Horses, Large-scale paintings by Peter Drake. Reception Fri 2/13, 6-9 PM. 2/13-3/27.

WICKER PARK -
Heaven Gallery - 1550 N. Milwaukee, second floor. Psst-Shhh, Group show of works that "approach the onomatopoeia of the title." Reception Fri 2/13, 7-11 PM. 2/13-3/13.