Jesus J. Montero

EXPO CHICAGO took place last weekend at Navy Pier, marking its eleventh installment with a vibrant gathering of collectors, curators and museum directors from all over the world. This year's event featured over 170 galleries from 29 countries and 75 cities, and saw more than 35,000 visitors. Time Out spoke with local galleries and creators about their experiences at EXPO CHICAGO, and the importance of art and community in Chicago.  Anthony Gallery Photograph: Jesus J. Montero for Time OutTorey Gaines, Director of Anthony Gallery, at EXPO CHICAGO. Torey Gaines, director of Anthony Gallery, was excited to see the various artists and guests who visited his space at EXPO CHICAGO. "Many people use art to express themselves, to communicate how they feel and what they feel, to enjoy community with others of like minds," Gaines said. Gaines envisions Anthony Gallery as a space for different people and perspectives to do just that.  "We'd like to emphasize bridging a gap between different communities and putting people in a room who usually wouldn't be put in a room together," Gaines said. "[People] can exhibit together and express themselves, allowing Anthony Gallery to be a platform for different artists from different parts of the world and cultures.” Anthony Gallery also hosted a 30-person show curated by space owner Easy Otabor and had a solo booth displaying artist Michael C. Thorpe's work at EXPO CHICAGO. 1360 W Lake St Center for Native Futures Photograph: Jesus J. Montero

It all started with a mouse.  A mouse named Mickey, who became the spark that ignited a century of storytelling and unparalleled wonder.  The magical legacy of Walt Disney continues to unfold, and fans can now check out Disney 100: The Exhibition, a new exhibit with 10 immersive galleries, 14 interactive installations and over 250 pieces of art, props and costumes. It’s housed within the Exhibition Hub Art Center in Bucktown. The city of Chicago emerges as a silent collaborator in Disney's saga—it’s here that Walt Disney and Mickey’s journey began, where inspiration and dreams took flight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Time Out Chicago (@timeoutchicago) Jodi Benson, the Rockford native who voiced Ariel in The Little Mermaid, made an appearance at the exhibit’s ribbon cutting ceremony last week. Benson talked about the role connecting her to generations of fans.  “I love that [The Little Mermaid] can pass over different generations with our little ones. Parents and their little ones watch with their grandparents. It's such a great generational bond,” Benson said. “It's exciting for me to watch that love start to grow again in our little ones.”  A black-and-white film of Benson and Howard Ashman—The Little Mermaid’s playwright—showed behind-the-scenes footage of the two working on the movie. Those were the vivid, joyful memories Benson reflected on as she walked through the exhibit.  “It brings back a lot of memories and lots of feelings,”

It takes five minutes for the coffee to slowly drip from the phin, a traditional Vietnamese tool used to brew the beverage.  Enjoy it. It's perfect iced (cà phê sũ’a đá) or hot, and a labor of love in Vietnamese culture.  For pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur Lan Ho, it’s also one of the many side hustles in her life. Ho is currently a contestant on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars and preparing to open the first cafe for her Vietnamese coffee brand Fat Miilk in Uptown’s Asia on Argyle district. The area has historically been a hub for Vietnamese immigrants and businesses since the Vietnam War and the fall of Saigon in 1975. Ho is aware of the significance of having a location in the Argyle community.  "People are going to see this space as a very elevated and intentional way to experience Vietnamese coffee culture," Ho said. She plans to honor her culture not just with coffee, but through the space and food as well. "We're not only going to be serving Vietnamese coffee or a blend of some kind … even when it comes to our food, I'm not just putting cookies and doughnuts out there. We’ll be having Vietnamese meat pies," Ho shared. Fat Miilk works with local farmers throughout Vietnam to vet and source the highest quality Robusta beans. The organic green beans are cultivated at different elevations and renowned for their sweet and fruity flavor. Only a handful of roasters specialize in Robusta bean coffee; by using them with the Vietnamese slow drip method, Fat Miilk strives to serve the

Shadowed halos of sombreros and clouds of dust hung in the air in Grant Park throughout Memorial Day weekend at Sueños Music Festival. All were invited and welcomed.  As the first major music festival to kick off in Chicago this summer, the two-day event showcased the richness and vibrancy of Latino music, food and fashion in the city. From love ballads—corridos—to the rhythmic movement of salsa and cumbia, the diverse lineup of artists highlighted the varied celebrations and music within the Latino culture. On Saturday, the stage lit up with legendary performers like legends Wisin Y Yandel, Feid, El Alfa and the one and only Ivy Queen. Sunday ended strong with a wave of performances from Young Miko, Eladio Carrión, Myke Towers and Nicky Jam.  Even the newly-elected Chicago mayor joined in on the fun when he stopped by with words of encouragement. "As long as I'm the mayor of Chicago, Sueños will always exist," Brandon Johnson proclaimed.    Photograph: Jesus J. Montero In efforts to invest in the Chicago community, Sueños continued its support of the longest-standing Latino cultural center, the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center (SRBCC), by making a $50,000 donation. The money will enhance the performing arts theater, which fosters the growth of young artists by providing access to recording, radio, podcasting and performance spaces.  First-generation Filipino artist Louis De Guzman partnered with the festival for exclusive merch and designs. De Guzman skillfully weaves t

As part of Women's History Month, Refine Collective founder IB Majekodumn organized Planet HER for the second consecutive year on March 24, showcasing a marketplace of over 50 women artists, creators and performances from local musicians. Chicago's historic old boys' club, the Chicago Athletic Association, was taken over with various women-owned shops, ballroom mannequin styling and beautiful on-site design, all showcasing the diverse women vendors.  Photograph: Jesus J. MonteroStephanie Gaspar-Hernandez and Isabel Gaspar with flowers they purchased from Espinas Flowers. Artist Raspy Rivera felt empowered being surrounded by creative women when she was a vendor for the first time at last year's Plant HER.  "It's important to encourage other minority women, entrepreneurs and business owners to say 'yes' to these types of experiences and opportunities," Rivera said.  Rivera is a Puerto Rican artist from Logan Square who rediscovered her love for drawing and painting during the pandemic when she was temporarily immobilized for eight weeks. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as it provided a safe haven for her to channel her hidden artistic talent. "It also allows us to pour into these businesses and these vendors in a way that is so special," Rivera said, adding "It's curated so beautifully. The energy that's expelled through everybody is electric and really inspires us as vendors in a way that no other event has."   Photograph: Jesus J. MonteroRaspy Rivera selling her

SVRN, a multi-brand luxury retailer in the West Loop, reopened this month after a year of ideation and five months of construction, unveiling a 4,200-square-foot expansion and innovative Korean architectural design for an immersive customer experience—and to highlight the company’s Korean roots.  CEO David “Oogie” Kim, who opened SVRN (pronounced “sovereign”) in 2019, says his family's Korean heritage and story as an immigrant business owner have long been embedded into the fabric of their store and philosophy. The multi-brand luxury retailer carries accounts with Nike, Jordan and Adidas as well as the likes of Rick Owens, Marni and Issey Miyake, striking a balance between streetwear and luxury. Kim’s family has a long legacy within Chicago’s street and sneaker community having created the sneaker store Dream Town, which was a 1980s mecca for everything Chicago Bulls and the Olympic Dream Team.  The SVRN renovation highlights the family’s heritage through the materials and techniques inspired by Korean aesthetics. Kim worked with Seoul-based design studio WGNB—winner of Dezeen’s Emerging Interior Design Studio of the Year 2021—to complete the redesign, marking, the firm’s first project in North America. “Everything in the store has a purpose,” Kim says. “It’s all purposeful by the shapes, textures, the way they look—they're all just a representation of who we are and where we came from.” The new spatial layout of SVRN space was designed to create a sense of openness in the s

Bulls Fest, an inaugural two-day street festival hosted by the Chicago Bulls, drew thousands of Bulls Nation fans to the United Center over Labor Day weekend.  Chicago House and juke music played throughout the weekend in between live performances, 3-on-3 basketball tournaments and family-friendly games centered around the Bulls. In true Chicago fashion, fun scrimmages turned into serious games for bragging rights. More than 100 artists displayed the impact the Bulls have made in art, community, sports and pop culture in The Art of the Game, an exhibition inside of the United Center. And following a Saturday night headlining set from Chicago-born rapper Da Brat, Chicago’s own G Herbo—a progenitor of Chicago Drill music and hip-hop heavyweight—closed off the second night of a weekend of live music and performances. Take a look through photos from the fest below and get ready for yet another basketball season still to come.   Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero Photograph: Jesus J. Montero