If you have ever walked down Astor Street on the near north side (the Gold Coast), you may have noticed a large house with a private courtyard in the 1300 block. From the sidewalk, you can’t see into the courtyard (shown in photo above). I live in that neighborhood and have always been curious about that space. Last weekend, I finally had a chance to see it—and it was a spectacular moment, particularly as it was the entry to a unique art fair: Neighbors Vol.1.
Neighbors was a cozy but elegant art fair located in a residential unit off that courtyard. This satellite art fair, held in a four-room apartment, explored how art is encountered within a domestic space in a different way than at a larger, structured fair like Expo Chicago.
Mirka Serrato, who lived in Chicago for four years, most of the time in that apartment, is founder and president of Neighbors. The curator, Jonny Tanna, has produced satellite art fairs in London, and is director of Harlesden High Street in London.
Neighbors was one of the several satellite art fairs held during Expo Chicago week, April 9-12 at Navy Pier. Neighbors was open April 8-12 and Barely Fair in McKinley Park is open until April 19. The Other Art Fair, the Chicago satellite of a national organization, also was held last weekend at Artifact Events on Ravenswood Avenue. Serrato and Tanna also collaborated on an exhibit at the Barely Fair.
The courtyard is known as Astor Court; it’s adjacent to the Astor Street mansion built for the William O. Goodman family in 1914 by architect Howard Van Doren Shaw. Goodman was a lumber tycoon and arts philanthropist. The Goodman Theatre bears its name because Mr. and Mrs. Goodman donated $250,000 in 1925 to the Art Institute of Chicago to establish a theater in honor of their late son, Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, who died in the influenza pandemic. He was a playwright active in the early years of what was known as the little-theater movement. The Goodman Theatre is celebrating its 100th anniversary during its 1925-26 season.
The 10,000 square foot mansion has six rental units; three of them are accessed from the courtyard. One of them was the site of the Neighbors art fair.
Serrato’s and Tanna’s goal was to reimagine how people interact with art. In the typical “fair” model, people move from booth to booth. Instead they have created a series of exhibits by about 15 galleries, some isolated within a room and others placed where visitors can wander throughout the other three rooms of the apartment viewing art. The concept eliminates aisles and booths and creates installations. The space allows a dialogue among artists, gallerists and visitors in this less structured environment.
The tiniest space was the bathroom, featurng Shanghai Seminary, a Chicago gallery located in Bridgeport. Gallerist Qiuchen Wu showed the work of Caitlyn Min-ji Au. Visitors to the space could peer through a peephole at Au’s exquisite miniature sculptures, such as "Apple Pool," showing apples on a plate.
In the kitchen, a gallery named Feia (Portuguese for “ugly”) was showing Meu Povo (Mi Gente), ceramics by three artists—Juan Arango Palacios, Haylie Jimenez and Sydnie Jimenez. Their work celebrates Black and Latino culture and queer representation. Gallerist Thomas Pilnik represents Feia Studio, located in Los Angeles.
In what was probably the living room of the now-unfurnished apartment, Green Gallery of Milwaukee was one of the galleries representing artists. They showed a work by Jessica Jackson Hutchins, titled “Hard Facts,” a large glazed ceramic sculpture, created with spray paint, jeans and a chair. Green Gallery also showed work by Sky Hopinka, including a 2023 work, a framed inkjet print and etching titled “What am I but half asleep daydreaming those teachings.”
Harlesden High Street, the London gallery operated by curator Jonny Tanna, presented work by Van Payne, a Chicago-based artist, and Anthony Lechuga, a Dallas artist.
Serrato told us that attendance at Neighbors met her expectations. The goal was to control attendance through registration so there would not be more than 40 to 50 people per hour in the limited space. She estimates that total attendance for the weekend was about 1300 people. She was pleased that some curators from MCA-Chicago and the Art Institute visited Neighbors.
Rethinking the modern concept of patronage is part of Serrato's vision. She sees Peggy Guggenheim as a model for her goals, although she doesn't have Guggenheim-style wealth. (She'll be seeking investors in the future for the Neighbors business venture.) But her vision is similar to Guggenheim's—she wants to "create a silk road of art between the US and Europe."
Serrato now lives in Dallas, where she can be closer to her family in Mexico. With her background in art history, finance and strategy (she has worked in public relations), Serrato is working on a graduate degree at Sotheby’s Institute. She told us she plans to expand the Neighbors concept in coming years, including a Neighbors Vol. 2 in Chicago next year. She also envisions smaller events throughout the year to support galleries, artists and their work. We look forward to seeing what's next for Neighbors.
Neighbors Vol. 1 was a satellite or alternative art fair held April 8-12 in an unfurnished apartment off Astor Court, 1353 N. Astor St. Astor Court is connected to the former Goodman mansion at 1355 N. Astor St.
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