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Top 5 Chicago Art Shows of 2013

CHICAGO — Thick snowflakes drift from the gray sky above, the energy-sapping inflatable Christmas decorations are in a constant state of blowing across front lawns citywide, and even my parents’ German Shepherd needs a sweater. It must be that time of year again, when the last of this season’s art exhibitions either close their doors or stick it out into January.

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12 Standout Museum Shows of 2012

Yes, yes, we know it’s customary, at this time of year, to round things up into nice, even groupings of 5 and 10. But there were too many strong museum shows to choose from in 2012, and we just couldn’t narrow down the list any further. So here, in no particular order, are the 12 museum exhibitions that stood out the most: shows that broke new ground, or got everyone talking, or just gave us some really great art. Maybe there will be a lucky 13 to single out next year.

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Top 5 Chicago Shows of 2012

CHICAGO — Let’s get one thing straight, East and West Coasters: Chicago is not just that city of corrupt politicians, huge gusts of wind, lake effect snow, too much beer, deep dish pizza, da Bears, the forever-losing cubs, the Renzo Piano Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago, and that stopover between New York City and Los Angeles. Chicago is all of that and so much more.

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10 Pivotal Moments for Digital Art in 2012

2012 was a great year for digital art. As Tumblr rocketed over 25 million hits a month and Instagram became a new venue for creative expression, artists continued to traverse the internet’s sprawling landscape and confront us with the weirdness of our own experiences of virtual space. In this end-of-year roundup, I’ll look at ten events, moments, and trends that marked these past 12 months in digital art.