Expo Chicago Inspires Optimism Amid Ongoing Market Uncertainty
Expo Chicago 2025: Art, Identity, and Hope at Navy Pier
CHICAGO — At its heart, Expo Chicago is more than just an art fair — it’s a reflection of the diverse, global, and ever-evolving nature of contemporary art. Now in its 13th year, the fair once again transformed the city’s iconic Navy Pier into a bustling hub of creativity, conversation, and cultural exchange. With over 200 international exhibitors and a renewed energy stemming from its latest affiliation with Frieze, Expo Chicago 2025 offered more than market transactions; it was a celebration of identity, resilience, and artistic vision.
A Global Showcase with Local Resonance
One of the major highlights this year came through a vibrant new partnership between Expo Chicago and the Galleries Association of Korea (GAoK). Bridging East and West, this initiative showcased South Korean galleries and artists to a broader audience, emphasizing the fair’s commitment to global inclusivity. Among them, Seoul’s Everyday Moonday gallery stood out, with director Diny Lee expressing her enthusiasm at participating in her first US fair.
Lee presented the work of Moonassi (Kim Daehyun), whose ethereal drawings rendered in ink on traditional Korean hanji paper captivated collectors. Focused on introspective and emotional themes, Moonassi’s work resonated across cultural boundaries — with most pieces selling out on the opening day. This success story epitomized the fair’s ability to connect emerging voices with enthusiastic global audiences.
Representation and Resistance
Walking through Expo Chicago, it quickly became clear that this iteration wasn’t just about aesthetics, but about asserting identity and addressing sociopolitical currents. Richard Beavers Gallery from Brooklyn debuted a powerful themed booth, Breaking the Simulation. The exhibition featured artists like Terron Cooper Sorrells, whose layered oil paintings interrogate race, systems of control, and lived Black experiences. Beavers described the presentation as a space for “uncomfortable conversations,” underscoring the fair’s relevance in today’s socio-political landscape.
Adding to the chorus of underrepresented voices was Minneapolis-based artist Leslie Barlow, who filled the Bockley Gallery’s space with vibrant paintings of Black cosplayers. “Cosplay is a form of radical play and transformation,” Barlow said, explaining how her colorful portraits explore themes of identity, joy, and multiplicity. Her body of work invited visitors to consider how fantasy and personal expression intersect in real communities.
Centering Indigenous and Latinx Artists
Expo Chicago 2025 made significant strides in spotlighting Indigenous and Latinx artists as cultural leaders. The Center for Native Futures — the only Native-led group at the fair — used bold, declarative banners by Anna Tsouhlarakis to assert enduring truths about Native existence, both historical and contemporary. Monica Rickert-Bolter, artist and co-founder, emphasized the importance of bringing Native art out of the museum and into everyday discourse. “We want viewers to understand that Native art isn’t stuck in the past,” said Rickert-Bolter. “It’s evolving, it’s present, it’s powerful.”
From the Hyde Park Art Center, Mexican artist Sofía Fernández Díaz added another layer of narrative through spirited sculptures combining traditional Mexican techniques with modern aesthetics. Her works — intricate and steeped in cultural symbolism — paid homage to her heritage in a space often dominated by Western paradigms. “Being here is a bridge,” said Fernández Díaz. “It’s a way of saying, ‘I’m Mexican and I’m proud.’”
Unity in Diversity: A Fair Beyond Commerce
Despite the occasionally overwhelming commercialism that defines art fairs, Expo Chicago 2025 distinguished itself through moments of communal joy and sincerity. Visitors gathered for toasts, exchanged heartfelt conversation, and marveled not just at craftsmanship, but at the resilience and innovation of the artists themselves.
Jenny Kendler, a visitor and environmental artist, described the fair’s unexpected emotional tone: “Things are more colorful — not just visually, but emotionally too. There’s more joy this year. I’m surprised to be saying that.”
That emotional resonance — joy, hope, identity — was at the heart of Expo Chicago’s success. While art fairs often exist in the shadows of market speculation and elitism, this year’s edition cultivated something noticeably more tender: authenticity. In every booth where artwork dared to speak truth, challenge norms, and infuse imagination with lived experience, there existed a spark of something the art world desperately needs — connection.
Looking Ahead
As Expo Chicago continues to evolve under Frieze’s leadership, questions remain about the balancing act between art’s commercial demands and its cultural responsibilities. Still, if this year was any indication, there’s an appetite — both among artists and audiences — for fairs that uplift rather than just sell.
In a time marked by political tension, economic uncertainty, and social transformation, artists at Expo Chicago offered more than just visual delight — they offered a lighthouse through the fog: affirming voices, proud