Caroline Picard: Bygone(s) January 12 - March 1, 2008 opening reception Saturday, January 12 from 6 - 10pm WPBGA Second Saturday Gallery Walk January 12, 6-10pm wpbga.com for more information Re:action Reading Series January 12 at 7:30pm

Art Forum Critics' Pick TimeOut Review (pdf) "Bygone(s)" is the culmination of a body of work that Chicago-based artist Caroline Picard began in 2002. A hand-bound novel representing most of that early work will be on display and available for sale. The novel, about 100,000 words is divided into three sections and deals with the aftermath of September 11th (as obliquely as possible) and the death of the father/husband. The text provides the linear landscape for the visual art, which exhumes the ghosts in the text by approaching them visually. Many of the themes in the exhibition begin in Asia. In one video series, cutouts blow around in a series of public installations in Tokyo, Manila and Hong Kong. In another video series, "Fortuna: The Greatest Super Hero in the World" posts a sign on Lama Island announcing her own greatness (part of a public performance in 2005/2006). Fortuna reappears in another piece watching home videos of Tokyo as they are projected on a pillow made in the same shape as the paper cut outs. A haunting audio track from a Hong Kong underpass will be set to repeat, and finally, to provide a visual resting point, six gouache, collage-on-paper paintings are positioned at various points around the gallery. These paintings reference moods of the text, serving as intuitive landscapes of the various characters' states of mind/being. Throughout the exhibition, fictional, personal and historical weave in and out. Born in Tokyo, Japan Caroline Picard has been showcased in exhibitions worldwide from Germany and Romania in Europe to Japan, Philippines and Hong Kong in Asia as well as in an array of cities in the United States. Of her significant achievements, Caroline’s exhibit and performance The Burnt of Aurelia, collaborated with 15 Refugee Children in an original work that integrated past experience with American culture and waking up in a new world, can be considered a forerunner. The Green Lantern Gallery & Press, Caroline’s year old gallery has received much acclaim since it integrates different mediums and voices, and facilitates the relationship between visual art, music, intellectual pursuits and literature. Caroline Picard is a graduate student at the School of the Art Institute and Director of Publications at ThreeWalls. Re:Action Reading Series January 12 at 7:30pm. Free. Curated by Margot Bordelon (Lookinglass Theatre) and J. Adams Oaks (Serendipity Theatre Collective). Four emerging writers read works based on artwork on exhibit at the Around the Coyote Gallery. This month's readers include Margot Bordelon, J. Adams Oaks, David Blatt and Molly Each. This exhibition is made possible in part by a generous donation from Peroni. Around the Coyote, a 501(c)3 non-profit, supports, promotes and makes accessible Chicago's multidisciplinary arts community. Our activities enhance public discourse and provide creative outlets for emerging artists. Year-round programming includes multi-media arts festivals featuring visual art, theater, dance, video and poetry in the winter and fall; art exhibitions in the Around the Coyote gallery; an artist-in-residence program; membership opportunities for artists and art aficionados; educational outreach for all ages through multi-media art workshops, lectures, collaborations with local schools and agencies, and career development workshops for artists. This programming is partially supported by a generous grant from Peroni beer, the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the CityArts Program 2 grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. Gallery/Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday 10-6pm and Saturday 12-6pm. Mondays by appointment only. Directions: Located in the historic Flat Iron Arts Building, take the Blue Line to Damen Avenue. Chicago, Illinois USA