Art Review: Surprising Depth in Chicago's 'Heaven + Hell' Art Exhibit

CHICAGO TRIBUNE
By Claudine Ise

"Four Winds of Heaven" (1960) by William Blayney | David T. Owsley Collection

ILLINOIS -- When it comes to the 165 works of folk art on view in the group exhibition "Heaven + Hell," Judeo-Christian notions of sin and salvation reign supreme. There's an abundance of fire-and-brimstone imagery to be found here, and more harp-strumming angels than you can shake a stick at. Yet if you're willing to look past the cliches, you'll find a surprising level of depth and variety not only in the show's depictions of the afterlife, but also in its portrayal of the human condition right here on Earth. The exhibition is split in two, with Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) presenting artworks about heaven, and Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art doing likewise for those about hell. [link]

Loyola University Museum of Art: "Heaven + Hell" (Ends June 30), the Heaven portion of the exhibition taking place at LUMA, 820 N. Michigan Ave., and Hell taking place in Intuit’s Galleries at 756 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, (312) 915-7600 or luc.edu/luma