Barely Fair, 3–19 April 2026, 4146 N Elston Ave, Chicago
Operated by the Julius Caesar collective, Barely Fair is an international art fair presented in a unique 1:12 miniature scale. Featuring 30 exhibitors from blue-chip galleries to artist-run spaces, the fair presents all programming inside 20-inch booths. It offers a playful, rigorous, and highly accessible alternative to the traditional fair model during Chicago’s Art Week.
A new fair in Chicago. Neighbors operates through invitation and deliberate scale. Held during Expo Chicago week. The fair establishes proximity, attention, and the conditions of encounter. In a shared moment, a model designed to endure beyond fair week.
The Renaissance Society is thrilled to announce that artist Maurizio Cattelan will conceive and orchestrate RenBen 2026, taking place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during Chicago's EXPO Art Week.
Known for his provocative and darkly humorous approach to contemporary art, Cattelan has spent four decades creating works that spark conversation, to say the least. From his infamous solid gold toilet America to his hyperrealistic sculptures, Cattelan's work consistently captivates audiences while questioning authority, religion, celebrity, and the art world itself.
RenBen is the Renaissance Society’s annual artist-centered gala and the institution’s most important fundraising event, vital to sustaining its experimental exhibitions and programs throughout the year. Each edition invites a single artist to design every aspect of the evening, from the space and performances to the food and choreography. Past editions have been conceived by Meriem Bennani (2025), Kevin Beasley (2024), Adam Linder (2023), and Piero Golia (2022), each expanding what an artist-driven benefit can be.
For RenBen 2026, Cattelan will draw on his established signature forms of playful inversion, surprise, and surrealist elegance. Guests can expect his subversive wit and theatrical sensibility. “BEING AN ARTIST IS NOT A JOB, IT'S A MALFUNCTION,” he shared.
EXPO CHICAGO Contemporary Art Fair showcases leading contemporary and modern art galleries each April at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall, alongside a diverse and inventive program of talks, on-site installations, and public art initiatives. Inaugurated in 2012, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city’s robust history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the region’s contemporary arts community. In 2023, EXPO CHICAGO was acquired by Frieze, the world’s leading platform for modern and contemporary art.
