Jackson Junge Gallery is excited to present their third group exhibition of the year, After dark, featuring artwork that shines a light on nightlife in Chicago. The exhibition will feature the work of 28 artists local to the Chicagoland area. From the beginning of a big night out, to the eventful CTA ride home, After dark explores both the well-known and the hidden corners of Chicago after the sun has gone down.

Few things will stop Chicagoans from going out on a summer night. In Richard Laurent’s After dark piece, Bucktown blues, a little rain doesn’t stop pedestrians from walking to the nearest CTA station for a ride to their evening destination. The two share an umbrella as they make their way toward the bright glow of the station, looking forward to a brief break from the rain and a view of the city from the above ground L train. The painting serves as a poignant reminder of Richard Laurent’s remarkable ability to capture the quiet rhythms of everyday life in Chicago. Following his untimely passing, works such as “Bucktown Blues” have taken on even greater significance, standing as enduring reflections of the city he loved and the moments he found worth preserving.

Mary Langston’s painting Night shift focuses on one of Chicago’s most secretive train commuters, the coyote. “Wild coyotes have become an increasingly familiar yet seldom-seen presence in Chicago. Under the cover of darkness, they navigate the city using railroad corridors—especially Metra lines—as safe passageways between neighborhoods,” Langston explains when describing her piece. Her coyote intently stares at the viewer with glowing eyes as it momentarily stops on the tracks, with a fantastic view of the skyline in the background.

Some of Chicago's sights are best viewed after dark, as seen in Ellie Vergura's piece The Chicago theater. Her painting shows the iconic landmark with the vertical sign lit after the sun has gone down. The crowd gathered outside can be viewed as either eagerly entering the theater or leaving late after the show. Similarly, Carly Klingbiel's painting Aliens at midnight gives us a late-night view of another Chicago icon - Cloud Gate (AKA The Bean) painted with neon green. The bright colors provide the piece with an electric energy one might feel on a Friday night when Millennium Park is still bustling with tourists and locals. Groups of people surround the sculpture, enjoying the lights of the city reflected in its surface.

Carrying After dark later into the evening, Cal’s liquors by Thomas Tomek immortalizes the beloved dive bar that spent 55 years on the corner of Wells and Van Buren. The composition of the piece references the famous Edward Hopper painting of a lonely late-night diner, titled Nighthawks. But rather than lonely hues of blue, Cal's liquors perfectly recreates the orange glow of a late night in the South Loop, when regulars are wrapping up their evening at their favorite bar.

Many Chicagoans end their night with a quick bite to eat. Bumpy Wilson’s Pre-dawn post-game at diner grill gives us a portrait of a late-night, Northside favorite since 1937, Diner Grill. Open 24 hours and serving a hearty breakfast that provides the perfect greasy nightcap, Diner Grill is one of the last spots you’ll find with the lights still on, as seen in Wilson’s painting. Inside the bright windows, you can see the counter still full of hungry patrons- bar hoppers, post-shift service workers, and early risers. Also putting the spotlight on late-night eats is Jordan Miller’s photograph Open late for breakfast, which shows a late-night diner as the night is winding down. Miller states, “24-hour diners and food stands were once a ubiquitous part of the nocturnal fabric of Chicago…Sadly, this diner--and many like it--have disappeared from our city's nightlife as economic strains grow and the night itself becomes increasingly at risk.” Miller’s photograph acknowledges the importance of the businesses that keep us going on a late night out and the workers that make that possible.

Also included in After dark are many more artworks celebrating the beauty and excitement of Chicago after the streetlights come on, from the perspective of local artists. Explore the city after hours with artwork featuring familiar sights, local businesses, performances, parties and more. Join us for a night out in After dark.