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10 Best Art & Design shows of 2012, in chronological order

Posted in Exhibitionist blog by Lauren Weinberg on Jan 7, 2013 at 11:35am

Top 10 Art and Design shows of 2012
Jacques de Gheyn II, Great Lion, c. 1590.
DB Burkeman at "STUCK UP," Maxwell Colette Gallery, 2012.
Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Anti-Expeditious, 2011.
Installation view of "This Will Have Been," Museum of Contemporary Art, 2012.
Mella Jaarsma, I Eat You Eat Me (photographic documentation of a performance in Jakarta, Indonesia), 2002.
Utagawa (Andō) Hiroshige and Utagawa Kunisada, detail of An Elegant Genji: Tsukuda, 1853.
Installation view of "1979:1–2012:21: Jan TIchy Works with the MoCP Collection" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, 2012.
Steve McQueen. Exodus, 1992/97.
Installation view of "Irena Knezevic: Night of the World" at Alderman Exhibitions, 2012.
Joseph Jachna; Door County, Wisconsin, (hand holding circular mirror, reflecting stone wall); 1970.
  • Jacques de Gheyn II, Great Lion, c. 1590.

    "Prints and the Pursuit of Knowledge in Early Modern Europe" at the Mary & Leigh Block Museum of Art, Jan 17–Apr 8, 2012.

    Heinrich Vogtherr’s proto–pop-up books—two anatomical “flap prints”—were among our favorite works in this scholarly show, which originated at Harvard Art Museums.

    Jacques de Gheyn II, Great Lion, c. 1590.

    Photo: Harvard Art Museums, © 2011 President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeTop10.PrintsEarlyModern.jpgJacques de Gheyn II, Great Lion, c. 1590.159748161
  • DB Burkeman at "STUCK UP," Maxwell Colette Gallery, 2012.

    "STUCK UP" at Maxwell Colette Gallery, Jan 20–Mar 3, 2012.

    Drum 'n' bass pioneer DJ DB aptly describes the pieces in his sticker collection as "tiny portable works of art."

    DB Burkeman at "STUCK UP," Maxwell Colette Gallery, 2012.

    Photo: Martha CooperTop10.MaxwellColette.jpgDB Burkeman at "STUCK UP," Maxwell Colette Gallery, 2012.159748062
  • Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Anti-Expeditious, 2011.

    "Molly Zuckerman-Hartung: Negative Joy," Corbett vs. Dempsey, Feb 3–Mar 17, 2012.

    TOC's Laura Pearson compared Chicago artist Zuckerman-Hartung's exhibition to a "fireworks show finale with a thousand ideas going off at once."

    Molly Zuckerman-Hartung, Anti-Expeditious, 2011.

    Photo: Tom Van EyndeTop10.Zuckerman.jpgMolly Zuckerman-Hartung, Anti-Expeditious, 2011.159748313
  • Installation view of "This Will Have Been," Museum of Contemporary Art, 2012.

    "This Will Have Been: Art, Love and Politics in the 1980s" at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Feb 11–Jun 3, 2012.

    Guest-curated by Helen Molesworth, this timely look at the era of the culture wars was one of four MCA shows to earn five stars from TOC in 2012.

    Installation view of "This Will Have Been," Museum of Contemporary Art, 2012.

    Photo: Nathan Keay, © MCA ChicagoTop10.ThisWill.jpgInstallation view of "This Will Have Been," Museum of Contemporary Art, 2012.159748214
  • Mella Jaarsma, I Eat You Eat Me (photographic documentation of a performance in Jakarta, Indonesia), 2002.

    "Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art" at the Smart Museum of Art, Feb 16–Jun 10, 2012.

    Judging from its mobbed opening reception, Chicago's art lovers and foodies both ate up this exciting exhibition, which was distinguished by vibrant interactive performances.

    Mella Jaarsma, I Eat You Eat Me (photographic documentation of a performance in Jakarta, Indonesia), 2002.

    Photo: Courtesy of the artistTop10.Feast.jpgMella Jaarsma, I Eat You Eat Me (photographic documentation of a performance in Jakarta, Indonesia), 2002.159747915
  • Utagawa (Andō) Hiroshige and Utagawa Kunisada, detail of An Elegant Genji: Tsukuda, 1853.

    "Awash in Color" at the Smart Museum of Art, Oct 4, 2012–Jan 20, 2013.

    Some of the most beautiful artworks we saw all year reveal how 19th-century French and Japanese artists learned from each other. 

    Utagawa (Andō) Hiroshige and Utagawa Kunisada, detail of An Elegant Genji: Tsukuda, 1853.

    Photo: Courtesy of the Brooklyn MuseumTop10.Awash.jpgUtagawa (Andō) Hiroshige and Utagawa Kunisada, detail of An Elegant Genji: Tsukuda, 1853.159747866
  • Installation view of "1979:1–2012:21: Jan TIchy Works with the MoCP Collection" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, 2012.

    "1979:1–2012:21: Jan TIchy Works with the MoCP Collection" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Oct 12–Dec 23, 2012.

    Chicago artist Tichy's careful curation gave viewers a sense of the nearly 11,000 photographs and other works in the MoCP's archives.

    Installation view of "1979:1–2012:21: Jan TIchy Works with the MoCP Collection" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, 2012.

    Photo: Courtesy of the MoCPTop10.Tichy.jpgInstallation view of "1979:1–2012:21: Jan TIchy Works with the MoCP Collection" at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, 2012.159748267
  • Steve McQueen. Exodus, 1992/97.

    "Steve McQueen" at the Art Institute of Chicago, Oct 21, 2012–Jan 6, 2013.

    A daring exhibition design made this retrospective of the Hunger and Shame director's videos particularly memorable.

    Steve McQueen, Exodus, 1992/97.

    Photo: Courtesy of the artist, Marian Goodman Gallery and Thomas Dane GalleryTop10.McQueen.jpgSteve McQueen. Exodus, 1992/97.159748118
  • Installation view of "Irena Knezevic: Night of the World" at Alderman Exhibitions, 2012.

    "Irena Knezevic: Night of the World" at Alderman Exhibitions, Nov 9, 2012–Feb 16, 2013.

    Knezevic's conceptual response to an obscure episode of the Holocaust still gives us chills.

    Installation view of "Irena Knezevic: Night of the World" at Alderman Exhibitions, 2012.

    Photo: Courtesy of Alderman ExhibitionsTop10.Knezevic.jpgInstallation view of "Irena Knezevic: Night of the World" at Alderman Exhibitions, 2012.159748019
  • Joseph Jachna; Door County, Wisconsin, (hand holding circular mirror, reflecting stone wall); 1970.

    "Joseph D. Jachna: Surface Contradictions," Stephen Daiter Gallery, Dec 7, 2012–Feb 23, 2013.

    Jachna's almost abstract photographs of water establish him as a successor to mentors Aaron Siskind and Harry Callahan.

    Joseph Jachna; Door County, Wisconsin, (hand holding circular mirror, reflecting stone wall); 1970.

    Photo: Courtesy of Stephen Daiter GalleryTop10.Jachna.jpgJoseph Jachna; Door County, Wisconsin, (hand holding circular mirror, reflecting stone wall); 1970.1597479610

"Prints and the Pursuit of Knowledge in Early Modern Europe" at the Mary & Leigh Block Museum of Art, Jan 17–Apr 8, 2012.

Heinrich Vogtherr’s proto–pop-up books—two anatomical “flap prints”—were among our favorite works in this scholarly show, which originated at Harvard Art Museums.

Jacques de Gheyn II, Great Lion, c. 1590.

Photo: Harvard Art Museums, © 2011 President and Fellows of Harvard College

We fudged this list a little. Based on ratings alone, the four Museum of Contemporary Art shows to which TOC gave five stars would have dominated the rankings, but we limited the MCA to our favorite—"This Will Have Been: Art, Love & Politics in the 1980s"—to free space for more of the city's strongest institutions and galleries, ranging from the Art Institute of Chicago to Alderman Exhibitions. Click on the image to read the story or review.

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