Chicago Artist Writers
Established in 2012 to fill a gaping void in writing about Chicago’s art, Chicago Artist Writers assumed a unique position of writing about art for and by fellow artists. For three years, the online platform published the kind of long-form, experimental content that could not be found elsewhere in the written word on Chicago art. After dissipating in 2012 when cofounders Sofia Leiby and Jason Lazarus left Chicago for New York City and Tampa, Florida, respectively, the site has recently been revived by Dan Gunn, who aims to recharge the conversation around contemporary art in Chicago by recognizing the vitality of a local discourse that is not dependent on social media or ruled by outside critics. Gorgeously designed and featuring all archival content plus new reviews and essays, the rebooted Chicago Artist Writers website will surely be indispensable for artists and art-interested readers looking for artist-centric reads of contemporary work.
Best of Chicago 2016