In the same vein as Don Baum's irreverent and boundary-breaking 1965 Three Kingdoms exhibitions at the Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, Animal, Animal, Vegetable, Vegetable, Mineral, Mineral brings together a varied group of contemporary artists who address their relationship to the earth.  Locating themselves by processing their experiences of the world around them into images, objects, and words. 

While one might immediately associate this title with Don's interest in both trained and self-taught artists working in a mix of Pop and Surrealism or perhaps the genre of 19th century romantic landscape painting, Animal, Animal, Vegetable, Vegetable, Mineral, Mineral will include a range of visual strategies that parallels the array of experiences of the world today. 

And, rather than presenting works that are mired in the stale politics of our changing ecosystem; this group of artists counters the systems beyond their control by approaching the sublime in nature through materiality, form, fantasy, humor, narrative, and representation.  Seeking out that essential knowledge that we are all connected to something larger, and that all things—animal, vegetable, mineral, and human depend on each other.

Nick Schutzenhofer(b.1981 St. Joseph, MO), lives and works in Chicago, IL.  Schutzenhofer received an MFA in 2014 from School of the Art Institute Chicago and BA in Art History from DePaul University Chicago in 2005.  Recent exhibitions include Hans Gallery Chicago (2021), Pumice Raft Toronto 2021, Mickey Gallery Chicago (2020), Julius Caesar Chicago (2020), Circle Contemporary Chicago (2020), Left Field San Luis Obispo (2019), Club Nutz Chicago (2018).  

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