VSG specializes in showcasing emerging and mid-career artists through solo presentations and group shows. We're located in Chicago's West Town Art District and are dedicated to fostering a vibrant community of creators, art enthusiasts and the patrons of tomorrow.
Since opening in 2022, the gallery has garnered attention from prestigious publications like The New York Times and The Economist for its unique blend of humor and serious art presentations.
Installation View: Oscar Joyo, 2025
","type":"EventCategory","state":"published","slug":"exhibitions","created_at":"2018-10-22 18:54:41.176231","updated_at":"2018-10-22 18:54:41.176231","excerpt":"","is_timeless":true,"organization_id":1740,"highlighted":false,"opening_starts_at":"2025-09-13 12:00:00","opening_ends_at":"2025-09-13 18:00:00","searchable":"'aim':103B 'anger':122B 'bioluminesc':67B 'black':81B,138B 'came':163B 'canvas':43B 'chicago':135B 'citi':142B 'color':51B 'complex':119B 'connect':131B 'continu':146B 'cosmic':49B 'cosmic-inspir':48B 'date':28B 'decid':7B 'edg':79B 'emot':120B 'evolut':86B 'evolv':148B 'exhibit':34B 'explor':37B 'export':18B,58B 'fear':114B 'featur':41B 'final':153B 'find':130B 'futurist':78B 'give':74B 'glow':65B 'ground':23B 'grow':150B 'heal':61B 'homeland':128B 'ident':39B 'immigr':94B,106B,139B 'infrar':71B 'inspir':50B 'joyo':2A,4B,6B,97B 'larger':42B 'largest':25B 'leav':14B,160B 'led':96B 'long':125B 'love':144B 'major':56B 'malawi':15B,133B,156B 'malawian':57B 'migrat':102B 'mural':11B 'oscar':1A,3B,5B 'paint':9B,26B 'plant':54B 'polit':91B 'portray':105B 'pressur':92B 'primari':17B 'rather':112B 'recent':90B 'reflect':117B 'resili':89B 'return':154B 'revisit':99B 'revolut':87B 'rich':44B 'ritual':64B 'root':32B 'sacr':63B 'sad':123B 'scheme':52B 'skin':72B 'sourc':109B 'strength':111B 'subject':76B 'symbol':84B 'take':35B 'textur':45B 'theme':100B 'thermal':69B 'tobacco':13B,53B 'tone':73B 'turn':80B 'use':59B 'vivid':47B 'way':21B 'work':116B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1762397479/apcmp77etgxup3e5wvjl.jpg","calendar":null,"carousel":false,"event_body":"Oscar Joyo @oscar_joyo decided to paint a mural of tobacco leaves, Malawi’s primary export, as a way of grounding his largest painting to date in his own roots.
This exhibition takes his exploration of identity further, featuring larger canvases, rich textures, and vivid, cosmic-inspired color schemes. Tobacco plants—a major Malawian export used in healing and sacred rituals—glow with bioluminescence, while thermal and infrared skin tones give his subjects a futuristic edge, turning Blackness into a symbol of evolution, revolution, and resilience.
Recent political pressures on immigrants have led Joyo to revisit themes of migration, aiming to portray immigration as a source of strength rather than fear. His work reflects the complex emotions of anger, sadness, and longing for his homeland while finding connections between Malawi and Chicago. As a Black immigrant in a city he loves, he continues to evolve and grow. When he finally returns to Malawi, he will not leave as he came.
","name":"Exhibitions","organization_type_id":"1","district_id":"2","telephone":"+17733091407","website":"https://vsgcontemporary.com","email":"info@vsgcontemporary.com","hours":"W 12–5; Th 12–8; F & S: 12–5. Please visit website for updated hours","location":"673 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60642","display_location":"673 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60642","latitude":"0.000000","longitude":"0.000000","contact":"Allan Weinberger, Dir. / Founder ","sub_district_id":"2","promoted_at":"2024-12-18T00:00:00.000Z","optional_sort_name":"","paid":true,"position":2,"category_name":"Exhibitions","orgname":"VSG Contemporary","orgslug":"vsg-contemporary","image":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1758668757/ydnpry8ycwbsq6bfu75c.png"}