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Wanderlust
New Works by Shawnimals
February 19-March 13, 2022
I think we can all agree that after nearly 2 years of pandemic isolation and caution we’re all feeling a little wanderlust. Our good friend and long-time collaborator Shawn Smith (aka Shawnimals) and his adorable Ninjas and Shapes are right there with you. We’re excited to once again be working with Shawn to share this new body of work with you and, hopefully, it’ll be just the antidote you need.
Join us beginning Saturday, February 19 at 10am for in-person viewing of the 40 plus new works by Shawnimals for this exhibit. We will, unfortunately, not be holding an opening reception due to ongoing concerns about coronavirus, though we welcome you to stop by and view the new works (mask required). Members of our gallery previews email list will get first opportunity to purchase. To receive the email sign up at previews.rotofugi.com.
Wanderlust continues through Sunday, March 13 at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago and will also be viewable at gallery.rotofugi.com shortly after the exhibit begins.
About the Artist
Chicago-based Shawn Smith is best known as the artist and designer behind Shawnimals and Ninjatown. While often known for his work in designer toys — particularly plush — he is primarily focused on fine art, and creates a wide variety of colorful, playful, and symbolic illustrative works in the form of drawings, paintings, and murals. Simply put, he wants to delight and inspire people everywhere with his character-based creative work.
His "All Shapes" body of work explores ideas of friendship, community, diversity, inclusivity, and celebration. While squarely rooted in the world of art with color, shape, and composition, there's also the implication of a wide range of not only shapes and colors, but also emotions.
We are all of these things and many more, and these differences should be celebrated and supported to build a true sense of community.
You can see his work in and around Chicago, other parts of the US, and as far away as Tokyo, Japan.
When he's not working in his studio, he proudly works as the Art Director for Threadless and spends as much time as possible with his wife, son, and adorably grumpy old dog Remmy
Paintings in the Hue of Forever
New Works by ChrisRWK / Robots Will Kill
January 15-February 13, 2022
We kick off our 2022 exhibition schedule with a banger!
New York-based ChrisRWK (Robots Will Kill) has spent the last two decades and then some building and conceptualizing his own graffiti-flavored visual language — one that he frequently employs to spread messages of love, hope, and perseverance.
Join us beginning Saturday, January 15 at 10am for in-person viewing of the 40 new works on canvas prepared by ChrisRWK for his first Chicago solo exhibit!
We will, unfortunately, not be holding an opening reception due to ongoing concerns about coronavirus — and our space in Chicago strictly requires all staff and patrons to be masked.
Members of our gallery previews email list will get first opportunity to purchase. To receive the email sign up at previews.rotofugi.com.
Paintings in the Hue of Forever continues through Sunday, February 13 at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago and will also be viewable at gallery.rotofugi.com shortly after the exhibit begins.
About the Artist
A child of the 70’s into the 80s, ChrisRWK’s world was often completely flooded with the imagery and ideas presented by his television, his comic books, and the music and movies of the time. Immersed in these various mediums, ChrisRWK began to store the images brought forward though these everyday experiences in what he refers to as a "mental journal". This journal was a haven of his thoughts that he could refer back to whenever necessary. ChrisRWK’s paintings frequently cite past conceptions of popular culture embedded in his psyche's cache.
This use of intertextuality also serves to offer a comfort or familiarity of sorts to the viewer. ChrisRWK’s works frequently reveal everyday musings and people one would pass on the street without looking or thinking about twice. These images also aid ChrisRWK in the creation of a visual language comprised of his own iconographic imagery. Through the repetition of this imagery, ChrisRWK strives to familiarize his viewers with the language he has constructed. ChrisRWK believes that the notions within his pieces serve as a backbone to the many stories created by the onlooker when he or she is viewing the work.
In 2001 ChrisRWK set in motion RobotsWillKill.com. Robots Will Kill is an arts site dedicated to community and exposure for artists/media often disregarded by the mainstream art world. Rather than featuring his own work exclusively, he opened it up to allow the possibility for it to become whatever it evolved into being. ChrisRWK has used this interaction and collaboration with artists to help develop his artwork in new ways.
Over the years ChrisRWK’s imagery has become quickly identifiable and familiar to many people. He is trying to evoke more stories in people's minds everyday.
Good morning.
We found out this morning that one of our staff who last worked Saturday, December 18 and Sunday, December 19, has tested positive for COVID-19.
While we have been taking precautions and requiring masks for both staff and patrons for over the past year, if you visited our store this past weekend or yesterday you should know that you were in proximity to someone who either tested positive, or was a close contact of someone who did.
At this time we do not have any further positive cases, but out of precaution all staff who worked with the positive tested staff will be quarantined/work from home for the remainder of the year.
Our store in Chicago will remain open, though we beg your patience as we will be working with a greatly reduced staff.
Thank you.
Kirby Kerr
Owner/Rotofugi
Wes World
A Tribute to the Films of Wes Anderson
New Works by Cindy Scaife
December 18, 2021-January 9, 2022
We're finishing the 2021 exhibit schedule off with a bang, or perhaps that's a bottle rocket. We've invited back previous exhibitor and master of cute Cindy Scaife and she's chosen to do a tribute to one of our other favorites, film director Wes Anderson.
Whether you're a fan of the Royal Tenenbaums, or Steve Zissou is more your speed, this exhibit will have something for you. Cindy's stylized portraits of some of the most recognizable characters from the Wes Anderson film canon are both adorable and, just like the films, idiosyncratic.
We will not be holding an opening reception for this exhibit, but stop by beginning Saturday, December 18 at 10am for viewing and purchase opportunities. Members of our gallery previews email list will get first opportunity to purchase online, but we expect to send the online availability notification sometime after the official opening this month. To receive the email, sign up at previews.rotofugi.com.
Wes World continues through Sunday, January 9 at Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago and will also be viewable at gallery.rotofugi.com shortly after the exhibit begins.
About the Artist
Cindy Scaife was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and she graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD). For over 25 years Cindy has worked as a full-time professional artist, muralist and art educator.
Cindy is greatly influenced by the art, design and advertising illustrations of the Atomic Age. Drawing heavily from the colour palette and optimism of this era, Cindyʼs work reflects its own nostalgia and innocence. Cindy arrived at her style of art by way of the 1950ʼs advertising industryʼs development and use of the product mascot, an anthropomorphic character used to promote a companyʼs wares to a wide audience.
This is Cindy's second solo exhibit at Rotofugi.
Happy Holidays! Our store in Chicago is open slightly extended hours now through December 21...and greatly extended hours on December 22-23! The store is stocked up on all kinds of toys, blind boxes, plush, and art so you can stop by and get something awesome, whether it's a gift or a treat for yourself. ❤️
Rotofugi, 2780 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago
Rotofugi Holiday Hours 2021
December 6-21
Open 10am-7pm daily
December 22-23
Open 9am-9pm
December 24 (Christmas Eve)
9am-4pm
December 25 (Christmas Day)
Closed
December 31 (New Year's Eve)
10am-4pm
January 1 (New Year's Day)
Closed
January 2
10am-6pm
January 3
Closed (Inventory)
