American performance and installation artist James Lee Byars (1932-97) based his work around unique objects, shapes, drawings and ephemera, including flirtatious letters to curators, collectors and art world luminaries. In the Contemporary Arts Center’s current exhibit, The Perfect Kiss (QQ)* *questioning, queer, Chicago-based artist and curator Matt Morris has engaged with Byars’ works by presenting his own pieces alongside those of the artist. The resulting exhibit combines love letters, evolving floral arrangements and sentimental snapshots to create a correspondence between viewers, artists and the art institution.
Through Oct. 11. $7.50 adults; $5.50 educators/seniors/students; free on Wednesday evenings. 44 E. Sixth St., Downtown, contemporaryartscenter.org.
This article appears in May 20-26, 2015.
