Packer Schopf is a meeting of the minds of Aron Packer and William Schopf. The gallery opened in the West Loop area of Chicago in 2006. Previously Packer had been interested in folk art but his interests shifted to contemporary art—genre meaning little but with an eye to the odd, the obscure and the iconoclastic.
What sort of art “catches" Packer’s eye?
“Hard to say exactly but I know it when I see it. So point being; Not much catches my eye. We are relatively particular.” he says.
Even when art does catch Packer’s eye it isn’t necessarily bound for the gallery.
“There are lots of different spots an artist can be in--Public, private, gallery is different than museum. That kind of thing. Noticing someone doesn't mean they come to the gallery,” says Packer. “I like abstract painting when I like. But in general we don't show abstract work at the gallery. No particular look. Again hard to say. I think if people see an arc of shows over a year’s time. You can start to get an idea of what we do.”
“Shows are good as it's a whole group of folks interested in looking. And hopefully buying.” he says.
This weekend in Chicago is a next step, possibly, in making Chicago more of an art destination. But when you have several significant shows? It expands interest and excitement. When people come this weekend they will be impressed. But it is moving forward.
“It is pretty much a smaller version of what happens in Miami. It's just way bigger there. Just scale it down 80 percent.” he says.
Packer Schopf is showing emerging artists at Fountain.
“And work that is in general under $1000 or $2000. Look for hand carved pencil by Diem Chau, Offbeat collage by Dana DeAno and Jennifer Yorke, Gloves with tattoo imagery on them but Ellen Greene and a public installation called Swing Set Drum Kit by Dave Ford. He'll have truck drawings in our booth. “says Packer.
Be sure to check out their booth.