Expo Chicago’s big lineup

Expo Chicago closes Sunday, April 12, after a four-day run at Navy Pier that marks the fair’s first full edition under new director Kate Sierzputowski and curator Essence Harden. (expochicago.com) (frieze.com) The 2026 fair brought together more than 130 galleries in a smaller floor plan, down from nearly 200 galleries in 2025. Organizers said the reset was meant to make the fair feel more focused and easier to navigate. (expochicago.com) (chicago.suntimes.com) (frieze.com) That shift came after Frieze acquired Expo Chicago in 2023 and after founder Tony Karman stepped down as director in May 2025. Sierzputowski took over in November 2025, with Harden appointed to shape the fair’s curatorial program. (frieze.com) (chicago.suntimes.com) (frieze.com) The fair’s new structure put more weight on curated sections instead of sheer size. Louise Bernard, museum director at the Obama Presidential Center, organized “Embodiment” and “Evolution,” while Detroit Institute of Arts curator Katie A. Pfohl led the “Focus” section and Harden curated “Profile.” (expochicago.com) (artnews.com) Expo also expanded its citywide footprint through Expo Art Week, which ran April 7 through April 12 with neighborhood events including South Side Night and Art After Hours. The official program framed the fair as one piece of a broader week of museum, gallery and community programming across Chicago. (expochicago.com) (choosechicago.com) Inside the fair, Frieze said the 2026 edition added EXPO Projects for installations, activations and performances by non-profits and other organizations, alongside the Dialogues talks series, Directors Summit, Exchange by Northern Trust and an expanded Curatorial Forum. Those additions pushed the fair beyond gallery booths into panels and live programming. (frieze.com) One of the works singled out ahead of the fair was Sarah Nsikak’s textile installation with Sibyl Gallery in the Focus section. Frieze described the presentation as an immersive installation drawing on references from the Gee’s Bend quilters to the Herero peoples, and Sibyl said the booth featured new works from Nsikak’s project “How could you hold it?” (frieze.com) (sibylgallery.com) Chicago galleries still had a visible presence in the tighter format, with exhibitors including Gray, moniquemeloche, Patron, Andrew Rafacz, Document and Corbett vs. Dempsey. The fair also continued its partnership with the Galleries Association of Korea, with 12 Korean galleries participating this year. (expochicago.com) (artnews.com) As the 2026 edition wraps, the fair leaves Chicago with a smaller roster, new leadership and a program built to look more like a curated festival than a trade-floor sprawl. (expochicago.com) (chicago.suntimes.com)