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| Gallery Guichard 3521 S. Martin Luther King Dr. Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday Call: (773) 373-8000 Online: www.galleryguichard.com |
By Bushra Kabir
Gallery Guichard, which displays art of the African Diaspora in a historic building in Bronzeville, celebrates its fifth anniversary in August. Though gentrification of the area has slowed with the recession, the gallery is flourishing, owners say. The gallery welcomes visitors with lovely music playing in the background and vibrant colors from the various paintings.
Pieces sell from $250 to $35,000, with most between $1,500 and $2,500.
“I think everyone is still embracing us” said Frances Guichard, “and hopefully we’ll be around for a very long time no matter how the neighborhood changes.”
In a three-story sandstone building almost blending in with the apartment buildings around it, Gallery Guichard is located on the broad street of King Drive in the Bronzeville community of Chicago.
African-American artist Andre Guichard and his wife Frances Guichard, partnered with Stephen Mitchel, a collector of African American art, and Stanley Stallworth to open the gallery in 2005 — the same year the Guichards married. Their hope was to promote works by artists of the African Diaspora — and to introduce their art to the community and the wider society.
Today, Gallery Guichard represents more than 40 artists of African heritage. Two solo shows are displayed at a time, rotating every few months. The works of Chicagoans Kevin Okeith and Paul Branton are on display through Aug. 14.
“Everyone has a different fingerprint,” says Frances Guichard. “Each artist has its own unique style. They can be from the Caribbean, they can be from America, and they can be from Europe, anywhere around the world as long as they have that connection back to Africa.”
Branton, a native of the South Side, is a visual artist, filmmaker and writer who had his first showing at Gallery Guichard in spring 2009.
"It's one of the more popular galleries," he said. "I've really been concentrating on getting more recognition, and it's been very good for that."
The gallery, he adds, gets both local and national attention and is trying to increase its profile globally as well. "To have a gallery of that stature on the South Side gives me a sense of pride," he said. "I'm happy that I'm a part of that."
Each piece of art at the Galley Guichard tells a unique story, she adds.
“I think what makes any artist unique is their experience,” she says. “Whether you’re African, Indian or Native American, you’re going to have a different experience. There will be times when they will put their African heritage into their artwork, and you will walk around and you’ll see something that is representative of our African culture. At times you’ll see a painting of how they were feeling that day, or something about love, or a beautiful person.”
Within Bronzeville, Gallery Guichard promotes the concept of variety and diversity within the African culture.
“We’ve always talked about artwork being the livelihood or the backbone of your community,” Frances Guichard says. “Art is very necessary because of the culture that it brings.”
The gallery space is in a landmark building, she adds: “It goes back to the early 1900s when the first African-American insurance company was housed in these buildings.”
To reach out to the community, Gallery Guichard presents opportunities to mingle with the artists through discussions and educational programs that are open to the public. It is also a stop on the Bronzeville Art District trolley tour, which visits major art centers in the neighborhood one evening per month.
“We’re very happy to be here,” says Frances Guichard, “and been very well supported by our community in addition to others who come to visit from around the world.”
