If you had to use one word to describe Allana Clarke’s art at EXPO Chicago last weekend, a fitting option would be “freedom.”
Sure, one may consider the freedom of form in “A Rhythm Black & Sweet #9,” which features a sea of black hair-bonding glue spread over a linen panel.
But the piece also represents a freedom from the burden of white beauty standards forced upon Black women, according to commentary from Clarke. Typically used for gluing hair extensions, the rubber latex was reshaped by the Detroit artist into an entirely new creation, shedding its oppressive history.
It was the perfect piece for Chris Craft, an Irving Park art collector who has been patronizing the galleries at the Navy Pier event for several years.
“The theme of my collection is ‘sign of the times,’” said Craft, 46, who is a senior director at Microsoft. “It’s how I see the world as a Black collector around me. So, right now, with things so chaotic, I’m looking at more abstractness and trying to find the collateral beauty within the work.”
It isn’t just the variety of the art at EXPO Chicago that draws Craft’s attention. Relatively new to collecting, he said he appreciates the willingness of participating gallerists to educate him and share information.
“It has that Midwest feel where you can actually have a conversation with the galleries, but, more importantly, they actually teach you,” he said. “As a new collector, I’ve never really had anybody teach me where to go.”
And learning about artists’ styles and techniques is also helpful, he said.
“A lot of those things I just don’t know because I didn’t go to art school, and [the exhibitors] actually take time to educate me and help me make a good decision for myself,” he said. “I do buy what I love, but at the same time, it’s great when I feel like I have somebody that I can just communicate with and have a safe space where I can talk and not feel judged. That’s typically what you see when you go to the East Coast or the West Coast.”
Craft began collecting art in 2017. His wife, Dione, followed suit just a few years ago. Together, they have amassed a $3 million collection of more than 200 paintings, sculptures, photos and other works. They have procured about eight works from EXPO Chicago over the years, including Clarke’s piece, which Craft purchased from Library Street Collective.
This year, he also bought Simon Benjamin’s acrylic painting, “Gymnopédie No. 5,” part of the artist’s “Native Diver Series,” from Swivel Gallery. The New York-based Jamaican artist often depicts sea and coastal scenes to explore the impact of “lesser-known histories and colonial legacies,” according to his website.
Craft said he is not only grateful for the gallerists, but also event organizers and artists who have helped him navigate the industry.
“Being a young collector is kind of intimidating,” he said. “It’s about education and knowing that we’re not alone.”
