The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design. SOFA Expo returns to Chicago’s Navy Pier for its 26th Edition from Thursday, October 31st through Sunday, November 3rd.
![SOFA Expo at Chicago's Navy Pier](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/sofa.expo_.chicago.art_.fair_.jpg)
SOFA Expo at Chicago’s Navy Pier
![Habatat Prime location: 1023 S. Delano Court East, Chicago, IL 60605](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/2019.habatat.galleryies.Chicago.Sofa_.Prime_.popup_-300x262.jpg)
Habatat Prime location: 1023 S. Delano Court East, Chicago, IL 60605
For the 2019 event, something different and exciting will be happening, and all are invited! Michigan’s Habatat Galleries will have a presence at the Sofa Expo at Navy Pier (Habatat Sofa Booth: A34 & A32) and also will have a separate exhibit titles “Habatat Prime” – a pop-up gallery located nearby in Chicago’s Printer’s Row neighborhood in the South Loop. (About 3 miles from Navy Pier). The gallery will have 7500 square feet of display spacing offering incredible contemporary glass. Habatat will also have a live auction of masterworks at the space as well on Friday night! The popup space will be free & open to the public during the week – from 10am til 6pm Thursday, Oct 31, 2019 to Sunday, Nov 3, 2019. The auction
WGS artists Tim Tate and Michael Janis will have work at the art fairs – both as individual artists and as collaborative artists for works that blend the artistic oeuvres.
Tim Tate has been busy for the past few months!
![Tim Tate's narrative kiln-cast glass is always incredible.](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/tate.cast_.glass_.art_.dry_.plaster.kiln_.21st.century.new_.float_glass.open_.faced_.great_-300x300.jpg)
Tim Tate’s narrative kiln-cast glass is always incredible.
Tim has a number of works at both Navy Pier SOFA and at Habatat Prime pop-up space in Printers Row. Besides his own work, Tim has created collaborative work with artist Lucy Lyon and with WGS’ Michael Janis.
Tim and Lucy created “Neo”- a sculpture that combines Lucy Lyon’s figurative work with Tim’s evocative endless mirror sculptures – resulting in sculpture that has an exquisite haunting quality – referencing the Magic Realism artwork by George Tooker and Paul Cadmus.
![Tim Tate & Lucy Lyon collaborative sculpture work "Neo" calls to mind highly detailed, realistic settings invaded by something too strange to believe - the definition of "Magic Realism".](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/tate.lyon_1.jpg)
Tim Tate & Lucy Lyon collaborative sculpture work “Neo” calls to mind highly detailed, realistic settings invaded by something too strange to believe – the definition of “Magic Realism”.
Michael Janis has new works in his signature “sgrafftio” (frit powder drawing) technique. His works are much more expressive and colorful – and sure to command attention at Habatat Prime.
![Michael Janis, "Inner Dimensions", kilnformed glass powder imagery; at Habatat Prime popup exhibit. Photo by Anything Photographic](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Inner_Dimensions.michael_janis.sgraffito.frit_.powder.bullseye.glass_.new_.art_.narrative.figurative.american.surreal.habatat.sofa_.chicago-1017x1024.jpg)
Michael Janis, “Inner Dimensions”, kilnformed glass powder imagery; at Habatat Prime popup exhibit. Photo by Anything Photographic
Michael and Tim collaborated on a commanding artwork installation titled “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air” – a 9 foot wide by 6 foot high wall sculpture – consisting of 42 separate bas-relief plaster molds, 12 sgraffito glass powder drawings, 12 lost wax glass castings and 4 months to produce this spectacular and monumental work.
![Michael Janis creates imagery from crushed glass powder in his signature "sgraffito" technique.](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/michael.janis_.sgraffito.glass_.frit_.powder.paint_.art_.sofa_.chicago_expo.habatat.prime_.fair_.contemporary.miami_.new_.imagery.narrative.create.washington.bullseye-300x287.jpg)
Michael Janis creates imagery from crushed glass powder in his signature “sgraffito” technique.
![Tim Tate & Michael Janis, "All That Is Solid Melts Into Air"](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/01.All-That-is-Solid-Melts-Into-Air.michael_janis.tim_tate.collaborative1-1024x687.jpg)
Tim Tate & Michael Janis, “All That Is Solid Melts Into Air”
![Detail of "All That Is Solid..." showing the dimensional qualities of the narrative glass installation by Janis & Tate.](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/22.Michael_Janis.Tim_Tate.collaborative.detail.m-953x1024.jpg)
Detail of “All That Is Solid…” showing the dimensional qualities of the narrative glass installation by Janis & Tate.
The pop-up show will also feature a special auction event – ![habatat.master.auction.prime.sofa](http://washingtonglassschool.com/press/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/habatat.master.auction.prime_.sofa_-1024x512.jpg)
HABATAT’s 24th MASTERWORKS AUCTION – An auction of 42 studio glass works
November 1st, 2019 7:15 pm
Auction Preview 11:00am Thursday October 31st and Friday November 1st from 6:30 – 7:15 pm at Habatat Prime.
Hope to see you there!