Evanston photographer and scientist Hunter Cole takes a lot of pictures of bacteria—the kind that lights up like a glow stick, creating an eerie bioluminescent glow. In "Living Light," she presents photographs that depict human figures covered with Petri dishes that give off a blue aura as well as time-lapse videos of bacteria growing and dying. Stop by on the exhibit's final night and you'll be able to see some of the bacteria on display during a live demonstration of her process.
We're pretty sure that 2018 will be an epic year in Chicago, and that includes the city's thriving art scene. In January, Chicago's best galleries and museums are packing their walls with exciting works of art, including photos of glowing bioluminescent bacteria (by Evanston photographer Hunter Cole) and paintings of people who were mummified more than 2,000 years ago. Plus, the Museum of Contemporary Art is presenting a show dedicated to West Coast minimalism while the Inutit displays fascianting paintings of aliens and historical figures by outsider artist Stephen Warde Anderson. Kick off the new year by attending some of these Chicago art exhibitions opening in January.