The Peninsula Chicago Presents Confluence

Since opening in 2001, The Peninsula Chicago has been a fervent supporter of local arts and is reaffirming its commitment to the city’s art community as part of its 25th anniversary with their latest exhibition, Confluence, the newest iteration of the hotel brand’s global contemporary art program, “Art in Resonance”. Curated by Dara Pizzuti and Chanelle Lacy, the exhibition brings together 33 works by over 25 artists, all with deep roots in Chicago. It is timed to coincide with EXPO CHICAGO and marks the hotel's 25th anniversary with a gesture that is both a celebration of the hotel’s role in the art world and a perspective: that art is not confined to museums alone, and that Chicago's creative legacy belongs everywhere curiosity and care converge.

Art in Resonance

This installation is the latest iteration of “Art in Resonance”, The Peninsula’s global contemporary art program dedicated to supporting emerging and mid-career artists, while creating deeply immersive art experiences for guests and visitors. More information can be found on the Art in Resonance program webpage.

About the Exhibition

Confluence takes its name from the geography that made Chicago possible — the point where the Chicago River meets Lake Michigan, the confluence that transformed a place into a crossroads, and a crossroads into one of the great cities of the world. The title is not merely geographic, it is curatorial. This exhibition is built on the premise that Chicago's artistic identity has always been defined not by a single movement or dominant style, but by the productive, generative meeting of distinct voices across generations, disciplines, neighborhoods, and traditions. Here, those voices do not merge into one. They meet, and in meeting, illuminate one another.

The exhibition spans painting, sculpture, photography, works on paper, and mixed media, and features artists from across six decades of Chicago's artistic history — from foundational figures of the Chicago Imagists, Hairy Who and AfriCOBRA to internationally celebrated mid-career artists to some of the most urgently watched emerging voices working in the city today.

“We are proud to showcase this exhibition at The Peninsula Chicago,” says Maria Zec, Regional Executive Vice President, USA and Managing Director, The Peninsula Chicago. “Since opening in 2001, we have always sought to introduce immersive experiences into the city’s culture, and Confluence provides a lens through which both visitors and locals can come to understand Chicago’s creative scene on a deeper level.”

Featured Artists

Lindsay Adams, Dawoud Bey, McArthur Binion, Roger Brown, Nick Cave, Dominick DiMeo, Theaster Gates, Erol Scott Harris, Mika Horibuchi, Armani Howard, Richard Hunt, Leasho Johnson, Rashid Johnson, Caroline Kent, Pope.L, Judy Ledgerwood, Simone Leigh, Tony Lewis, Kerry James Marshall, Yvette Mayorga, Lola Ayisha Ogbara, Ed Paschke, Ebony G. Patterson, Christina Ramberg, Evelyn Statsinger, Jacqueline Surdell, Amanda Williams, Gerald Williams, and Karl Wirsum.

The Curators

Confluence was conceived and organized by Dara Pizzuti and Chanelle Lacy. This is Pizzuti’s second show for The Peninsula, having curated A Journey, an exhibition of works from her family’s collection, two years ago. Her ongoing curatorial relationship with The Peninsula Chicago reflects a shared belief in the power of non-traditional spaces to host serious artistic encounters. Lacy is a curator and cultural producer who leads at Gertie, a platform for contemporary art and performance in Chicago. Working closely with both emerging and established artists, Chanelle’s curatorial practice is focused on expanding not only the possibilities of individual artistic production, but the contours of the art historical canon itself.

"Chicago has always produced artists who work with uncommon seriousness and independence," said Pizzuti. "This exhibition honors that tradition by placing artists in genuine conversation with one another — across generations and disciplines — and by insisting that those conversations belong not only in museums, but in every space where people gather."

"What makes this exhibition feel true," said Lacy, "is that these conversations between artists aren't invented — they already exist, in studios, in neighborhoods, in the shared histories of this city. Our work was to make them visible, and to trust that the artists would do the rest."

Exhibition Details

Exhibition: Confluence Venue: The Peninsula Chicago, 108 East Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60611 Dates: April 10 through May, 2026 Admission: Free and open to the public Curated by: Dara Pizzuti and Chanelle Lacy Timed to coincide with: EXPO CHICAGO