“Sculpture Invasion,” a temporary exhibition of 47 sculptures sprinkled into the permanent sculpture collection at Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois, was the latest in a series of exhibitions inaugurated by Chicago Sculpture International (CSI), the first local chapter of the International Sculpture Center. CSI was founded in 2004 by a small group of prominent, large-scale Chicago sculptors who decided to organize to bargain collectively with exhibition venues for shows. Since then—in addition to “Sculpture Invasion”—CSI artists have also appeared in the Chicago Sculpture International Biennial (spring 2006, at Flatfile Gallery in Chicago) and in the Krasl Biennial Sculpture Invitational (fall 2006, at the Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, Michigan). These shows were all independently juried, but the jurors selected works solely from the 90 CSI artist-members (140 people in all belong to the group). While membership is open to artists from any geographical area, the organization is dominated by Chicago-area sculptors. The CSI board of directors is currently in conversation with the Elmhurst Art Museum in Illinois as it develops an exhibition of Chicago sculpture.
