Chicago Public Library’s 2026-2027 Arts and Music Department Call for Artists exhibition cycle opens April 12, 2026 with a new art exhibit, Two Bodies: Artworks Uniting Us. Featuring oil paintings by Kate Citrin, Two Bodies explores human networks of connection alongside the hidden ecological contribution of bats.
Kate Citrin weaves parallel threads through Two Bodies. First, through portraits of real Illinois residents, she explores the social safety nets forged by communities through empathy, creativity, and resilience. Second, drawing on her experience volunteering at the world's largest bat sanctuary, Citrin illuminates the lives of these undervalued, often stigmatized, nocturnal pollinators. Her work invites viewers to uncover the under-reported good, compassion for their neighbor, and support for the community.
Kate Citrin holds her BFA from Grand Valley State University and has additional training from Old Town School of Art, Vitruvian Fine Arts Academy, and Drawing America. She has been painting since 2002 and has shown at numerous galleries internationally, including in an exhibit curated by the Guerrilla Girls. She also creates commissioned portraits of both pets and people, and her artwork has been featured in commercial arts including advertisements, album design, and packaging. Awards include Special Commendation at the Florence Biennale, The Poseidon Award in Venice, and both Finalist and Overall Honorable Mention from Wild Heart Gallery in Coachella Valley.
Two Bodies: Artworks Uniting Us will be on display April 12 to June 27, 2026 in the eighth-floor exhibit cases at Harold Washington Library Center.