Letterio Calapai: Cosmos, Spheres and Divinity
@ Koehnline Museum of Art
1600 E Golf Rd, Des Plaines, IL 60016
Opening Thursday, December 11th, from 5PM - 8PM
On view through Friday, January 23rd
This exhibition explores the profound spiritual themes in the printmaking of artist and educator Letterio Calapai (1901-1993). Calapai began his career as a WPA artist during the Great Depression (1935-1943), producing socially conscious works that reflected the struggles of the era. A pivotal moment in his artistic development occurred between 1946 and 1949, when he worked at Atelier 17 in New York, under the guidance of master printmaker Stanley William Hayter. This experience marked a major shift in his practice, leading Calapai to dedicate the remainder of his career to the art of printmaking. In 1952, Calapai relocated to Chicago, where he founded the printmaking department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He continued to create and teach from his studio in Glencoe, Illinois, until his passing in 1993.
This exhibition focuses on a recurring motif in Calapai’s prints: his spiritual inquiry, expressed through symbolic, abstract, and narrative forms. These works reflect both personal introspection and a broader collective consciousness, revealing Calapai’s deep engagement with existential and metaphysical themes. All works featured in this exhibition were selected from a recent gift of over 300 prints generously donated to the Koehnline Museum of Art by Joel Dryer.
The Public Reception takes place on Thursday, December 11, 2025, 5 – 8 p.m.
Viewings take place from December 11, 2025, to January 23, 2026, during regular museum hours.
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Tags: Cosmos Spheres and Divinity, Des Plaines, Koehnline Museum Of Art, Letterio Calapai
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