THE COLLECTION: Where Art Meets Fashion, the multifaceted contemporary art program located within Fashion Outlets of Chicago with support from the Village of Rosemont, today announced the artist chosen to create a work for its inaugural Purchase Prize at the 11th edition of EXPO CHICAGO. As part of its ongoing sponsorship of the exposition, Fashion Outlets has chosen Michael C. Thorpe to create a custom artwork to join THE COLLECTION’s 23 large-scale installations.

“I am humbled and honored to be a part of THE COLLECTION at Fashion Outlets of Chicago in their outstanding collection of contemporary art. I’m a firm believer that art is for everyone, and this kind of setting draws people of all kinds to engage with objects and aesthetics,” said Thorpe. “It means the world to me that people who may not typically interact with art in its more formal settings have the opportunity to see my work. That’s what it’s all about.”

The commission, titled house Lou Jones built, is a quilted work reflective of his artistic practice, executed through his inventive use of textiles, fabrics and quilting techniques. Inspired by artist Lou Jones, the piece is an interpretation of the beginnings of Thorpe’s art career and the home studio of his mentor.

“Michael C. Thorpe’s inventive, unique approach to artistic fabrication makes the perfect addition to THE COLLECTION,” said Jim Hansen, Senior Property Manager at Fashion Outlets of Chicago. “We’re thrilled to present this inaugural Purchase Prize at this year’s edition of EXPO CHICAGO as the first textile-based commission for THE COLLECTION.”

Michael C. Thorpe describes himself as a painter working in fabric and thread upon a foundation of drawing which he views as the evolved practice of mark making akin to the stitches of quilt making. His compositions are born of long-term projects in which Thorpe is engaged – quilted paintings and works on paper that explore his surroundings, abstraction, letters and words as subjects; sculptural constructions created by combining found objects and quilting debris; and performance pieces emerging from the dedication to an idea. The result is a figurative and conceptual art that is as ingenious as it is uniquely contemporary.

Thorpe is represented by Anthony Gallery, Chicago.