This exhibition marks the first joint presentation of Nathaniel Mary Quinn and his former mentor, Gregory Huebner—two artists whose practices are bound by the transformative power of guidance, reflection, and human connection.
Renowned for his emotionally charged, collage-like portraits, Quinn presents a new series of paintings on linen created specifically for this occasion. These works meditate on the “guiding hands” that have shaped his life and artistic path—mentors, loved ones, and inner voices—while opening a broader conversation about the universal role of mentorship in shaping creative journeys.
Alongside Quinn’s new work, the exhibition features Huebner’s Ritual series (2015–ongoing), a body of abstract paintings that channel his lifelong exploration of the unseen. Layering color, energy, and gesture, Huebner seeks balance amid chaos, grounding his work in decades of philosophical inquiry and spiritual study.
Together, their works resonate across generations, offering two distinct yet interconnected visions of art as a practice of searching—whether for selfhood, for spirit, or for the possibility of transformation.
Exhibition Events:
The Hand That Guides: Conversation with Artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn
Thursday, October 30th | 5pm-6pm
Green Line Performing Arts Center | 329 E. Garfield Blvd
Join artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn and moderator Anastasia Karpova Tinari for a conversation exploring The Hand That Guides.
This dialogue occurs just before the exhibition’s opening celebration. Guests are invited to continue the evening by walking to the Arts Incubator to experience the exhibition firsthand.
This talk is free and open to the public; seating is limited
If you would like to attend the Artist talk, you can email artsandpubliclife@uchicago.edu to reserve your spot.
About the Artists
Nathaniel Mary Quinn creates hybrid, fractured portraits and figures on paper and linen canvas using black charcoal, gouache, soft pastel, oil pastel, paint stick, and oil paint. His process draws from personal memory, experience, and family history growing up in Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes. His work balances the beautiful and grotesque, capturing the complexity of human emotion as both individual and universal.
Quinn has exhibited internationally with Gagosian, Almine Rech, Half Gallery, Luce Gallery, M+B Gallery, Rhona Hoffman Gallery, and others. Reviews of his work have appeared in The New York Times, The Independent, Cultured, The Brooklyn Rail, AFROPUNK, The Chicago Reader, HuffPost, and The New Yorker. His works are held in the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Sheldon Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. He is represented by Almine Rech and Gagosian Gallery.
Gregory Huebner is Professor Emeritus of Art at Wabash College, where he taught from 1974 to 2011 and chaired the department for 23 years. His abstract paintings—seen in over 34 solo exhibitions—explore themes of ritual, balance, and spirituality. His work is represented in 33 public and more than 90 private collections, including the Indiana State Museum, Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at the University of Notre Dame, and Deloitte & Touche.
He currently lives in Indianapolis, where he serves as Artist-in-Residence at Nomad Corporation.
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