CHICAGO, IL.- Celebrating its 16th year, SOFA CHICAGO 2009, the critically acclaimed Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair, returns to Navy Pier's Festival Hall (600 E. Grand Avenue) November 6 - 8 to present masterworks from 68 top international galleries and dealers from 10 countries. The public is cordially invited to attend the Opening Night Public Preview on Thursday, November 5 from 7 - 9 pm for the affordable price of $50. The Fair will also feature 5 special exhibits by renowned museums, universities and arts organizations, as well as 33 lecture series presentations, all included in the admission price. Debuting this year is SOLO at SOFA, defined spaces where galleries will spotlight bodies of works on the cutting-edge by individual artists as well as object groupings.

Mark Lyman, founding director of SOFA says, "We're very excited about the launch of SOLO at SOFA, for example Bullseye Gallery's (Portland, OR) focus on Australian Klaus Moje's virtuoso kiln-cast glass, and Sienna Gallery's (Lenox, MA) presentation of avant-garde jewelers Lauren Kalman and Arthur Hash. Also planned is a Sam Maloof Tribute Weekend to honor the lifework of the late furniture master, including an Opening Night dinner to benefit the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts."

Lyman adds, "Attesting to SOFA's strong collector base, we're delighted that Chubb Personal Insurance, one of the world's preeminent insurers of fine homes, art and antiques, has again signed on to be a major sponsor of the Chicago fair." Lyman continues, "Even in this tough economy, the dealers are bringing their best artists and planning major exhibits. Once again, Chicago will be wowed." Standouts include a comprehensive survey of Contemporary Studio Furniture presented by William Zimmer Gallery, Menocino, CA; New York gallerist Barry Friedman Ltd's focus exhibition, "Venice: 3 Visions in Glass," featuring Laura de Santillana, Cristiano Bianchin and Yoichi Ohira; Tel Aviv, Israel's Litvak Gallery's installation of Czech optical glass master, Vaclav Ciglar's Spheres, created as an "event... a living organism, co-created and transformed by the presence of observers"; and Ferrin Gallery of Pittsfield, MA presents "The Illusculptors: A Group Show of Illustrated Ceramic Sculpture," a survey of sculptors integrating three dimensional ceramic form and illustration; artists include Sergei Isupov, Kurt Weiser, Chris Antemann and Richard Notkin.

Other premier SOFA CHICAGO 2009 exhibitors include: Perimeter Gallery, Ann Nathan Gallery and Ken Saunders Gallery of Chicago; Galleri Udengaard of Denmark; Galleri Norsu of Finland; Kirra Gallery of Australia; Galerie Porkona of Czechoslovakia; Galerie Besson of London; Galleria San Marco Arte & Design, Venice, Italy; Heller Gallery, Scott Jacobson Gallery (formerly Leo Kaplan Modern), Aaron Faber Gallery, Chappell Gallery, Crawford Contemporary and Charon Kransen Arts of New York City; Schantz Galleries/Holsten Galleries of Stockbridge, MA; del Mano Gallery of Los Angeles; Blue Rain Gallery, William and Joseph Gallery and Jane Sauer Gallery of Santa Fe, NM; Hedge, San Francisco; Wexler Gallery and Snyderman-Works of Philadelphia, PA and Donna Schneier Fine Art of Miami, FL.