All Rise Gallery

When Lisa Flores and a handful of friends moved into this Wicker Park space in 2003, next door to Heaven and right above the now defunct live/work/freak-out space Buddy, they initially envisioned an art co-op. High School, as they called it, unfortunately lived up to its name—there was lots of experimentation but little progress. Fifteen roommates later, Flores gave up on the idea of any sort of collaborative effort and took over, opening All Rise Gallery in March 2006. It’s now half gallery, half hostel, offering “alternative travel accommodations” for out-of-state and overseas travelers (reservations required). Shows lean toward dreamy, portentous, and occasionally twee art exploring ideas of space and idealism. Opening this Friday is “Montréal Tout Garni,” a group show of contemporary visual artists from Montreal; there’s a reception from 7 to 10 PM. 1542 N. Milwaukee, third floor, 773-292-9255, allrisegallery.com. —Liz Armstrong

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