Video

Short films from PRIMITIVE: tours of the gallery, the stories behind individual pieces, and news from 130 N Jefferson in Chicago.

Ugandan Milk Jugs – the beauty of native repair

We live in a "disposable" society Things are often tossed after one use But in some places even the simplest objects are repaired over and over again These wooden milk jugs from Uganda were damaged Split, chipped and perforated, they were repaired in country with aluminum salvaged from cans Each repair is unique They can look like zippers, staples, strips or patches And many…

FIND YOUR 2025 Message

As 2025 approached, our restoration department brought an ancient wood vessel back to life. Inside they found an old leather scroll. It predicted 2025 will be the year of …

PRIMITIVE WAREHOUSE SALE 2024

Discover a Secret World Right Next Door! Find an astonishing array of antique and new furniture, sculpture and pottery suitable for indoor and outdoor use, rare architectural details, and uncommon examples of world art that can only be classified as extinct. All these items are authentic, and all will be on sale as Primitive hosts its first warehouse sale in 8 years!

Chapter 7: The "Star Gazer" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

The Dogon people live in West Africa on the Bandiagara Escarpment, a long cliff running along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. Google Dogon "Creation Myth" and you will get 1000s of hits detailing a complex web of history, mythology, fact, and fantasy. Pull a single thread and you will hear one version of the myth. Pull a second and you will hear another, but if you keep pulling a common story will emerge. The Dogon people believe . . .

Chapter 6: The "Turtle Stone" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

Who is the greatest artist of all time? Michelangelo, Picasso, Van Gogh? Perhaps you're thinking Rembrandt, Matisse or Monet. No matter who you pick, it's likely they lived more or less within the last 500 years. However, one artist has been active thru all-time. And that artist is called "earth". Time is one advantage earth has over other artists. While a painting or sculpture may take…

Chapter 5: The "Dragon Censer" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

Walk into PRIMITIVE, and perched atop a display counter, you'll find an antique censer or incense burner. Although censers are a staple in Chinese art, this one is thoroughly unique. For it is longer than it is deep and shows twin dragons bearing the bowl or burner on their backs. It's appropriate to feature it here in 2024, the year of the dragon. In Chinese mythology…

Chapter 4: The "Landscape" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

Walk onto Primitive's 4th floor, and you'll quickly find evidence of a very robust contemporary art program. Just past the main gallery is a bedroom setting and above the bed is a painting by the renowned artist Brian Sindler. Although Sindler is an award winning plein air artist or landscape painter…

Chapter 3: The "Baby Carrier" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

Step off the elevator on PRIMITIVE's 2nd Floor and turn right. Go around the corner and turn left. You will discover a framed Baby Carrier. Created by the Miao Minority People in Guizhou Province, China. Grandmothers, Mothers, and Daughters work together to create multi-generational textiles…

Chapter 2: The "Evil Thing" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

In the den on PRIMITIVE'S 4th floor, is a hand-painted movie poster. It is an advertisement for the African Movie "Evil Thing". Found in Ghana along Africa's Gold Coast, the poster was exhibited in many villages…

Chapter 1: The "Desert Rose" In Place @ PRIMITIVE

In Place at Primitive's mezzanine, in the Five Elements Library, sits a desert rose. A collectible mineral specimen composed of Selenite was found deep in the Gobi desert. It traveled 7,000 miles to be displayed as an authentic museum-quality example of Natural Art.

Discover 2024

New Year's 2023

A New Year's Prophesy

Tour by Force #18 – Have you visited the 5 Elements Library?

Tour by Force #17 – What will you give for what you want?

Tour by Force #16 – What is Immortality?

Tour by Force #14 – Can You Change History?

Tour by Force #13 – Does Age Impart Value?

Tour by Force #12 – How do you define authentic?

Tour by Force #11 – What makes the U.S. Capitol Sacred?

Tour by Force #10 – Life before Photography

Tour by Force #9 – What do masks reveal?

Tour by Force #8 – Where do you find Inspiration?

Happy New Year 2021 – What will you Discover in 2021?

Tour by Force #7 – What is the meaning of Skull Art?

Tour by Force #6 – How can a leaf become a textile?

Tour by Force #5 – When does a rug become a work of art?

Tour by Force #4 – Is there a difference between Belief and Faith?

Tour by Force #3 – Can you name the 9 Phases of Love?

Tour by Force #2 – How can inanimate objects say so much?

Tour by Force #1 – Staying Home? Take a quick TOUR by FORCE.

2020 New Years

Brian Sindler Nocturnes Exhibition

Storewide Sale September 12-30, 2019

Short Journey #19 Kuchi-e Woodblock Prints

Short Journey #18 – Sacred Footprint Amulets

Short Journey #17 – Antique Wood Ganesh

Short Journey #16 – Boli Fetishes

Short Journey #15 – Censored Posters

Short Journey #14 – Zulu Beer Pots

Short Journey #13 – Chinese Family Altar

Short Journey #12 – Tibetan Painted Furniture

Short Journey #11 – Suzani Collectible Textiles

Short Journey #10 – Petrified Wood Furniture

Short Journey #9 – Miniature African Bronzes

Short Journey #8 – Ranka-Fu Woodblock Orchid Prints

Short Journey #7 – Spirit Spouses

Short Journey #6 – Scholar's Rocks and Spirit Stones

Short Journey #5 – Burmese Buddha

Short Journey #4 – Santos

Short Journey #3 – Bark Ceiling Panels

Short Journey #2 – Chinese Jade Toggles

Short Journey #1 – Chuccu Tablets

Semi Annual Basement Sale

Happy 2019

COSMObile

Summer Sample Sale

50% Off Basement Sale

Native Repair Milk Jugs

Buddha Candle

A New Year's Wish

Only 4 Days Left to Save

A Masterpiece Makes a Wish For You

A special video holiday wish from everyone at PRIMITIVE

2017 Holiday Gift Ideas

2017 December Sale

Ghanaian Movie Posters

In this edition of One Great Thing, Glen presents Ghanaian Movie Posters. Although at first glance the subject appears obscure, the posters are extraordinarily engaging. Click here to see some Ghanian Movie Posters and learn more about this intriguing form of art.

Spirit Spouses

In this edition of One Great Thing, Glen presents Spirit Spouses; small wooden sculptures from the Baule people who live in the Ivory Coast of West Africa. Each one-of-a-kind statue is hand-carved at the request of a diviner, to create remedies in people's lives. Click here to read more about Baule Blolo or Spirit Spouses

Indian Bronze Statues

Glen introduces 1 Great Thing from the vast collections at PRIMITIVE. This episode features an Indian bronze statue depicting Ganesha, and examines the purpose of such Indian bronze figurines. Click here to read more about Indian Bronze Pilgrimage Statues