Like a doe-eyed little sister, Zg Gallery stands out in the family of River North galleries, setting up shop circa 2002 in an arts district that was developed in the late 1970s. Even the gallery's name is playful and fresh: Co-owners Myra Casis and Meg Sheehy picked it because it's "easier to spell and remember" than their own names.

Appropriately, Zg Gallery takes chances on emerging talent and has a special place in its heart for installation work (a practice rarely seen in River North spaces). One of the gallery's most celebrated new artists is Saya Woolfalk, a 2004 School of the Art Institute M.F.A. graduate who makes stuffed animals, creatures and objects, and stages them in environments that mimic the look of children's playrooms in cozy yet perverse installations.

The effect of pop culture on culture is regularly explored terrain. The gallery's hip crew of artists, many recent graduates from the country's best art schools, include Mark Murphy and his delicious puzzle paintings of soda, candy and junk food packaging. Color is an undeniable focus as well: In fall 2005, represented artist Rachel Davis curated "Sextet," a group show devoted to the use of color as an expressive device.

The gallery ended its 2005 exhibition schedule with "Works in Process: A Glimpse into the Artist's Studio Practice," a group show that displayed the artists' sketches, drawings and photographic studies alongside the finished products, revealing the methods behind contemporary art-making. This kind of interest in art education is a rarity in the gallery world, let alone within the River North district. Artists on Zg's roster include Beth Reitymeyer, Gregory Jacobson, Jackie Tileston, Mark Murphy and Anna Joelsdottir.

Centerstage Reviewer: Joanne Hinkel