Tucked comfortably into the artist's haven of River North's gallery district, Carl Hammer's quaint gallery is much different than Chicago's posse of galleries. That's because Carl Hammer is not an artist. For more than 30 years, this self-taught collector has been a pioneer in the effort to seek out and showcase "outsider art," a genre of nontraditional works produced by artists from outside the realm of academia. Carl Hammer has created a niche for lesser-known artists who have so much to express but no traditional genre in which to showcase their work, bringing their ideas out of isolation and mingling them with a more contemporary setting. In other words, his gallery is a "statement for and about the underdog."

Carl Hammer Gallery is two spacious floors of pure white walls with a different exhibit on display in each. The main floor is stark and minimalist, with just a small reception area that leaves plenty of room for the artwork display. The second floor's cozier feel owes itself to a lounge area set up with comfortable chairs and a coffee table covered in art books. The high ceilings and white walls of both floors allow the viewer to focus on the pieces without getting distracted by overzealous decoration. Gallery exhibits change every 30 days, so make sure to check out the Web site for updates.

Centerstage Reviewer: Amy Wilschke