Smiling Behind the Sun: An Interview with James Gordon
A series of interviews that reveal how a creative life can transmute the impact and redefine the legacy of an experience within the Prison Industrial Complex.
All posts tagged: Wicker Park
Green Lantern Projects: Press, Bookstore, Gallery, & Performance Space
An interview with “Green Lantern Projects” founder Caroline Picard and Devin King, discussing the delicate balance of running a four-branched collective.
Apocalypse 2012/Genesis 2013 // Jackson Junge Gallery
You hear a lot about the end of the world nowadays. It is everywhere: the end of the Mayan calendar, global warming, and foreign conflict. The apocalypse is a concept that has fascinated humankind for ages, and continues to captivate the imagination of many. Jackon Junge Gallery, located on Milwaukee Avenue in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area has taken that very concept and turned it in to the premise of their current exhibition, “Apocalypse 2012/Genesis 2013”. The gallery hosted the show’s opening event on September 14. The show is co-curated by Chris Jackson, Laura Junge, and Anna Vlaminck, and reflects upon the Mayan calendar along with the Nostradamus prediction that the world will end in 2012. “Often we try to do a couple of shows a year that tie in with current events,” Chris Jackson, co-owner of the gallery, said about the show. “We thought it would be interesting to do a group show base on those predictions because they are getting a lot of attention.” The show represents over 30 artists, both from Chicago and …
100 Canvases, 1 Curator | A Few Words With Stuart Hall
Due to their love for The Silver Room’s Sound System Block Party and as a gesture of gratitude for the blood, sweat and tears that go into it, one hundred artists from across the city and the nation each donated a 12in. x 12in. original piece for the fundraising event. I took a trip to The Silver Room and witnessed the moments of planning and brainstorming for the 100 Canvases For A Better World Exhibition just before the show started to go up. Much like a composer who has the challenge of bringing different instruments together in a way that makes sense, Stuart Hall, the exhibition’s curator, had to take one hundred canvases by one hundred vastly different artists and bring them together in a way that spoke to the space, the theme of ‘A Better World’ and a potential buyer of the work. I bet you didn’t know that another term for curator is problem-solver. During the installation process, I got the chance to ask Stuart several questions about his involvement in the events …
The Silver Room That’s Gold: An Interview with Eric Williams, Pt. 2
This is the second part of an interview with The Silver Room owner Eric Williams, just in time for the 9th Annual Sound System Block Party. Did you catch part one? If not, check out ‘The Silver Room That’s Gold: An Interview with Eric Williams, Pt. 1’. Tempestt Hazel: What I think is so great about The Silver Room is that it allows for such diverse programming to happen in it. Having readings, exhibitions, music, clothing, etc. around those themes seems natural. Eric Williams: It is. And it’s not all me. A lot of times it comes from other people who understand that the space is available for a different kind of voice to be spoken. If they get what the space is they approach me [with an idea] and I say, “Yea, let’s do it.” That way, I’m not always depending on myself to come up with what’s next. TH: Roughly how many shows have you had here? EW: Maybe 20? Hebru Brantley, Krista Franklin and Tyrue ‘Slang’ Jones [have each] had a show …
The Silver Room That’s Gold: An Interview with Eric Williams, Pt. 1
Maintaining a successful art space is no easy task. Those of us who are regulars within the Chicago arts circuit have seen a fair share of galleries, alternative spaces and performance venues come and go. When you find one that stands the test of time it most likely means they’re onto something. After thirteen years of providing a platform and outlet for many up-and-coming or local superstar artists, musicians and artisans–and even the general public through Grown Folks Stories–it’s safe to say that Eric Williams, the owner of The Silver Room, has struck gold (or silver). He has done this through embracing versatility and flexibility, therefore allowing his business and even his own career path to transform and grow when necessary. In light of the 9th Annual Sound System Block Party happening this Saturday, July 16th, I sat down with Eric to get the full story of how he went from stock broker turned successful street peddler, to the owner of a place that has given new meaning to the term multi-functional. (Note: This is …
Wear Your Geese with Confidence: An Interview with the Puterbaugh Sisters
“If you’re going to choose a city to be an alcoholic, it’s Chicago.”
The Fulton Street Collective: An Interview with Director Joe LaNasa, PART I
Jenny Lam chats with local musician and Fulton Street Collective Director Joe LaNasa. Part I.
Talking With Fear: A Conversation with Matt Austin, Pt. 2
Matt Austin discusses how residencies and travel influence his work.
Color Theory: An Interview with Madeleine Reyna
An interview with Madeleine Reyna, a young non-objective painter living and working in Chicago.
Take Five: Memorable Art of 2010
As Sixty Inches From Center continues to grow and explore all facets of visual art in Chicago, we asked some of our contributors to reflect back on this past year and discuss the most memorable encounters of 2010. Atomic Sketch Author: Meggie Hankel My Best Of 2010 choice is something I didn’t discover until late in the year: the live art- making event known as Atomic Sketch. What exactly is Atomic Sketch? Once a month, local artists gather at the evilOlive in Wicker Park and produce series of original work throughout the night. This work is tacked on a display board and then sold at extremely affordable prices (on average, $5-15 per piece). Onlookers can grab a drink at the bar and socialize with fellow art lovers or with the artists themselves. Though a panel of artists is typically selected for each event, anyone is welcome to bring their own supplies and drop in and create work, space permitting. Atomic Sketch does not collect commission, and all proceeds go directly to the artists. More interactive …
Sitting Down with Anna Cerniglia of Johalla Projects
Johalla Projects is an art space in Wicker Park run by three curators, Anna Cerniglia, Caitlin Arnold, and Melissa Marinaro. It opened in fall of 2009 and serves as a venue for emerging and mid-career artists. On Friday, November 8th I sat down with Anna, the director, to gain a better understanding of Johalla’s structure and mission. How did Johalla Projects first come together? When I started this, I only wanted this as an office to have all of our curatorial practices kind of based out of. But then we just started having more shows and more focus placed on us, so we started making it more of a gallery as time went on. We still use it as a home base because we do other projects besides what we have going on here. Now, this is more of a project space and I think now we’re trying to turn it into an S-corp, as we have more liabilities on us. And we’re doing bigger shows and starting to gather more artists. How does Johalla …
Hey, We Are All Beginners Here!
Roots and Culture hosted a new exhibition about oral, performative, written and visual communication entitled, Hey, We Are All Beginners Here! Line, Color, Form, Nutrients, and Affection, presented by StopGoStop also known as The Network of Crowded Art. We Are All Beginners Here! is described by StopGoStop as, “… a multi-headed hydra, a trans-temporal, trans-spatial, trans-disciplinary exhibition (a big show!) of mutating, mutable work by a cast of talented marginal characters.” As I walked around and took photographs of the show I came across an illustration and read this quote from it, “Actually, everybody’s a dragon, but current conditions discourage and disallow us to express those sinuous traits.” It really resonated with me and I happen to come to find some truth in this statement. I often evaluate the worth and weight of my degree. After spending a moment thinking about the mortgage I took on for a degree in Art History I realize I am not alone in the pursuit of a meaningful and valid career in the arts. It is funny, free knowledge is available at our fingertips if we choose …
Not your average art studio
I’ll Cut You – but not really though. This is the name of a hair salon I stumbled into while wandering around the Flat Iron studios. I was already overwhelmed with all the studios I visited from First Fridays and the Art on Track opening reception so trying to figure out what I wanted to mention in the SIFC blog didn’t come easy. Thankfully, this studio just kept on picking at my brain all week. Originally, I was just going to post a few photographs but I just could not resist. Yes, I know this is not your typical topic to highlight on an art blog but trust me this one is exceptional and October is over a month away. Everyone needs to know about I’ll Cut You because people need their hair cut and art needs to be sold. A little about Vladmir, he is a hair stylist who has worked in the field for about twenty years and truly gives a mean cut. All hair products are made exclusively by Vladmir except for his …