Newcity Chicago September 2017

SEPTEMBER 2017Art 50: Chicago’sVisual Vanguard& Fall Arts Preview& Chicago Architecture Biennial& Art Leader of the Moment: Deana Haggag

David Harttin the forestSeptember 14, 2017–January 6, 2018 Image: David Hartt, Carolina I, 2017, archival pigment printGraham Foundation mounted to Dibond, print size 36 x 54 inches. Courtesy ofMadlener House, 4 W Burton Place, Chicago Corbett vs. Dempsey and commissioned by the Grahamwww.grahamfoundation.org Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts.

September 2017 Arts & CultureFeatures Art Rashid Johnson soars at theFall Forward Milwaukee Art MuseumWhat’s happening this season? Here are 75eight interviews to get you up to speed.13 Dance Carole McCurdy blendsA Preview of the Argentine Tango and Butoh2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial 80Are you ready to “Make New History?”29 Design River North Design DistrictArt Leader of the Moment is ready for its big nightWhat does USA stand for now? 82United States Artists, hell yes!42 Dining & Drinking SuChi and the making of aArt 50 sushi restaurantJust in time for EXPO Chicago, 84here’s who you need to know.47 Film Jennifer Reeder’s successive movesPower Pop 86What to wear to the Murakami show?Elena Bobysheva knows. Lit68 Keir Graff and his “Montana Noir” 90 SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity Music Riot Fest 2017 moves beyond punk 92 Stage Rivendell does its own Margaret Atwood adaptation 95 Life Is Beautiful Papi’s World gets into fast fashion, slow 98 3

13–17 SEPTEMBER 2017CHICAGO | NAVY PIERPresenting SponsorFeaturing artwork from over 3,000 artists represented by 135 international2017 PROGRAM/DIALOGUES IN/SITU IN/SITU OUTSIDE EXPO VIDEOPresented in partnership with Curated by Florence Derieux IN/SITU Outside presents Curated by Ali Subotnickthe School of the Art Institute public art installations alongof Chicago (SAIC), /Dialogues Installed within the expansive, the lakefront and throughout EXPO VIDEO features aoffers panel discussions, vaulted architecture of Navy Chicago, in partnership with dynamic, curated screeningconversations and provocative Pier’s Festival Hall, IN/SITU the Chicago Park District, program for film, video andartistic discourse with leading features large-scale, the Department of Cultural new media works by artistsartists, curators, designers suspended sculptures Affairs and Special Events, represented by 2017 exhibitors.and arts professionals on the and site-specific works. and Navy Pier. Curated by Los Angeles-current issues that engage Independant curator Florence based independant curatorthem. Derieux will curate a selection Ali Subotnick, the program of works featuring artists will be presented within from leading international large-format screening rooms, exhibitors participating in the as well as several viewing 2017 exposition. stations designed by Studio Gang Architects on the main floor of the exposition.Aligning with EXPO CHICAGO16 Sept 2017 – 7 Jan 2018 Singing Stones Public Opening 13 Sept –29 Oct 2017 September 12, 8-11pm Exhibition at The Roundhouse at the DuSable Museum of African American History 740 East 56th Place

galleries, 25 countries, and 58 cities.EXPO SOUND OVERRIDE EXPO ART WEEK ART AFTER HOURSCurated by daata editions OVERRIDE | A Billboard Project September 11 – 17, 2017 Friday, September 15 is a cutting-edge citywide 6:00–9:00pmInstalled on existing sound public art initiative, presented In an effort to highlight theequipment at Navy Pier, by EXPO CHICAGO and the vast cultural opportunities that Art After Hours is a citywidethe inaugural EXPO Sound City of Chicago’s Department Chicago has, EXPO CHICAGO open gallery night invitingprogram creates a singular of Cultural Affairs and Special joins together with the city’s EXPO CHICAGO visitorsexperience for exposition Events. Displayed on 28 digital most prestigious cultural and the Chicago communityattendees, with works by billboards throughout the city, institutions for EXPO ART to experience the city’smajor international artists. the exhibition will run from WEEK, a citywide celebration vibrant art scene, including 28 August – 17 September, 2017 of art and culture, including alternative exhibition venues to align with the sixth annual museum exhibitions, gallery and performance spaces, exposition, featuring major openings, artist talks, open during extended hours. international contemporary studios, outdoor installations, artists. and public art projects. For tickets and programming information, visit expochicago.com #expochicago @expochicago

Image: James Welling, 8482, 2016 from Chicago, 1987–2017, courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York & LondonMake New History at the Biennial Events, Exhibits, and PerformancesChicago Architecture Biennial CAB PillarsExperience transformative architecture and design from around theworld at the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial, the largest archi- A collection of high-profile lectures andtecture and design exhibition in North America. All exhibits are free discussions featuring participants fromand open to the public from September 16, 2017 to January 7, 2018. the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial.The 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial showcases the transformative Tuesday Evening Talksglobal impact of creativity and innovation in architecture and design.This year’s theme, Make New History, will feature over 140 practitioners Lectures and discussions every Tuesdayfrom more than 20 countries. evening featuring architects, designers, journalists, academics, and ChicagoThe Biennial unites a main exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center, Architecture Biennial participants onin downtown Chicago, with off-site locations amplified through special the cutting edge of architecture.project sites and community anchor exhibitions in neighborhoodsthroughout the city—plus installations, performances, talks, films, Films with Chicago International Film Festivaland more hosted by over 100 local and global cultural partners. Along with CIFF, the Biennial will present aCommunity Anchor Sites Special Project Sites dedicated selection of architecture-themed and design-related films.Beverly Arts Center City Gallery in the Historic Water TowerDePaul Art Museum Garfield Park Conservatory Forums at Randolph SquareDuSable Museum of African American Navy Pier Set in the uniquely designed indoor History amphitheater by Mexico City participantHyde Park Art Center Frida Escobedo, these talks will engage inNational Museum of Mexican Art architecture-themed conversations withNational Museum of Puerto Rican Arts the public. and Culture CAB SessionsSC Johnson Tours Extended events hosting panels and long- format discussions with architecturalSC Johnson offers free tours of the iconic Frank Lloyd Wright–designed architecture professionals, field practitioners,at its Racine, Wisconsin, global headquarters during the 2017 edition of the Chicago and academics.Architecture Biennial. SC Johnson’s Administration Building is the only Frank LloydWright–designed office space still in use today. Pin-Up SpaceParticipate and explore the Biennial from September 16, 2017 to January 7, 2018. The Garland Room at the Chicago CulturalVisit ChicagoArchitectureBiennial.org for more information. Center will host a space for rotating pin-up exhibitions. Changing throughout the run of the biennial, this space will host temporary exhibitions and displays from local practitioners and teams. For a full list of events, visit ChicagoArchitectureBiennial.org.

MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE 9.16.2017 – 1.07.2018 Chicago Cultural CenterMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE chicagoarchitecturebiennial.orgMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKEMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE HISTORY HISTORYMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE HISTORY HISTORYMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE HISTORY HISTORYMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE HISTORY HISTORYMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE HISTORY HISTORYMAKE MAKE MAKE MAKE MAKENEW NEW NEW NEWNEW NEW NEW NEWNEW NEW NEW NEWNEW NEW NEW NEWNEW NEW NEW NEWNEW NEW NEW NEW Image: James Welling, 8183, 2016 from Chicago, 1987–2017, courtesy the artist and David Zwirner, New York & London Exhibitions, events, performances and more by over 140 leading architects and artists from over 20 countriesPresenting Sponsor Founding Sponsor Presenting Partner

Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 Editor’s Three-and-a-half years ago, I wrote that Newcity was going to make a Letter feature film, without a project in hand or any experience in doing so, and would do it in two years. In spite of our lack of experience, our expectations 8 for the project, both in the freshness of its content and the quality of its creation, were very high—in part because we knew your expectations would be high. And so it took a bit longer than planned to find the right project, but by last summer, we were in principal photography at various locations around Chicago. That film, “Signature Move,” opens on September 29 at Chicago’s iconic Music Box Theatre and, needless to say, we’re thrilled. The story of a Pakistani Muslim woman who lives with her recently widowed mother, a mother who does not know that her daughter is a lesbian, or that she’s taken up wrestling classes as a release from her day job as a lawyer. She meets and falls for a Mexican-American bookstore owner, whose mother once was a luchadora. Complications and wrestling ensue. We chose the project for the universal accessibility of its story, a mother- daughter family drama wrapped inside an indie romantic comedy, and the freshness of the Chicagoans being represented. The city has a huge South Asian and Mexican population that we rarely see on our screens. Little did we imagine, when we decided to go forward, the political turn our nation would take, that we’d elect a president who would demonize Muslims and Mexicans, often in the same sentence. I am writing a more in-depth feature about the “making of” the movie in next month’s Film Issue. But Ray Pride interviewed our director Jennifer Reeder in this issue’s Film section. We world premiered in March at SXSW. Since then we’ve been booked into more than sixty-five festivals, from BAMcinemaFest in Brooklyn to Frameline in San Francisco to BFI Flare in London, where we were the closing night film. At Outfest in LA we were awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Best US Narrative Film, a major award for us, but one of many we’ve collected so far. We are beyond excited to share this movie with its hometown Chicago. Please make plans to join us at the Music Box Theatre at the end of September; tickets are already on sale for some of the nights. I’ll be there. Meanwhile, please enjoy this special issue of Newcity, covering the fall arts season, our Art 50 and the Chicago Architecture Biennial. It’s our largest in at least fifteen years! - Brian Hieggelke



CONTRIBUTORS JOE MAZZA (Cover, “Art 50” and “Art ON THE COVER Leader” photos) is “our guy” when it comes Cover design Fletcher Martin ELLIOT REICHERT (Art Editor) oversaw to Leaders of Chicago Culture, but we Photo Joe Mazza/Brave Lux the creation of this year’s “Art 50” feature share him more than ever when the fall and interviewed the “Art Leader of the season rolls around, as his images help Vol. 32, No. 1371 Moment.” A former curator at the Block define the visual character of just about Museum, Elliot’s been pursuing a pair of every theater company in town. PUBLISHERS graduate degrees at SAIC while helming Brian & Jan Hieggelke our art section. He did a fair bit of the ISA GIALLORENZO (“Power Pop”) is a Associate Publisher Mike Hartnett work on this issue from the Middle East, native of São Paulo, Brazil who landed in where he spent his summer doing research Chicago eight years ago and has been EDITORIAL and working in Lebanon, Egypt, Israel shooting street style for her “Chicago Editor Brian Hieggelke and Palestine. Looks” blog (which also ran in Newcity Managing Editor Jan Hieggelke for several years); she covers the style Art Editor Elliot Reichert FLETCHER MARTIN (Lead Designer) is of Lollapalooza for us each year on our Dance Editor Sharon Hoyer founding principal and creative director of web site, Newcity Design. She’s an Assistant Dance Editor Irene Hsiao the branding firm a5. This is an anniversary accomplished writer in her second Dining and Drinking Editor of sorts for Newcity and Fletch, as it was language and, though uncredited, not David Hammond in this issue two years ago that he first only conducted the interview with Elena Film Editor Ray Pride contributed to the publication, when he Bobysheva, she pretty much organized Lit Editor Toni Nealie wrote and illustrated the Fall Design the entire photo shoot and project. Music Editor Robert Rodi Preview, and also made the cover. A Theater Editor Kevin Greene month later, he created the cover and PHILIP BERGER (“The Architecture of Contributing Writers Isa Giallorenzo, layouts for our preview of the first Chicago Art”) writes about design for Newcity. Aaron Hunt, Alex Huntsberger, Hugh Iglarsh, Architecture Biennial. Happy anniversary! He has a day job at a law firm, too, but Chris Miller, Dennis Polkow, Vasia Rigou, art, design and style are his passion, for Loy Webb, Michael Workman which we are the grateful beneficiaries. ART & DESIGNNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 Senior Designers Kady Dennell, MJ Hieggelke, Fletcher Martin Designers Sean Leary, Jim Maciukenas, Stephanie Plenner, Dan Streeting, Billy Werch MARKETING Marketing Manager Todd Hieggelke OPERATIONS General Manager Jan Hieggelke Distribution Nick Bachmann, Adam Desantis, Preston Klik, Quinn Nicholson, Matt Russell One copy of current issue free. Additional copies, including back issues up to one year, may be ordered. Copyright 2017, New City Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Newcity assumes no responsibility to return unsolicited editorial or graphic material. All rights in letters and unsolicited editorial or graphic material will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright purposes and subject to comment editorially. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Newcity is published by Newcity Communications, Inc. 47 West Polk, Suite 100-223, Chicago, IL 60605 Visit NewcityNetwork.com for advertising and editorial information.10

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ART Alphawood Foundation Gallery Back of the Yards neighborhood. A foundation supporting, Tenants of The Plant—whether they among many other causes, are growing, baking or brewing— advocacy for the rights of LGBT contribute to a shared economy wherein people and people living with one maker’s excess is another’s starter. HIV/AIDS, Alphawood moved Recently, the Plant has taken up the Chicago by opening a gallery task of preserving and sharing something to show “Art AIDS America,” different altogether—the industrial an exhibition of art made in and about history and cultural heritage of Chicago’s the 1980s AIDS crisis. Next they opened Union Stock Yard and the neighborhoods “Then They Came For Me,” concerning around it. The Packingtown Museum the internment of Japanese citizens will tell the story of the Stockyards, The Creative during World War II. Alphawood is highlighting the food system, transforming its advocacy into art for all. immigration and neighborhood identity Ferment The Floating Museum and the history of unions and labor Having taken to the Chicago River this in the industry. summer, the Floating Museum is a roving Jane Addams Hull-House Museum gallery and performance space on an No newbie to Chicago, the Jane Addams Daniel Schulman industrial barge like those once used to Hull-House Museum nonetheless stands Shares His Thoughts move raw materials and goods in out for consistently bringing together Chicago’s big-shouldered heyday. art and social activism in visually Focused on collaborations with evocative and historically informative BY ELLIOT REICHERT communities that have been historically exhibitions. This year, Chicago artist underrepresented in museums, the Aram Han Sifuentes brought her Floating Museum will bring “official unofficial voting stations” to the art to where it might have museum to record the preferences of never have gone ashore. ex-offenders, permanent residents, The National Public undocumented peoples and other Housing Museum disenfranchised residents. The recent recipient of a generous National There could be no better Endowment for the Humanities grant, home for a museum the Hull-House Museum’s “Making the dedicated to the history of West Side: Community Conversations on public housing in America Neighborhood Change” is a currently than Chicago, where the rise ongoing, multi-year project examining and fall of highrises like the West Side’s history with race Cabrini-Green and Robert and gentrification. Taylor Homes tell the tale of Chicago’s Year of Public Art the struggle to make housing affordable and Chicago boasts an impressive collection accessible to all. This year, of public art, from Daley Plaza’s Picasso the Chicago Housing to the murals along Pilsen’s 16th Street On his way out the door for a much Authority approved a lease for the viaduct. In honor of this history and with deserved vacation in Wisconsin, Newcity museum at 1322 West Taylor Street, the the hope of invigorating the tradition, snagged Daniel Schulman, director of last structure still standing from the Jane DCASE and Mayor Emanuel declared visual art for the Chicago Department Addams Homes. 2017 Chicago’s “Year of Public Art.” The of Cultural Affairs and Special Events city has funded a Public Art Youth Corps (DCASE), for a few of his thoughts about The American Writers Museum to work with community organizations to what looks especially exciting in this fall’s Eight years in the making, this newly realize new public art projects as part of arts offerings. Characteristically generous, opened museum celebrates the written the Mayor’s One Summer Chicago youth Schulman pointed to the many museums, and spoken word through a deep employment program. Also funded is the new and established, that are rising to narrative of the history of American 50x50 Neighborhood Arts Project, the occasion this season. As the leader of literature and multimedia explorations of providing matching grants to aldermen Chicago’s public art and exhibitions the creative process meant to inspire and who fund public works in their wards inNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 programs, he might have also mentioned instruct aspiring and practicing writers. collaboration with selected artists and the many projects blooming under his Temporary exhibitions focus on particular residents. Dozens of Chicago-area art careful care—we took the liberty to add authors or movements in American institutions and organizations have one major DCASE initiative below. As writing. Sandburg and Algren would partnered with the Year of Public Art to Schulman says, these places are “an surely have approved. showcase their ongoing work to cultivate indication of incredible creative ferment The Packingtown Museum at The Plant Chicago’s art, bringing new visibility to in Chicago and the need to build new the creativity that is already thriving institutions to contain and sift it all.”   The Plant began as an ambitious across the city. The year’s culmination experiment in closing energy, material will see public art created across the and waste loops in a disused wards and a month-long public art14 Photo: Joe Mazza/Brave Lux meatpacking facility in Chicago’s historic festival in October.

DANCEWhat CouldBe Better?Glenn Edgerton Alejandro Cerrudo. Photo: Joe Mazza/Brave Lux SEPTEMBER 2017 NewcityDiscusses the Fortieth The fourthAnniversary Season of performance is by Street Dance will have in it. However,Hubbard Street Dance Ohad Naharin. I’ve I see Hubbard Street being a leader in asked him to make a the world having satellites around theBY SHARON HOYER full evening work country and abroad where we are out of “Minus 16,” teaching dance and presenting danceGlenn Edgerton is the artistic director of a celebratory globally through a network of schoolsHubbard Street Dance Chicago, which event for our and theaters, especially in regions thatcelebrates its fortieth anniversary this fall. fortieth anniversary. are comprised of individuals that are notEdgerton has lead the iconic company as represented on our stages or withinfor the last eight years, commissioning Hubbard Street has our institutions. Also, I would love to seework from internationally renowned always been a Hubbard Street be the catalyst tochoreographers, pushing the ensemble forward-looking changing the world. Instead of violenceto excellence, and keeping Chicago’s company. How do you we replace it with a dance battle, insteadhomegrown contemporary dance feel the company has of aggression or terrorism, replace it withcompany at the forefront of the art form. evolved in your time as artistic director? dance to rid yourself of hatred. Imagine aEdgerton spoke with us about the In my time? It’s hard for me to define world where there are no borders orupcoming landmark season and his what my eight years at Hubbard Street arbitrary definitions placed upon us, butdreams for Hubbard Street forty years have meant; I’ll let you folks do that when rather, people of the world appreciatedinto the future. I’m in my grave. Hubbard Street has by variations on their dance languages or greatly evolved over forty years. Lou styles; that would be my fantasy for 2057!Could you give us some highlights of the Conte had the company for over twentyupcoming programs for Hubbard Street’s years; what he made was the foundation Are there any particular performancesfortieth anniversary season? of the company and built its great coming up that you’re looking forward toIn June we did a retrospective of work reputation. The period with Jim Vincent this season in Chicago?from the four decades of the company brought it into a more European style, I love supporting everything that’sand now going into the fortieth bringing in choreographers from abroad, going on here in Chicago. It is a greatanniversary, everything is looking then I felt I had the freedom to present community and I love getting to knowforward. We are highlighting four what is current and progressing the art and see the dancers in the city and whatchoreographers this season with form, and to push the boundaries of what they’re up to; it helps keep me on top ofprograms dedicated to each is expected. what’s happening in dance. And whatchoreographer. The fall series at the could be better than to watch a danceHarris is dedicated to Peter Chu and What do you look for in choreographers performance? It’s been my life. I try towill be a site-specific piece in which you from whom you commission new works? see as much as I can.will be transported backstage and behind I am looking for work that has a sense ofthe scenes at the Harris Theater. It won’t individuality that moves an audience in 15be a traditional performance where some way be it emotionally, intellectually,you’re sitting in the seats watching three motivationally, spiritually, sensually.pieces; you’ll be on a journey through the Dance can express and change aHarris. It’s something I’ve wanted to do person’s perception on the world andfor a long time. their own outlook. It’s important to me to present work that evokes humanity,Our winter series at the Harris is and when you can mix in a little humor,around Crystal Pite, one of the great hopefully a patron will walk away fromcontemporary choreographers of our a dance performance of Hubbard Streettime. She has created pieces for the Paris in awe.Opera, the Royal Ballet in London andnow we’re representing her in a full What do you envision for Hubbard Streetprogram. In the spring we will be at the in the next forty years?Auditorium Theatre with an overview of Forty years from now seems so futuristic,work by our resident choreographer it’s almost unfathomable to imagine what life will be like and the place Hubbard

DESIGN It’s Time From Long March: to Play Restart by Feng Mengbo A Conversation with the Curators of the New Game Design Show Coming to the Chicago Design Museum BY VASIA RIGOU space, and as an effort to document, we judged things before trying because preserve and archive the history of the they seemed odd, green, or bitter, so It’s all fun and games at the Chicago game industry. please try what you find here, remaining Design Museum. Creating an immersive open to appreciate new flavors and experience that spans game design Games are rich, dynamic medium that textures of games. history since its origins, its upcoming live in consoles and controllers as much “Hey Play!” exhibition provides a as they do our own bodies, minds and Game design blurs the lines between unique experience that broadens the social relationships. There is so much technology and visual art. What’s your understanding of the industry—its past, happening in the world of games beyond opinion on the genre’s evolution and present and future. “People aren’t going what we see in the major advertising artistic potential, especially considering to see things like Pac-Man or Pokémon,” markets. Independent artists are making the major changes that VR and AR bring explain the show’s curators and DePaul games about challenges they face in their into the mix? University School of Design faculty, Brian lives, games that facilitate spiritual Games have played an important cultural Schrank and LeAnne Wagner, “but a awakening, games that challenge and role historically worldwide. Videogames broad range of play experiences they edify us into better versions of ourselves, extend those traditions into digital media may not be familiar with. The pieces take games critical of dire political events, and while also remediating and incorporating diverse physical forms from cardboard- much more. other mediums such as film and music. box interfaces, virtual-reality headsets, When new platforms are incorporated and entire hallways demonstrating how “Hey Play!” shows how the medium of into the medium of games, which game design is a medium of self- games extends through a number happens more frequently and thoroughly expression, social change, cybernetic of continuums: digital to analog, than any other medium, developers spiritual practice and formal aesthetics introspective to social, curated to struggle to understand how they can or among others.” Sharing decades of collaborative, sedentary to sweaty, should be used. While VR and AR areNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 experience between design, education serious to silly. If you prefer, consider decades old (Schrank developed and and game development, the curator duo this exhibition a “tasting” of some of researched AR for part of his PhD in talks about designing the upcoming the most compelling flavors that have videogames at Georgia Institute of exhibition, their future of the game emerged in the world of games. Curated Technology), the nature and scope of industry, and their ultimate goal in to build off one another like dinner opportunities that these platforms bringing “Hey Play!” to the ChiDM at this courses, their experiences complement promise for the future of games is moment in time. The best part? All the and contrast while returning to themes, hotly debated. However, what seems pieces in the exhibit are playable! leaving the impression of a complete likely is that VR holds the promise of meal of play—of which something fresh democratizing what kind of experiences Let’s talk a little about the exhibition, should appeal to even the most stubborn people will have access to because the its architecture within the museum palate. Just like when we were children suspension of disbelief is much stronger16

than when peering at content on a art, which can diverge greatly among Schrank: There are lots of sources forregular computer screen. Hopefully, people. An art critic is situated in a inspiration, from addressing challengesdevelopers will capitalize on this community that identifies art as part of society faces, to creation based onpotential and create more diverse kinds an unfolding history, a domain kept alive personal experiences that have movedof experiences that can inspire, challenge by institutions, scholars and professional us, seeing opportunities in the fieldand move very different demographics practitioners. A hobbyist who modifies (there’s not a good game about X or Y),of players. her game character’s garb with their making emerging technologies playable own digitally painted clothing might and approachable; collaborating is also aAR is another thing entirely. AR is a have a very different understanding of common theme, working with peopleplatform in much more flux than VR. how games are art. “Avant-garde who are alive in ways that stimulate andIts promise is in ubiquity and rendering Videogames: Playing with Technoculture” intrigue us, or who are very different fromdigital information and content in any [a book written by Schrank] takes this us, makes for interesting work. Thephysical space at any opportune moment. multifaceted approach to how games biggest challenges have to do with timeJust like how the printing press, television, are art, establishing a historically- and resources. Games require a lot ofcomputer and smartphone each grounded series of conceptual frames iteration to get to the point where theypresented a paradigm shift that in which people make, critique or play capture an experience that satisfies thedramatically transformed people’s games as an art form. For example, creative-critical mind of the artist. Goingperceptions of the world around them, there is a political avant-garde who from concept to deployment orAR also has the potential to transform provoke, hack and challenge the status installation takes us through a lot ofhow we think about and interact with the quo with their games, while there is loops through that process, where weworld. The internet will be everywhere— also a formal avant-garde of artists build increasingly refined andnot just on our computers, consoles and who are content exhibiting works in sophisticated drafts of what feels right.phones. Information and the internet will museums or online, focusing onleak into more facets of our days and advancing the medium’s aesthetic or As educators you always have to pushlives than we can currently fathom. experiential potential. There are other your students out of their creativeGames will take advantage of how digital artists who extend literary traditions, comfort zone. What kinds of boundariescontent will play off of physical spaces advancing a kind of narrative avant- do you feel you’re pushing bringingand bodies in ways that would seem garde of games. This “Hey Play!” “Hey Play!” to the Chicago Designfantastic or terrifying to people today. exhibition explores the possibility space Museum at this moment in time? of games, presenting a range of In a lot of our classes, we’re teachingBeyond providing a playful, fun approaches to game design. students to design for new experiencesexperience, games create a unique and technologies. For example in AR andimmersive environment, allow for Where do you look for inspiration VR courses and projects at DePaulinteractions between game players, creating a game and what are the University we use “affordance mining” ascan be used as educational tools and biggest challenges you have faced? a technique to determine play-enablinghave even raised provocative analogies Wagner: I like to draw inspiration from properties of these new platforms tobetween philosophy and gameplay. public spaces and the interactions that design experiences that are going toAll these features—beauty, skill, inherent happen or, more importantly, don’t appeal and be accessible to non-expertsmeaning—can be found in the visual arts happen there. I love that games give and new users. “Hey Play!” is a tangibleworld. Can you elaborate on the concept people the permission to behave way for audiences to observe andof the game as a work of art? by a new set of rules and explore interact with a variety of interfaces,To talk about games as art we have to environments and relationships in a inputs/outcomes and draw inspirationstart with the reader’s understanding of new way. from the emotions and motivations games create. They will discover things that games can do that they never experienced before. The games are designed with very different goals, some implicit, and some explicit, but each of them cultivate rich, playful experiences in their own way. What are you hoping the viewers will SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity take away from this exhibition? We hope that people leave the museum with a new excitement to embrace games in a more multifaceted way and carry the rich sense of playfulness into their everyday lives. In our current political climate, we need play more than ever as it can heal, motivate, and help us move forward. “Hey Play!” at the Chicago Design Museum runs October 20, 2017–February 17, 2018.From SoundSelf by Robin Arnott 17

DINING Left: Jason Hammel / Photo: Paul Elledge Food of the Now Top Right: Conceptual Jason Hammel Talks about Marisol at the MCA rendering of the MCA restaurant / Image: Tom Hancocks. Lower Right: Portrait of Marisol at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1964 / Photo: CBS Photo Archive/Getty ImagesNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 BY DAVID HAMMOND seasonality, and farm-focus. “It’s a progression. As a self-taught chef, The sophistication comes I am influenced by diverse sources and We were at first a little surprised to hear from working hard at strive to keep learning. I like to think that that Jason Hammel, best known for his technique and design, while the food I make today won’t be the same much beloved Lula Cafe in Logan still keeping things simple, as the food I make tomorrow. The MCA Square, was named chef at Marisol, the fun and accessible. The is very cutting edge, and it is the ‘now’ new restaurant built as part of a $16 Marisol Salad is an example that excites me: the moment of the million renovation of The Museum of of this: it reads like a Caesar season, a new technique or vegetable. Contemporary Art. Though Lula always salad, creamy, crunchy and At Marisol, we are inspired and in feels homey and (dare we say) a touch just a little bit unique. communication with the space, the retro-hippie (as former hippies, we use We found a mention of the MCA community, and with Chris Ofili’s that term with some respect), the MCA is artist Marisol in a MOMA immersive art environment.” so sleek and “wow it’s now” that we cookbook from the experienced some cognitive dissonance seventies where she Artist Chris Ofili made his reputation, in trying to place Hammel and his aesthetic presents a recipe for a kind part, as a somewhat controversial artist. in that milieu. of hippie-era salad with her Born in Britain, later living in Trinidad and own ‘natural food salad Tobago, Ofili won the prestigious Turner Hammel, however, believes very strongly dressing.’ We completely Prize and was later named a Commander that what he and wife Amalea Tshilds ran with this. Our version of the Order of the British Empire. In 1999, have developed at Lula over the past has herbaceous and creamy he got on the wrong side of New York eighteen or so years can definitely be (without cream; it’s vegan!) mayor Rudy Giuliani for his depiction of translated to the MCA environment. dressing over butter lettuce, macadamia the Holy Virgin Mary, which was then nuts and tart apple.” hanging at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. As Hammel explains it: “The elements of About this painting, which featured a Lula Cafe that we will maintain are the At Lula, Hammel and team pretty much black Mary surrounded by images of brightness, vegetable-forward created their own space, shaping it over genitalia standing in for angels and some the years to reflect their vision and their splatters of elephant dung, Giuliani food. At MCA, their food will be more pronounced “There’s nothing in the First reflective of a constantly changing Amendment that supports horrible and museum space that features a range of disgusting projects.” different looks and feels. Hammel plans to adjust his menu accordingly: “Right According to Karla Loring, director of now, I’m looking at upcoming exhibitions media relations at the MCA, Ofili will be in the fall to inspire our menus for “responsible for every surface,” and he’s October and November. We want to not only installing a large mural, but he’s interact with the artists, yes, but also “etching the windows, drawing on the with the museum’s curatorial team walls, creating a totally immersive and the design team to produce experience,” which as of this writing is something that can only be made in that totally under wraps at Ofili’s direction: environment. Our menu will change and he’s holding off for the big reveal, not react to the seasons. For us, there are wanting to let out images of the space in not just four seasons, there are twelve dribs and drabs, wanting the first images or sixteen or twenty. We want to use of the space to convey the full effect. last-of-season raspberries, radicchio in a cool spring, new potatoes for the Says Hammel, “I was familiar with two weeks in June when they are actually Chris’ work before signing on to work ‘new.’ So you’ll always find something on the restaurant. The mural Chris has surprising and delicious. created for the MCA is a permanent18

understands the special context of a restaurant in a museum as opposed to anywhere else, and he has amazing ideas for how to connect Marisol’s activities to the rest of our programs.” “Unlike a museum cafeteria,” adds Loring, “Marisol will be open even when the museum isn’t. Marisol will be a destination restaurant.” Marisol is named after Venezuelan artist Marisol Escobar, who died last year and who was one of the first artists to contribute work to the MCA. The restaurant, like Hammel’s other restaurants, has a female artist namesake (Lula was the nickname of actress Tallulah Bankhead; the now-closed Nightwood was the title of a novel by avant-garde author Djuna Barnes). As Hammel explains:work, whereas our food is fleeting head up the kitchen at the MCA. The “Marisol was an independent, vibrant SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcityand temporary. I’m excited to see how choice of Hammel to head up Marisol and creative woman and artist—andour interpretations and interactions was made by Madeleine Grynsztejn, that is the heart of what we want thiswith the mural and the design change Pritzker Director of the Museum of restaurant to be. The restaurant willover time and influence what we do in Contemporary Art Chicago, who tells us, pay homage to her in that it creates anthe restaurant.” “Jason has an artist’s sensibility. He mixes interplay between food, art and design ingredients on the plate like an artist that is inventive and unexpected.”The more we hear from Hammel, the composes a canvas, thinking carefullymore he seems like exactly the right about taste, texture, and color to create a As of this writing, Marisol is slated toperson—creative, flexible, evolving—to special experience for each diner. Jason open late summer/early autumn. 19

FILM Photos: Sean Sheetz Next Page: A still from “Princess Cyd” Still Arriving Stephen Cone On His Six Features BY RAY PRIDENewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 A watchful admirer of modern classical even as I was facing two short films, an just in terms of artistic success and filmmakers like Robert Zemeckis and accidentally medium-length feature and reception. There’s an essential tension Jonathan Demme, the ardently cinephilic a proper full-length DIY feature, none of from early on that I’m only now realizing. thirty-eight-year-old writer-director which did anything for me professionally; Filmmakers rely on cultural industry Stephen Cone’s seductive, character-rich that is, beyond a niche reputation of a gatekeepers more than with other forms, movies examine identity and belief with Chicago artist following things through to and an understanding of this paralleled understated grace, often with young the end, success or not. I made four my early lack of understanding of craft. protagonists teeming with doubt and intended calling cards in a row, but they This, alongside strongly felt cinephilia, often a knife’s edge from tragic weren’t serving as such in any traditional slowed me down. I wonder if I wasn’t so circumstance. His latest feature, sense. “In Memoriam” did, however, desperate to appeal that I lost a sense of “Princess Cyd,” has its local premiere at reveal to my future casting directors that I patient, balanced training. the fifty-third Chicago International Film had some knack for performances, and Festival in October. Cone’s next, larger- that project sealed the deal in being able You turned to autobiography. scale project, “Nudes,” is set in the world to work on “The Wise Kids” with Paskal It was only when I turned toward of sort-of-grownups, as a renowned Rudnicke Casting. They loaded up my autobiography that the gatekeepers photographer moves back to her small semi-autobiographical narrative, as started calling. I didn’t submit “The Wise South Carolina hometown and embarks accessible a script as I’ve written, with Kids” to Sundance—to date my only on a series of nude portraits of brilliant and hungry Chicago talent. and biggest regret—but Sundance locals. Like many other of his Midwestern programmers found it after the fact, and filmmaking contemporaries, Cone’s path Great casting directors don’t guarantee became my biggest champions then. is as idiosyncratic as his work, which he success, though. Sundance programmer Kim Yutani was outlined for me. Casting directors don’t determine a the chief programmer at Outfest during future for a film, and filmmaking-wise, that time, and found “The Wise Kids” in a How has your career depended without any formal education or mentor, pile. She wrote me, basically saying, I’ve on others? You’ve described your the entire first four or five years was very never heard of you and I can’t believe I beginnings as an obstinate not-filmmaker, much like learning to swim on my own, just found this movie at random in our learning technique slowly, choosing to move forward with your own learning curve. My career has first and foremost depended on myself, in that rationality and reason did not dictate my ever even making “The Wise Kids” (2011). I had an idea of where I was going, a stubborn refusal to believe I wasn’t cut out for it,20

pile. It went on to win Best U.S. Feature So you were off to the races. fortune of getting one of those slots, not and Best Screenwriting at Outfest, from a Well, my next film, “Black Box” (2013). once but twice. This allowed me to hop jury that included Sundance programmer was supposed to be my grand follow-up, on the hype bus a little late, but with no David Courier. Kim and David both but instead performed about as well as less interest from others. It’s a path became champions of the film, in many my early, unsuccessful efforts. Two almost entirely unique to me, which ways saving me from failed, early 2010s medium-length experiments of different makes me feel very strange yet very oblivion. And around this time came kinds followed, as I gave myself time to gratified. These are the people and these the Roger Ebert reviews, for both “In figure out my next step. A significant are the films that have given me whatever Memoriam” and “The Wise Kids,” which thing that happened during this time was current rep I have in indie film, and in were published within five months of that Chicago International programmed many ways the slow-burn championing each other, in 2011. These sealed the me for the very first time, taking one of I’ve received in these regions has been deal, motivationally. those smaller efforts, “This Afternoon,” the exact, positive, opposite of the a sixty-six minute feature inspired by a slow-burn struggle between 2005 and But your films were perceived as being… short I’d made with my Acting Studio 2010. Then I’ve had the great fortune of Despite the championing of “The Wide Chicago Cinema Lab. Programmer Mimi being distributed by LGBT distributor Kids,” it was still stuck in a niche LGBT Plauché and Anthony Kaufman became Wolfe Releasing three times in a row, space, so awareness in the general New local champions. At this point, it’s nearly even when the films aren’t even that gay.York City-based indie scene was limited. a decade since my first short. For a journey that has been almostAs Joe Swanberg has said, if they don’t unbearably slow at times, I suspect this know you in New York, you’re not known. “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party” (2015) is cumulative effect, and this building of In the fall of that year another very when things started to seriously change champions, has actually been better for important person came into my life, when for me, and I attribute this entirely to Eric me in the long run than having an early Brooklyn-based critic Aaron Hillis saw Hatch at the Maryland Film Festival and success. From where I sit, at least, that“The Wise Kids” at Sidewalk Film Festival the BAMcinemaFest team at the time, seems to be true. in Birmingham, Alabama and started of Nellie Killian, Gabriele Caroti, Ryan championing it to non-LGBT spaces, Werner and David Reilly. The festival “Princess Cyd” will have a theatrical even going on to book it in New York at is largely a springtime showcase for run, likely later in the fall, after its his now-defunct ReRun Theatre in Sundance, Berlin and South by CIFF premiere. DUMBO. A New York Times Critics’ Pick Southwest titles, but one or two slots in followed and suddenly I felt I was having these fests are reserved each year for a debut film experience. Six years after discoveries. With “Henry Gamble” and making my first short! “Princess Cyd,” I had the great and rare SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity 21

A Catalyst for LIT Understanding Eve L. Ewing tries to imagine a way out of this mess with poetry and prose rely on him for a lot of emotional support and friendship. It’s a cool and distinct kind of relationship. I like to think of us as BY TONI NEALIE being in an early-2000s indie rock band that just happens to not play any Eve L. Ewing this month launches instruments or write any songs. “Electric Arches,” a collection of poetry, prose and visual art. Blending realism Chicago seems to have a unique creative and surrealism, it features an alien energy currently. What do you attribute arrival in magical circumstances. that to? Ewing, a sociologist at the University Absolutely. I think we’ve always had this of Chicago, has also been busy as part energy and the broader world just of Crescendo Literary—hosting the happens to be more attuned to it for the Chicago Poetry Block Party and moment. That may continue for a while creating “No Blue Memories: The Life and it may change tomorrow in a of Gwendolyn Brooks.” heartbeat, but folks here are going to keep doing what we’ve done since time What was the germ for this project? Any roadblocks along the way? How immemorial—work hard, collaborate and My unofficial tagline for the book is true did you surmount them? rep the city. Something people often say stories from the past and future. Really, The book has some of my own visual about cultural appropriation is that, I’m trying to think about how we can art. I have always struggled with self- “America loves black culture, but not imagine our way out of this mess. identifying as a visual artist because I black people.” I think there is an analog Who is the audience? don’t feel as trained or as confident in there—America is fascinated by Chicago, Some of the central themes of the book that arena as I do as a writer. Some of but doesn’t love us. There is a difference include black girlhood and coming of age. that is about race and gender and class between being smitten with a place or I hope that young women of color and who gets told that they’re an artist the idea of a place and actually loving growing up in Chicago or places like it and who doesn’t. This is a language it—the good parts and the ugly parts— will find something in there that speaks where I also have something worth and being invested in its future for the true to them. There’s a lot of growing up, saying. That work is important to me long-term. I don’t expect other people to humor, oddity and things I hope will too and I’m glad it’s in the book. love us. We have to love us and if other folks want to be in on it for the time appeal to wide audiences. What are the benefits of being part of a being, that’s fine.Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 What was most satisfying about it? collective? When do you work as part of What is exciting you in your Everything! If I had to pick two things: a collective and when do you work alone? work currently? one is working through some of my more No one has ever asked me this before! I I’m working on a book currently autobiographical impulses as a writer love being in my collective, Echo Hotel. titled “When the Bell Stops Ringing,” and feeling like... okay, for a long time I There is something special about making which will be out with University of was writing these growing-up-in- a public declaration that your art is Chicago Press in 2018. It’s about the Chicago poems that I needed to write bonded to the art of another person, and relationship between race and school and now I feel liberated to set that aside to invite people to understand them in closings in Chicago and education policy. and work on some other stuff. My next conversation with each other. My few projects are going to be really collective-mate, Hanif Abdurraqib, is one “Electric Arches” by Eve Ewing different. And the second thing is, I did of the most brilliant writers and deeply Haymarket Books, $16, 120 pages a reading in London in a tiny bookstore good people I know. It’s cool to formalize Eve Ewing will have Chicago readings and the conversations I had with people a relationship wherein you are agreeing on September 5 at Marwen (official launch afterwards were so amazing. People to read each other’s work and have each party), 833 North Orleans, marwen.org; came up to me and told me their whole other’s back and basically entwine your September 28 at the Poetry Foundation, life stories, as viewed through the lens fates in this crazy business of trying to 61 West Superior, poetryfoundation.org; of what they had just heard. Poetry make art. It’s also cool because Hanif, like October 8 at Seminary Co-Op Bookstore, can be this incredible catalyst for me, writes for a lot of different audiences 5751 South Woodlawn, semcoop.com; understanding ourselves in the image and across genres. I work entirely alone and November 4 at Women & Children of someone else. in terms of drafting, but then I send him a First,  5233 North Clark,  lot of things for feedback and also just womenandchildrenfirst.com.22

MUSIC Sue Demel, Bruce Roper and Deborah Lader/ Photo: Marc HauserTwenty-five BY ROBERT RODI Let’s start with the name. I’m guessing SEPTEMBER 2017 NewcityYears it’s a reference to the movie “Guns ofand Still The folk trio Sons of the Never Wrong has the Navarone.”Righteous managed, in the most winsome manner ROPER: There you go. imaginable, to become both a cult band DEMEL: It is?Sons of the Never and a Chicago institution. This year the ROPER: It’s a reference to that.Wrong Celebrate a singer-multi-instrumentalists celebrate DEMEL: You always say it’s a referenceMilestone Anniversary their twenty-fifth anniversary with a to our parents being from the generationand a New Album series of concerts and a new album (their that could do no wrong. tenth), “Song of Sons.” I recently got a ROPER: That’s part of it. retrospective take on their career from DEMEL: Well, I’m just here to tell you, the band’s members: laconic, sagebrush- my parents did a lot wrong. voiced Bruce Roper; serene, honey-toned Let’s move on to your origin story. Deborah Lader; and passionate, sonically DEMEL: Really? You want it? turbo-charged Sue Demel. They’re basically a folk music representation of You can give me an abbreviated version. Freud’s id, ego and superego (I’ll leave ROPER: I was married, raised two kids you to figure out who’s which), and their good and proper, got divorced, came to interplay is as disarming in the flesh as it Chicago, within a couple months played is on the stage. 23

Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 the open mic at Beat Kitchen. Sue and you can go to a place in the music— ROPER: We’ve tried not to be overtly her friend Nancy Walker came. I’ll look at Sue when she goes off political in our careers. We feel like, if somewhere, and I’ll think, “Okay, I’m you’re doing good art—that’s all you need DEMEL: It wasn’t an open mic; it was a there.” Or Bruce will make a mistake on to do. round-robin of great songwriters. There the guitar, and we’ll go, “Okay; it’s jazz. were five guys and they were all Let’s do it.” We can almost anticipate DEMEL: I would say I have been charged awesome. Bucky Halker, Ralph Covert— each other’s foibles. up in a way I didn’t want to be at my age. I mean, all these really great Chicago I didn’t want to be writing protest songs. singer-songwriters. And then this guy in DEMEL: And also when Bruce and I I thought I could sit back on my laurels seersucker shorts and a bow tie gets up, fight—we fight a lot; for real— and write happy little songs about death, and we were like, [laughing] “Oh, this is because I’m getting older. But now I’m the one—we can go get a beer while he’s ROPER: And for fun. not allowed. Because our job isn’t just to playing.” And then he starts doing this make good art, but to make good art that tune called “The Carpenter Song,” which DEMEL: —and for fun—we have creative makes you feel and think, and be active is just a masterpiece, and Nancy and I fights. Usually something decent comes and reactive, that has a purpose but isn’t are like, “What was that?” We realize, out of it. Or… we go get donuts. And Deb too pedantic. “He can write; he just can’t dress.” being the oldest in the family, she knows how to keep the peace. So we get a lot Well, art should be transformative… ROPER: I was playing another place— done in spite of ourselves. I think the DEMEL: There we go! That’s way better! the Coffee Cup on Sheridan—and they fighting has gotten more constructive. came that night. Nobody was in there, of But the big change for me personally is, ...The question is, do you choose what course, and so the three of us sat there I don’t get to live in Chicago anymore. that transformation is ahead of time, or and started singing. And we’ve been My husband lives in the UP; the first five do you just offer it up and hope? together ever since. of the last eight years I lived here full-time DEMEL: I found myself in a situation and he lived up north for work. The last where I was being linear. And I said, “This DEMEL: And then Nancy went solo three years I’ve been there with him. So is our job.” We have to write a song that six years later. And we were lucky to I’m lonesome for [Roper and Lader]. makes those who follow folk music feel find Deb. Really lonesome for them; like I don’t buoyed up, that they’re not alone in their have my limbs. struggles with the world as it is. And sure, LADER: Bruce came to a show I we’re gonna be preaching to the choir. was doing—another round-robin, at LADER: That’s how we all feel. But you know, the choir gets hungry too. Uncommon Ground; he was scoping And they need lunch, and we’re giving it people out—and he came up afterwards DEMEL: So trying to make music, going to them. and said, “We’d like to have you audition back and forth, or calling each other, or for Sons.” I only heard them a few nights sending each other files—it’s hard. ROPER: We’re bringing a covered dish to before I auditioned, and I was amazed; every show. but I didn’t think I would get it. I had LADER: But it’s sort of been this two small babies at the time, so I was interesting test for us. In a way, it’s the LADER: We had this experience a little nervous about how the family perfect excuse for a twenty-five-year-old recently—right after the election, we were discussion would go around me joining band to just say, “Enough.” But we all depressed—everyone we know was a touring band. haven’t done that. depressed—and we did this show at St. Tim’s Coffeehouse up in Skokie. It was ROPER: We ended up raising her kids ROPER: Our process of doing art has packed; it was the first time people had for her. certainly changed. Early on there was a ventured out of their houses. And I young, excitable accent to it, and now it’s looked out and I thought—I think we all LADER: They did. I basically raised my more contemplative; more in your head, did—“We have a job to do.” And we sang kids on the road with these guys. maybe. But I think the real interesting our songs—our same old regular songs, story here—if there is one—is that most but with such passion and such intensity, How has your dynamic changed over bands don’t get to twenty-five years. And that people were crying, they were the past quarter-century? it’s because of ego—everybody wanting laughing. They needed it. And so yes, LADER: I’ve watched you [to Demel] everyone else to buy into their concept of that is our job. become funnier. Let’s just put it out there. who they are. And somehow we’ve If you’ve heard her—especially in the always been able to just have fun; and “Song of Sons” is available through the quieter spaces— she tells these stories, we’re good friends and we love each usual channels, and on Sons of the and sometimes Bruce and I haven’t even other and… it’s just a family affair. Never Wrong’s website. The band plays heard them before, and we get to react to a combined anniversary-CD release them. So—it has nothing to do with the Folk music tends to thrive in times of concert on October 29 at City Winery, songs, but in terms of being comfortable repression and rebellion. And we’ve 1200 West Randolph. with each other and relating to each definitely entered one of those. Are you other… it’s changed over time, gotten anticipating a resurgence, and do you more loose. And I do think that comes feel like you could be at the forefront into the music; there’s a comfort level of that? that comes from being together this long, that you can say anything onstage, and24

STAGE Shattering Stereotypes About Muslims Playwright Rohina Malik Discusses “Yasmina’s Necklace” BY HUGH IGLARSH “A play takes years to develop,” says local playwright, storyteller and solo performer Rohina Malik. “You never want to rush it into production. When you write a play, it should stand up for fifty or a hundred years. That takes time.” This fall is harvest time for Malik, who is looking forward to major productions of two plays that have been growing and evolving for years—or more accurately, a lifetime. October 20 is the Goodman Theatre opening date for “Yasmina’s Necklace,” a drama about love and identity among Iraqi immigrant and refugee families. (“Islamic rom-com” is the phrase used by director Ann Filmer.) On the very same day, Malik’s “The Mecca Tales” will open at the Voyage Theater Company in Manhattan. “October will be very exciting,” SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity says Malik, who will be shuttling between Chicago and New York during the frenzied period of final scene-tweaking for not one but two high-profile shows. The author describes “Yasmina” as an intimate domestic drama about characters more often seen from the outside. 25



Opens September 12Charlotte Perriand. Prefabricated Kitchen Unit, Les Tournavelles, Arc 1800, Savoie, France (detail), 1975-78. Funds provided by the Architecture& Design Society. © 2017 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris; Ludwig Karl Hilberseimer. Highrise City (Hochhausstadt),Perspective (detail), 1924. Gift of George E. Danforth; Bless: Ines Kaag and Desiree Heiss. Bless Beauty Hairbrush, 1999. Architecture PurchaseAccount Fund; all(zone) and Rachaporn Choochuey. Light House: The Art of Living Lightly (detail), 2015. Gift of all(zone) in collaboration withOffscene Films; Yuri Suzuki and Mark McKeague. OTOTO (detail), 2013. Architecture Purchase Account Fund.



SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity 29

The History of This Very Moment Newcity’s Preview of the 2017 Chicago Architecture Biennial For its sophomore outing after a successful debut two years ago, the Chicago Architecture Biennial (chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org ) wisely looked outside our city’s borders for its vision, appointing the LA-based duo of Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee to give it fresh eyes. Equally wisely, the selection of Johnston Marklee brought in outsiders already in a conversation with Chicago, having a couple of high-profile projects in process, including this summer’s redesign of the MCA and the upcoming creation of the Arts Block at the University of Chicago. For the vast undertaking, the curators have chosen the reflection of curatorial interests, this year’s edition theme “Make New History,” an approach especially counts a total of twenty countries, with Berlin and relevant to Chicago’s iconic architectural history—can any Switzerland leading the way, Spain, Portugal, Italy and other metropolis claim not one but two seminal quotes Belgium not far behind and, save Mexico, a rather light like “make no little plans” and “less is more”? Can any representation of Latin America, and minimal other city claim a line of architects running from Sullivan Scandinavian, Asian, African and Australian input. to Wright to Mies to Jahn to Gang with such pride? And sadly, does any other city destroy its architectural The event is overwhelming in magnitude, in the best legacy at a pace equal to its creation, from the infamous way possible, with special projects at Garfield Park destruction of Louis Sullivan’s Chicago Stock Exchange in Conservatory, Farnsworth House, City Gallery, six 1972 to, just three years ago, the devastating loss of “Neighborhood Anchor Sites” in addition to home base at Bertrand Goldberg’s Prentice Women’s Hospital Building the Chicago Cultural Center and five program partners, to the current machinations to destroy Helmut Jahn’s ranging from the Art Institute and MCA to the National postmodern edifice, the James R. Thompson Center. Public Housing Museum and the Graham Foundation.Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 This year’s Biennial, running from September 16 to We’ve tried to elicit some interesting themes and January 7, is steeped in our city’s living history, with about participants for this “prehistory”; less of a “what to see” a dozen participants calling Chicago home out of more and more of a “what to think about.” You have about than 140 total. Not surprisingly, greater LA is elevated to four months to take as much of it in as you can yourself. more than sixteen representatives, along with a similar But given its scope, don’t wait till it’s history. number from New York. Whether it’s an indication of current trends in architectural leadership or just a Brian Hieggelke Previous Page: Filip DUJARDIN ‘memorial I’ and “memorial II”30

The Architecture of Art /What goes into the creationof cultural spaces?By Philip Berger contributions to the world of art and others. When he got the commission SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity ideas—both as improvements to for a poetry center, there wasn’t muchT he design of cultural institutions— the institutions themselves and as precedent in the building typology. But long a sort of Holy Grail for enrichments of the built environment. he knew the headquarters for the Poetry architects due to the prestige Not surprisingly, then, this year’s Chicago Foundation would have to reflect poetryand attention, if not necessarily great Architecture Biennial is infused with itself: “We wanted it to be like a poemremuneration, they bring—also have participants with pedigrees as arts- that unfolds, line by line,” he says. “Itthe power to make enormous additions edifice designers, starting at the very top shouldn’t give itself away all at once.to the cultural landscape, and often to with the artistic directors themselves. You read the first line of a poem and itthe skylines and streetscapes of the intrigues you and you want to read more.extremely visible locations they grace. John Ronan understands the implications Architecture should be like that—The best of them are multi-dimensional of cultural design better than many seducing you, drawing you in slowly.” Above: Poetry Foundation Headquarters / Photo: Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing. 31

“We wanted it to be like a poem that unfolds, line by line,” John Ronan says. Poetry Foundation Headquarters / Photo: Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing. Similarly, he says the choice of materialsNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017elements of the project—none big names,audience in a new way that is free and for the building was deliberate in how it and all based elsewhere but Chicago. accessible, within the existing footprint reflected poetry’s mechanics. “We knew of the museum,” she writes. they shouldn’t be precious,” he says, As it approaches its fiftieth anniversary, “but made special by the way they’re it’s impossible to overlook the MCA’s At MCA, she writes, the redesign’s treated—like the way poets use words— contribution to the contemporary architectural program comprises the how they’re selected and arranged in art world—not just locally but “convergence of the public spaces with ways that transform them from ordinary internationally—introducing the city to the galleries to create…two important to thoughtful.” everything from emerging talent to new public offerings: a destination contemporary masters in an enormous restaurant on the ground floor that As a whole, the building is an excellent range of media. But when the museum connects to a new engagement space example of an arts institution that announced its remodeling plan, many on the second floor that literally puts dignifies the streetscape as much wondered why. learning and engagement at the as it enhances the cultural environment. physical center of the museum.” Embraced by the public for its serene, Perhaps by design, the museum hasn’t imposing presence on Superior Street released much in the way of official She describes that second-floor space— and for the way it slowly reveals itself materials or statements which reveal a “the Commons”—as “a spontaneous, to the visitor, it’s also raised the general lot about the project except for the responsive space in constant motion, profile of poetry as an art form. creative teams involved. The museum a place where people can plug-in— Ronan thinks its success is in large intriguingly invited painter Chris Ofili to and talk, listen, debate, disagree, part because of the client. “They gave design the restaurant that visitors will and learn from one another with me time to design it. They understood enter from a new entrance along Pearson contemporary artists as their catalysts.” this wasn’t an all-out sprint. They’re Street; the Mexico City-based art/design artists themselves—and know that you collaborative Pedro y Juana—perhaps She goes on to explain the redesign’s don’t order a poem to be ready by on the basis of their kicky main-floor motivation. “The pendulum has swung 10am tomorrow.” installation at Chicago Cultural Center in from the museum as passive temple to the 2015 Biennial—for “the Commons,” the museum as active space—from a Unlike poetry centers, museums have in the space that used to be the cafe; treasure box to a tool box, if you will. lots of examples for their designers to and to reconfigure the theater lobby and Today’s audiences are no longer use as reference. Still, there’s no rigid upstairs gallery spaces, the Los Angeles looking for a cold ‘white cube’ museum archetype. When Chicago’s Museum of architecture firm Johnston Marklee, who experience. Instead, they crave warmer, Contemporary Art announced plans to also happen to be the artistic directors of shared experiences.” remodel the building it’s occupied on the Chicago Architecture Biennial. Seneca Place since 1996, some Central to creating that experience is observers probably expected it to award An essay by the MCA’s director acknowledgment of the necessity of the commission to one of the big-name Madeleine Grynsztejn explains much of “third places”—gathering places other museum architects who have come to the thinking behind the project, which than home or work—to civic life. Third dominate the field, like Jean Nouvel, she stresses is not an expansion. “This is places, she argues, are “anchors of Herzog & de Meuron or Diller Scofidio + a major redesign that converts 12,000 communities as place[s] where people Renfro, or to some exciting local talent. square feet of public space in the gather, observe, interact, and have Instead, the institution chose several building and re-uses it to fuel the vital agency in their own learning and designers to collaborate on different connection between artists and our enjoyment,” which are “critical for32

Conceptual rendering of the MCA / Image: Tom Hancocks civil society, democracy, and civic the final stretch of the MCA job and restrictive, and we were certain the SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity engagement. Why,” she asks, “shouldn’t creative directorship of the CAB, they best way to enhance the public it be a museum? Particularly since have a thriving design practice with other experience was to try to expand the our bottom line is a meaningful, jobs that need attention. So they, too, possible journeys through the museum, social benefit.” were unavailable for real-time interviews, as the current public circulation is but responded to written questions with limited to one corner of the building. By“More than ever,” she writes, “people are insights into the MCA project and also introducing a new stair in the northeast hungry for civic dialogue and connection, about the allure and rewards of designing corner of the ground floor, we connected and this is where we feel the MCA can cultural institutions like art museums. the new public street, theater lobby and play a breakthrough role. We are being restaurant directly to the museum floor proactive in our work and anticipating “Museums today are the new living rooms and the new commons space. Like an what society needs from museums of the city,” they write. “Museums are not acupuncturist, we identified a point of right now: a collective space for the like temples anymore; people don’t maximum congestion in the museum— restoration of social bonds and shared simply go to a museum to worship art. a dead end—and with the new stair community. We can be that special More and more visitors choose to go to opened up nearly 8,000 square feet of space—a key, inclusive site where the museum to be part of collective continuous public space that is people are welcome to gather and social experiences. People are searching accessible even when the galleries are experience art and public matters from for new perspectives on their world closed. Another important benefit was multiple perspectives. The third space through interacting and engaging with we now have a flood of natural light from IS the museum.” others through art.” the east illuminating the lower level. This stair was hotly debated but I thinkThe principals at Johnston Marklee have They explain their work on the project. everyone is pleased with the outcome.” so much on their platter—in addition to “The framework of the building is quite At the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 33

by contrast, the intent of its design scale fixed venues and look instead at Astana 2017 Expo and Dubai 2020. program was immediately apparent: European theater companies who (It’s well worth waiting in line during to offer more—and more diverse— were investigating more flexible, cost- Open House Chicago, when you can kinds of audience offerings while conscious ways to expand. visit the firm’s offices, just to see the capitalizing on a unique real estate model room of the firm’s truly futuristic opportunity: Navy Pier’s decision to The team from charcoalblue devised looking projects.) discontinue programming at the directly a solution that called for a structure adjacent, tented outdoor Skyline Stage. adjacent to the existing theater Despite this impressive body of super- containing modular towers with multiple high-profile work, in meeting with CST calls its expansion The Yard— levels of seating that could be arranged Gordon Gill about a month before The named after the portion of the original to create dozens of possible stage/ Yard’s opening, his palpable excitement Globe Theatre where the groundlings audience configurations, with anywhere reflects how a reasonably small project would stand to watch performances. from 150 to 850 seats (CST’s main like this is in many ways more “The Skyline Stage was an underused stage seats 500.) meaningful—in part because he says part of the Pier in recent years,” says it helps him connect his own creative CST executive director Criss Henderson. The new space was able to incorporate energies with his client’s, a sentiment “What could we do to reimagine the tent the existing “backstage” elements of shared with most designers I talked to and the space beneath it?” This solution, Skyline Stage as well as its distinctive, for this story. he says, “is an artistic platform that lets tented roof: the modular elements us be super-responsive to artists charcoalblue conceived are all contained Because most of the Yard itself is and excite audiences.” It also greatly within a concrete envelope, designed— concealed behind a concrete shell, the enhances the ways the company along with the passageway connecting real face of the addition is the multilevel can use the space. it to the main building—by the Chicago connector between the new stage and firm Smith + Gill. Gordon Gill explains the original building. The curving, Henderson says that The Yard has been that each one of the moving towers electrochromic glass facade allows for in the development stages for at least a has its own lighting, HVAC and audio endless variations in tint and tone, which decade, as the theater explored elements, which in turn needed fulfills multiple functions. Electrochromic expansion opportunities, both on and junctions with the overall structure. glass is increasingly prized for its energy away from the Pier, to accommodate its “Threading it all together made it into a efficiency but, as Gill points out, its tint programming, which had long ago very surgical project,” says Gill, who flexibility allows it to function like a scrim. diversified well beyond its core offerings analogizes the process to creating a During the day, although opaque and of works by the Bard. But it wasn’t until series of docking stations. reflective on the exterior, users inside see 2013, when he was with the principals of the Navy Pier promenade and the harbor charcoalblue, a UK-based theater and Smith + Gill’s portfolio has consisted beyond; at night, the tinting is removed, acoustics consultancy, who convinced largely of super-tall towers, and more the interior is illuminated and it’s the CST to stop thinking in terms of large- lately its exposition pavilions for the passersby on the Pier who watch theNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 Chicago Shakespeare Theater / Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture34

Enclosures / SO-IL and Ana Prvački parade inside. “A curtain,” he offers. One of the most eagerly anticipated to making the SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity“it’s the perfect metaphor,” he offers, projects at the 2017 Biennial is the Late botanic garden“for a theater.” Entries to the Chicago Tribune Tower an art center was Competition. Among the sixteen “breaking the white Given these examples, it’s probably not architects from around the world invited box. By adding too surprising that many of the Chicago to contribute is Mexican architect Tatiana art in such aArchitecture Biennial’s contributors have Bilbao, whose fascinating Culiacán spontaneous way, arts-related projects to their credit. The Botanic Garden design also makes us with no restrictions, Brooklyn-based SO-IL’s Shrem Museum rethink spaces that display art and how to an open space, at UC Davis looks wildly innovative in its people use them. Bilbao has worked it begins to interact renderings, but it’s more likely the firm’s on the project for more than ten years, with the public on subversive sensibilities that won it a creating both conventional buildings its own.” place in this year’s expo. and discrete outdoor rooms for specific large-scale works of art from an In a sense, that’s SO-IL made a splashy debut in the 2015 impressive array of artists: among them the mission of both Biennial with its interventions in the James Turrell, Olafur Eliasson, Dan cultural institutions late-twentieth-century circulation space Graham, Richard Long, Gabriel Orozco in general and the Biennial itself on the west side of the Chicago Cultural and Teresa Margolles. She wrote that key specifically. As CAB executive director Center; its contribution this year might Todd Palmer points out, the theme of lead us to expand, if not redefine, our the 2017 iteration is to “Make New notion of what “architecture” is. SO-IL, History.” He offers it as “a public venue to along with artist Ana Prvački, has talk about architecture in a speculative designed a series of “Enclosures”— manner—without pressure—and without wearable suits of air-filtration fabrics waiting for a contentious moment when stretched on exoskeletal armatures—that all we can do is bring our assumptions, musicians will wear during performances and prejudices to the table.” At the September 14-16 at the Garfield Park Biennial, he suggests, “we can have Conservatory. According to the artists’ conversations about tastes and values statement, “The public is invited to and make them have meaning, have meditate upon the complex notions fun with them—and create a more suggested by the collaboration, such as informed public.” the relationship between purity and pollution, and the distinctions between In other words, the third place is self, objects and nature.” the Biennial. 35

T+E+A+M and its Reassembly Line By Michael virtuality fully customizable by its users, Postmodernist revitalization. It’s an Workman brick by brick. It also recalls, as noted in approach they think syncs well with the a recent New York Times article on the art-directorial vision for this year’s A collaborative history of block “construction-play,” that Biennial. “The overall Biennial theme of comprised of Danish landscape architect Carl Theodor ‘Make New History’ has been broken architects Thom Moran, Ellie Abrons, Sorenson suggested it when he “urged down into sub-themes and T+E+A+M Adam Fure and Meredith Miller, the that areas in cities ruined by World War II has been asked to reflect upon ‘Material Ann-Arbor based group  T+E+A+M will be turned into ‘junk playgrounds,’ where History’ in relation to our work,” explains present “Ghostbox” for the Biennial, children would be given pickaxes, Fure. “Materials, both as physical constructing a “domestic scene” in an (as hammers and saws and allowed to shape artifacts and a form visual currency, of this writing) undisclosed abandoned the detritus into a new civilization, at embody cultural narratives that become “big-box” location. As with much of their child scale.” fixed over time. To that end, we work on past work, this reduction of architectural both materials and their images, in order elements to their base unitary value reflects a to change these stripping back and narratives and align repurposing recurrent materiality with new throughout much of the histories and cultures.” group’s work, often related to states of media. TakingNewcity SEPTEMBER 2017 Bottling this sense of play amplified to In their statement for on this fundamental unit the domain of creative reuse, “Ghostbox” “Ghostbox,” T+E+A+M of traditional built reflects the obsession with the base notes the Pomo-era environments, the box or integer of T+E+A+M’s recent projects, architectural practices of block, they simultaneously including their proposal to rebuild the 1960s and seventies, evoke the bits required to Detroit’s Packard Plant, singled out as an and point to theorist build electronic images icon of Detroit’s blight. Resulting in an McLain Clutter’s October and present a through line at-times surreal, nearly alien landscape of 2016 essay “Notes on as to the teleological pulverized rock, brick and other Ruin Porn” from The desire of the object in its construction materials, the reinvented Avery Review in which purest, most perfected structures take the Modernist ideals of he points out their revitalized form. Mies to a previously unrealized extreme attempt to knowingly of not only baring the structure produce a project native It’s “part of an ongoing previously hidden behind the concrete to the very same media effort to rethink building and sculpted facades of previous eras, culture that has afforded construction through the but here also gutting those selfsame ruin porn its recent unexpected reuse of interiors when they have fallen to ruin prominence. It’s a history disused materials and and repurposing that ruin in a of disuse and blight structures,” says Fure. that has touched all “T+E+A+M has coined the cities, but especially term ‘reassembly’ to throughout the American describe an approach to Rust Belt, as evidenced building distinct from other by the current debates forms of architectural T.E.A.M. Tire Pile for and against recovery such as renovation, adaptive demolition of the Helmut reuse, preservation or restoration. In Jahn-designed Thompson Center, often reassembly, building components are cited as one of the city’s finest examples taken apart, moved around, piled up of Postmodern architecture. “Chicago and mixed with new construction to has been at the forefront of building create alternative uses. This approach innovation for just about every period views a building’s materiality as a in American architectural history. matter-of-fact, while stripping away the T+E+A+M sees ‘reassembly’ as a assumptions commonly associated necessary evolution in the construction with disused properties.” fields, one that deals with ‘waste,’ such as industrial, construction or consumer As a concept, reassembly has its roots in waste, as an opportunity to rethink our the rise of the technological era. Prior to approach to the built environment,” the arrival of personal computers, of Fure asserts. course, plug-and-play consoles used basic image blocks to create entire “To present this idea in the rich historical worlds, as does Swedish-based company context of Chicago is an honor and a Mojang today, whose Minecraft has privilege,” Fure says.36 swept up an entire generation in a

Gerard & Kelly, Modern Living (2016). Performance view: MAK Center for Art & Architecture at the Schindler House, West Hollywood, CA, January 2016. Pictured: Julia Eichten and Rachelle Rafailedes of L.A. Dance Project.Gerard & Kelly Bring DancingAbout Architecture to the Farnsworth HouseBy Michael Workman relationships to propose new modes of these interventions seem well-aligned SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity intimacy not only between the dancers with the transformation of domesticThe Bessie-award winning, Los Angeles- but also among performers and space, and particularly within the contextbased collaborative duo Brennan Gerard spectators.” For it, they will have three of the Farnsworth House, which was& Ryan Kelly will bring an eagerly- dancers performing “solos, duos, and famously designed in 1945 by Mies vanawaited installment of their ongoing trios, spread throughout the interior and der Rohe at the request of his patron,“Modern Living” project to the city for exterior spaces of the site, all reflecting Chicago doctor Edith Farnsworth, whothis year’s Biennial. Taking place during on the condition of solitude,” with the eventually abandoned the home,the press and professional previews at solo standing in for Farnsworth herself. unsettled as she was by the near-The Farnsworth House in Chicago’s Having developed the first two chapters complete transparency of its design. It’swestern suburb of Plano, Illinois, the in collaboration with L.A. Dance Project, a distinct break from the previous twosite-specific performance will continue they will continue working with some of installments, admits Brennan. “What’stheir investigation of “intimacy and the dancers from that company who are also interesting about this piece is thatdomestic space within legacies of no longer associated with the company the first two chapters took place inmodernist architecture.” and also some new performers, with the homes that were designed and lived in solo shared between dancer Julia Eichten by the architects themselves.”It sounds deceptively simple, and visitors and Zack Winokur.will be forgiven for making associations Still, that separation of context is alsowith fellow Biennial participant Iñigo Gerard and Kelly’s performance work overcome to a degree by yet another,Manglano-Ovalle’s 2014 “Seven thus builds on that of such figures as completely separate component of theirThousand Cords (After Beuys)” which Yvonne Rainer, associating movement work at these locations: producing videocountenanced an altogether different within landscape and architecture as installations from the sites themselves.engagement with the Farnsworth. environmental response and, more “This will be the first time the two parts ofOrganized as if the chapters of a book, recently in Chicago, with the work of the project will come together,” Brennaneach installment of “Modern Living” uses Michelle Kranicke and architect husband further explains. “At each site we alsomovement, choreography, dance and David Sundry, whose work with Rainer shoot a video, which is a separate workperformance to engage the formalist contemporary Deborah Hay broke new and Chicago will be the first time thatlogic of modernist architecture. These ground. At times, the architectural the video installation from the first twonew Farnsworth performances will follow elements of these approaches can chapters will be shown at the sameup on the groundwork laid at two overwhelm less rigorous, or simply time that the performances will beprevious chapters, staged “at the insufficiently effectual movement work, or happening.” Visitors to the BiennialSchindler House in West Hollywood, be itself overwhelmed by the intensity can view the videos while on displayCalifornia, and Phillip Johnson’s Glass and dramatic power of well-wrought downtown at the City Gallery inHouse in New Canaan Connecticut, in movement cognizant of its staging. As a Chicago’s Historic Water Tower.which Gerard & Kelly used the stated intent by the duo to address thearchitecture as choreography for “formation of queer consciousness,” 37

Machine Project BringsIts Performance-Based Practice By Michael premiered as a part of the gallery’s investigating space and materials. A Workman “Panopticonathon Streetview.” In a video series of small white-skinned blimps will of one iteration of the performance, a be launched that patrol around the space, Headed up by metallic curtain is raised to reveal Fagot, broadcasting reading of sections from founder and outfitted head to toe in white stretch Walter Benjamin’s Arcades Project, withexecutive director Mark Allen, the Los fabric with red teardrop-shaped eyes and texts chosen “by the Johnston MarkleeAngeles-based Machine Project is a little a necklace of white surgical gloves. She team and collected from the artists anddifferent from the majority of architecture stands at the center of a black-and- architects participating in the Biennial.”firms and artists presenting at this year’s white-checkered video projection over For the latter, explains Allen, “using theBiennial. Centrally manifested as a herself, her backdrop and surrounding lake at Garfield Park as a finaldynamic Echo Park neighborhood walls, the whole space awhirl as the presentation location, we will work withstorefront-gallery space, Allen and kaleidoscopic inner and outer wheels of the Biennial team and the artists throughcompany organize events, performances the projection graphics turn in the run of the show to identify materialsand exhibitions, a practice that should contrapuntal directions. Music plays. and pieces that might be appropriate totransfer well to the performances they’ve A hole opens in the wall through which a recycle into a final piece. This final pieceorganized to take place at the Chicago gloved hand proffers a hose; attaching it will be developed in partnership withCultural Center. “Collaborating with to a line in her stretch-fabric suit, air local artists, perhaps school orartists to produce new work that pumped through the tube inflates a community groups and will ultimately beresponds to the physical and psychic number of the surgical gloves strung presented on the lake, perhaps on a raft,nature of a space, and considers around her neck. Hands pop in and out and documented as a final material piecehistorical and cultural frameworks, has of the holes, inflating more gloves, from the show.” Plans will be on displayalways been central to our mission at grasping after open air as Fagot lowers a as the work transitions over time until,Machine Project,” explains Allen. “We feel white papier-mâché  ball over her head, eventually, when presented in its finalour contribution adds elements related to and dances freely. Crowds gather. form, the project’s completion will bethe generating of ideas and conceptual Motorcycles pass along the sidewalk in marked with a performance byforms that may or may not lead to front of the storefront, lights flashing. experimental vocalist Carmina Escobar.architectural production, but certainly White balls are dropped into the spaceexist as thought modalities in the artistic from above; the metallic curtain is once Machine Project’s two finaland creative process that might again lowered. performances are almost entirely aboutcontribute to that outcome.” sound: Kamau Patton, teaching a class at Arcades Project Blimps and The SAIC this year on experimental spatialFirst among them is Mary Fagot, who will Material-Cycle-Gift project are acoustics, will work with his students andrevise her 2017 performance, which collaborative in their approach to the gallery to present a project on the space of the school. And finally, Sara Roberts will present Readers Chorus, a series of experiments in the use of “timbral combinations, rhythms and the spatialization of voices” in Preston Bradley Hall that visitors will be led through by tour guides. All of these projects, according to Allen, point up and respond to growing trends in theory that he and his team believe are necessarily rooted in such psychological approaches to architectural design principles. “We see a much stronger focus on engagement and public use. Considering design and architecture from a much more authentic user perspective. Our work at Machine Project is firmly rooted in this dialogue and has always considered proposing new, alternative and experimental ways of presenting to and engaging with art audiences.”Mary Fagot / Machine Project: Streetview Panopticathon / Photo: Ian Byers-Gamber



Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017Nick Cave and Studio vodou flags and Mardi Gras parades, the Gang team up at Navy Soundsuits are a confident, celebratory Pier with Stage Buoys expression of righteous warriors who and Soundsuits discover and display their own power to “enter a world,” says Cave, “they have By Aaron Rose complete control over, like warriors of their own destiny.” Nick Cave is bringing Soundsuits. Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang Architects are “Up Right Chicago” will feature ten showing up with Stage Buoys. In a initiates and ten practitioners, including tradition of public events that have Cave and longtime project partner, Bob transformed cultural landscapes in Faust, who will ritually dress each initiate New York, Atlanta and Detroit, they in their Soundsuit, preparing them to will collaborate to present “Here Hear Chicago,” a performance stand “upright” to series at Navy Pier during EXPO pursue their destiny. Chicago and the opening of the The rite of passage, Chicago Architecture Biennial.  “a call to arms, head Cave, who heads up the fashion and heart,” Cave department at the School of the notes, “preparing Art Institute, began making mind, body and spirit Soundsuits, his larger-than-life- to face the forces sized wearable sculptures, in 1991. Some that stand in the are tall and stately, made of embroidered way of selfhood,” and sequined fabrics, and elaborately begins with a loud adorned with found and other quotidian burst of explosive objects, such as buttons, beads and energy, then slows plastic figurines. They have been for a processional presented in solo exhibitions at the performance, accompanied Chicago Cultural Center (2006) and by the instrumentation of jazz Cranbrook Art Museum (2015). Cave’s artist Kahil El’Zabar, other local exhibition at MASS MoCA this summer, musicians, and voices of the “Until,” explores gun violence, race Chicago Children’s Choir. and gender. “Up Right Chicago” will be “HEARD” Soundsuits embody the wild anchored by the more than exuberance of four-leggeds: horses 200 Studio Gang-designed with flowing manes made of ra ia- Stage Buoys—self-balancing, like material that whoosh when they “upright” objects with a move like wind spirits. Bright towering figures, “Up Right” mirrored finish that reflect Soundsuits are constructed with movements of and found objects and ra ia that swirls as figures dance and spin. interactions with performers. Inspired by Cave’s first Soundsuit, a hulking traditional sea buoys, amid beast made of three-inch twigs, was a waves of movement among protective body costume, armor and the Soundsuits and camouflage that he created following the audience, the objects televised beating of Rodney King. will maintain equilibrium and balance. Cave’s work continues to be intensely political and intensely personal—but no The Stage Buoys will also longer defensive, o ensive or protective lend form and a sense of for the performers and audience. space to the “HEARD Chicago” Combining the magic and splendor of performances that follow. Like the African shamanic ceremony, Haitian “HEARD Detroit” performance I attended along the Detroit40 RiverWalk in 2015, “HEARD Chicago” will celebrate a collective reclaiming, an opportunity for joyful warriors from throughout the city to show up and stand up for our destiny and our sacred places. Up Right Soundsuit/Photo: James Prinz



42 Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017

Art Leaderof the Moment:A Conversation withDeana Haggag,President and CEO ofUnited States ArtistsBy Elliot J. Reichert / photos by Joe Mazza (BraveLux) SEPTEMBER 2017 NewcityThis year’s Art 50 looks behind the scenes to find out who makesit all happen. Curators, gallerists, critics and collectors frame theway we look at art, but philanthropy empowers artists to makethe work. We sat down with Deana Haggag, president and CEOof United States Artists, a Chicago-based funding organizationproviding large, unrestricted grants to a nationwide cohort ofartists each year. Haggag came recently from Baltimore, whereshe directed The Contemporary. In Chicago, she’s finding herway through the tangled world of arts funding and making nosmall plans along the way. 43

Welcome to Chicago. How are you finding it so far? I’m flabbergasted by Chicago’s cultural community. It feels like the country’s best-kept secret. Running a national organization, it’s really nice to be in the middle of the country and in a place that feels like it’s at the confluence of so much of what is happening artistically. The amount of people that have reached out to me since coming here has been overwhelming—artists, academics, people in other nonprofits and philanthropic communities. Funding institutions are extremely important to the cultural community but also fairly invisible within it. We are much more fixated on curators, collectors, gallerists and the like. How does the di erence in visibility a ect your work? The administration sector of the arts is woefully under-recognized. Philanthropy is in a particularly interesting place because by design it was not intended to take up space. Philanthropy is somewhat religious, as bizarre as that sounds, in the sense that your name is muted in the giving process. USA’s work to fund artists quietly has always been important, but the idea of supporting artists in this unrestricted way seems more significant than ever. That means that our name as a funding organization needs to become more present. How does United States Artists fulfill its mission through the process of funding artists?Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 I’m United States Artists believes that artists flabbergasted are integral to the way we see ourselves as a nation, as a people and as a culture. by Chicago’s In order to demonstrate that mission, cultural we have to have a kind of diversity and wideness in our definition of who an community. It artist is that will continue to reinforce feels like the why that art matters. The number of country’s people that we go through to get to best-kept our artist pool matters tremendously secret. in terms of the diversity of our cohort geographically, racially, age-wise, medium-wise. We are the only funder our size that funds all of these disciplines in all of these geographies with all of the breadth and depth that we have. Without that, it would be easy to call us on our blu that artists matter to Americans at large if we are only funding artists in areas where people expect to see art, despite artists making it everywhere and all the time.44 Philanthropy in the arts is often

perceived as a purely transactional There’s little infrastructure to take care of yourself as anprocess. How have you seen funder- artist, so if you’re going to give artists money, you haveartist relationships develop beyond to develop that support.these assumptions through USA’s work? It’s important to demystify funding for who sits on juries often, I notice that relationship into the process. There artists and to build proximity between that artists tend not to want to pay is a willingness on the part of funders to the two. The funder learns a lot by themselves. There is an assumption that hear what the sector really needs. meeting the artist—it really illuminates when applying for a grant, the last thing for them what the sector is doing you should consider is the value of your Thinking about Chicago as a microcosm own time and labor, and if you can prove of the nation, the visual arts here can“Assembly” is an annual event where we that you’re going to put all the money often feel very siloed from the music convene our artists and our funders for into the work, that people are going to be scene or the dance community or other two days of getting to know one another. more interested in giving it to you. This practices. Have you found it challenging It’s important for artists to see where the is completely untrue. to navigate those different spaces in this money comes from and that no matter city, especially considering the different who the funder may be, whether it’s the How do we show an entire artist sector ways each of these sectors are funded? Ford Foundation or an individual, there is that an unrestricted award means you always a person on the other end. That have full range to spend it on yourself Giving someone in New York City shifts how artists see the funding sector. and take care of yourself and your family? $50,000 is totally different than giving it to someone in Sitka, Alaska. The weight But it’s not just about where the money There is a growing concern of the money is totally different. But also, comes from, but what do you do with among cultural workers about the what is $50,000 to a poet rather than to a it when you get it? If you were handed uncompensated labor of the artist, but filmmaker? All of the silos in Chicago are $50,000 right now, do you trust yourself there is less of a conversation about replicated nationally. That’s one place to make the smartest possible decision how the artist might internalize the where we can make some significant with that money? USA is thinking about belief that their labor is not valuable. strides, to start to de-silo some of these infrastructures to build for artists to industries a little bit.United States Artists believes that artists are Artists are way more cross-disciplinaryintegral to the way we see ourselves as a today than when USA was founded.nation, as a people and as a culture. When artists apply for these awards, sometimes they fit into multipleunderstand their own financial equity, so We continue to live in a culture that categories. It’s becoming harder to SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcitythat there aren’t so many artists in need perpetuates the idea that artists are keep people in particular spaces. Someand so many funders who can’t address unworthy and that the only way they of that is financial, some of that is the 45that need. can measure themselves is based on internet and the way that we are able to their constant output. There’s little communicate with each other now.Analyzing the sector, developing fiscal infrastructure to take care of yourself asresponsibility—these are meta-processes an artist, so if you’re going to give artists To what extent can a fundingfor the funding question. Is USA thinking money, you have to develop that support. organization advocate and takeabout taking on these larger projects? important stands when it acts only as Is this related to the traditional a mediator between philanthropistsLast year was USA’s tenth anniversary. assumption that philanthropy is wedded and artists?Before I arrived, an impact study was to the idea of a direct relationshipcommissioned to analyze what we had between the funding and the tangible The notion that artists matter in societybeen doing for these ten years. One of product of that funding? in itself is advocacy. As a nation wethe parts of that study was to measure haven’t even gotten there, let alone towhat the artist did with the money. We Philanthropy is made up of humans. all the other ways that we could befound that, overwhelmingly, artists are It’s easy to pick up the phone and call a advocating for artists. We need to treatusing it to pay other artists and to make funder and talk about something that artists as their own constituency. Therenew work. But we are also increasingly isn’t working or needs to change in a is a moment happening now where allseeing artists use the money to pay rent, project. Of course there are significant these other organizations also have newpay medical bills, pay student debt— changes that need to happen to the leadership and are thinking about how toall this stuff. Even just having that data philanthropic sector, but the level of work together. There are entire coalitionsmakes it much easier to talk with our compassion and care is great. in this sector that are talking a lot moreartists in the future about how they will regularly. It’s so much easier to advocatespend their awards. This isn’t a typical return-on-investment if you are a massive body. It’s been really sector. It’s about making conversations nice to be embraced nationally in thatUnlike so many other individual artist between the people who have the way, and locally in Chicago it’s beensupport organizations, our awards are resources and the people that need it. stellar. We have so many Chicago fellows,unrestricted. The artist can do whatever USA is beautiful because it is one of the we love them deeply. It’s been nice tothey want with that money. As someone few organizations I’ve seen that builds be embraced by the community here. I haven’t really paid for lunch since I moved here.

EXAMINE THE RADICAL POTENTIAL Admission is always free.OF THE EVERYDAY All are welcome.AT THE SMART MUSEUM OF ART Emmanuel Pratt Radical [Re]Constructions September 12, 2017–Spring 2018 Emmanuel Pratt, Concept sketch for Radical [Re]Constructions, 2017. Courtesy of the artist. Jayna Zweiman Welcome Blanket through December 17, 2017 Handmade blanket created for Welcome Blanket.Revolution Every DaySeptember 14, 2017–January 14, 2018Olga Chernysheva, still from March, 2005, Video, 7:30 minutes. Courtesy: Diehl, Berlin; Pace, London;Foxy Production, New York. smartmuseum.uchicago.edu 5550 S. Greenwood Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637SMART.Newcity.HALF_PAGE.4.88x7.06.indd 1 8/1/17 2:04 PM F E AT U R I N G Giselle Midsummer Night’s Dream Works by Balanchine and Robbins PLUS The Nutcracker AND MORE!2017–2018 SEASON SUBSCRIBE TODAY! JOFFREY.ORG/SUBSCRIPTIONS | 312.386.8905SEASON SPONSORS PERFORMS ATJoffrey dancers: Fabrice Calmels & Christine Rocas | Photo by: Cheryl Mann 50 East Congress Parkway Chicago

SEPTEMBER 2017 Newcity 47

Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 Art 50 2017: Who Makes Art Work48

Who makes art work in Chicago? Behind every painting, photograph andsculpture are curators, collectors, gallerists, foundations and untoldlegions of cultural workers who give shape to the art world as we know it.This year’s Art 50 pays tribute to those who toil behind the scenes tomake it all happen and those whose fortunes fund it. Culled from thecollective brain trust of hundreds who live and work for the sake ofChicago’s art, we humbly submit these names you need to know.The 2017 Art 50 was written by Elliot J. Reichert, Kerry Cardoza, Nicole Mauser and Lee Ann Norman.Photos by Joe Mazza/Brave Lux1 4 / THEASTER GATESJames RondeauPresident and Director, of this year, he gave $1 million to created by Chicago’s very own Jason SEPTEMBER 2017 NewcityArt Institute of Chicago support the MCA’s fiftieth-anniversary Hammel. More than simply keepingWith nineteen years of service at the programming. His donation will allow apace with the trends of audienceArt Institute of Chicago and just over a the museum to provide free bus attraction, Grynsztejn has put theyear and a half helming Chicago’s transportation to school groups visiting “contemporary” back in the MCA,flagship art museum, Rondeau sits pretty during its anniversary year and will showing more work by younger, livingamong Chicago’s most influential art assist in outreach for teens. artists as well as Chicago natives. Thisleaders. Since taking charge after the year marks the MCA’s fiftieth anniversary,retirement of Douglas Druick, Rondeau 3 a landmark moment and a chance for thehas hired Ann Goldstein to replace Madeleine Grynsztejn museum to once again redefine whathim as chair and curator of Modern Director, Museum of Contemporary Art “contemporary” means to art in Chicago.and Contemporary Art, making the In almost a decade as director of thenotable move to co-appoint her as Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, 4deputy director. Despite the Institute’s Madeleine Grynsztejn has seen the Theaster Gatesunsubtle moves toward cultivating its museum through ambitious growth, Director, Arts + Public Life,contemporary program, speculation culminating in this year’s renovation of University of Chicagoremains as to what will be Rondeau’s the first- and second-floor spaces into Still the perennial poster boy forlegacy, alluded to in Druick’s retirement semi-public areas focused on education Chicago’s art renaissance, the mythosstatement as “an all-important five to and engagement, as well as a Chris surrounding Gates’ rise to prominenceseven year endeavor to realize the Ofili-designed restaurant with a menu remains full of mystery and intrigue.museum’s long-range plan.” Will it be the“spatial expansion” that Rondeau referredto on his first day as director last year?2Kenneth GriffinCollector & CEO, CitadelAs the richest man in Illinois, with an$8 billion net worth, Griffin frequentlymakes headlines for his far-reachingdonations. In 2017 he’s already believedto have broken the record for the largestcontribution ever made by a non-candidate to a political campaign whenhe gave $20 million to Governor Rauner’sre-election bid. But the investment firmfounder is also known as an avid artsupporter. He is a trustee at both theArt Institute, where he helped build theModern Wing, and the Museum ofContemporary Art Chicago. In April 49

8 5 / TONY KARMAN Rhona Hoffman Gallerist and Owner, Rhona Hoffman Gallery The godmother of contemporary art in Chicago, Rhona Hoffman has achieved deity status in our city’s art world. Since her days as a fledgling gallerist in the mid-seventies, Hoffman has swayed the tastes of collectors and museums alike, bringing Minimalism and conceptual art to a city that had been fixated on realism and tradition, and later, the Imagists. Today, Hoffman continues to uncover some of the best new talents in contemporary art. With a roster that ranges from Sol LeWitt to Michael Rakowitz to Nathaniel Mary Quinn, Hoffman maintains a heady mixture of conceptually rigorous, historically significant and formally captivating artwork in her West Loop gallery. How exactly did he convince Mayor installations, a citywide billboard art Emanuel to sell him a historic, if derelict, project, and critical and curatorial 9 bank for a mere dollar? How does forums. Karman manages to put a Neil G. Bluhm everything that Gates touches—urban welcoming public face on an event Collector debris, most iconically—turn into that is all about the bottom line. A life trustee of Northwestern University powerful cultural institutions or artworks and the Art Institute of Chicago, Bluhm scraping just short of million-dollar price 6 is also the former co-chairman of the tags? This year, Gates opened a major Elissa Tenny board of the Whitney Museum, where solo exhibition at the National Gallery of President, School of the Art the fifth-floor galleries of that New York Art in Washington, D.C., where he was Institute of Chicago museum’s new building bear his name. also recently tapped for the board of the The first woman president in the His wealth comes from a strong cocktail Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture century-and-a-half history of the School of real estate and casino investments, Garden. Apparently there is no end to of the Art Institute of Chicago, Elissa including the Rivers Casino in Des Gates’ capacity to make magic, as he Tenny took the lead of the school last Plaines, one of America’s highest- continues to lead the Rebuild Foundation, year after serving as provost and senior grossing gambling facilities. We may the University of Chicago’s Arts + Public vice president of Academic Affairs since never know what work he has amassed Life initiative, and sit on the board of 2010. In that role, she instituted the in his decades of art collecting unless he trustees at the DuSable Museum of Schapiro Center for Research and decides to gift some of it to a public African American History. Next year, Collaboration to push SAIC programs institution. Considering his commitments Gates’ public commission for the 95th into the city’s West Side communities. to the Whitney, Chicago might not be his Street Red Line station will be unveiled to Since becoming president, Tenny first choice for its home. mark the finish of that line’s renovations. oversaw the school’s 150th anniversary and the launch of the Beautiful/Work 10 5 campaign, a major philanthropic step to Sarah Herda Tony Karman build the country’s premier art school Director, Graham Foundation for President and Director, EXPO Chicago and distinguish it from the museum to Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts Anyone who has met Tony Karman will which it’s long been connected. The Graham Foundation has attest to his humility and charm, two consistently challenged the disciplinary traits that are not common in the ruthless 7 lines between art, architecture and seas of the art world. Miraculously, Stefan Edlis and Gael Neeson design since its founding over sixty Karman has managed to make the Collectors years ago. Herda, who has led the unbelievable happen in Chicago for the What’s left for Chicago’s most famous institution for more than a decade,Newcity SEPTEMBER 2017 sixth time in a row—staging EXPO art-collecting couple after they left a has seen it through an expanded Chicago, the city’s international modern portion of their legendary trove to the program that focuses more deliberately and contemporary art fair. Taking up the Art Institute of Chicago in a major gift on contemporary work at the tradition begun in 1980 by Chicago deal that secured several galleries in their intersections of this triad. Meanwhile, International Art Exposition, the United name for decades to come? Assuming the Graham continues to dole out major States’ first international art fair, and then that the couple’s two-hundred-work grants to individuals and organizations Art Chicago, EXPO Chicago now boasts collection continues to grow, the AIC for books, research, commissioned 135 galleries converging from twenty-five could see more donations. If not, their artworks and exhibitions. Having countries. This year’s EXPO builds on its names will still be remembered for years co-curated the inaugural Chicago expansive programming from prior years to come in the museum’s galleries that Architecture Biennial in 2015, Herda’s50 with artist talks, outdoor public art bear their name. profile only continues to rise.