Newcity Chicago June 2017 Issue

JUNE 2017WHO REALLYBOOKS IN CHICAGO JAMILA WOODS & FATIMAH ASGHAR



Come discover the new Navy Pier.

19JUN MAY—RELATED PROGRAMMING 16 CLuAarraKttseeid+s@hPbaPyuebLttelyiceBkiLeniafnenia’dsl CSau@draairettsopWruiabolliocCldiofesl,lec#tpivetety2017Arts Incubator301 E Garfield Blvd OpenTV Screening Friday, June 9, 2017, 7:00pm Arts Incubator, 301 E Garfield Blvd Featured films by Ester Alegria, Kai Green and Derrick Woods-Morrow programmed by Aymar Jean Christian; and Rashayla Marie Brown, Danielle Dean, Suné Woods and Cauleen Smith Programmed by Anna Martine Whitehead— Closing Program + Reception Friday, June 16, 2017, 6:00pm The Muffler Shop, 359 E Garfield Blvd Performances by Bella Bahhs, Brandon Markell Holmes, NIC Kay, Nikki Patin DJ set by Shaun J. Wright of Twirl arts.uchicago.edu/apl Darryl Terrell, Untitled (Dion #2), Archival Inkjet, 2016

NEWCITY / JUNE 2017TABLE of CONTENTS FEATURES June 2017 Newcity Hollywood by the Lake? Chicago’s film and TV business is bursting at the seams – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 9 5 Literati of the Moment Fatimah Asghar and Jamila Woods are Chicago’s Brown (and Blk) Girl Soldiers – – – – – 17 5/14/17 9:35 AM Lit 50 Has the written word ever mattered more? – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 21 Minimal Classicism Running the jewels with Cities in Dust– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 39 ARTS & CULTURE ART The short-but-triumphant history of Triumph – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 43 DANCE The past and presence of Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre– – – – – – – – – – – 49 DESIGN Circus Magazine’s defiant pose– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 51 DINING & DRINKING Sitka Salmon Shares keeps it fresh – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 53 FILM Chicago Underground at 24 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 55 LIT Samantha Irby and her “butt stuff for middle-aged idiots” – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 59 MUSIC Chicago’s Air Credits dystopian radio – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 61 STAGE Inside the Mom-Com movement – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 63 LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL This Teen Dream is (still) brought to you by weed – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 66Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 5

EDITOR’S LETTER ––––––––– This is the twenty-third edition of Lit 50. Back in 1995, when we started the first of what would become a signature undertaking for Newcity and eventually spread out to seven different “Leaders of Chicago Culture” editions each year, we were motivated by a simple idea: connecting the city’s disconnected literary world. Thanks to our involvement those days in what is now called the Printers Row Lit Fest, we’d gotten to know a handful of Chicago novelists and other literati and discovered that many of them did not know each other. In a form of proto-social media, we wanted to rectify that by describing a community, in print. Today, Chicago’s literary culture has exploded in scale in all directions and, happily, everyone seems to know each other. Our photo shoot for this issue was like a series of micro reunions, where subjects found themselves unexpectedly greeting old friends and current contemporar- ies over the course of an afternoon. While this issue is still timed to our favorite literary event, Printers Row, this year our pleasure is doubled by the advent of the American Writers Museum, here in Chicago, which promises to add a whole new contour to our literary culture, while adding a new name and face to our Lit 50 list. The 2017 edition features only one carry-over from 1995, Haki Madhubuti, though many institutional positions, from the commissioner of the Chicago Public Library to the manager of the Seminary Co-op Bookstore remain as well, albeit under new leadership. (Also, this was before we split the list into two biannual editions, so many of the authors will be on next year’s list.) Sadly, so many of the folks we celebrated back then are no longer with us, from Studs Terkel (#2) to Saul Bellow (#3) to Leon Forrest (#9) to Eugene Izzi (#11) to Gwendolyn Brooks (#14) to Andrew Greeley (#17) to Roger Ebert (#20) to Roy Leonard (#29) to likely others who fell off our radar before they left the planet. Speaking of Gwendolyn Brooks, it’s the centennial of her birth this year, and the city is celebrating throughout. Unlike so many other authors, her influence seems to keep growing since her passing; you’ll likely notice that reflected in this year’s feature, marked first and foremost by her daughter’s ranking at #1. BRIAN HIEGGELKENewcity June 2017 6 5/14/17 9:35 AMNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 6



CONTRIBUTORS RAY PRIDE (“Hollywood By the Lake?”) is ON THE COVER the dean of film critics in Chicago and Photo Joe Mazza/Brave Lux TONI NEALIE (“Lit 50” editor) not only the longest-running editor at Newcity Cover design Fletcher Martin edited the thing but wrote most of it. outside of the founders. In addition to And if we allowed such things to happen, contributing to assorted national film Vol. 32, No. 1368 she would have made the list herself, magazines, Ray is an accomplished based on the number of folks in the photographer and the author of a PUBLISHERS community who suggested such. When forthcoming book of “ghost signs.” Brian & Jan Hieggelke she’s not keeping Newcity’s book light Associate Publisher Mike Hartnett burning, she teaches, writes essays and TERESA GUGLIOTTA-KREMER co-edits the Sunday edition of the (“Minimal Classicism”) is a fashion buyer EDITORIAL esteemed literary web site, The Rumpus.” and stylist in Chicago who not only Editor Brian Hieggelke Oh, and her debut collection of essays, wrote the Q&A in this new feature, but Managing Editor Jan Hieggelke “The Miles Between Me,” was published assembled the whole team to bring it to Art Editor Elliot Reichert last year by Curbside Splendor. fruition, from photographer to model to Dance Editor Sharon Hoyer JOE MAZZA (“Lit 50” photographer) hair and makeup. (She styled it herself.) Design Editor Ben Schulman shows up in Newcity more than any ZACH FREEMAN (“Mom Jokes Are So Dining and Drinking Editor other photographer. Not just because he Much Better Than Dad Jokes”) is David Hammond shoots every single Leaders of Chicago particularly well suited to write such a Film Editor Ray Pride Culture feature for us (including this story, as both the comedy writer for the Lit Editor Toni Nealie one’s record forty-six photo sessions!) Chicago Tribune and, well, a newish dad Music Editor Robert Rodi but he’s also become a go-to himself. Before undertaking either of Theater Editor Kevin Greene photographer for all of Chicago’s theater these things, Zach was Newcity’s Stage Editorial Assistant Taryn Smith world. That he’s tireless is a miracle, Editor, not to mention our lead running Contributing Writers Isa Giallorenzo, especially if you’ve seen him work. We’ve critic, a role he got some national Aaron Hunt, Alex Huntsberger, Hugh Iglarsh, never seen such enthusiastic energy attention for when he was profiled as a Chris Miller, Dennis Polkow, Vasia Rigou, expended in one place than in Joe’s one-of-a-kind in a national running Loy Webb, Michael Workman studio. magazine. CRAIG BECHTEL (“A Radio Station of the ART & DESIGN Future”) covers hip-hop for Newcity. He’s Senior Designers Kady Dennell, also a DJ for CHIRP Radio here in MJ Hieggelke, Fletcher Martin Chicago. Designers Sean Leary, Jim Maciukenas, Stephanie Plenner, Dan Streeting, Billy Werch The New Newcity MARKETING Marketing Manager Todd HieggelkeNewcity June 2017 Monthly newcity.com in print, newcityart.com OPERATIONS weekly newcitybrazil.com General Manager Jan Hieggelke in email, design.newcity.com Distribution Nick Bachmann, daily newcityfilm.com Adam Desantis, Preston Klik, Quinn Nichol- online. newcitylit.com son, Matt Russell music.newcity.com 8 newcityresto.com One copy of current issue free. Additional copies, newcitystage.com including back issues up to one year, may be ordered. Copyright 2017, New City Communica- tions, 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.Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 8 5/14/17 9:35 AM

HOLLYWOOD BY THE LAKE? LOCAL FILM AND TV PRODUCTION IS NOW A June 2017 Newcity HALF-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY. HERE’S 9 WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO MAKE IT LAST. 5/14/17 9:35 AM BY RAY PRIDE SCENE FROM THE TELEVISION SERIES “CHICAGO FIRE”Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 9

ow much is too much of a great thing? In celebrating the surge in television and film production in Illinois and its injection of billions of dollars through the economy, a question that tickles outward is whether Chicago could become a victim of its success, especially if the industry finds itself unable keep pace with its rising ambition. Is the capacity to produce television and film in the region finite? How many experienced, even trained crews can be assembled? How many actors actually live and work in this great actors’ city? In coming months and years, can we honestly say something called “the Chicago filmmaking community” is HARRISON FORD IN “THE FUGITIVE” economically and artistically sustainable? AMONG THE COMPLETE SERIES SHOT fascinating,” he said of his fleet of imaginary characters with heightened Last year was the most successful ever ON THE STREETS AND SOUNDSTAGES OF melodramatic conflicts. “The universe for film production in the city of CHICAGO IN 2016-2017: doesn’t have supporting players. All these people carry stories on their own. Chicago, due in large part, of course, to Sense8 Chicago PD I think it’ll be interesting to have them State of Illinois tax incentives that Patriot Chicago Med be recognized as One Chicago.” encourage production and spending Easy Chicago Fire What one Chicago do other film figures money in Illinois on employment of Empire Chicago Justice state residents. The film services tax The Exorcist A.P.B. credit, running through May 2021, offers producers a credit of thirty percent of live and work in? Writer-director all qualified expenditures, including for Spencer Parsons, who also teaches at Northwestern, picks up “conflicting post-production. An additional fifteen The Dick Wolf shows and “Empire” are signals in this arena. I’ve heard stories percent is available for filming in areas expected to return, with three features, about deeply inadequate production with high unemployment. Chicago’s four series and one pilot now shooting, infrastructure for filmmaking in relation major location rivals include Georgia, including Steve McQueen’s follow-up to to the boom. Provided we’re not just in Louisiana, New Mexico, California, “12 Years a Slave,” the female ensemble the midst of a peak series-fueled Ontario and British Columbia. Among heist thriller “Widows.” For the second production bubble, maybe resources them, Illinois is the only government to season of “Patriot,” his Amazon Studios can be built up enough to make Chicago establish diversity standards for series, writer-director Steven Conrad competitive with a city like Atlanta, but production hires of women and hopes to stay here, but there’s a chance I know that still seems pretty far off to minority crew, a bonus for sustaining the production won’t. “We haven’t some.” (Georgia, it’s important to note, the industry. drawn conclusions yet about whether unlike Illinois, is in a “right to work” Illinois Film Office figures indicate that the city can accommodate us. It’s very state, which reduces the power of the local production generated a million crowded but there may still be a chance.” trade unions.)Newcity June 2017 dollars shy of half-a-billion dollars, an The boss of bosses of this Chicago At the same time, Parsons observes, as increase over 2015 by fifty-one percent. empire is Dick Wolf, who has paralleled others have, “all this production seems (The previous record was held by 2013, his long-running “Law & Order” brand to be keeping local professionals with $358 million reported.) The 2016 with the four-and-counting “One working enough to stick around, and return came from 345 feature, television Chicago” NBC series. The quartet pulled the city has become more of a positive and commercial projects, generating an together for crossover episodes shot in draw. I’m seeing graduates of film estimated 13,377 jobs over the course of March, including scenes shot at schools stick around and make the year. Among the complete series Blackhawks, Bears and Cubs games. “I connections with other young and shot on the streets and soundstages of have literally petitioned them to have all hungry filmmakers, so that suggests Chicago in 2016-2017: “Sense8,” “Patriot,” the Chicago shows to be nominated or good things for the growth of a scene. “Easy,” “Empire,” “The Exorcist,” “Chicago put up for one ensemble,” Wolf told the But the question remains whether PD,” “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire,” Television Critics Association at its Chicago can support more producers 10 “Chicago Justice” and “A.P.B.” August 2016 previews. “That would beNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 10 5/14/17 9:35 AM

and directors, whether more recognized industry hub. The fact that shut down. I came from the New productions will originate here, and the city has been at this a while is all in Zealand industry, which experiencedwhether there will be enough local our favor.” the same thing a decade before, but by investment in those productions to 2000 was stretched to the max for crew bring profits back to Chicago and truly All across town, baseball caps with and resources because of ‘Lord of the establish a freestanding industry.” the names of productions of the Rings.’”The clock is ticking. Not only will the day run in the wild again: the Sheridan was part of the formation of Dick Wolf shows eventually run their “Chicago Justice” logo seemed to be all the Illinois Production Alliance, course, but there’s no guarantee that the over the place in the first days of spring. bringing a handful of clear concepts tax credit will be renewed by the state Chicago reveled in a thriving film- from his Kiwi experience. “No singlewhen it expires. And there’s a growing production industry in the 1980s-1990s place ever wins the movie location backlash against the “chase-the-credit” boom, eventually dashed by local game,” he remembers. “There are too mentality prevalent in the industry. politics and a succession of economic many factors unrelated to scenery, Recently, Netflix’s chief content officer shifts worthy of a book-length study. architecture, weather and price thatTed Sarandos declared the company Memorable movies included Martin come into choosing locations. Plus,would relocate production to Scorsese’s “The Color Of Money” (1986), sustainability has to be founded onCalifornia for as much as possible of its John Hughes’ productions including long-run production: studios are a1,000 hours of original content, in which “The Breakfast Club” (1988) and “Home high-throughput-low-profit margin they plan to invest $6 billion a year. “I Alone” (1990), Ron Howard’s “Backdraft” business and can need up to eighty- personally believe instead of investing (1991) and Andrew Davis’ “The Fugitive” percent occupancy, plus long-form is a in tax incentives that we should invest (1993), and “Chain Reaction” (1996). better development context for newer in infrastructure,” he told The Wrap. Davis, for one, took pains to reflect the craftspeople.” The syndicated series“When you think about productions city, or at least the fine details of its grid, “Hercules” and “Xena,” Sheridan points chasing tax credits all over the world, it as he had walked them his entire life. out, made crewing and resourcing “Lord puts the onus on the cast and crew who Long stretches of streets with vintage of the Rings” possible, a construction have to travel.” neon signs were sluiced with that could be repeated in similar Rich Moskal, head of the Chicago Film photogenic water for movie after movie, fashion in Chicago. The group madeOffice for over twenty years, is sanguine. and the John Hancock profile against several proposals about studio space“This recent growth was built on a solid the lakefront would provide a and other resources to the state, but the foundation that’s taken years: crew and preordained thumbs up. (Nearby, the El tax credit eventually won the day. actors honing their craft, investment by rattled.) AN OLD SCREENWRITER JOKE: The most local businesses and vendors, and “When I arrived in Chicago in 2001, film exciting day on a movie set is the first strategic government support. It’s not a and television (if not commercial) day; the least exciting is each and every new industry. And as a result, it’s production had collapsed,” Bruce one that follow. “Dawn is coming and sustainable. Chicago is a mature and Sheridan, Columbia Cinema Art and there are still half a dozen bodies to Science Chair recalls. “The last gasp was burn,” is how I reported on a set visit to ‘The Joan Cusack Show,’ which had just an ill-fated sequel to John McNaughton’s “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.” PHOTO: RAY PRIDE “Actually, a bridal shop and a restaurant left to torch, that’s all. Then, as an assistant director puts it, working a June 2017 Newcity weary cliché, ‘Stick a fork in it, it’s over, it’s done.’ The call sheet for the last 11 night’s shooting of ‘The Wanderer (H-2)’ lists seven scenes, including ‘Int. Young Couple’s Bedroom (Young Couple Found Dead)’; ‘Int. Blonde Woman’s Apartment (Apartment a Wreck With Head on Turntable)’; ‘Ext. Country Road (Police beat/release Henry)’; and ‘Int. Texas Steakhouse (Fire rig burns).’ All in one more day’s—make that night’s— work.” It is, after all, work, work that sometimes becomes art, but in its essence, filmmaking is a feat of production and an act of commerce. (“Money into light” is filmmaker John Boorman’s memorable summation of what fuels movies.)Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 11 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Crews are “carnies,” Alex Orr, Chicago’s a unique city. Rich Moskal sees years of providing that producer of “Easy,” Joe Swanberg’s You can’t just shoot “real thing” as an enduring draw for Netflix series, says. Work brings Austin, Texas or Toronto talent. “Chicago’s film schools and workers, the Atlanta resident believes. for Chicago. You can a theater companies have long been farm “Atlanta was a small market” a few years little bit, but a filmmaker teams for the industry on a national ago, he says, “Then they give the tax would rather have the scale, particularly on the coasts. Those incentive, and it starts booming. And real thing. hometown institutions are now finding then quickly people from North greater opportunity here at home, and Carolina and parts of Florida and done a few Swanberg things, but I know [helping to meet this] growing demand Austin, Texas, Louisiana, people from Panavision just reopened. Once you can for qualified talent.” Shreveport, even Los Angeles, they rent more lights and more set dressing Orr says Atlanta saw growing pains like come to Atlanta. It happens everywhere. and more crap like that, it just makes it Chicago appears to be experiencing, Then your crew base gets better because easier to shoot. As long as the owing to a “lack of traditional people who are experienced come in. I government wants to give away production support and a large enough mean, we’re all carnies, we’ll just go incentives for business to come, I mean, crew base. But if there are productions wherever for money. I’ve worked all over I think it’ll come. Because Chicago’s a shooting here, crew will come, vendors the place. They’ve got the money, and unique city. You can’t just shoot Austin, will come.” the show sounds cool, you just go and Texas or Toronto for Chicago. You can a Cinespace Chicago Film Studios is a do it.” little bit, but a filmmaker would rather hub of much of that spending and those Then the vendors? “When they see that have the real thing.” film-related jobs. “The booming the business is consistent and they demand for television and film know that they need to set up a shop production space in Chicago has been there so they qualify for the tax extraordinary,” Alex Pissios, Cinespace incentive for production companies, CEO relates. “We’re proud to not only they’ll just do it. I don’t know exactly provide the stages for these productions, the vendor situation because I’ve onlyNewcity June 2017 JOE SWANBERG ON LOCATION FILMING THE TELEVISION SERIES “EASY” 5/14/17 9:35 AM 12Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 12

start working. The secondary goal with this program is to get emerging filmmakers familiar with how to run a safe, professional set and contribute to the rapid growth of the sector. I’m working on a multi-day proposal that would enable us to reinforce those skills, test participants and offer a stamp of approval for successful participants. I think it’s a great way to open up the industry to people who don’t or can’t go to film schools. Of course, the unions are also thinking about this type of thing and the more skilled positions that they represent.” PHOTO: RAY PRIDE Those jobs aren’t just in front of the camera and on the set. Chicago is also but offer an all-inclusive campus where the city where you’re shooting get the increasing its post-production economy, June 2017 Newcity filmmakers can utilize local crews, benefit. I don’t tend to hire a lot of including editing, sound editing and vendors, equipment and facilities.” strangers, we tend to work with the scoring. “I’m certainly not turning workCinespace has kept up with the surge, same people.” away!” composer Tony Scott-Green says. Pissios says, “but we are nearly at Nicole Bernardi-Reis’ role as executive “There’s a strong talent pool in Chicago capacity at our stages. As Netflix, director of the Independent Feature and the nature of post is that, these days,Amazon, Hulu and the major networks Project (IFP)/Chicago is to expand that it’s not geo-dependent. People in create more original content, we will pool, to bring the strangers together: so Chicago have already been soon run out of space. Cinespace is that “the same people” come from a collaborating electronically with the currently looking at new options to wide swath of Chicagoans and East and West Coasts seamlessly. The develop more stages. We would hate to Illinoisans. “We have a larger pool of successful Chicago-based post people I turn away any new productions and experienced workers who have been know also work hard to keep up a miss out on the jobs and revenue it able to stay in the city and find gainful personal presence in Los Angeles andwould bring to our great city.” employment on the shows,” she says. New York. The growth here means that“If there’s money to be made, people will “There’s enough work to go around, so that process of developing and come to make it,” Alex Orr says. “I left they’ve stayed. You have people who are maintaining those relationshipswhere I grew up to go to LA, I ditched film workers on the big shows, who are becomes easier, but also that the LA and worked in Miami and New York also being really productive filmmakers, demands are greater too. From my and Vegas and wherever. Wherever or indie film workers, during hiatus experience, Chicago’s growth means someone would pay me. And sometimes [between a production’s seasons]. That’s that it’s on the radar of New York and they didn’t!” he says, laughing. “I live in a huge positive.” Los Angeles as not just an emergingAtlanta where it’s totally slamming busy, But, Bernardi-Reis continues, “The flip competitor, but also as a legitimate but I carve out this time of the year to side is that everyone is so busy that it’s collaborator.” come up here because this is a really fun harder for smaller projects to get show to make.” experienced crews, unless they are very Training programs matter, according“Easy” is a union show, but it’s a smaller strategic. Even with the multitude of to Beckie Stocchetti, Chicago Film crew. “If I had to get a bigger staff, I’d be film schools, there is an ever-growing Office Coordinator. “What’s exciting in competition with the other shows to need for crew. Are we at capacity? Not right now is that more programs to staff up,” Orr says, “and that’s when the yet. Do we need to look at ways to better train the local workforce are rates start to get competitive. On a continue to rapidly develop film beginning, with many in early, union television show, you can’t just workers for both specialized roles and incubation stages,” she says. “Chicago bring people from out of town, willy- entry-level positions? Of course.” Track and Free Spirit Media’s Pathways nilly. The union contract dictates you Toward that end, IFP Chicago initiated program is an example, as well as gotta pay them ‘X’ amount of money for a Production Assistant Training smaller more boot-camp-style programs travel and housing and idle days. So it Program. “We did a one-day intensive like IFP’s production assistant seminar costs you money not to find the locals. geared to give people interested in and workshops organized by the unions.The union does a good job of breaking in to the industry the essential This was the motivation for the Chicago incentivizing the production to hire skills needed to show up on set and Film Office and the Department of people who live here. People who live in Cultural Affairs and Special Events [DCASE] to start workforce development initiatives.” 13 Stocchetti sees a divide that needs to beNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 13 5/14/17 9:35 AM

A SCENE FROM THE TELEVISION SERIES “CHICAGO FIRE” joined. “The balance in ecosystem of storytellers that have the potential to parties. The independent productions crew and creatives is necessary to shoot, execute and develop some of the might have a harder time crewing up if support a thriving industry in Chicago, best content our industry has yet to see. they’re filming during television season. which is the mission of the Chicago Uniting people through a shared But I’ve witnessed our crew base grow Film Office. Chicago has and needs workspace environment, Stage 18 works the past few years, and it’s moving in people with skill (craft) as well as vision to create qualified development that the right direction.” (creative). We are working with connect creatives with the business organizations to help develop programs tools necessary to produce their What role do incubators play in pushing that support both of those paths. projects, and ultimately influence the the industry in the direction of Chicago has always had a thriving greater Illinois economy: building a sustainable growth? “The establishment creative film scene, and now with the self-sustaining entertainment industry of incubators and growth of educational addition of so much big work and in Chicago that’s financially and organizations is a direct result of the opportunities with television and creatively independent from LA and growth of the economy. They absolutely studios that support and develop local New York.” feed each other,” she says. “I think one of talent, we are nationally shifting the most important things that perception as a city with a thriving And what unique factor can Chicago incubators like Stage 18 and 2112 are media sector. The city’s Independent bring to the table? “Two things have to doing is building local, independent Film Initiative is about creating a hub continue to happen to meet these goals: infrastructure. At Stage 18, we’re for independent filmmakers to thrive, talent attraction and talent retention. creating an educated and talented and that’s possible due to work coming Just like any industry, growth takes time, network of investors, directors and into Chicago as much as it is work being and I have every confidence that producers that are based in the Midwest developed in Chicago.” Chicago’s resource, crew and talent base and creating here. At any point, any of will continue to expand so long as there these big network shows could get One of the more bustling of incubator is a consistent output of film and cancelled, so it’s important we takeNewcity June 2017 programs is Stage 18, located on the television production.” advantage of this boost in production to Cinespace campus. “We know our own simultaneously build our local industry Hollywood of talent exists right here in “There will always be growing pains,” and content infrastructure.” the Midwest,” executive director Angie Gaffney says. “The growth of the Gaffney says. “A group of writers, industry means the growth of the The two incessantly cited factors, directors, cinematographers and unions, which is a great thing for all Cinespace and the tax credit, are14Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 14 5/14/17 9:35 AM

enormous, but can’t support an industry self-reflection and intellectual rigor. for pitching sessions to funders alongalone. “Obviously, Cinespace has been While some film schools had reasonably the lines of Good Pitch. Whatever wecrucial along with the Illinois tax credit well-resourced shooting spaces, none can do to help, to organize, to promotein making this happen,” Gary Novak, had true sound stages designed and and to create—we’re excited to do so.director of the School of Cinematic Arts operated as laboratories for professional Bottom line: if I weren’t feeling bullishat DePaul says. “We need to take practice. This is unheard of in other about Chicago filmmaking and how NUadvantage of this renaissance in order professions: medical schools have may play a role, we wouldn’t befor it to continue. We need to foster, complete operating theaters; university including film as a focus in our newpromote and empower local talent. We chemistry programs have fully center. This is an expensive endeavor!”need Hollywood and the rest of the professional labs on site; the fine artsindustry to see Chicago not as just a use a conservatory approach to this end. Any fears for the future? “We can’tplace to shoot films and television I knew for sure that the commercial depend on the whims of Hollywood,”shows but as a place that great content realities of film production and the Tolchinsky says. “We have to continueis created. I want to see the time come, studio business meant students could to support our own. That’s why I thinkin the not-too-distant future, when a be on site and learn very little—that was filmmakers like Stephen Cone, Jennifernetwork picks up a series that was happening all over the world. Reeder, Melika Bass, Kyle Henry and Joecreated and filmed here. At DePaul, we Commerce always takes priority in a Swanberg are so important, who chooseare laying that groundwork with the commercial studio business; in to work as much as they can in Chicago.education and opportunities we provide education the priority has to be flipped: There is the possibility of keepingour students.” filmmakers here, and not just keeping them here, butAny fears for the future?DePaul partners with Cinespace on putting them to work, not just creatively butproviding those opportunities. “DePaul’s financially. So am I fearful?School of Cinematic Arts has a Mostly I’m excited. It’s really a great time to be in“We can’t depend on the32,000-square-foot space at Cinespace this city.” Leonine Dick Wolf is alsoChicago Film Studios that houses three here to stay, weaving a tapestry of vivid Chicagowhims of Hollywood,”professional stages as well as post-production facilities.” Novak says. “OurTolchinsky says.students take classes there and shoottheir films there. The stages have the“We have to continue tolatest cameras, lighting and gripequipment including a three-ton grip backdrops with old- fashioned melodrama insupport our own.”truck. All of this is for student use. We the foreground. “Is italso have a scene shop allowingproduction-design students to learn old-fashioned?” Wolf askedtheir craft in a professional exploration, experimentations, risk- rhetorically of his economic juggernautenvironment. Our alliance with taking—even failure!—is where to the New York Times in May 2016. “OrCinespace is a key component in dynamic learning takes place. Craft is it comfort food? I much prefer to seeeducating and training the next skills on their own are only a few it as comfort television. It doesn’tgeneration of filmmakers.” notches above robotic.” disappoint you. And you can keep coming back and coming back.” MixingColumbia’s Bruce Sheridan has argued “One thing that works against Chicago metaphors, Wolf says the series, all ofsince 1999 that traditional internships filmmaking is geography. We’re all so “One Chicago,” are meant to last. “Wewere no longer an adequate bridge to spread out,” Northwestern chair of make Mercedes S-Class sedans. They’rethe industry. “Successful graduates of a Radio-TV-Film David Tolchinsky says. designed to run basically forever and befour-year program had to be at the level Plans are underway for the university’s comfortable and you don’t have to thinkof four-year professionals, not just Abbott Hall property on Lake Shore about much. We don’t make Ferraris. Istepping out of school at a kind of Drive to be transformed into a love ‘Homeland’ but after six years it’szero-level start point. By the time I downtown Performing Arts and Media got, what, fifty-two episodes orarrived at Columbia, two years later, I Center. “The dream is that this will be something?”knew that getting some students an incubator for new works in theateralongside professional production on and film, that it will be a place where NBC’s door (and wallet) will be open ascommercial sound stages wasn’t cutting our MFA students from all our long as the customers come. But otherit. All students had to have access to programs can intermingle, that the finance, finance for filmmaking ofthat level of soundstage throughout public can come see all these new different scale, of different drive,their time in school and, most voices and new works as they’re being remains, as always, tricky. Is there any June 2017 Newcityimportantly, the whole curriculum had created, that, in terms of film, it will also prospect of Chicago stories being toldto model professional practice by be a go-to location for meetings about by Chicago filmmakers, takingincorporating the ‘learn alongside Chicago filmmaking, whether for advantage of the infrastructure andadvanced peers’ aspect of filmmakers to socialize, or to share labor pool? “It’s always the funding,”apprenticeship in an environment of works-in-progress in a creative way, or Stephen Cone, director of six low-low- 15Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 15 5/14/17 9:35 AM

budget features says. “I know a handful this show saved our mortgage.’ Of Hollywood to recognize that we’re of films trying to get off the ground that course, that’s really important and we another important production center.” are being delayed because the money want to sustain that. I don’t want any of just isn’t there. But that’s not a new those shows to go away and I want them And an economic center. And a problem, and will never go away.” And to keep coming in.” cooperative community. “Yes,” Griffen the money doesn’t necessarily move says. “We’re keeping these great, around. “I remain a skeptic when it Dick Wolf agreed in another of his hardworking kids in Chicago, we have comes to industry and independent infrequent public appearances. “I think three of the best film schools in the overlap, especially in Chicago. Mine and it’s a failure if [a series like ‘Chicago Fire’ country, keeping them here if they want others’ ability to scrape together a runs] only one-hundred hours,” he said to stay here. Yes, you can make money, micro-budget production seems to be at a 2016 discussion at Los Angeles’ but you’re creating jobs, these are great the same whether things are booming Paley Center for Media. “The idea is to jobs that pay well. As long as you’re not or not. It doesn’t change funding go eight, ten, twelve years or longer.” a producer taking advantage of people! I prospects one iota. It steals cast and don’t think we’re at capacity. We want to crew away, and good for them, truly! But As the “One Chicago” series continues, encourage our writers and our directors it doesn’t provide previously untapped perhaps even for decades as Wolf to stay here. What happened in the opportunity for directors or access to intends, Griffen says, “Joe and I are 1980s and the 1990s was that we had high-profile talent. And I’m not sure trying to bring homegrown projects in directors who were just very committed extra sound stages or fancy production the two-to-ten-million-dollar range, and to shooting in Chicago. And they had offices really change things all that then you might be in a situation where power. So now we have Joe Swanberg, drastically for local film artists. It’s maybe your [key positions] are from the he’s filling one of those roles, and we’re mostly a separate deal, and, at its worst, big shows or have that experience, or going to see more and more people like creates the mere illusion of productivity the [key positions], say you have a guy that. Get some traction, and be able to and success.” who’s a best boy on ‘Fire’ or one of the say, ‘I’m committed to Chicago, I want to stay here, I want to shoot here.’ Not to seem entirely disinterested, That will bring more and more people Cone continues. “On the other hand, I here.” do think the flow of interesting television and film work flirts with Of course, this being Chicago, the creating a slightly higher profile for Man at the End of the Bar would the community, which in turn can like a word. One brisk April make Chicago work more far- evening, a Wicker Park thoroughfare reaching and appealing to the coasts is dotted with brightly colored traffic and beyond, which can in turn come cones, lampposts papered with back to help us.” notices for yet another new series that will be shooting on that avenue Producer Colleen Griffen’s first the next morning and night, North feature was for her husband, Joe Side passing for South Side. A couple Chappelle, in 1993. In the years since, of police cruisers idle. The man at the Chappelle has directed episodes of end of the bar is middle-aged and “The Wire,” “CSI: Miami” and “Fringe.” bullet-headed and his eyes are Directing twenty-seven episodes of shows, then you elevate them to key on electric. Tax dollars and steady “Chicago Fire” brought him home. “Now your project. Not micro-budget. Not big employment are far from mind: it’s that he’s back, I directed a budget of LA and New York. For years, about the dibs. He owns property a few mockumentary about a fake boy band you couldn’t get into 600, you couldn’t doors down. “And there is not a single in 2014-2015. Joe watched what we did get into 476 [International goddamn place to park! Where am I and saw how much fun we were having, Cinematographers Guild Local 600, supposed to park? The trucks will come so during the last hiatus [ from “Fire”] I.A.T.S.E. Studio Mechanics Local 476]. up, huge trucks will drive up at three in Joe wrote a feature and this hiatus we’re There just wasn’t enough work for the morning, not my favorite time to gonna shoot it. The movie that Joe and I people already in. People now are wake up in the morning, and I will have are doing, called ‘The Pages,’ we feel like getting in, and they’re getting in quickly. to walk ten blocks again to find my car! it’s the right step toward making things But now it’s on the producers’ and the Not every person on the street, but even more sustainable. This is my directors’ shoulders and department every property owner, why not fifty theory. Everybody has their own. We heads to groom people and encourage dollars? A hundred! I don’t know,” he have all these shows that are coming in, them to make that step when they’re says, slugging at his whiskey-ginger. “INewcity June 2017 movies from the coasts, that are these ready. If we can keep recent graduates won’t see any money and I won’t see this big-budget projects that you’re gonna here, the people who are on the first show, whatever it is! It seems like it’s have the top-tier crews working on. The rung can move up to the second rung. It every week now.” It’s good for the first wrap party for ‘Fire,’ there were so is sustainable. But it’s about finding economy, I begin to relate, it’s— “I want many people who came up to Joe and investors who are willing to invest in to be able to park on my street,” he says,16 were like, ‘This show saved our marriage, homegrown projects. And to get “This is my Chicago, too.”Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 16 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Keeping Play at theHeart of Art MakingLiterati of the Moment:Jamila Woods and Fatimah Asghar By Toni NealiePhotos: Joe Mazza / Brave Lux June 2017 NewcityNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 17 17 5/14/17 9:35 AM

WHAT A MOMENT for friends Jamila Woods and Jamila Woods Fatimah Asghar—they’re everywhere, across multiple genres and criss-crossing through each other’s work. Woods, well-known locally as an award-winning poet, songwriter, singer and teaching artist, shot to national prominence with her transcendent collaboration on Chance the Rapper’s “Sunday Candy” and “Blessings.” Her summer debut album “Heavn” features the freedom anthem “Blk Girl Soldier,” a song whose chorus goes off like a quiet grenade: “Look at what they did to my sisters Last century, last week They make her hate her own skin Treat her like a sin” Asghar, a poet, performer and teaching artist, recently conceived and wrote the web series “Brown Girls,” which screens on OpenTV, and features Woods as musical consultant and theme-song writer and vocalist. Meanwhile, Asghar’s poem “If They Should Come For Us,” published in Poetry magazine, became the go-to poem after the government imposed a travel ban on Muslims from selected countries. She writes: “these are my people & I find Leila and Patricia, are modeled on mance Studies, while Asghar studied them on the street & shadow Asghar and Woods. Both women are International Relations and Africana through any wild all wild part of The Dark Noise Collective, a Studies. “I never took a poetry class or a my people my people multi-genre group that has performed music class in college, “says Woods. a dance of strangers in my blood…” internationally, and work for Young However, she loved writing in high She was spurred to write the web series Chicago Authors, where Woods is school and participated in a city of because she did not see a full range of associate artistic director. Their bond is Chicago Gallery 37 summer program. women of color on screen and certainly intense. “I think of Fati as my sister. Under the mentorship of avery r. young, no one like her—a queer South Asian She’s definitely part of my family,” says she discovered a love of performance Muslim woman. Focused on two women Woods. poetry. She went to a spoken-word from different backgrounds muddling The pair met in Providence, Rhode group at Brown and Asghar tagged through their twenties, it’s funny, joyful Island, when they were students at along. and optimistic, a counterpoint to the Brown University. Woods got a BA in politically difficult times that minority Africana Studies and Theatre & Perfor- women are in. The central characters,Newcity June 2017 18 5/14/17 9:35 AMNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 18

Fatimah Asghar They have both had interdisciplinary “I love making playlists. Your work sets June 2017 Newcity practices for some time. Woods has a the tone, it decides the transitions.”“I would watch, but I was really nervous chapbook “The Truth About Dolls” and For the theme song, produced by Dee and I would never write a poem,” says has work in anthologies such as “The Lilly who worked with her on “Heavn,”Asghar. Finally, she did and thought, “I BreakBeat Poets: New American Poetry Woods and fellow vocalist Lisa Mishra can do this. Then I really loved it and in the Age of Hip-Hop.” Asghar created wrote their parts separately. “They decided ‘I want to be an artist.’” Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first Spoken turned out to be surprisingly similar. She cites her influencers as Tarfia Word Poetry group, REFLEKS, while on Lisa is singing in Hindi, ‘Come Home Faizullah, Patricia Smith and Douglas a Fulbright scholarship. She tours the Friend.’” Kearney. US as a performance poet. This is her While there are obvious differences in Neither Asghar nor Woods can specify first attempt at a screen series. writing poetry and music, “the writing how a typical day, week or month looks “I just dove in— I wanted to write a web comes from the same place,” says since each is completely different, series because it was less daunting than Woods. “I’m influenced by Gwendolyn depending on travel and projects. a screenplay,” says Asghar. It took her a Brooks and the Black Arts MovementAsghar is studying for an MFA at the few weeks to write the first episode. poets. I love telling my own story, where University of Michigan, so the beginning There was a lot of play involved and she I come from and about my family—in of her week starts with classes there. wanted it to feel light and comedic. “I both genres. Poetry is more solitary. AtThis year she was a Civitas Fellow with didn’t expect it to be made, so it was fun. first, I’m by myself. Music is more InsideOut Literary Arts Project which “Crossing genres is a great way of collaborative. I’m with producers and places writers in Detroit classrooms. keeping play at the heart of your art my band, so it forced me to be moreThe rest of the time she is with YCA or making, which can be weighted with a extroverted. As a teaching artist, Iworking on her own projects. When not weird pressure.” It freshened up her generate ideas for myself because the performing around the country, Woods language and her outlook. group feeds each other.” also dedicates time to YCA, where part The main challenge was overcoming her “With poetry, the craft component is at of her role is to teach professional fear of beginning, until she told herself, play so it takes longer,” says Asghar. development to other teaching artists to “I’m just going to do this thing.” She had “There is so much weight on each word, help them be better teachers. She also considered filmmaking daunting, but whereas with the web script I could be rehearses with her band, spends time she had watched Sam Bailey’s web open to messiness. It feels faster. I canwith her family and writes. series “You’re So Talented” and figured be in a noisy place, whereas for poetry I“In my dream world I would have a she could try seven to fifteen pages of an need to be in a place of quiet and regular time for writing or a ritual that episode. reflection.” centers me,” she says. She tries to Asghar shared her writing goal with the Woods is now working on a live show. dedicate mornings to working out, teaching artists at YCA, including An anthology she co-edited, “The meditating, listening to new music, Woods. They provided feedback on the BreakBeat Poets: Black Girl Magic,” is reading books, “absorbing and marinat- early script. Then she sent the script out due out next April. Asghar is working on ing” ideas. and invited a bunch of people for a a second series of “Brown Girls.” reading. “People gave up an afternoon She finds Chicago inspiring. “There is to check it out. They were really lots to make me think—galleries, visual supportive. That’s how Sam Bailey came art, poems. There is a collaborative on as director.” spirit, artists are helpful. They foster the Her friend Woods was enthusiastic. impulse to try something new and are “Brown Girls offers a deeper view than genuinely excited about ideas.” Her first what we usually see on TV,” says Woods. full-length collection of poems “Today “There are different races, religions, We’re American” is forthcoming from backgrounds. The soundtrack is One World/ Random House. Chicago-centric,” she explains. One musician is from New York and the rest are local. 19Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 19 5/14/17 9:35 AM

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LIT 50 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Who Really Books In Chicago .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. WRITTEN BY Toni Nealie and Amy Strauss Friedman PHOTOS BY Joe Mazza/Brave LuxNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 21 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Newcity June 2017 he literary community of Chicago has long responded to political and social change and this year is no exception. Public funding is being stripped from arts, humanities and science institutions that have foster America’s generative creativity and imagination. In anticipation, writers, bookstores and literary enterprises began the year with Writers Resist, a citywide flexing of creative voices against a president who has made clear his narrow and faulty view of Chicago. It’s a year where independent bookstores, when confronted with Amazon’s brick-and-mortar plans, banded together to remind readers and consumers that buying local helps retain communities. It’s a time when the first national museum dedicated to writers comes to town, when the city comes together to celebrate the centennial of the late Pulitzer Prize winner and Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks, when young people gain sustenance from the biggest slam poetry festival in the country and our independent publishers continue to shape conversations across the nation. This list reflects behind-the-scenes influence, unlike the artist list that we run alternate years—although many of the individuals listed here are also poets, writers and interdisciplinary artists in addition to their work educating, organizing, advocating, producing, selling, exhibiting and encouraging. Pulling together a list of fifty people who demonstrate our city’s literary clout—locally, nationally and internationally—relies on crowdsourcing and not a small degree of angst in shuffling good people on and off the list. It’s not a bad problem to have. It reflects a dynamic landscape of civic groups, bookstores, educators, advocates, publishers, discourse enablers and power shapers who create space for ideas and words to flourish. (Toni Nealie) 22Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 22 5/14/17 9:35 AM

John K. Wilson, Lynn Haller, Sarah Dodson, Stacy Ratner and Nora Brooks Blakely1 2 3NORA BROOKS BLAKELY PHILLIP BAHAR HENRY S. BIENENPresident, Brooks Permissions Executive Director, Chicago Humanities President, The Poetry FoundationThe sounds, rhythms and idioms of Festival Poetry feeds the lifeblood of Chicago.Gwendolyn Brooks continue to “Speed” and “Stuff ” make the world go The Poetry Foundation, helmed byinfluence American poets and around and provide themes for the Henry S. Bienen, supports dynamicmusicians one-hundred years after her Chicago Humanities Festival. Under the programming, awards, education,birth. Events celebrating the Pulitzer guidance of Phillip Bahar, with artistic exhibitions and resources through itsPrize winner and Illinois Poet Laureate’s director Jonathan Elmer, associate library and online presence. Withlegacy are happening all over the artistic director Alison Cuddy and Ydalmi Noriega, Chelsea Avery, Michaelcountry. At the center is Nora Brooks director of programming Rina Ranalli, Slosek, Don Share, Fred Sasaki andBlakely, the poet’s daughter and Chicago enjoys enjoy “killer lineups” of others, the foundation has opened spacepresident of Brooks Permissions, major writers through the year. “Stuff ” for a wider range of poets and audience,responsible for managing the literary was Springfest’s theme—“resources that as well as taking poetry to the worldworks. Described as “the salt of the we all share”—covering the problems through audio, podcasts, video and aearth,” Blakely Brooks works with that go with access to water, healthcare mobile phone app. This summer thepublishers, educators, writers and and material goods. Diverse in genre foundation and Crescendo Literary willperformers to highlight the ongoing and content, from science narrative to host the second annual poetryrelevance of Gwendolyn Brooks’ poetry. literary nonfiction, fiction, poetry and incubator, bringing twenty-four fellowsBrooks Permissions released its own graphic novels, 2017 writers include to learn from faculty, plus developbook this year—“Seasons: A Gwendolyn Roxane Gay, Arundhati Roy, Adam poetry projects and host a poetry blockBrooks Experience.” “At its best, this Haslett, Siddhartha Mukherjee, Caitlyn party. “Bringing emerging poetseighteen-month celebration provides us Jenner, Octavia E. Butler and Laura together to explore their craft andwith a 360-degree look at the major Kipnis. community engagement practices withimpact of her work and life on nationally recognized poets is anmovements and people,” says Blakely. important part of our mission,” saysYears before most of the other projects Bienen.began there was Brooks @100, theUniversity of Illinois, Urbana- June 2017 NewcityChampaign’s program (home to thepoet’s archives). In conjunction with thePoetry Foundation, they are bringing asampling of the archives to Chicago thisJune. 23Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 23 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Dominique Raccah says. Books are now in the same competitive frame as TV, film and music. This foresight may be why she was named Publishers Weekly Person of the Year and why her company Sourcebooks has galloped to be the tenth largest publisher in America and the largest owned by a woman. Sourcebooks has several books on this year’s New York Times bestseller list and the company has developed a partnership with Wattpad, a customized business book line. In addition, it’s expanding its children’s nonfiction program and was part of the U.S. Publishing Mission to Cuba. Caroline Picard, Rebecca Hunter and Kevin Coval 7 SARAH HOLLENBECK AND LYNN MOONEY Owners, Women & Children First 4 labs, is being extended into seventeen You know you’re a local legend when a library locations. In addition to its leaking pipe floods the bookstore, but KEVIN COVAL AND REBECCA HUNTER extensive collections and technology, customers and supporters come by with Artistic Director, Young Chicago Authors CPL offers CyberNavigator technology coffee and donuts and buy books to and Founder, Louder Than A Bomb and tutors, a Maker Lab, financial literacy offset the cost of the damage. Since Executive Director, Young Chicago events, adult learning circles, One Book, buying Women & Children First in 2014, Authors One Chicago, Poetry Fest, the ChiTeen Sarah Hollenbeck and Lynn Mooney “All people have important stories to Lit Fest and various educational have cranked out some major events, tell,“ is the driving belief of Young opportunities for children. Learning selling out the Senn High School Chicago Authors. With household-name Circles, an online program developed by Auditorium—800 people—for Samantha offspring including Chance the Rapper the library and nonprofit Peer 2 Peer Irby and Abbi Jacobson. In response to and Jamila Woods, YCA has a lot to be University, recently won a 2017 Digital the political landscape, they began an proud of. Artistic director Kevin Coval, Inclusion Leadership Award from Next issues-based event called The executive director Rebecca Hunter, Century Cities and Google Fiber. In an Conversation, curated by Rebecca director of national programs Nate era of alternative facts, it is more Makkai and other local writers. The first, Marshall and their team of teaching important than ever to appreciate the artists empower youth through oral library’s belief in “the freedom to read, storytelling and spoken word poetry. As to learn, to discover.” well as running workshops in poetry, hip-hop and journalism, a monthly 6 LGBTQ salon and the city’s longest- running youth open mic, YCA runs DOMINIQUE RACCAH Louder Than A Bomb, the largest youth Founder, President, Publisher and Series poetry festival in the world. Coval’s Editor, Sourcebooks latest book, “A People’s History of Chicago,” includes an opening tribute from Chancelor Bennett aka Chance. 5 featuring Monica Trinidad, Roger Reeves, Aleksandar Hemon, Eula BissNewcity June 2017 BRIAN BANNON “We are watching the collapse of and Coya Paz, was standing-room-only Commissioner & Chief Executive Officer, entertainment in terms of formats,” in the store. Hollenbeck has been Chicago Public Library featured in Publishers Weekly’s Star Under Brian Bannon’s leadership, Watch and the store is getting national Chicago Public Library continues to be attention for its activism.  “My most a dynamic community hub. The memorable moment has to be making eighty-branch system is considered the Ann Patchett cry. Lynn and I did the best in the country. Its YOUmedia introduction for Ann’s ‘Commonwealth’ 24 program, which operates teen digital event,” says Hollenbeck. “I talked aboutNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 24 5/14/17 9:35 AM

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Suzy Takacs, Doug Seibold, Garrett P. Kiely and Nell Taylor how much her memoir ‘Truth & Beauty’ 9 10 had changed my life. I turned to leave the stage, but there was Ann Patchett LISA WAGNER FATIMAH ASGHAR AND JAMILA giving me this huge hug with tears Executive Director, Guild Literary WOODS streaming down her face. Later, she Complex Teaching Artists and Collaborators wrote in my copy of ‘Commonwealth,’ Part of Young Chicago Authors and The ‘You made me cry. No one makes me Under the banner Where Margins Meet, Dark Noise Collective, Fatimah Asghar cry.’ I’m pretty proud of that.” the Guild Literary Complex approaching and Jamila Woods are influencing a its thirtieth year is engaging wider generation of young people through 8 audiences for underrepresented artists poetry, screenwriting and music. They and creating a dialogue with the larger just collaborated on a web series ELIZABETH TAYLOR literary landscape. Under the direction “Brown Girls.” Woods debut album Literary Editor at Large, Chicago Tribune of Lisa Wagner, the Guild has came out last summer and Asghar’s first Elizabeth Taylor is a stalwart of the city’s invigorated Applied Words, BrooksDay, full-length book of poetry is literary community and is now looking Gwendolyn Brooks Open Mic and the forthcoming from Random House. “I’m forward to the next generation of Leon Forrest Prose Awards. Says influenced by Gwendolyn Brooks and literary critics. In that spirit, she Wagner, “Voices of Protest is now a the Black Arts Movement poets,” says spearheaded the launch of the National citywide effort supporting imperiled Woods. Encouraging young people to Book Critics Circle’s Emerging Critics and refugee writers under the Chicago tell the stories of themselves and their Initiative and gave a lecture at the City of Refuge collaboration. Mary families is part of that legacy. Library of Congress on the state of Hawley curates the longstandingNewcity June 2017 fiction. “I also worked on the Pulitzer Palabra Pura, celebrating the Latino/a Prize Centennial, which included the writer, now working with partners on rewarding process of commissioning translation projects, cross-disciplinary essays by Pulitzer winners. Over the last presentations, dramatic readings and year, I’ve chaired the Harold Washington dynamic conversations. Literary Award selection committee,” she says. In her role as literary editor of the Chicago Tribune, she oversees the Tribune’s various literary prizes including Algren, Heartland, Young Adult and the Literary Achievement Prize. With a team that includes Teresa Basso Gold, she keeps the Printers Row Lit Fest humming.26Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 26 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Nate Marshall and Eve L. Ewing 12 13 June 2017 Newcity11 BILL OTT AND DONNA SEAMAN CAREY CRANSTON Editor/Publisher and Adult Books Editor, President, American Writers MuseumEVE L. EWING AND NATE MARSHALL Booklist When a younger Carey Cranston workedFounders, Crescendo Literary Known as Booklist Bill on Twitter, Bill in a bookstore, he could have had noNate Marshall and Eve L. Ewing formed Ott influences librarians and readers via idea that he would go on to open theCrescendo Literary to create events, art the American Library Association’s first national museum celebratingand education centered on community. review journal and associated products, writers and reading. Now he says, “I’m“We need the arts because they make us including a magazine, a quarterly looking forward to meeting authors andfull human beings,” writes Ewing. “But supplement, a blog, e-newsletters and experts and lovers of writing every day.”we also need the arts as a protective webinars. Ott personally edits the The Michigan Avenue building featuresfactor against authoritarianism.” They crime-fiction section of the magazine permanent galleries dedicated to thepartnered with the Poetry Foundation and is himself a collector of “anything history and craft of American literaturefor the first Emerging Poets Incubator with an especially lurid jacket, no and temporary exhibitions includingand the Chicago Poetry Block Party, as matter the author; anything that “Palm: All Awake in the Darkness,” anwell as creating “No Blue Memories: The panders in a particularly juicy way to immersive installation featuring theLife of Gwendolyn Brooks,” in the underworld ‘sins’ of drugs and sex; poetry of W.S Merwin, video from hispartnership with Manual Cinema and and classic works of English and palm garden in Maui and live foliage.the Poetry Foundation. Marshall is the American literature reincarnated in theauthor of “Wild Hundreds,” editor of pulp style.” Donna Seaman is the adult 14“The BreakBeat Poets: New American books editor and earlier this yearPoetry in the Age of Hip-Hop,” creator of published her own, “Identity Unknown: GARRETT P. KIELY“Grown,” a member of Daily Lyrical Rediscovering Seven Outstanding Director, University of Chicago PressProduct, The Dark Noise Collective and American Women Artists.” She is also on Along with titles such as “How to TameVisiting Assistant Professor of English at the advisory council of the new a Fox (and Build a Dog),” University ofNorthwestern University. Essayist, poet American Writers Museum. Chicago Press has recently released newand editor Eve L. Ewing is part of the editions of Norman Maclean’s classics “AEcho Hotel collective and is a Provost’s River Runs Through It” and “Young MenPostdoctoral Scholar at the University of and Fire.” Directed by Garrett P. KielyChicago where she is an assistant since 2007, the Press publishes 250professor. books and seventy journals each year and is the nation’s largest university press. When it won a prestigious award at the 2014 London Book Fair, the judging panel wrote, “Chicago is not only the world’s leader in hog belly futures but it has proved itself the location for one of the world’s greatest academic publishers, University of Chicago Press. The combination of innovation, global engagement, professionalism and the very best books, journals and electronic products nudged it across the line.” 27Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 27 5/14/17 9:35 AM

their way to in this new political climate. Haymarket has hosted a series of high-profile events, including Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis in conversation with Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Naomi Klein in conversation with Michelle Alexander. “As a publisher, we’re also deeply connected and committed to the Chicago scene. Our local authors include Kevin Coval, Nate Marshall, Eve Ewing, Quraysh Ali Lansana, Barbara Ransby, Craig Hodges, Ali Abunimah, Alison Flowers, Bill Ayers, Rory Fanning, Maya Schenwar, Kari Lydersen and more.” Quraysh Ali Lansana and Fabiola Ramirez 17 SUZY TAKACS Owner, The Book Cellar Lincoln Square’s cozy indie bookstore, The Book Cellar, combines wine and 15 16 great books. Suzy Takacs is a lively advocate for independent bookstores, QURAYSH ALI LANSANA AND JULIE FAIN FABIOLA RAMIREZ Co-Founder, Haymarket Books teaming up with others to encourage Artistic Director and Project Manager, readers to shop locally and then buy OMB100 rather than browsing-then-buying at “Our Miss Brooks: A Centennial Amazon. As well as the many in-store Celebration (OMB100)” is a multi-event celebration of Chicago’s matriarch of readings and discussions, Takacs hosts events off-site. Customers come for poetry, Gwendolyn Brooks. Quraysh Ali wine, cake, books and conversation, Lansana, the poet’s last mentee and student, and Fabiola Ramirez are part of none of which are available through Amazon. Takacs is clear on possible a collaborative effort with many civic, consequences: “If people don’t continue arts and education organizations offering readings, performances, school to shop in brick-and-mortar stores, we won’t be an option in the future.” programs, discussions and exhibits, mostly free and open to the public through June 2018. Lansana, with Described as a “feisty independent” by 18 Sandra Jackson-Opoku, edited the Naomi Klein and “mavericks in the book anthology “Revise the Psalm: Work world” by Eddie Vedder, Haymarket STACY RATNER Celebrating the Writing of Gwendolyn Books has been publishing radical Founder, Open Books Brooks,” in which they write, “We of books for sixeen years. They’ve been Open Books has worked for tens of many races, cultures, nations, genders, named as one of the fastest-growing thousands of students, through its book sexual and religious persuasions have independent publishers by Publishers grant programs, community events and come here by way of Brooks.” Lansana Weekly, with sixty-seven-percent literacy partnerships. What started in co-edited, with Georgia A. Popoff, a growth. “Our flagship titles have notably Stacy Ratner’s home basement now has second anthology on Brooks, “The been books by women and people of a West Loop bookstore housing 50,000 Whiskey of Our Discontent: Gwendolyn color. Our list is led by Rebecca Solnit, used books, and a warehouse store in Brooks as Conscience and Change Angela Davis, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Pilsen. “Access to books is key to Agent” and guest-edited the June issue Arundhati Roy. And we’re beyond accomplishing our mission,” says of Poetry magazine which is dedicated thrilled to be adding bestselling author executive director Tim O’Brien. As well to Brooks. Naomi Klein to that list.” Co-founder as offering literacy programs for kids, Open Books donates books to Ronald Julie Fain says a successful book has to McDonald House, schools and otherNewcity June 2017 do with achieving social justice and organizations. changing the world. “As an avowedly radical book publisher, we’ve led the way in staking out a principled political space that many publishers (and28 bookstores and librarians) are findingNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 28 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Christian Picciolini, Cynthia Sherry and Donald G. Evans Cynthia Sherry acquires books and oversees the production of sixty new titles a year under six imprints: Chicago Review Press, Lawrence Hill Books, Ball Publishing, Zephyr Press, Academy Chicago and Childrens Press.19 and the Poetry Foundation, featuring 22 readings of canonical poets such asDOUG SEIBOLD Sonia Sanchez, Gregory Pardlo, Angela DANIEL BORZUTZKYFounder and President, Agate Publishing Jackson and Ed Roberson. Wilkinson, a Winner, 2016 National Book Award forThe big story for Agate is its expansion poet, also serves as chair of the Poetryinto the children’s market. “When you’re Divisional Committee on Poetics and “The Performance of Becoming Human”a noteworthy indie press, you’re always has published multiple books of poetry was written with the author’s hometownlosing some of your authors to Big 5 and several critical works. Chicago in mind, “how it destroys itself,publishers (such as Jesmyn Ward and abolishes public services, closesKiese Laymon, among other 21 psychiatric hospitals, privatizes ordiscoveries). But Agate just signed yet shutters its public schools, andanother new book [the sixth] from CYNTHIA SHERRY militarizes its police that have murderedPulitzer-winner Leonard Pitts, Jr., which Publisher, Chicago Review Press and tortured with degrees of impunitywe hope will be coming out in 2018,” “Outwitting Squirrels” remains a since the 1970s.” Daniel Borzutzky, whosays Doug Seibold. “And we just signed a bestseller for Chicago Review Press is of Chilean heritage, translates thetwo-book deal for a memoir and a twenty-five years after it was acquired, work of South American writers andcookbook from culinary superstar Iliana sitting alongside 900 titles such as teaches at Wright College.Regan. The big story this year is the first “Escape Points” by Chicagoan Michelefour releases from our new ‘Denene Weldon and “Pirate Women: The 23Millner Books’ line of titles for young Princesses, Prostitutes and Privateersreaders, produced in partnership with Who Ruled the Seven Seas.” Publisher ELIZABETH METZGER SAMPSONthe Atlanta-based bestselling author Executive Director, Poetry Center ofand parenting authority.” Chicago With the belief that “poetry is good for everyone,” the Poetry Center spreads poetry to the greater Chicago community and supports the careers of local poets. For Elizabeth Metzger Sampson it is a gift to see students’ self-expression flourishing within the Center’s Hands on Stanzas program, which places poets in Chicago Public Schools to teach year-long residencies. The Six Points Reading Series, curated by Natasha Mijares, is a monthly reading20 Brian Bannon and Elizabeth Metzger Sampson June 2017 NewcityJOHN WILKINSONChair for Creative Writing and Poetics,University of ChicagoAiming to showcase the wide reach ofGwendolyn Brooks, John Wilkinsonchaired the planning group of this year’scentennial conference on the PulitzerPrize-winner and Poet Laureate fromBronzeville. The major gathering ofscholars, writers and musicians washeld in partnership with the DuSableMuseum of African American History 29Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 29 5/14/17 9:35 AM

series held in different locations across with Guild Literary Complex and doubled its events programming,” says the city, including poets such as Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre) a staged Deutsch. The Cooperative has more Egyptian Amira Hanafi, Dutch writer reading of Sandra Seaton’s Cyrus Colter than 50,000 members and is a cultural Maria Barnas and local Pulitzer Prize Trilogy, and hosting salons at Cliff institution, open since 1961. With winner Tyehimba Jess. Dwellers with Stuart Dybek and Scott scholarly books in its flagship Turow. Woodlawn Avenue store and general interest books in 57th Street Books, the 24 26 two bookstores stock over 100,000 titles. In June, the store will launch a podcast LYNN HALLER AND JOHN K. WILSON JACINDA BULLIE AND JAQUANDA that hopes “to replicate the experience Organizers, Chicago Book Expo and of engaging with a great bookseller, and Evanston Literary Festival VILLEGAS bring the Co-op experience to its legion What started in 2011 as a “read local, Founding Directors, Kuumba Lynx Six-time champions in the Louder Than members in the diaspora.” buy local” approach to the Chicago literary world,  Chicago Book Expo, A Bomb Festival and participants in the under Lynn Haller and John K. Wilson, national Brave New Voices, the slam has evolved into an event featuring poets from Kuumba Lynx are part of a 28 seventy exhibitors from Chicago-area hip-hop art and performance force of NINA BARRETT AND JEFF GARRETT publishers and literary organizations as nature started in 1996. Using their “We Bookends & Beginnings well as twenty events with local authors. Get Free” pedagogy, Jacinda Bullie and “This fall the Expo will include the first Jaquanda Villegas steer the I/2 Pint Chicago Architecture Book Festival,” Poetics literacy project, the they say. The pair founded the Evanston interdisciplinary Kuumba Lynx Literary Festival in 2015 to spotlight Performance Ensemble, Youth on Youth events in the local literary community, Mentors and theater productions, TV such as the Northwestern Spring shows, poetry books and magazines. Writers’ Festival, together with They aim to cultivate strong collaborations with local cultural communities for children in twenty- institutions, such as free writing seven areas across Chicago. Most workshops at Frances Willard House. participants qualify for free lunches. Of the youth who participate for three or more years in Kuumba Lynx, ninety 25 percent are accepted to college. Known as a “speakeasy for books,” DONALD G. EVANS Bookends & Beginnings is tricky to find, Founding Executive Director, Chicago 27 but the type of comfortable store where Literary Hall of Fame customers develop strong loyalty. A Chicago’s value and character is JEFF DEUTSCH champion of independent bookstores, reflected in and shaped by our great Director, Seminary Cooperative Nina Barrett has been busy with a new books, according to the Chicago Bookstores organization ChIBA, Chicagoland Literary Hall of Fame. Journalist and Independent Bookstore Alliance, aimed novelist Donald G. Evans began CLHOF to honor our literary tradition. “We are at raising awareness of the value of community bookstores in the wake of inducting each of the six writers Amazon opening a store in Lakeview. individually throughout the course of 2017. Fanny Butcher, a writer and critic “The store is going really well, we’re doing ever-bigger and cooler events, for the Chicago Tribune for forty years, including (during the Evanston Lit along with Ring Lardner, sports writer, author and playwright are being Festival): a night with Scott Turow, an event with actor Robin Ellis, the star of honored at the Newberry Library; the original Poldark series (who has a Fenton Johnson and Eugene Field at the Poetry Foundation; Roger Ebert at the memoir and a cookbook) which we’ve had to move to an offsite location to American Writers Museum; and accommodate the advance interest. WeNewcity June 2017 Margaret Ayer Barnes at a location to be Jeff Deutsch first visited Seminary Co-op are partnering with all kinds of decided.” CLHF is launching a new when he was a teenager and now heads organizations to showcase food-related website, planned as a central database one of the foremost academic authors. I was a judge for the James for Chicago literature. It is restarting its bookstores in the world. “Supporting its Beard cookbook awards this year (I Great Chicago Books Club, giving a bus mission to help readers discover works assume they asked me based on my own tour of Gwendolyn Brooks’ Chicago (in of enduring quality, the Co-op has two awards).” Her husband and conjunction with Our Miss Brooks 100), recently started a blog of book lists and bookstore partner Jeff Garrett serves on mounting an exhibit on Chicago comic authors’ recommendations, upgraded the International Board on Books for book history at Chicago Literacy its website, including a digital version of Young People (IBBY) which is reflected Alliance, producing (in conjunction its famous Front Table, and more than30Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 30 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Independent. SimplySince 1970 Local. great books 20-80% off retail everyday Family-owned. Visit our booth at Printers Row Lit FestServing the South Loop June 10th & 11th. since 1982 with a fine You may know what you want, selection of books, but you don’t know what you’ll find! cards and more. Hyde Park Be sure to stop by 1501 E. 57th St. 773-955-7780 and see us during the Printers Row Lit Fest Open 9am until 11pm everyday June 10-11 www.powellschicago.com Sandmeyer’s Bookstore 714 S. Dearborn St. Chicago, IL 60605 Tel: 312-922-2104www.sandmeyersbookstore.com M-W, F 11-6:30, Th 11-8 Sat 11-5, Sun 11-4

in the selection of international children’s books in the store. The couple also partner with nonprofit Evanston Cradle to Career for the EC2C Diverse Books Drive to ensure children and youth have access to exciting books this summer. 29 GINA DIPONIO Program Manager, The Writer’s Studio Rebecca George, Kimberly George, Donna Seaman and T. Clutch Fleischmann 30 31 REBECCA GEORGE AND MARTHA BAYNE KIMBERLY GEORGE SENIOR EDITOR, BELT PUBLISHING Owners, Volumes Bookcafe It may be the new kid on a Wicker Park block, but Volumes is making a lot of noise. Partially crowdfunded, it is veryNewcity June 2017 Gina DiPonio has revitalized the much a community space, a hybrid of Martha Bayne is fired up about housing Writer’s Studio at the University of bookstore/bar/café. It is child friendly issues, the postindustrial Midwest, food Chicago’s Graham School. “Over the last with nooks and little tables for small and community, feminism, social justice year, the Writer’s Studio has focused on humans. “One week, we celebrated our and urbanism. Belt Publishing’s “Rust creating a vibrant, supportive one-year anniversary, hosted Jay Belt Chicago: An Anthology,” edited by community of writers both in our Chandrasekhar from Super Troopers, Bayne, examines Chicago’s contrasts of downtown classes and at our many the amazing John Scalzi, MSNBC’s Chris glitter and struggle. “Bound to its events around the city. We’ve seen that Hayes with Natalie Moore and then neighbors by a shared ecosystem and community take shape and thrive at free finished off the week with poet Kevin economy, Chicago’s complicated—both events like our reading at Printers Row Coval. Never in my life would I have of the Belt and beyond it.”  In addition, Lit Fest; fun and raucous open house/ imagined such a week could exist. I’m Bayne founded Soup & Bread, a open mics; Writer’s Studio readings elated I get to bring that to our community meal that donates proceeds showcasing students and faculty at neighborhood and our customers,” says to hunger-relief organizations and other bookstores and cafes; our Business of Rebecca George. “I love how we can call causes, and developed a narrative Writing seminar that connects writers up some of our amazing local writers cookbook. She created “A Memory with publishing professionals; and our and poets and pitch a crazy idea, and Palace of Fear” an immersive day-long, inspiration-filled write-ins,” they are all down for it.” She also commentary on neighborhood blight says DiPonio. “We’re also adding new appreciates the many times customers and housing injustice, following her classes each quarter, often in response say thank you for being there. “It is a to the needs of students, as part of our small gesture that makes working seven mission to be a program who knows and days a week feel worth it.” As well as serves the writing ambitions of our hosting readings, open mics, weekly community.” The Studio provides a wide trivia and children’s storytime, Rebecca range of open-enrollment, non-credit George has been collaborating with writing courses such as resistance other independent bookstores to make poetry, flash fiction, children’s books Amazon easy to resist. and workshops on craft specifics. The Studio offers manuscript consultation, Social Justice News Nexus fellowship at Medill School of Journalism. holds readings in city locations and partners with 826CHI for free cross-32 generational writing workshops.Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 32 5/14/17 9:35 AM

H. Melt 34 ERIC KIRSAMMER Owner, Chicago Comics and Quimby’s Bookstore Everyone could use a hero. That’s where Eric Kirsammer comes in. As the owner of Chicago Comics, he provides thousands of them to customers who frequent his shop, just blocks from Wrigley Field. Chicago Comics carries classics as well as graphic novels and dystopian fiction. Kirsammer also owns the bookstore Quimby’s on North Avenue in Wicker Park, one of the last cultural holdouts along a stretch of chain stores and restaurants, proving every day that heroes are real. 35 RACHEL JAMISON WEBSTER Director of the English Major in Writing, Northwestern University32 and Spanish,” says Nell Taylor. The Associate professor and director of the June 2017 Newcity Hungry for Stories book club has been English Major in Writing atH. MELT going “fabulously, featuring a different Northwestern University would bePoet, artist, teacher and activist Chicago book each month to get enough to keep most people busy. ButH.Melt is interested in telling stories subscribers reading outside their Rachel Jamison Webster is not mostabout their trans and queer comfort zones and opening up to people. Chicago author andcommunities in the city. They have said different perspectives on this city and its Northwestern lecturer Megan Stielstrathe “Chicago tradition means to write a creative communities.” The library plans says, “She spent much of the fall andlot of realist portraiture,” describing to expand the discussions to different summer at Standing Rock, interviewingeveryday life in a raw way. The author of neighborhoods and further broaden the water protectors for Tin House and“The Plural, The Blurring” is described variety of books and voices represented. brings that sense of responsibility andas “a magnificent and daring trans poet” They have a pop-up library at the justice to the writing students we workby the American poet laureate Juan exhibition “Public School” at Hyde Park with.” In addition, she’s an award-Felipe Herrera. H.Melt works at the Art Center, called “Rewritable,” winning writer of prose and poetry,Poetry Foundation, Chicago’s feminist encouraging visitors to add their own including the Emerging Artist Awardbookstore Women & Children First and publications. “With a grant from Illinois from the Poetry Foundation and theco-leads Queeriosity at Young Chicago Humanities, we’re finally able to Poetry Center of Chicago. The author ofAuthors. evaluate the impact of the pop-up two full-length books and two libraries and workshops and hopefully chapbooks published within the last few33 get them out to a wider audience.” years, Jamison Webster also edits BiblioTreka, its mobile tricycle library, UniVerse of Poetry, an onlineNELL TAYLOR appeared at CHIRP Record Fair with a international anthology.Executive Director, Read/Write Library pop-up library of Chicago musicInspiring cultural production and civic publications. “We’re also excited to workengagement is what drives the Read/ with 60 Inches from Center in May onWrite Library, which collects, preserves their Archives + Artists Fest at theand provides access to books, zines and Cultural Center.”other media about Chicago. “SandraCisneros read that we didn’t have a copyof ‘House on Mango Street’ and sent usover a dozen of her books, including‘House on Mango Street’ in both English 33Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 33 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Kendra Curry-Khanna, Ruben Quesada and Daniel Borzutzky working as a strategic planning 38 consultant with Lookingglass Theatre Company, or directing the Goodman’s KENDRA CURRY-KHANNA summer program for teens. Over the Executive Director, 826CHI years Delheimer Dimond has also Sculptor, educator and vintage collaborated with Steppenwolf, the typewriter collector Kendra Curry- Court, Red Moon and others. Khanna heads 826CHI, a nonprofit organization that helps 2,500 students each year with after-school tutoring, 37 creative writing workshops, field trips, in-school support, help for English JILL POLLACK language learners, and assistance with Founder and Director, StoryStudio student publications. Each month, Chicago “Justice & Equity Dialogues” allow for It’s not surprising that many of Chicago’s discussion about issues affecting finest writers work for Jill Pollack of students. 826CHI recently held a Know StoryStudio, considering the bustling Your Rights Day with the National success of the writing center in Immigrant Justice Center. Ravenswood that she founded and directs. It opened in 2003 with just fourNewcity June 2017 36 students; today, Pollack oversees writing 39 training for 1,200 students annually in AMANDA DELHEIMER DIMOND fiction, nonfiction and corporate MARE SWALLOW Artistic Director, 2nd Story training programs. Pollack has Founder and Executive Director, Chicago Director, teaching artist and playwright published three Young Adult books: Writers Conference are but a few of Amanda Delheimer “Shirley Chisholm,” named a Best Book The nuts and bolts that writers want to Dimond’s titles. She has served as by Science and Film Magazine; “Lesbian know about—getting an agent, selling a artistic director for 2nd Story, a and Gay Families: Redefining Parenting book, reaching an audience and other storytelling collective that curates in America”; and “Women on the Hill: A writing related business—is available at performances in various venues History of Women in Congress.” the Chicago Writers Conference, throughout the city, since 2007. And directed by Mare Swallow. The public- that’s when she’s not busy as an ensemble member with Lifeline Theatre, speaking coach also runs Reading (Out Loud) Skills for Writers in Madison,34 Wisconsin.Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 34 5/14/17 9:35 AM

guest edited by Moazzam Sheikh. Haider’s own stories have been widely published and anthologized by Penguin Books and Oxford University Press. About his novel “To Be With Her,” Chicago Tribune editor John Blades writes: “A uniquely literate perspective on the plight of the exile… in the same vein as the work of Camus and more recently Kiran Desai, whose conflicted protagonists, like Haider’s, find themselves alone in an alien world.”40 42 43ADAM MORGAN SYED AFZAL HAIDER SARA WAINSCOTT AND SARAHEditor-in-Chief, Chicago Review of Books Founder and Senior Editor, Chicago MELTZER ALLENWhen you take on hate-peddler and Quarterly Review Co-Curators, Wit Rabbitformer Breitbart news editor Milo Syed Afzal Haider started Chicago Picture the lone writer toiling inYiannopoulos, calling for a boycott of Quarterly Review in 1994. He has isolation. Sara Wainscott and Sarahhis publisher Simon & Schuster, you are published short stories, poems, Meltzer Allen foster friendlybound to get attention. Adam Morgan translations and essays by emerging and connections between writers in theirrefused to review books from the established writers, international multi-genre literary reading series. Witpublisher in Chicago Review of Books literary giants such as Jacques Prévert, Rabbit began at Quenchers Saloon, thenand wrote about his decision in The Luis Cernuda, Osip Mandelstam and expanded to a second location,Guardian. Public pressure led Simon & David Frankel, as well as Chicagoans Township. It includes diverse voices,Schuster to cancel Yiannopoulos’ book such as Christine Sneed, Joe Meno, Don styles and genres from local anddeal and Morgan became a local hero, De Grazia, Rosellen Brown and Gina traveling writers and attracts anot before Breitbart named CHIRB “A Frangello. CQR remains completely supportive, varied audience in relaxedWar on Speech.” His year’s highlight: independent and is a source for Best settings. And, as Meltzer Allen“Seeing twenty-two local writers and a American Short Stories and the emphasizes, “With Malort!”hundred readers at our awards Pushcart Prize Anthology. Special issuesceremony celebrating Chicago lit. It’s have included one devoted to Chicagoreally inspiring to see how diverse, writers and the latest, Volume 24,committed, and supportive Chicago’s featuring South Asian American writers,literary community is. Big Five, indie,micro… we show up for each other. It’s Sara Wainscott, Sarah Meltzer Allen, Eric Kirsammer and Elizabeth Taylorgreat.” Morgan also publishes Arcturus,an online journal of fiction, poetry,creative nonfiction and comics.41 June 2017 NewcityRUBEN QUESADA 35Editor, Latino PoeticsPoet, editor and translator RubenQuesada creates community andvigorously champions the work ofChicago writers, particularly Latinxwriters. With Barrie Jean Borich,Quesada organized Writers Resist, acity-wide reading as a PEN Americaresponse to the new government. Untilrecently an editor at The Rumpus, he issenior editor at Queen Mob’s Tea Houseand a blogger at Ploughshares. Heteaches poetry at ChiArts and UCLAExtension Writers’ Program as well asfounding the Latino Caucus of AWP, andserving on the 2018 conferencecommittee.Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 35 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Dana Kaye and Lori Rader-DayNewcity June 2017 44 community as an artist means much artists and intellectual pursuits at a more than just creating art,” which he time when the humanities must often HAKI R. MADHUBUTI continues to do. Madhubuti, poet, defend themselves. She’s recently added Founder, Third World Press Foundation member of the Black Arts movement, a graphic novel to her growing writing Founder of the oldest independent professor, editor and creator of black- collection titled “The Chronicles of publisher of black thought and centered schools, remains a critical Fortune,” written under the name Coco literature in the country, Haki R. voice about race in America and Picard. Madhubuti celebrated his seventy-fifth continues to influence a younger birthday this year, as the city celebrates generation of poets, educators and 46 the centennial of his cultural mother, activists. His latest book, “Taking Gwendolyn Brooks. Third World Press Bullets: Black Boys and Men in Twenty- T. CLUTCH FLEISCHMANN Foundation was Brooks’ primary First Century America,” confronts police Writer, educator, artist publisher. He said that Brooks’ greatest violence, mass incarceration and “I want to nurture writing communities 36 lesson was that “serving one’s economic disparity. that center difference and divergence— not just communities where trans 45 writers flourish, but communities and publishing platforms where the CAROLINE PICARD differences of all of our aesthetics, our Executive Director, The Green Lantern politics and our experiences are the Press and Co-Director, Sector 2337 points where we connect, rather than Caroline Picard is a jack of all trades points of departure,” says Fleischmann. and a master of all she attempts: An A lively advocate for literary citizenship, artist, writer, publisher and curator, T. Clutch Fleischmann encourages Picard is executive director of The Green young writers to connect widely across Lantern Press, an artist-run nonprofit the writing and artistic landscape. They producing noncommercial works of teach transgender literature and essay contemporary art and literature. She writing at Columbia College Chicago, co-directs Sector 2337, a gallery, bar and where they coordinate the annual Young bookstore in Logan Square, supporting Authors Writing Competition. TheNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 36 5/14/17 9:35 AM

competition attracts thousands of the AME Church, former extremist fiction conference for aspiring authors.submissions from high school writers Christian Picciolini was at The Book The first annual event attracted aroundacross the world. T. edits DIAGRAM, is Cellar in Chicago, warning people of 200 people. “Chicago provides noreviews editor at Punctuate Magazine rising domestic terrorism. Since then, shortage of inspiration for writingand is the author of “Syzygy, Beauty.” the founder of nonprofit peace advocacy mysteries and thrillers,” says Kaye. The organization “Life After Hate” has been pair established the Sara Paretsky47 touring nationally and internationally to Award for a body of work in crime help people leave hate groups. “I hope fiction. The first recipient, of course, wasSARAH DODSON that by exposing racism, hate will have Sara Paretsky.Co-Director, MAKE Literary Productions fewer places to hide,” he says. TheWhat Sarah Dodson and collaborators author of “Romantic Violence: Memoirs 50began as a forty-eight page DIY of an American Skinhead” helps peoplemagazine in 2004 bloomed into MAKE disengage from hate organizations. He KIM BROOKS, REBECCA MAKKAI, ZOELiterary Productions. This creative won an Emmy for directing and ZOLBROD, JANA-MARIA HARTMANN,enterprise produces events nationwide, producing ExitUSA’s “There is life after ALEKSANDAR HEMON WITH SARAHMAKE magazine and the binational Lit hate” PSA. Picciolini is an ambassador HOLLENBECK& Luz Festival in Mexico City– a cultural for United Nations-affiliated Curators, The Conversationexchange featuring authors and visual iChangeNations and won a National This monthly cultural conversation, heldartists from Chicago and Mexico City. Statesman Award. He is also a media at Women & Children First, has beenEula Biss described MAKE as “a producer. pulling a crowd. The series pairs localborderless community of makers. An writers with visiting artists to discusseconomy of invention. A web of 49 cultural and political issues includingconversation.” art and resistance, civil disobedience DANA KAYE AND LORI RADER-DAY and being American under a hostile48 Organizers, Murder and Mayhem in regime. Lively discussion is followed by Chicago the participants suggesting a reading,CHRISTIAN PICCIOLINI Solving murder from the comfort of an film or action for the audience to takeAnti-hate activist armchair is stock-in-trade, award- away.The night that white supremacist winning crime writer Lori Rader-Day.Dylann Roof was killing congregants in She teamed up with publicist Dana Kaye for a how-to on whodunits, a crimeZoe Zolbrod, Kim Brooks, Jana-Maria Hartmann and Aleksandar Hemon June 2017 NewcityNewcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 37 37 5/14/17 9:35 AM

CHANCE THE RAPPER • THE KILLERS • MUSE • ARCADE FIRETHE XX • LORDE • BLINK-182 • DJ SNAKE • JUSTICEALT-J • RUN THE JEWELS • CAGE THE ELEPHANT • WIZ KHALIFABIG SEAN • THE HEAD AND THE HEART • FOSTER THE PEOPLE • THE SHINSRYAN ADAMS • KASKADE • PORTER ROBINSON • ZEDS DEAD • LIAM GALLAGHERRAE SREMMURD • GLASS ANIMALS • GRAMATIK • MIGOS • PHANTOGRAMTOVE LO • SPOON • MILKY CHANCE • LIL UZI VERT • VANCE JOY • TEGAN AND SARAGROUPLOVE • CRYSTAL CASTLES • JON BELLION • KALEO • LITTLE DRAGON • DVBBSMAC DEMARCO • RUSS • 21 SAVAGE • BANKS • 3LAU • GEORGE EZRA • BORGORESYLVAN ESSO • ALISON WONDERLAND • LIVE • LIL YACHTY • WHITNEYCAPITAL CITIES • ROYAL BLOOD • LONDON GRAMMAR • RAG’N’BONE MANANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS • NONAME • MAJID JORDANJOEY BADA$$ • KAYTRANADA • CHARLI XCX • CAR SEAT HEADREST • SLANDERGETTER • NGHTMRE • MACHINE GUN KELLY • THE PRETTY RECKLESS • WARPAINTBAAUER • HIGHLY SUSPECT • ZARA LARSSON • SLUSHII • THE DRUMS • A-TRAK6LACK • CLOUD NOTHINGS • TRITONAL • SAMPHA • JAI WOLF • EPHWURD • ALVVAYSMAGGIE ROGERS • JIDENNA • MURA MASA • NF • GRYFFIN • JOYRYDE • CRXTEMPLES • G JONES • $UICIDEBOY$ • BISHOP BRIGGS • AMINÉ • OOKAY • THE DISTRICTSSAN FERMIN • JOSEPH • PUP • MOOSE BLOOD • THE JAPANESE HOUSE • LÉONHIPPO CAMPUS • HONNE • MADEINTYO • CHEAT CODES • KEVIN DEVINE • P&AMPEARNDYIAMONRED!SKOTT • THE LEMON TWIGS • THE SHELTERS • BLOSSOMS • JACOB BANKS • BARNS COURTNEYVANT • MIDDLE KIDS • WHITE REAPER • WHETHAN • JAIN • GRACE MITCHELL • MONDO COZMOSAN HOLO • BLAENAVON • MICHAEL CHRISTMAS • LO MOON • OLIVER TREE • THE O’MY’SFLINT EASTWOOD • DECLAN MCKENNA • THE FRIGHTS • SAINT JHN • DIRTY AUDIO • UNLIKE PLUTORON GALLO • BIBI BOURELLY • ATLAS GENIUS • SOFI TUKKER • XAVIER OMÄR • YOUNG BOMBS • MISSIOTHE LONDON SOULS • COBI • A R I Z O N A • MOKSI • GIBBZ • BOOGIE • 888 • WINGTIP • WAX MOTIFPHAM • WE ARE THE GRAND • MICHAEL BLUME • SLOTHRUST • ELOHIM • COLONY HOUSE • STANAJ • THE WALTERSALLAN RAYMAN • DUCKWRTH • FRENSHIP • SPENCER LUDWIG • FLOR • KWEKU COLLINS • HARRIET BROWNDJ WHO • BRAYTON BOWMAN • GOODY GRACE • JESSE MALIN • MAX • TUCKER BEATHARD • CAITLYN SMITHGOLF CLAP • BOOGIE T • NATHAN SCOTT • LADY PILLS • TIM KUBART AND THE SPACE CADETS • LUCKY DIAZ • Q BROTHERS

qĵĺĵĹĭĸϧ gĸĭĿĿĵįĵĿĹɚϧ xĴıϧiĺİŁľĵĺijϧ eļļıĭĸϧĻIJϧ gĵŀĵıĿϧĵĺϧϧ hŁĿŀϧnıŃıĸľŅ Written by Teresa Gugliotta-Kremer Model Grace Marie Photographer Liz Fang Hair and Makeup Artist Sym Abrol Smriti Meghan Lorenz is the designer and jeweler behind one-woman-company Cities in Dust Jewelry. An estab- lished Chicago jeweler since 2010, she has partnered with small local boutiques and brands as recognizable as Urban Outfitters and Madewell. These photo- graphs of Meghan’s jewelry were taken at The University of Chicago’s Smart Museum of Art. Through June 11, the Smart is running an exhibit on “Classicisms” which showcases classical artworks and the re-imagination of classicism through different movements. Tell us about the specific inspiration behind some of the pieces in the shoot. For a lot of the pieces in this shoot I’ve been very inspired by jewelry of the old world. Ball and bar earrings $64 June 2017 Newcity Single disc cuff $40 Stacked ball ring $190 39Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 39 5/14/17 9:35 AM

Newcity June 2017I’ve recently been really drawn to various museum collections of jewelry. I’ve 5/14/17 9:36 AM also been doing smaller collections and limited-run additions. It’s been a nice break from production work. A lot of thought and time has gone into the feeling of these pieces. They definitely have a more artisanal approach. Where do you generally find inspiration?  Are there particular artists or design movements that influence you? I think some of the most inspiring moments in time have been the Bauhaus Movement, mid-century modern, Hollywood regency, ancient Egypt, and the Roman Empire. I use Pinterest as a constant source of inspiration. I am constantly looking at art by researching online or going to museums. I want my work to be more like small art pieces while still maintaining a commercial jewelry business. Double disc earrings $12040Newcity_FOB_June2017-b.indd 40

A Retropspective AlainADelonin“LerSamouraï”ts & Cultureof the Films ofJean-Pierre Melvilleat the Gene Siskel Film Center

CINEMA & MEDIA DANCE LITERATURE MUSIC PERFORMANCE THEATER VISUAL ARTThe Logan Center is a multidisciplinary home for the arts at the University of Chicago. Connect with the Logan Center for concerts, exhibitions, performances, programs, and more from world-class, emerging, local, and student artists. logan.uchicago.edu

Anna Shteynshleyger, \"Court 26,\" 2016. Selection of 28 inkjet prints out of 140, dimensions variable /Photo: Phil Peters Art Off the Record A Brief History of Triumph, a Short-Lived Chicago Gallery that Might Still Be By Elliot J. Reichert Nearly a year after lamenting the impossibility of witnessing the fabric race unpredictably over the topography of barely discernible, entirety of Chicago’s art world unfold each day, I find myself in need of everyday things. Books, window shutters, dinner plates, toy cars and some relief from the speed of it all. With the specter of irrelevance and other mysteries swim beneath the surface, suspended in ambiguous obscurity spurring every cultural worker just barely getting by in this city, but highly symbolic relationships with the warp and weft of their there seems never to be enough time to pause and reflect on our work, cloaking devices. Among the most stunning of Modan’s work shown at let alone to enjoy it. Perhaps this is why I am drawn to those who seem Triumph was “Modern Swimmer” (2016), a life-sized image of a human enlivened by the pace and intensity of this ragged life. When I received torso and arms reaching forward in the form of a butterfly stroke an invitation this spring to participate in a project called “The Dangerous between the suggestion of two buoyed lane lines. Everything about this Professors” at a gallery called Triumph in Pilsen, I saw before me the work is slightly off—the figure is too stiff to be caught in action and its outline of a project that would forefront the unending state of precarious orientation is skewed in an unfathomable ascent as its left hand crosses emergency faced by those who have committed their lives to education over the rope as if to catch it. But the hand does not grasp the line, it and the arts. The exhibition, with contributions from more than a merely passes over. Whether this is meant to evoke failure or simply hundred-and-fifty artist-educators from Chicago and the world over, misunderstanding, I could not tell. Nonetheless, the image haunts me still. represents the culmination of an ambitious, timely project undertaken by Ryan Coffey and Ruslana Lichtzier called Triumph Gallery. Slowing things After Modan, Triumph showed the work of Anna Shteynshleyger, Jeff down for a moment, I want to capture its story before it is too late. Prokash, Greg Bae and Dan Devening in a group exhibition titled “DOOR,” which the gallery called “not a concept or a theme, but a JUNE 2017 Newcity Coffey and Lichtzier opened Triumph in a Pilsen storefront near their barrier or a path.” Some of the work was decidedly closed off from the home in January out of necessity. When a partner space fell through as viewer’s immediate grasp, such as Jeff Prokash’s installation of they had four exhibitions in the making, the curator-artist couple quickly industrial shelving holding arrangements of the kinds of grey foam found a nearby space to show the works that they had already blocks used to support open books of varying sizes in different angles promised to exhibit. First, they showed the captivating paintings of Lior of display. To those who have spent little time in museums or archives, Modan, an Israeli artist based in New York City whose practice currently the installation might have appeared coyly conceptual instead of playful, involves vacuum-casting three-dimensional objects within the space of as it must have been intended. Prokash’s other work in the show, an the picture, capturing their forms underneath found and custom-made open cardboard box brimming with faded confetti dots, hinted more at fabrics and other equally strange textures. The frenetic schemes of the the artist’s joy in everyday forms. Found in the basement of a defunct 43

nightclub in upstate Wisconsin, the withered Coffey’s discomfort with what he is making, carton and its pastel bounty laughed in the as if we do not know why it demands our face of Duchamp and Judd. Set beneath Greg attention, even as we admit that we cannot Bae’s subtle pencil drawings of cloud forms look away from it. encased in acrylic, the pair appeared like a physical deconstruction of Dan Devening’s Triumph’s latest and perhaps final exhibition nearby works, in which the technical and the takes up a call-and-response structure that gestural make strange bedfellows in the mixed seems to be increasingly popular—Sean moves of pigment printing, painting and Ward’s and Jason Lazarus’ recent “PDF-Ob- collage on paper. A stunning riposte to these jects” at Mana Contemporary comes to mind, three male formalists loomed large on the as well as Hiba Farhat’s and Murat Adash’s opposite wall. Anna Shteynshleyger’s “The New Normal” in Beirut and Istanbul—in photographs of the doors in a downtown which contributors are asked to submit an Brooklyn office building are immediately artwork in response to a particular prompt. relatable to anyone who has sought help from Lichtzier sought educators to self-identify as ART TOP 5 a therapist, lawyer, dentist or other practi- “dangerous” in response to the emergence of 1 Candida Alvarez. Chicago tioners. The high shine of over-lacquered conservative websites like “Professor Watchlist” Cultural Center.The first major retrospective of one of woodgrain frames the brass panels and plastic that publicly shame educators in order to chill Chicago's most eminent painters shows a selection from over forty nameplates of dozens of CPAs, PhDs, MDs protected speech and quell academic freedom. years of her work. and LLCs. Some doors are tentatively marked These educators submitted artworks and 2 Robert Burnier. Andrew Rafacz Gallery. Part with paper printouts or sticky notes, and one statements on the nature of their work and painting, part sculpture, Burnier's wall work enchants bears the ghostly impressions of letterforms how it challenges the prevailing political order. and mystifies as it unfolds before the eyes. long since pried from its slick surface, an The result is a salon-a-thon of impressive 3 If You Remember, image that haunts as much as it humors. artistic voices, as well as a growing sense I'll Remember. Block Museum of Art. Works by seven among the participants that the way forward artists reflect on intertwined histories of resilience against Shteynshleyger’s photographs foreshadowed must be increasingly radical. This is the kind of injustice and oppression in the United States. the solo show of Ryan Coffey’s own latest show that would not find a place in a fully 4 Kadar Brock. Patron work, which has taken an unexpected turn commercial gallery nor an institutional space. Gallery. Painted up and then sanded down, Brock's from his years of making carefully considered Regrettably, this is also why such spaces paintings seduce the senses. formal structures. His show last year at Efrain seem to slip from our grasp so quickly, too 5 The Dangerous Professors. Triumph. Lopez Gallery exhibited upright, sculptural soon to write their stories. Over 150 artist-educators embrace their \"dangerous\" abstractions built to ship and store with ease, potential to upset the rightward swing of global politics in an a reflection of the artist’s years of experience in “The Dangerous Professors” shows through ambitious group show. art handling. At Triumph, a suite of hu- July 1 at Triumph, 2055 West Cermak. 44 man-scale photographs lined the side walls Reviews and an interrupted grid of canary yellow rectangles hung in the back. Everything clung #AiWeiwei to the walls, leaving the gallery’s moss-hued floor fully exposed to the ample daylight that Museum of Contemporary Photography streams through the storefront windows. Ai Weiwei’s face confronts the viewer upon Exposed too was Coffey’s everyday private life, entering his show at the Museum of Contem- the images being enlargements of photos porary Photography, his visage blown up to taken by his glitchy cellphone camera at odd fantastical proportions on the wall opposite the and inopportune moments. Feet, floors and gallery entrance. Weiwei took this mirror selfie, out-of-focus fingers signal the conceit of the titled “Illumination,” after he was beaten by work, which once understood transforms the police upon returning to China to testify on strangeness of these photographs into behalf of Tan Zuoren, an activist arrested for something strangely familiar. A glimpse of bare his involvement in researching student fatalities legs standing before kitchen cabinets or a of a 2008 earthquake that devastated the hairy, pinkish thigh and the blue blur of denim province of Sichuan. As the Chinese govern- hint at domestic intimacy, while a fuzzy pattern ment refused to reveal the number of student of waves glistening in the sunset turns out to casualities, Weiwei took a special interest in be a blurry snapshot of a wooden bar top. the catastrophe and was able to learn the names of 4,851 students who had died during The compositions are accidental, but Coffey the earthquake with the help of volunteers. It is selected his presentation from an archive of difficult to impugn the motives of someone hundreds, allowing him to draw out compelling investigating the deaths of children from formal relationships among individually informal shoddily constructed schools. And beyond the images. In the back of the gallery, dozens of politics, some of the work based on Weiwei’s yellow sheets bore the sloppy gestures of the investigation is his most poignant, such as artist’s hasty handwriting. They are screen- “Remembering,” an installation of 9,000 shots from his phone’s digital notepad children’s backpacks arranged to spell theNewcity JUNE 2017 transformed, just like the photos, into their sentence “She lived happily for seven years in analog precursors. Many are mundane lists this world” in Chinese characters, a quote and reminders, like \"field trip / call mike / from a mother whose child died in the gallery” or simply “coffee filters,” while others earthquake. Although this retrospective hint at domestic drama, such as “Dear / Brad / contains only Weiwei’s photography, there are can she / be deported.” Occasional quips like similar moments in this show, such as a wall “Richard / Prince is / the / Internet” trouble the for which Weiwei curated photos shared on line between the profound and the profoundly social media with the hashtag #leggun. The banal, which is what the show seemed to hashtag refers to an image of Weiwei holding address most directly. One shares a sense of his leg like a gun he posted on Instagram and

THROUGH JUNE 11, 2017 Bold Disobedience June 23 – September 2, 2017Guglielmo Plüschow, House of Marcus Lucretius, Pompeii,undated, Collection of the University of Birmingham. Opening Reception: Friday, June 23, 5 – 8 PMAdmission is always free. All are welcome.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu Bold Disobedience is a group exhibition presented in collaboration with Mikva Challenge. Selected by a council of student curators, this collection of works demonstrates the myriad social issues youths of today are fighting against. Featuring works by Angela Davis Fegan, Jaclyn Jacunski, Kuumba Lynx, Yvette Mayorga, Cheryl Pope, Sarah Ross, Dread Scott and students of the Chicago High School for the Arts. Weinberg/Newton Gallery 300 W Superior Street, Suite 203 Chicago, IL 60654 312 529 5090 weinbergnewtongallery.com Hours Mon – Sat 10 AM – 5 PM Rashid Johnson: Hail We Now Sing Joy June 23–Sept 17 Head North! See new paintings and sculptures by Chicago native Rashid Johnson at the Milwaukee Art Museum.Rashid Johnson, Antoine’s Organ, 2016 (detail). Courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth. JUNE 2017 Newcity mam.org/hail 45

Twitter shortly after the twenty-fifth anniversary Alex Bradley Cohen, \"Why Not Try,\" 2016. Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 30 inches /Photo: Javier Bosques of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.“#leggun” succeeds because Weiwei gives up some of his presence in order to give voice to those we don’t ordinarily hear, decentering Weiwei’s own status as a political and cultural celebrity. Unfortunately, there are few such moments in “#AiWeiwei.” The wall next to“#leggun” is filled with Weiwei’s selfies and there is also a room devoted to Weiwei’s “studies of perspective,” in which the artist gives the middle finger to various landmarks. This room also contains twelve monitors cycling through images Weiwei has posted online. Another series of photos from New York and Beijing document Weiwei’s daily life. There is even the “Weiweicam,” in which the artist “assisted” the Chinese government in surveilling him by setting up cameras that broadcasted his every move online. Although Weiwei does sometimes turn his camera away from himself, as he does in “Relating to the Refugees,” for which the artist visited refugee camps, we might cynically interpret this work as a trailer for Weiwei’s upcoming documentary “Human Flow.” Despite its engagements with social media, technologi- cal innovation and current events, “#AiWeiwei” feels as if it’s from an earlier cultural moment, wherein societal change entailed rallying around charismatic leaders. After Occupy Wall Street, many have sought to imagine a politics without celebrity. While we ought not to downplay the persecution Weiwei has suffered at the hands of the Chinese government, it’s also unclear how this exhibition might help us with such a task. Today, there is a very real sense that the world is more interconnected than ever before, thanks in large part to the advent of social media. Yet despite their potential, the new circuits forged in our internet society often serve to amplify discontent rather than activate it. Perhaps we cannot expect art to change our world, but we ought to at least expect it to help us think about this world more deeply. (Brandon Sward) “#AiWeiwei” shows through July 2 at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 South Michigan. Wordplay sculptures from his Domestic Monuments works are in conversation with an exhibition text Produce Model Gallery series. These understated works combine by Patricia Rose. “Wordplay is Wordplay” is a As the hour of Wordplay’s opening approached, regular household items in unexpected series of vignettes about different characters the participating artists—Alberto Aguilar, Alex arrangements, resulting in completely new, interspersed with prose, all using words and Bradley Cohen and Jesse Malmed—took to no-longer-functional configurations. In this piece, images provided by the artists.The promotional Instagram to share pictures of the show. And four soccer balls are wedged between the postcard for the exhibition shows photo- pictures of each other taking pictures of the rungs of a chair; a bright yellow hula hoop graphs—Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Blue Ivy; Cohen show. It was a good last-minute reminder, sure, hangs over it all, framing the other items in its jumping over a mattress—collaged together but it also exuded the spirit of the exhibition: circle. Cohen’s contributions, three recent with a text exchange between the artists. The playful, collaborative and multi-layered. “Used paintings and a series of five smaller works three are discussing what the show will be Paper (Money Laundering)” is installed on the made between 2014-2016, are stunning as about, using emojis, jokes, misspellings, all the floor to the right of the gallery entrance. The usual. One is a portrait of Aguilar with a five language devices we employ in text messages piece is an amalgamation of 300 scraps from o’clock shadow. He wears a blue jacket not every day in the attempt to get our point across. the artists’ studios. Visitors are invited to leave unlike the one he wore to the opening. Yet it’s “We will learn to speak to each other; in manyNewcity JUNE 2017 one dollar on the pile and take a scrap of their “Why Not Try,” that steals your attention. These tongues and methods; to relearn the meaning choosing. One reads: “EAT SWEETS!” Another words, in the artist's distinct hand-lettering, take of wordplay: in unison, a cappella and apart,” fittingly features a collection of dollar signs up the whole canvas in a not-quite-linear Rose writes in her exhibition text. Communica- drawn in different colored pens. On the wall fashion. The rich brown of the “W” connects to tion can be messy, words imprecise. “There is opposite the installation hangs “OOO (The Date)” the deep purple of the “H.” A turquoise stripe always more than one conclusion,” Rose notes. by Malmed. Printed on fifteen green letter-sized separates these from “NOT” on the next line, in Art is a visual language whose meaning is fluid. sheets of paper placed side-by-side, the piece light purple, blue and tan. “TRY,” spelled Let Wordplay communicate with you as you is a nonsensical narrative that stretches onto backward, is the brightest word, in pink, find your own meaning in its gestures. (Kerry the next wall. At its end sits “Ball Corral (Text to turquoise and blue. It’s difficult to look at this Cardoza) “Wordplay” shows through June 18 at Danielle Rosen),” one of Aguilar’s gorgeous painting and come up with a rebuttal. The Produce Model Gallery, 1007 West 19th Street.46

ONE 06/ 01 Natalie Frank Alejandro T. Acierto 07/ Haas Brothers Hernan Gomez Chavez 29 Michelle Graves JUNE 2–JULY 7, 2017 Rebecca Griffith clevecarneygallery.org Wes Kline + 118 NORTH PEORIA STREET Erika Lynne Hanson CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60607 Cathy Hsiao W W W. RHOFFMANGALLERY.CO M Daniel Hojnacki Josh Johnson Abbey Muza Kaveri Raina Monica Rezman Laura Skinner Patcharida Smittinet Jacqueline Surdell Christina Warzecha Hillary Wiedemann Sara Willadsen Sarah Beth Woods &&&&&&&&&&&&&and, Department of Visual Arts MFA Thesis Exhibition 2 017 And,&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& And and and and,Part I &&&&&&&&&&&&&And,&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&and, And,PJaLaPOronrtegpBI-a&eIornn&pui&Cneg&ngge&i:ennr&Ttg,e&hBrc&uGeo&,nnaM&vlN&leae&iryrcs&yha4,to,9ilo61sn-o58:npE5,m-&660pStmhhaSntna Zentner &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&And, and,&&&&&&&&&&&EL&PlO&oEirP&zegpvVaaT-aeOaboirhnndnteppeiutCneeCIhrMInngeaIaAii:nrnnuJTttlgagfeelfhne:rrlcungeTGo,-rhBnCaMSuvlaahl,eahneoMr&yranspy&doa2a,,&utny539i&r,o,511&A&n6951&:-n,&E8EK5d6&p-ryG-66&me8l0p&weaptm&rhmHfB&iSeo&eltsadsrlnBioltv,dand, and,&&&&&&&&&&&&& and,&&&&&&&&&&&&&And,&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

EXHIBITIONSANDREW BAE GALLERY THE NEUBAUER COLLEGIUM FOR CULTURE AND SOCIETY300 W. Superior Street312 335 8601 At the University of [email protected] / andrewbaegallery.com 5701 S. Woodlawn AvenueTues-Sat 10-6 773 795 2329May 5–June 17 Jungjin Lee: Everglades and Opening [email protected] / www.neubauercollegium.uchicago.edu Mon–Fri 11-5, Sat–Sun closedBLOCK MUSEUM OF ART May 24–June 30 Mark Strand: CollagesAt Northwestern University THE RENAISSANCE SOCIETY40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, IL847 291 4000 At the University of [email protected] / blockmuseum.northwestern.edu 5811 S. Ellis Ave., Cobb Hall, 4th FloorTues, Sat–Sun 10-5, Wed–Fri 10-8, Mon closed 773 702 8670February 4–June 18 If You Remember, I’ll Remember [email protected] / www.renaissancesociety.orgApril 21–June 18 We are Revolutionaries: The Wall of Respect Tues–Fri 10-5, Sat–Sun 12-5 April 22–June 18 Klein/Olson and Chicago’s Mural MovementMay 5–June 18 Everything is Fine: Department of Art Theory RHONA HOFFMAN GALLERY and Practice MFA Thesis Exhibition 118 N. Peoria Street 312 455 1990DEPAUL ART MUSEUM [email protected] / www.rhoffmangallery.com Tues–Fri 10-5:30, Sat 11-5:30935 W. Fullerton Avenue June 2–July 7 Natalie Frank: Dancers and Dominas773 325 7506 June 2–July 7 The Haas [email protected] / museums.depaul.eduMon-Tues closed, Wed–Thurs 11-7, Fri 11-5, Sat–Sun 12-5 RICHARD GRAY GALLERYApril 27–June 18 A Matter of ConscienceApril 27–August 6 Firelei Báez: Vessels of Genealogies 875 N. Michigan Avenue, 38th FloorApril 27–August 6 Hu’o’ng Ngo: To Name It is to See It 2044 W. Carroll AvenueJune 21–August 6 Stranger Things 312 642 8877 [email protected] / www.richardgraygallery.comLINDA WARREN PROJECTS 875 N. Michigan – Mon–Fri 10-5:30 2044 W. Carroll – Wed–Sat 11-5327 N. Aberdeen, Ste. 151 April 28–June 10 Jim Dine: Looking at the Present (Carroll Ave)312 432 [email protected] / www.lindawarrenprojects.com SMART MUSEUM OF ARTTues–Sat 11-5 or by private appointmentApril 22–June 17 Gallery X & Y – Matthew Woodward: Take Care of Yourself At the University of ChicagoApril 22–June 17 Gallery O – Tom Torluemke: Sweet and Sour 5550 S. Greenwood AvenueJune 24–August 19 Gallery X – Chris Cosnowski 773 702 0200June 24–August 19 Gallery Y – Chris Uphues [email protected] / smartmuseum.uchicago.eduJune 24–August 19 Gallery O – David Reninger Tues–Wed 10-5, Thu 10-8, Fri–Sun 10-5 Until July 2 Conversations with the Collection: BelongingLOGAN CENTER EXHIBITIONS Until July 2 Jessica Stockholder: Rose’s Inclination January 17–June 11 Vostell Concrete, 1969–1973At the University of Chicago February 16–June 11 ClassicismsReva and David Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street773 702 [email protected] / www.arts.uchicago.eduTues–Sat 9-9, Sun 11-9, Mon closedMay 25–June 18 Department of Visual Arts MFA Thesis Exhibition: And and and

Dance Juan Carlos Castellon of Ensemble Español/Photo: Joanna Slowikowska DANCE TOP 5 1 Bright Half Life. About Face Theatre. This 2016 winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Play charts the complexity of com- mitment, relationships and marriage as it follows the ups and downs of a modern lesbian couple. June 1Honoring the Past 2 Pivot Arts Festival. TheWhile Preserving ten-day festival showcasesthe Present some of Chicago's top artistic innovators in theater, dance,An Interview with Jorge Perez of puppetry, hybrid/multidisciplinaryEnsemble Español Spanish Dance Theater works and spoken word/hip-hop. June 1By Sharon Hoyer 3 Pilgrims. The Gift Theatre. On a spacecraft on its way to colonize a newly discovered planet, a soldier and a teenage girl live together in one of the ship’s cabins with only an outdated robot and each other for company. June 8One of the great pleasures of living in a director about the program as well as the 4 Pass Over. Steppenwolf JUNE 2017 Newcitymajor metropolis is easy access to cultural bright future of this Chicago cultural institution. Theatre Company.Inspired bytreasures like Ensemble Español Spanish both \"Waiting for Godot\" and theDance Theater. Tucked away in their home Would you tell us a little about some of Book of Exodus, this bold new playbase at Northeastern Illinois University and the highlights on the program at North combines pop culture, historical andfounded by Dame Libby Komaiko, the first Shore Center? religious references into a hilariousAmerican artist to receive “Lazo de Dama” It encompasses what we do under one roof: and disturbing mediation onfrom the King of Spain, the ensemble is the classical, flamenco and folklore dance. Our manhood, race and the cycle ofkeeper of the flame for Spanish performance theme is raíces or roots. We’re opening the violence that prevents too many fromarts in the American Midwest. Ensemble program with the beautiful Madrileño from the realizing their full potential. June 10Español celebrates over forty years this 1800s, looking to transport folks back in time,season with their annual International and we’re ending the show with the contempo- 5 Late Company. Cor Theatre.American and Spanish Dance and Music rary “Iroko” ballet, set on us last year, in honor A shockingly funny, scathinglyFestival June 7-24—the centerpiece of which of our fortieth anniversary. We’re closing the painful drama set on Chicago's Northis a weekend of performances at the North first act with a world premiere by guest artist Shore about LGBTQ youth and theShore Center for the Performing Arts in Angel Rojas. Angel used music originally scourge of teen suicide. June 19Skokie June 16-18. I spoke with Jorge Perez, commissioned by Diaghilev for the BalletsEnsemble Español’s irrepressible executive Russes. Angel wanted to show the audience 49

that there is a dancer behind the costume, shedding the elaborate stage. We’ve performed in China, in Poland, in Mexico, Puerto Rico; costumes and sets to show the essence of the dancer. We also have a our First Dancer has taught in Australia, in Canada. We’re also working world premiere by Carlos Rodriguez and we asked if he would set a new on an exchange program with a Spanish dance company in Cuba. piece in the bulerias style as well, traditional with a contemporary twist. Here are two non-Spanish companies, preserving this art form and now It’s an exciting program honoring the past while preserving the present. exchanging ideas. This is what art does!—talk about uniting people. And many pieces are accompanied by live music? That’s the beauty and magic of what Ensemble Español has been doing for forty years. Yes, we have Patricia Ortega, a singer from Spain, guitarist David And this weekend is part of a larger, month-long festival. Chiriboga, guitarist and singer Paco Fonta and percussionist Javier Saume-Mazzei. We have a dance of the shoes set by company dancer Correct. We do a kickoff at the Old Town School of Folk Music in the Olivia [Serrano] on her first company. They’ll also be performing “Mi flamenco style. It’s a smaller stage and smaller ensemble. It’s all live Deseo” which premiered at the Auditorium Theatre last year. It’s exciting music. Then we teach for one week, morning to night, all three styles to be accompanied by the live musicians. of Spanish dance—folklore, flamenco and classical—10am to 9:45pm. You mentioned that Angel Rojas and Carlos Rodriguez are We’re keeping some of the musicians for the classes to give the guest artists from Madrid. How did that relationship blossom? students the experience they would get if they were in Madrid or the southern part of Spain taking classes. Classes are for all levels. We’ve been admirers of them for years. We had a survey with our Is there anything else about the program or the company you’d senior dancers of who they would like to see. Irma [artistic director, like to speak about? Suárez Ruíz] and I and some of our dancers had seen them in the Miami Flamenco Festival years ago and we were taken with the This past season we’re honored to receive a matching grant from the beautiful choreography they had set on the National Ballet of Spain. Caerus Foundation to raise $1.5 million dollars. It’s not the norm for a We met them backstage and got their contact information. This was culturally specific organization to receive this opportunity. Sure, for the a year or two before our fortieth anniversary. When their name came Lyric Opera, American Ballet Theatre maybe, but for a culturally specific up in our survey to our dancers we decided to reach out to them and organization to receive a grant like this is exciting and unusual. We’ve they were excited to work with us. We reached out to two foundations put three of our dancers on minimum wage and our goal is to have a and were able to have them come and set the piece, as well as help core of six to seven dancers paid to expand our outreach program in with costume design and original music. Their idea was to show how the community… and to tour more as we continue our dream of having the roots of Spanish tradition are grounded to the future, the branches a full time company. We have to secure the future of this art form to go of the tree, which are the dancers. It has fantastic original music in on for generations. the flamenco style—you have tangos, fandangos—it’s a gorgeous, fifteen-minute ballet. We were able to take it to Spain and the “Raíces” takes place at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts audience loved it. in Skokie, 9501 Skokie Boulevard, (847)673-6300. June 16-18. $30-$50. Duende Flamenco Music & Dance Concert takes place at the Old Town Carlos has more ideas and was so excited to find this gem of a School of Folk Music, 4544 North Lincoln, (773)728-6000. Wednesday, company in the US that’s preserving this art form on this kind of a June 7 at 8:30pm. Free. For more info, visit ensembleespanol.org.Newcity JUNE 2017 50