Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni. ✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
If you thought refrigerators were just for storing food or showing off your kindergartner's fingerpainting masterpiece, think again; for the folks at ComEd, this household appliance is truly a work of art.
Starting Monday, August 2, pedestrians strolling along the Magnificent Mile will get to witness "Fine Art Fridges," an art exhibit that showcases refrigerators that have been recycled and made into art.
The exhibit is in conjunction with ComEd's Appliance Recycling Program, in which old refrigerators or deep freezers, usually extra ones, are removed from customers' homes to promote the use of more energy efficient models. Also, many of the pieces in the exhibit will contain well-known Chicago architecture.
Some of the Michigan Avenue locations for the exhibit include The Omni Hotel, Tiffany's and Grand Lux Café.
For more information about the "Fine Art Fridges" exhibit, visit www.comed.com.
If you find yourself in the West Loop at some point over the next month make sure to stop by Thomas Robertello Gallery at 939 W. Randolph and check out the collaborative video by Brooklyn-based artists Jason Robert Bell and Marni Kotak playing continuously in their storefront window today through September 6. The video, titled "Double Face Fantasy" (named after John and Yoko's final record, Double Fantasy) shows the faces of a pair of lovers performing a narcissistic-yet-romantic duet. Presented as a moving diptych, each artist finger paints the other's face, revealing a self-portrait of the painter. Using the application of paint to uncover flesh, the lovers find themselves quite literally emerging through the eyes of their soulmate. Romantic, huh? The press release says the video is best viewed from the sidewalk after dark, so go there after a dinner date at The Publican or Blackbird or somewhere and you may just seal the deal.
Last night I met a wonderfully spirited artist Marilyn Propp, co-founder of Anchor Graphics. We talked all about art, Chicago and painting. I just got a chance to visit her site and I have to say bravo. A lively style that references late Philip Guston, without all the gloom and doom, painted on multiple panels. Some come together in organic circular forms that remind me of cellular clusters. Others are strips, but still organic in nature they have the quality of an amoeba. These references to the building blocks of all life are a great base to make these active and lively works.
It is amazing how many people don't know much about printmaking. I was trained in the ways of printmaking back in 1997 over at UIC. I learned that I had patience and was attracted to the process of creating things, not just the outcome. In printmaking you have to have patience, because every step of creating a print is important to the end product, which you might not get the opportunity to see for a month or more.
Pitchfork is streaming the documentary You Weren't There: A History of Chicago Punk, 1977-1984 (2007) on Pitchfork TV for one week only. Watching a whole film on the internet isn't the best way to watch something but Pitchfork has broken down the documentary in segments so if you can't really take it, you can watch what you want when you want. You Weren't There profiles Chicago's underground punk scene, showing footage of bands like Naked Raygun, Subverts, and the Effiges in their heyday. If you like what you see, you can also purchase the film through Regressive Films's website.
Watch You Weren't Therehere before it leaves the internet.
The Black Women's Expo is traditionally known for having something in store for everyone, and this year is no different.
Now in its 17th year, this two-day event, held on Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8, will feature educational seminars, literary and music workshops and live entertainment for all attendees.
On Saturday during the expo, the big and small screens will be celebrated with the "Film, Screenwriters and Television Seminar." Geared towards aspiring filmmakers, a panel of industry figures, including actor Ernest Thomas ("What's Happening!!," "Everybody Hates Chris"), Chicago native and actress Cynda Williams (One False Move, Mo Better Blues, Introducing: Dorothy Dandridge) and producer and director Darryl Roberts, will speak to audience members about how to get started in and maintain a career in filmmaking.
Other events include a fashion show and a poetry showcase featuring spoken word artists.
The Black Women's Expo will be held at the McCormick Place's North Building, Hall C1, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Saturday, Aug. 7, 10am-8pm and Sunday, Aug. 8, 11am-7pm. Tickets are $10 for adults; $5 for children and seniors. For more information about other events during the expo weekend, visit the website or contact 312-243-3554.
Hey, everyone. Before we dive into this week's releases I wanted to tell you about something so stupendous, so magnificent, happening in Chicagoland in a couple weeks, that any true movie lover...hell, any true Chicagoan...would be a fool to miss. And to top it all off, the event in question is free.
On Friday, August 13, the good folks of the Alamo Drafthouse's 2010 Rolling Roadshow (co-sponsored by Levi's brand) have organized a screening of the classic John Landis-directed The Blues Brothers to take place in the only place it truly could--just outside the walls of the Old Joliet Prison--from where "Joliet" Jake Blues (John Belushi) is released at the beginning of the film. The address is 1125 Collins Street, Joliet, IL. Make it your mission from God to make it to this once-in-a-lifetime event. Start time appears to be 8pm. Don't be late. And did I mention, the screening is free? Well, it is.
In a society where heart disease, obesity, and diabetes are in the news and health journals every day, has anyone stopped to think about why this is a continuing problem in the U.S.? Many documentarians have and films like Food Inc. have spread a doom and gloom attitude about today's food industry. Fresh is a film that brings a little sunshine to the growing food movement. Director Sofia Joanes explores the rebel industry of pesticide and hormone free farms that seek to create a food product that is good for us, the environment, and the plants and animals that provide it.
Fresh screens at the Gene Siskel Film Center July 30 through August 5. After the July 31 screening, Evanston/Skokie organization the Talking Farm will direct a Q&A about how they try to create sustainable urban agriculture through education and great food. Tickets are $10 general admission, $7 for regular students, $4 for SAIC students, and $5 Film Center members. Tickets can be purchased through the Film Center's box office or their website. Check out the trailer for Fresh below. Feel good about our food society again!
In honor of its 35th anniversary, Lillstreet Art Center conducted a small ceremony to unveil its new mural last Saturday. As people arrived, they were greeted with an enormous blue tarp hanging down over the building near the front door that covered the mural. Inside, refreshments were served and everyone was excited to get outside and see the mural for the first time.
Once outside, Some speakers were introduced including Lillstreet's founder and CEO, Bruce Robbins. Unfortunately it was impossible to hear anyone outside but the mural spoke for itself.
Adhered to the exterior brick wall on the west side of the building, the mural is a swirled 40 square foot thing of beauty. It's like a mosiac made from leftover pieces of tile and other objects from the Lillstreet studios. The outer ring is composed of clay hand molds from Lillstreet students. Everyone was applauding and reaching their arms in the air with cameras in hand.
Lillstreet always makes an exemplary effort to bring communities together and this was no exception. The mural itself was the result of a 4-week mural-making class taught by Sonata Kazimieraitiene and it utilized the students' hard work and creativity as well as found objects from the studios that would have otherwise gone to waste. The mural is a great addition to Lillstreet's permanent collection.
Daniel Pritzker, a professional musician and one of the country's richest men, has directed a truly unique film that demonstrates once again that the Pritzkers are excellent at using their fortune to advance art and culture.
Louis stars Jackie Earle Haley, Shanti Lowry and Anthony Coleman in a silent film set in 1907 New Orleans. Here's the synopsis from the film's website:
Shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond as a modern re-imagining of early silent film, LOUIS is an homage to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, beautiful women and the birth of American music. The grand Storyville bordellos, alleys and cemeteries of 1907 New Orleans provide a backdrop of lust, blood and magic for 6-year-old Louis (Coleman) as he navigates the colorful intricacies of life in the city. Young Louis's dreams of playing the trumpet are interrupted by a chance meeting with a beautiful and vulnerable girl named Grace (Lowry) and her baby, Jasmine. Haley, in a performance reminiscent of the great comic stars of the silent screen, plays the evil Judge Perry who is determined not to let Jasmine's true heritage derail his candidacy for governor.
The film begins a five-city tour here in Chicago at the Symphony Center on Aug. 25 with live music accompaniment provided by jazz legend Wynton Marsalis, pianist Cecile Licad and a 10-piece all-star jazz ensemble. Tickets are $40 to $60, and part of the proceeds from the five concerts will benefit Providence Saint Mel School.
It wasn't until I saw The Nine's raucous staging of Suburbia this past winter that I realized how irrelevant Eric Bogosian's plays have become. But while that production had its problems, it still utilized its bare-bones budget and empty playing space to breathe life into a grating, dated piece of work. The State Theatre's current production of Bogosian's Talk Radio (which is, arguably, his best and most relevant play), which follows Barry Champlain, a shock-talk DJ on the night before his popular radio show goes national, overpopulates, overcrowds, and over-conceptualizes by burying the text beneath bundles of wire, video screens, and Mac computers that have no place in a play set in 1987.
Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston in the 1925 silent film The Freshman.
At the six corners of Irving, Milwaukee, and Cicero, a couple doors north of a store that has the words "Thom McCann" embedded in gold script in the entryway, and across from what used to be a restaurant called Mr. Steer, is the Portage Theater. Built in 1920, and refurbished in recent years (it was used as a location for the 2008 film Public Enemies), it has been home to the Silent Film Society of Chicago's annual Silent Summer Film Festival for a number of years.
The West End Jazz Band made an appearance Friday night to mark the opening of this year's festival, warming up the audience as advertisements for area merchants, most of whom I'd never heard of before, were projected onto the screen: Tunar Design Group; Safety Signs & Lighting; and one that said, simply "Advertise On This Screen, $25".
Organist Dennis Scott, dressed in a tuxedo, introduced the film lineup to the audience: a 1919 short starring Harold Lloyd and Bibi Daniels entitled Bumping into Broadway; and the main event -- the 1925 film The Freshman.
[Editor's note: This article was submitted by freelance writer Michael Moreci.]
All photos courtesy of Ag47
Reaching out to children, as a mentor, is never an easy thing. But the difficulty of finding a common ground works both ways. Often, children have trouble communicating fully with adults; they feel that their voices aren't heard, their opinions not appreciated, or they simply aren't comfortable opening up in the first place. The women who run Ag47, a Logan Square arts mentorship program catering to pre-teen and teenage girls, never take these communication gaps for granted.
"All the girls come because they love the idea of being listened to, being heard by an adult," Executive Director Virginia Killian Lund said.
Ag47 is more than a mentorship program. The foundation of reaching out to children on a creative level is what fosters an environment of expression and the idea that everyone has a story to tell, everyone has a unique perspective on the world. Having just wrapped up its first six-week session, the program is off to a quick start. And the result of this inaugural run? An inspiring collection of photographs, paintings, and poems that is currently touring the city.
The women who started Ag47, including Lund, had all worked together before, with a different mentorship program. When that program closed, the big question was, what next?
I raced home to watch "Poirot" on WTTW and was greeted by some really odd audio that got fixed towards the end of the program.
First of all, the sound when the characters were speaking was echo-y, then I noticed that whenever the characters stopped talking and there was just visual action, a female voice would describe every non-dialogue scene. It happened from the beginning of the show towards the last part, when Poirot had everyone sit around (as is typical in Agatha Christie mysteries) to sum up and solve the murders.
I kept wondering who the phantom narrator was, and why. Then I surmised that it's probably a version of "Poirot" for blind people, because every single aspect of the show had either dialogue or specific descriptions of what was going on.
Well I'm glad that someone at Channel 11 had the sense to correct the problem, though I was growing increasingly dependent on the extensive narration, especially when I had to leave the room to make something to eat :D
I've started a gallery-- 345 Gallery-- in the Flat Iron Building (1579 N. Milwaukee) along with local artist and Genesis Art Supply employee, Charlie Megna. You can see pictures of our last show on his blog. The gallery doesn't have a website yet, but it will soon. Our first curated show, opening August 27, will focus on color. If you like color, you should absolutely submit jpegs of your color-conscious artwork to me for consideration in the show. I'm not just talking about colorful work; I'd like to see work about color. I'm very exited about this show, and I have a feeling that it'll be a good one, because a lot of people seem to like color as much as I do.
Submit up to five jpegs of your work (any media-- send a URL if you've got a video) to me at kr@gapersblock.com by August 9 for consideration. Please include dimensions and only submit work that you'll be able to personally drop off at the gallery if it's accepted.
Chicago area visual artists are encouraged to submit work to an art exhibition to kick off Chicago Artists Month that will sponsored by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Chicago Arts District and Gapers Block. A panel of three Gapers Block staffers will curate the show, and selected artists will participate in the exhibition on Friday, October 1 from 6-10pm at 2001 S. Halsted Street.
Hey everyone. This is a light week for film releases anyway, but with my travel schedule what it is this week (I'm in San Diego covering Comic-Con), I'm afraid I've missed the week's biggest opening, Salt, starring Angelina Jolie. Because of this trip, I'm missing a couple of next week's films as well. Sorry, no Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore review. We should be mostly back on track the following week.
One other thing going on for the next week beginning today (Friday), the Gene Siskel Film Center is bringing back one of my (and Roger Ebert's) favorite documentaries of the year, director Jennifer Burns' Vincent: A Life in Color. You can read my original review here. But I wanted to let you know that Burns and star Vincent P. Falk will be present for audience discussion at all Friday-Saturday-Sunday screenings and at all 8pm screenings on Monday through Thursday.
I seriously don't get it. Why would WTTW, home of documentaries, British dramas and mystery series, independent movies, and other seemingly sophisticated programming create something that is so unnecessary and resembles what we can get on commercial TV?
I'm talking about "The Chicago Stand-Up Project". If we want to see the struggles of comedy, why not show us comedians trying to make it, instead of random Chicagoans who are not funny, even though they've been coached? I saw last week's episode with meteorologist Amy Freeze (not funny) and Olympian Shani Davis (a little funny), and I thought I was no longer in the nation's third largest media market.
Newsflash: there's a lot of good comedy in Chicago, and a lot of emerging comedians here, so show us them, not personalities whose placement doesn't make sense. Maybe it's really a promotional vehicle for Zanies and everyone involved with the show. It's amateur and doesn't give us any insight into how comedy is created, and it's not even entertaining.
If you want to see the second installment of this baffling production, then watch tomorrow night (Friday) at 8:30 pm. They'll probably rerun it during the weekend, just like they did last week. Which was enough for me.
Registration begins now! For a graphic novel camp taught by renowned cartoonist Nicole Hollander who is the creator of famous "Sylvia" cartoon strip. Starting at Lill Street Art Center, 4401 N Ravenswood Ave. from August 2nd to the 6th, this unique one-week camp enables children from ages 10 to 14 to create their own short graphic novel. No previous experience is necessary! Camp fees are $175 for Lillstreet Members and $180 for non-members. To register, visit lillstreet.com or call 773-769-4226.
Registration is open for a graphic novel camp taught by renowned cartoonist Nicole Hollander, creator of famous "Sylvia" cartoon strip. From August 2 to the 6, this one-week camp at Lillstreet Art Center enables children from ages 10 to 14 to create their own short graphic novel. Camp fees are $175 for Lillstreet members and $180 for non-members. To register, visit lillstreet.com or call 773-769-4226.
Zoe (Corri Feuerstein) kicks some ass while Sylvia (Sara Sevigny) enjoys a cocktail.
The best thing about The Factory Theater is that every production comes from original writing by ensemble members. The League of Awesome marks the first Factory writing credits for Corri Feuerstein and Sara Sevigny, who also appear in the play as Zoe and Sylvia respectively, and is the directorial debut for Matt Engle.
The storyline is typical Factory-style madcap: there is a villain afoot in the city by the name of Drake Hurtcliffe (Dan Granata), aka The Sorrowmaker, and the local cadre of superheroes -- The League of Awesome -- is out to get him. The league is a band of women: Zoe, aka The Beacon (Corri Feuerstein); Kitty, aka Cat Scratch (Erin Myers); and Rumble (Melissa Tropp). It soon becomes apparent that Sylvia, a bookworm with a drinking habit, has superpowers of her own that involve a near-photographic memory of The Hardy Boys book series. She becomes part of The League, as does her sister Penny (Angelina Martinez), who has the power to get terrible songs stuck in other people's heads, rendering them immobile.
If you're in the mood for spoken word, graffiti art, live painting, and good music, all in one action-packed evening, then you won't want to miss Lethal Poetry's "A Night of Sight and Sound."
In this "mini festival of arts," a myriad of artists, singers, painters, dancers and musicians all come together to perform for an expressive artistic experience and also to support Alternatives, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides after-school activities for Chicago youth.
Some of the artists in the line-up include performance poetry and folk alternative band The Mojdeh Project, trip hop artist and dancer Scarlet Monk, hip-hop artist Precise, poet Roger Bonair-Agard, and many more.
A "Night of Sight and Sound" will be held on Saturday, July 31 at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont. Tickets are $10 online/$15 at the door. Contact 630-201-2773 for more information.
Just when I thought I was a pop culture professional, especially when it came to "all things Chicago," something manages to slip by my radar: I never knew that actress Janet Hubert, better known as [the original] "Aunt Viv" from "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," is from Chicago.
Yesterday, TV One premiered the new season of its biographical series "Life After," with Hubert's profile kicking off the season. In the half-hour program, she noted her Chicago roots, even listing her former address at 6131 S. Aberdeen in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood. She also mentioned that her parents moved her and her brothers to Momence, Illinois to begin a new life away from "the big city."
In addition, Hubert talked about her accomplishments in dance and theatre, her book, and of course, her departure and subsequent replacement on the popular sitcom.
"Life After: Janet Hubert," repeats on Sunday, July 25, at 7pm. Here is a preview of the show:
Katsushika Hokusai: "The Great Wave off Kanagawa." Image courtesy of Floating World Gallery
If you missed it in May, Chicago's Floating World Gallery is giving you a second chance to attend "The Great Wave: An Introduction to Japanese Woodblock Prints" on Saturday, July 31. The free seminar, designed for collectors, will provide audiences the chance view original museum quality prints up close. FWG Director of Exhibitions Elias Martin will share insights into Japanese print genres, and explore not only the history of the art form, but also production techniques, and collecting strategies. Works of artists such as Katsushika Hokusai, Kawase Hasui, and Kiyoshi Saito will be discussed.
The event takes place at Floating World Gallery (1925 N. Halsted St.) Saturday, July 31 from 1-3 pm. A reception will follow the seminar. Admission is free, but space is limited. To reserve your spot, email classes@floatingworld.com, or call 312-587-7800.
Packer Schopf Gallery is currently showcasing the work of Catherine Jacobi, Nancy Bardawil and Casey Gunschel, Danny Hein, and Harry Young. Jacobi's solo exhibit, entitled "Gleaners, Hawkers and Reapers," features a conceptual found object sculpture through which Jacobi explores the novelty of form. Bardawil and Gunschel have worked in tandem to present "Skivery," an exhibit merging Bardawil's paintings, and hand-tooled leather frames, with Gunschel's sculptures.
Painting by Nancy Bardawil and sculptures by Casey Gunschel
"South Country Scrapbook," a series of drawings by Hein, have been inspired by the artist's youth in rural Indiana. He has described the figures of his work as "corn-fed ghosts." "The Cowboy Constructions of Harry Young Circa 1930-1950" will round out the exhibition. Young's works include hand drawn cardboard figures of cowboys, lawmen, and horses.
Packer Schopf Gallery (942 W. Lake St.) will feature the works until August 21. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 11 am to 5:30 pm. For more information, visit www.packergallery.com.
Now in its third decade, hip-hop, throughout its evolution, has experienced its fare share of ups and downs; yet, it has remained as perhaps the most dominant force in the entertainment industry. In I Still Love H.E.R. (atributetohiphop), writer/director Wendell Tucker, who hails from Chicago's South Side, celebrates hip hop by addressing those peaks and valleys and explains why it's still very easy to love "h.e.r."
The play is similarly titled to fellow Chicago native Common's 1994 tribute to hip-hop, "I Used to Love H.E.R"; for him, the acronym meant "Hip Hop in its Essence is Real"--what does it mean for you and your cast?
"Hip Hop's Every Rhythm." We love everything about it--the good, bad, and everything in between. To love something, you've got to take the good, the bad and the ugly.
Elysabeth Alfano interviews Tony Tasset about his three-story creation, "Eye," in this Fear no ART Chicago webisode. Alfano and Tasset take you behind the scenes to the construction of the over-sized eyeball sculpture, and share their own impressions of the piece.
I recently took a weeklong hiatus from Chicago to cruise to Bermuda with my family and Chicago followed me all the way to the Atlantic Ocean! Second City, Chicago's famous improvisational comedy troupe is in the middle of a four-month contract with the cruise boat I ventured out on- the Norwegian Dawn. On a boat dominated by East Coasters-- New Jersey and Long Island accents a-plenty-- I was so excited to see these hilarious Chicagoans on the list of entertainment for the week.
In case you missed "The Garry Meier Special" last week, you can see it again tonight at midnight on Me-TV, which is channel 23 on regular TV, and channel 223 on Comcast.
I saw it and was puzzled about why the interviews with a variety of interesting, well-known people were short, so I asked Garry about it. He said that the show is "a compilation of four full shows I had taped. They decided to cut them into one bigger show using pieces from the four...All the interviews were longer in their original form."
He also purposely chose to use a cheesy set, which is worth a look. He takes his work very seriously, so if you perceive any imperfections, they'll probably be ameliorated in future shows.
Artist Dan Gamble will open his second solo show with Zg Gallery this Friday, July 23. Gamble's exhibit, entitled "Phenomena" includes works describing the existence between opposing conditions, including abstraction vs. figuration, and order vs. chaos. The artist describes his images as puzzles consisting "of many false starts and abandoned paths." Gamble explains, "I consider my work visual inventions; a synthesis of organic forms and geometric structures in which each image presents numerous possibilities."
"Cog," egg tempera on panel, by Dan Gamble
The "Phenomena" opening reception will occur July 23, 5:30-7:30 pm at Zg Gallery (300 W. Superior St.). Gamble's exhibit will run through September 4, 2010. Zg Gallery's regular hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am - 5:30 pm.
Editor's Note: This story was submitted by Patrick Boylan, editor of The Welles Park Bulldog.
The heat of summer may cause some wilting of the flowers, plants and the participants in these late season garden walks. In our own garden we've seen unusual growthamong some plants, probably due to the wet and warm late spring. Other plants have been disappointing.
So it goes with garden walks and even for caring for a garden walk calendar. What happened to the huge garden walk in Lakeview this year? Will someone step forward in Norwood Park to help that garden club move forward next year? Several walks I wanted to feature did not get their information together on time.
Who will review these garden walks? Can we get a rating system for them going?
The garden and gardening can be an activity full of love and surprises. Gardeners are secret politicians, with an environmental message. And they are traditional home makers, moms, husbands and even children. Their message is subliminally that we don't need to go to the grocery store, there are wonderful things to eat in our yard. Or as my mother always told me: go play outside!
The Victory Garden was an effort to help feed the domestic population in World War II. This year, to commemorate that effort the Peterson Garden Project planted a Victory Garden at Peterson and Campbell. You can read more about it on the blog of the founder: http://theyarden.com. I look forward to their harvest.
We need your feedback. We are approaching the part of the year when there are no more garden walks, when the farmers markets pull out.
We missed a number of garden walks, ignored those that were away from the city. And we didn't talk much about gardening. Please take a moment and talk to us.
What did we miss? Should we review the farmers markets? Should we have discussed the lectures on gardening? How can you participate in this calendar?
Last night was the opening, or unveiling, of WPBMakeBelieve, which is a project that asked artists to envision commerce of Wicker Park Bucktown as it would be in the future. All of the work is accessible 24 hours a day because they are housed in storefront spaces and lots that are currently vacant. The selection process was extensive, and now there are only 10 artists or art groups left. These 10 finalists have built there installations within spaces in a two block stretch near the Milwaukee and Ashland intersection.
When I ran an Ain't It Cool contest for tickets to the Chicago Inception screening last week, I asked those who entered to tell me what they thought the film was about when they saw the first trailer. Now having seen it twice, I can say with complete confidence that nobody, including me, came even close to capturing just what this miraculous effort accomplishes. The first thing you have to realize is that Inception isn't simply a movie; it's a symphony of images, ideas, performances and, yes, music that is meant to continue on living and breathing in your head long, long after you've taken it all in. And it is absolutely crucial that you see Inception twice before you really form your opinion about it. The work is not confusing, but it is dense and layered and complicated and is a powerful exercise in using your brain. Don't let any of that scare you. Seeing it the second time wasn't as much about clearing things up as it was making a select few fuzzy moments become crystal clear and tightly focused in my mind.
Another thing you must realize about Inception (and this may be something you've figured out long ago) is that writer-director Christopher Nolan's brain works differently than the rest of us humans. His eyes see the world as something that needs deconstructing and rearranging. This is evident going all the way back to his first feature, Following, but it really became clear with 2000's Memento, a mystery that was only a mystery because the story was told in reverse through the eyes of a man with no short-term memory. Perhaps the only truly disappointing thing about Nolan's work on Batman Begins and The Dark Knight is that he doesn't quite have the free to tinker with reality. But that doesn't mean he isn't playing up the psychological elements of the plot. Sure, The Joker is the villain, but he's a villain in whom we see fractured pieces of ourselves. He's the sum total of a broken society and the ugliest parts of human behavior.
Nick Freed and Natalie DiCristofano as Trick and Claudia. Photo by Tom McGrath.
When you sit down at Right Brain Project's new play, Hesperia, you may notice an uber-friendly barefooted actress scampering around the hot little black box of a theater, introducing herself to the audience members and thanking them for coming. If you're like me, you may think to yourself, "Huh? Is this a cult? Have I stumbled in on some sort of church service?" Then, upon inspection of your program, when you find the hymn printed on the back, you'll really start to sweat.
"The Van" by Andrea Jablonski of local band Rabid Rabbit
So there's this book called "Art of Touring" that came out recently filled with art, photos, writing and other goodies made by members of touring bands while on the road. It's been getting a lot of positive attention lately, so local artist/musician Andrea Jablonski and Johalla Project's Anna Cerniglia have curated a show opening at JP on Friday, showcasing some of the art from the book plus a plethora of fresh art and ephemera made by local musicians. Artists include members of The Ponys, Mucca Pazza, Califone, Wilco and Flosstradamus among many others.
When you're out and about on Friday stop by the opening of the show. It'll be at Johalla Proects (1561 N. Milwaukee Ave.) from 7 to 11pm. If you miss the opening, the show will stay up through August 7 for you to check out. Also, keep your ears peeled for an interview that WBEZ's 848 did with the curators and a few of the artists in the gallery yesterday.
If you haven't been keeping tabs on comedian Deon Cole, now is a good time to start; according to Variety, the Chicago-born funnyman is one of the industry's "10 Comics to Watch."
Cole's career began with his days in local Chicago comedy clubs, then on to cable TV specials and movies, and finally culminated as an Emmy-nominated staff writer of the now defunct "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien."
Here, Cole speaks to Variety about his comedic influences, what it's like being a member of "Team Coco" and how he really considers himself "just a guy from the South Side of Chicago doing standup."
Margaret Hicks of Chicago Elevated loves Chicago and its many unique neighborhoods, and if you've ever been fortunate enough to take one of her walking tours, you no doubt agree. Sunday evening, I joined her Boystown tour, eager to learn more about a neighborhood I've known to be chill yet vibrant; full of unique restaurants, bars, and shops; and, most importantly, bursting with people who can and do express their individuality with abandon. There's no denying that I was already a fan of Boystown, but there was an awful lot I had yet to learn about the neighborhood. And that's where the Chicago Elevated Boystown Tour comes in.
Appropriately, Hicks kicks off the tour at Roscoe's, the neighborhood's first gay bar to open up its windows over two decades ago. From here, the tour migrates down Halsted, incorporating such spots as the Leigh Gallery, the former Mandel Bros Warehouse, and down to the Playground Improv Theater. Heading back northward along Boystown's primary thoroughfare, Hicks describes the history of the gay movement in the U.S., how the movement manifested in Chicago, and even how Nixon--yes, Nixon--played an integral (though inadvertent) role in the extended lifespan of gay bars in Chicago.
The Summer Stone Theory Institute presents an informal lecture by James Elkins in the Morton auditorium at the Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave., on July 18 at 1pm. This year's event addresses one of the central puzzles of contemporary art practice: the choice between continuations of modernism with its aesthetic values and the many kinds of postmodernism, which include politics, gender and identity.
It's hard to write about Daddy Long Legs without commenting on the scenery. Bruised Orange has taken their latest out of the tight black boxes most other fringe companies call home and to the beach (Leone Beach, to be specific, just east of Touhy and Sheridan). Were this a frothy cocktail of beach-bum shenanigans this decision would seem natural, but artistic director Clint Sheffer's script is a pulpy, noirish period piece with twisty, tough-guy language and plenty of combat. It's a bold move, to be sure, offering delights and frustrations in equal measure.
This Arkansas family will probably set a world record because of the frequency of their family reunions. And amazingly, I know their Chicago relative, because he's my boss. His name is Jason Skaggs, and his mom is the seventh sibling of the Phillips family featured in this piece (her first name is Shirlene, which sounds quite southern, actually).
Here's a radio guy who's got a face for TV too: Garry Meier, who looks really good for 60 years old.
It's not just about looks, of course, but that's what seems to matter for TV, since we see a lot of vacuous people flapping their gums in front of lots of people just because they have the right smile without too much brain.
But the reason why Garry should be doing more media is because he is a nice guy, professional, a hard worker, and isn't arrogant or jerky at all. I've talked to him on a number of occasions and he's never pulled the "Why are you talking to me? I'm a radio legend you mere mortal."
You can see "The Garry Meier Special" at 10:30 pm on Sunday, July 11 on WCIU. The show will run again at midnight on Saturday, July 17 on Me-TV.
And you can hear an interview I did with him before he got the TV gig (he rarely gives interviews).
At the Nightingale Gallery last night I saw something that I have been waiting to see for a long time, a one person show featuring Celeste Neuhaus. Celeste is, if you don't already know, an artist who is wholly in touch with her experience and lives her life honestly to that end. This show, which also has a few video pieces, features a collection of paintings, assemblages, and collages all of which we will just consider objects. I have known Celeste for over 12 years now and she never ceases to amaze me, whether that being her as a person, or in terms of her artwork.
Johnson Publishing
Company, headquartered in Chicago, has long been considered by many to be the premiere media entity dedicated to the lifestyle of African-Americans. Its magazines, Ebony and Jet, have been a staple in black households since they were first published in the 40s and 50s, respectively.
For those who are nostalgic and want to catch up on a bit of history, complete, back issues of Jet (published weekly) are now available online. It is interesting to see the evolution of the magazine from its inception (it started out at just 15 cents per issue) to the present, complete with features on major historical events, classic product ads, entertainment and political news, and of course, the "Jet Beauty of the Week."
Editor's Note: This story was submitted by Patrick Boylan, editor of The Welles Park Bulldog.
It's mid-summer, the gardens are well watered from a continuing series of storms in late June and they should be at a glorious height of color. The issue in late June and also in mid-July is one of choice. There are far too many garden walks crowded in a few weeks and some of the largest take place at this time of the year.
However, some small, underappreciated neighborhoods also feature their yards. What a great chance to meet neighbors and see what the character of a neighborhood is. Bowmanville, a small North Side community with a tiny commercial heart, is tucked between a cemetery and Ravenswood. Yet it has award-winning gardens, community gardens, landscapes and has won the attention of Chicagoland Gardening Magazine. Bucktown devoted considerable attention to identifying its trees and put out docents and guide materials for its walk. It was very successful. Plus this trendy area has gotten its business community, principally its taverns, involved by offering entertainment to guests. What a winning combination!
Due to a slightly overwhelming travel schedule and work load this week, I've had next to no time to devote to keeping you informed about what films are worth checking out and which aren't. And so I'm going to resort to something I haven't done in well over a year, possibly closer to two: the movie round-up. One or two paragraphs per review, regardless of whether they cost $200 million or $200,000 to make. I'm not a fan of these, but I don't really have a choice. A lot opens this weekend, so let's get to it...
The reception is free, and takes place at 33 E. Congress Parkway, basement lobby, room # LL11. A media lounge, where guests can check out CDs and published work by participants, performers and ASAE members, will be open all night.
Starting today, when you pass by Pritzker Park at the corner of State Street and Van Buren you're going to get stared at. That's right, Tony Tasset's much-anticipated "Eye" opens today. The 30-foot-tall eyeball sculpture will be there for your viewing pleasure through October 31, thanks to the Chicago Loop Alliance. Be sure to check out Tasset's series of banners entitled "Cardinal" as well. After you've had a chance to check out Tasset's latest art installations, let us know what you think. Love 'em or hate 'em?
For dance lovers who've been feeling the dry spell that the summer months often bring to the local performance scene, you're about to get your thirst quenched. The Chicago Human Rhythm Project will present "JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance," August 4, 5, and 7 at the Museum of Contemporary Art. CHRP carries on the tradition of tap dance in America, celebrating the heritage of the art form and fostering its continued development in the community through education and scholarships for young tappers, and year-round performances. This year's "JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance" will showcase the abundant talent of CHRP. No two performances the same, each show will feature different sets of performers and repertoire. The final presentation with feature BAM!, CHRP's resident ensemble, as well as other popular Chicago tap ensembles, including the Cartier Collective, Chicago Tap Theatre, Jump Rhythm Jazz Project, Jus'LisTeN, and MADD Rhythms.
Performances take place at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, Aug. 4, Thursday, Aug. 5, and Saturday, Aug. 7. CHRP will present all three shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. Tickets to the "JUBA!" performances are $30 for non-Rhythm World participants, and are selling out quickly. To reserve yours, or to find out more about CHRP, visit http://chicagotap.org, or call 773-281-1825.
Fulfill those fantasies of scantily clad women reading to you in iambic pentameter during The Poetry Brothel's "Voix De Ville," a Vaudeville-style cabaret that mixes private poetry readings with burlesque and comedy.
"In April of this year we held our first Brothel in LA at the House of Blues, it is organized and hosted by our former costume mistress, Molly Campbell. After doing two events at the House of Blues in LA, the management asked us to do an event at their venue in Chicago," said Nicholas Adamski, who created The Poetry Brothel with Stephanie Berger in 2007, while earning their MFAs in poetry from the New School in New York.
The stage for the whimsical event will be set in The Foundation Room of The House of Blues (take a gander here).
"It has always been our mission to create an event that is never boring or stuffy, where poetry and the poets who write it can have the opportunity to interact in a very intimate and personal way with the public, and vice versa of course," he said.
And remember, kids, even when you're surrounded by lovely ladies of the evening, it's still a classy event. Adamski said in the three years it has been done in New York, only one or two guests have gotten rowdy.
"We have security, but the seriousness of the art and the fun and whimsy of the event is pretty easy to get swept up in," he said.
The Poetry Brothel will be held from 8 pm to midnight on Saturday, July 10. It's $15 at the door, but $10 if you RSVP here. Use that extra $5 to pay for a private poetry reading.
The Orion Ensemble, Chicago's nationally recognized chamber music ensemble, has announced a jam-packed season of music beginning this September. The 2010-2011 season will include four programs, featuring works from composers such as Robert Schumann, Astor Piazzolla, and Ludwig Van Beethoven. Orion Ensemble will also feature an all-French program in November, including César Franck's Sonata in A Major for Violin and/or Cello; Jean Françaix's Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano (1990); and Théodore Dubois's Quintet in F Major for Piano, Clarinet, Violin, Viola and Cello (1905).
Along with their musical offerings, Orion Ensemble will partner with Ballet Chicago for their February 27, March 6, and March 9 performances. These showings will feature the debut of Orion Ensemble's "Instruments of Revelation" by Victoria Bond. Dancers will perform the choreography of Ballet Chicago Director Daniel Duell.
Kanye West has always shown a keen interest in art, having tapped Takashi Murakami to do the artwork for his 2007 album, Graduation, and the late Ernie Barnes for the painting A Life Restored, a definitive piece about his near-fatal car accident in 2002. The rapper has now added a new artist to the list, having commissioned painter George Condo for the artwork for his latest single, "Power," from his forthcoming album, Good A** Job.
There are currently two paintings by Condo to promote West's new music, however, one, in particular, is getting a lot of attention.
After seeing Kate Flannery perform with her faux lounge act The Lampshades at the Mayne Stage last weekend, it was clear that the actress who plays Meredith on "The Office" has an abundance of comedic talent that has yet to be fully tapped into on the show. Not only does Flannery have spot-on comedic timing and delivery, but she also can sing and has some killer fashion sense. While she was in town with The Lampshades, Kate Flannery took some time for a phone interview with Gapers Block.
How long had you been in Chicago doing comedy and theatre?
I lived here for five years.
When you're in town, what are your favorite hot-spots and old haunts you like to go back to visit?
I drive past my old apartment that was torn down; it's not there anymore, but I used to live on Oakdale between Broadway and Pine Grove, so there's always a few little spots around that neighborhood. It's changed a lot though, but I just lived above Diversey and Broadway and I feel like it's just great to get back into the neighborhood- there are so many places that haven't changed, I should say. There are a few restaurants that I like to hit, even Stella's Diner, which used to be called The Lakefront back when I lived in that neighborhood. I like to get back there for kind of the neighborhood flavor. When I was here last I made it up to Ann Sather, which was really fun. I used to go there all the time, takes me longer to burn off those cinnamon rolls now that I'm older. I took a walk up Clark Street and hit those great little shops. It's amazing, it's changed but it hasn't changed.
Since today is Independence Day, we can throw off the negativity that surrounds us to have some fun...and to just think about the positive aspects of our country. You're probably thinking of lots of negative things right now, wondering how anyone could extract anything good from all the bad news we've received over the past year.
But John Stossel has done that in a special called "What's Great About America" which celebrates the good of our country. I saw it last night and it was actually good enough for me to forget the roadblocks I've encountered. He even mentions Chicago's very own Reverend "Them Jews" Wright.
The special will re-air tonight on the Fox News Channel at 8:00 (and maybe again at 11 pm, according to their schedule grid).
It's Independence Day, which means there's lots going on, including live fireworks on TV and a chance to support WWII veterans.
At 8 tonight, WGN will feature "Honor Flight Chicago" which is a program to fly World War Two veterans to Washington, DC for free to see the national memorial. The special features some of the vets and their reactions to seeing the memorial. I met one of the guys who's involved in Honor Flight, and they're the real deal. They really want to honor WWII vets, so it's a good cause. Below is one of many videos at the site.
Then, at 8:30 tonight, WGN will air "Summer Blast" which will feature live fireworks and patriotic chit-chat for an hour. Well, I don't know if they'll be talking about patriotic topics, but at least it will be festive.
It's no secret that green design is hot right now, and for good reason. There are a bunch of tiny, local design companies like Green Sawn and Bladon Conner that have popped up over the past few years and are doing pretty well for themselves making modern, high end furniture and other domestic items out of locally sourced, salvaged materials.
One of my favorites, Strand Design, recently came out with a "Good Dog Spotlight" (pictured at top) that's pretty charming. Strand has also recently been working on commissions around the city like a checkout desk for the Dill Pickle Food Co-op made out of materials from the Re-Building Exchange and a fabulous earthy-yet-geometric table for UIC.
Keep your eyes peeled for more little design companies popping up around the city; this green thing is definitely not going out of style.
Local designer t-shirt phenomenon Threadless is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a two-month tour of the country -- and Canada! -- in a custom Airstream and van.
The tour kicks off with a party today at Threadless HQ, 4043 N. Ravenswood Ave., from 2 to 5pm. Check out the trailer, draw on the city mural, and enjoy Flirty Cupcakes, games and prizes -- including four VIP passes to Pitchfork Music Festival and cool 10th anniversary swag bags.
After the send-off, the trailer's headed to San Francisco, LA and down to San Diego for Comic-Con. On Sept. 11 it'll roll through Chicago for the fourth annual Threadless Family Reunion at the Bottom Lounge -- to which you're invited. From there, it's off to Canada and the East Coast through early October. There's an anniversary party and book release planned, again at Bottom Lounge, for Oct. 10 (get it? 10/10/10!) with details to come.
I remember about two years ago almost to the day standing in line for about two hours at the San Diego Comic-Con waiting to get into the panel that would include the world's first look at footage from Twilight. I had to be there to cover the event, but nearly everyone else in line wanted to be there. So I took advantage of the situation to chat with a woman about my age and her 14-year-old niece, both of whom were rabid fans of the then-three Stephenie Meyer books and were eagerly awaiting a chance to gaze upon the actors who had been chosen to embody their beloved characters. I was completely uneducated about the Twilight world when I got in line, but thanks to these two lovely ladies, I got schooled pretty fast. Although their quick synopsis of the first book wasn't winning me over, their unbridled enthusiasm was infectious, and it gave me the energy I needed to survive the screaming mayhem of the panel and the one-on-one interviews I got with the clearly shell-shocked star Kristen Stewart and director Catherine Hardwicke.
I remember while waiting to chat with Stewart, I looked to my right, and saw Robert Pattinson standing almost at my shoulder, unattended as he awaited his next interview. I said hello, told him I liked his work as Cedric in the Harry Potter movies, and for a brief moment, he seemed really happy not to be talking about vampires or how hot he was or what kind of underwear he wore. And if it were possible, he looked even more shaken up than Stewart, like a cannon had been fired while he was in a deep sleep. But again, my mind kept returning to those two ladies in line who made me understand a bit of why they loved the Twilight material. I was envious of their passion and I remembered a time in my younger days when it didn't take much to get me that revved up about a film. So imagine my surprise when I finally saw Twilight months later and felt like I'd just witnessed the birth on one of Satan's largest, most evil toilet babies.
On July 23, Chicago Filmmakers will host a screening of James Herbert's early experimental work. Who is James Herbert? Herbert is most famous for the music videos he made for R.E.M in their early days, including the dizzying "It's The End of The World As We Know It." Although that's great, the real earthquake is bound to be his early work, made during the years he collaborated with the band, but far more intimate.
The series of four shorts ("Cantico," "Frontier," "Piano," and "Soundings") are described as scenes of "beautiful young couples naked, sunlit, and embracing in sumptuous environments." Sounds to me like the perfect viewing for a summer evening!
The screening will be at Chicago Filmmakers' headquarters at 5243 N. Clark St. Tickets are $8 for general admission, $7 for students with IDs, and $4 for Chicago Filmmakers members. The show begins at 8pm.
Go for the love of R.E.M, stay for the tempered confusion of young love, and watch Herbert's video for R.E.M's "Driver 8" below.
