Farewell Slideshow...

-Still photographs of urban artwork provided by Monica Macellari

Thank you, Pilsen!!

--Monica Macellari, Katherine Hall, Amanda Boleman, and Irish Mae Silvestre

Catching up with Alex Cohen (Part 2 of 2)

(Continued from Part 1)

Where do you often find ideas or inspiration for your work?

Listening to music, walking around my school or the city, skateboarding with friends or at night when I'm unable to sleep. All the moments in life that seem exciting. Sometimes, the sky is a weird blue and it bounces off the buildings when I'm crossing the Monroe or Jackson Street Bridge by the Art Institute. That tweaks me out and excites me, too.


What other types of media do you hope to experiment with?

Hmm... I don't know right now. I would like to be a better craftsmen. I would like to work more with wood and also learn how to use saws and tools. But I'm very much intimidated by all those things. I think I like cardboard canvas and paper because I can use them easily. Ceramics is also rad - I love the
process. Maybe music would be the correct answer, though. I would really like to be a rapper.





Can you describe the concept behind your installations?

Fun, really. I would just like to create an area where someone could go to have fun and feel nice. I think of children's hospitals.


What do you think of the art scene in Chicago as a whole?

I think it's actually a really fun city to make art in. There are alot of great artists. The imagists are amazing. The graffiti is sick. There are a lot of great things happening. Hopefully they'll let buster in, aha. I also have a show at Co-prosperity on March 3 and I have some
 stuff in the Chicago Zine Fest. I will be releasing a new Zine for parkingblockpublishing.


Catching up with Alex Cohen (Part 1 of 2)

Alex Cohen: "Art kept me out of getting into trouble."

He may only be 22 years old but Alex Cohen appears to be wiser beyond his years. This Chicago native creates pieces that are as bold and colorful as his style. We first spotted this young up-and-comer at Antena Gallery's ‘Short Court’ but we caught up with Cohen to talk more about his work, upcoming projects and why art has helped to completely transform his life.

What made you realize you wanted to become an artist?

After I dropped out of high school I had a lot of free time on my hands. I would frequent museums and ride the trains alone for hours and just walk around downtown listening to music. I would see things that interested me and I guess I just tried to replicate that in my free time. I also used to make art with my mom when I was younger and it's also just in the culture of skateboarding. A lot of the older people I looked up to made art as well. It was always there. It was really just after dropping out of high school that I really started exploring art again. It kept me out of getting in trouble.



Who’s your all-time favorite artist and why?

I have a few favorite artists. I'll give you three: Matisse, Bob Thompson, and Chris Johanson. These artists really speak to me through their inventiveness of material and process. They all also use bright colors, which is something I do in my practice. Color is pure.



How would you describe your style?

Fun. I hope that's what people get out of it - that life is fun and exciting. Life isn't a sad long miserable process it's actually really fun you just have to surround yourself with the right people to enjoy its full “funness”! But yeah when I create a work I try to think how fun I can make it look and feel.

(to be continued) - Irish S

Alberto Aguilar on "Boliche Che-Che"

Alberto Aguilar's installation was possibly the most interactive piece at "Short Court." Titled "Boliche Che-Che," it not only tempted visitors to try their hand at a game of boliche, but also drew curious glances thanks to Aguilar's unique mix materials.

Below, he explains the idea behind his work.

- Irish S

Artist snapshot: Alex Cohen

Alex Cohen

Standing with a plastic red cup in hand, a furry winter hat and a shirt adorned with a flock of flamingos, Alex Cohen is hard to miss.

The 22-year-old student at the Art Institute was the embodiment of everything that last week’s “Short Court: Tropical Aesthletics” stood for – funky art, indoor summer sports and sand galore even as a blizzard raged on outside Antena Gallery.
 

Cohen, whose friend Chris helped to curate the event, was invited to take part in the show, which displayed work by some of the city’s young and up-and-coming artists. Inspired by ancient totem poles, Cohen’s work was in keeping with the show’s tropical theme and result was an impressive life-sized cardboard installation that instantly dominated the room.

The Pilsen Project caught up with Cohen to talk art and the inspiration behind his work.

Where did you get the idea for the piece?

I was thinking tropical and I was also thinking about totem poles stacked on top of each other so that was the tropical lure.

What kind of art are you interested in?

All the different types: figurative, non-representational, just everything really.

What’s your favorite medium?

I like to use acrylics, any water-based mediums and ceramics.

What was it like to create the piece?

It was a lot of fun. I went to the Field Museum to look at their totem pole and I drew inspiration from that.

Check out the rest of Alex Cohen's work here.

- Irish S.

Art meets fashion

From kilts to pink flamingos, "Short Court: Tropical Aesthetics" wasn't short on sartorial inspirations.
- Irish S.

Q&A with Art Pilsen's Miguel Cortez (Part 3 of 3)

(continued) 


If you were picked up by a larger organization would you want to be part of a larger site?

I kind of like the independent way of doing things. I also run a gallery out of my studio where I have shows every month.

The next show is taking place this Friday, February 17 by a group called Tag Team. They’re a group of local Chicago artists and [while] they’re going to have the paintings on the wall, they’re [also] going to have a volleyball court in the center of the gallery where professional volleyball players will be playing. People can walk around and look at the artwork.

Pilsen is such an up-and-coming arts community. Have you noticed a certain theme in the art that you’ve seen?

Right now there’s a community of contemporary galleries west of Ashland and what they mostly show are installations, sculptures and videos.

Do you think it’s beneficial for an artist to experiment with different media rather than sticking to one medium?

I think it’s important because you grow as an artist by experimenting with different medium. If it doesn’t succeed then you move on to the next one – you don’t get pigeonholed into just one type of work like abstract art, murals or commercial stuff that’s in people’s houses. That really has no soul aside from just being decorative.

Irish S.

Q&A with Miguel Cortez (Part 2 of 3)

(continued)


What is your medium?

I do 2-D work, painting, drawing, video, computer prints, drawings and 3-D animation. I go from medium to medium, I don’t just stick to one.

How would you describe your work?

I’d say it’s eclectic. I don’t stick to just one style – I experiment. I studied art in high school, I went to a fine arts magnet school then I went to The Art Institute of Chicago.

Who’s your favorite artist?

I can’t narrow it down but I really like Marcel Duchamp because he did all kinds of stuff. He experimented with paintings, installations and cinema. He’s up there on my list. If he was alive today, I’m sure he would experiment with everything – the Internet, social networks, etc.

There are a lot of bloggers out there. What’s your view on maintaining Art Pilsen for free and in your own time?

I think this information needs to be shared.

(Next: Part 3)

Irish S.

The Pilsen Project - WHO: Miguel Cortez

Q&A with Art Pilsen's Miguel Cortez (Part 1 of 3)

Miguel Cortez: "My life is art."

Picture by Katherine Hall

Meet Miguel Cortez, the man behind Art Pilsen. In addition to being a full-time designer, the 41-year old artist and gallery owner manages Art Pilsen in an effort to promote Pilsen’s dynamic art scene. The Pilsen Project team recently caught up with Cortez to talk about Marcel Duchamp, volleyball and everything in between.

How did Art Pilsen come about?

I started the site in 2004. Before that my friend had a similar site, ArtPilsen.com which was a simpler website with listings of all the events. He had the website from 2002 to 2003 and then he moved to California for his graduate degree and he told me that I could take over. It’s a side project so whenever I get press releases, I post them on the blog so it varies depending on what I get. It’s updated weekly or monthly depending on the information that I receive.

Why did you feel the need to create Art Pilsen?

[The area] has been changing for many years and galleries come and go. I felt there was a need to post information on openings specific to that area. The size of the galleries varies across Pilsen from Halsted to Damen.

How did you get involved in the art scene?

I’m an artist and I’ve been living in Pilsen since 1996 – my life is art.

(Next: Part 2)

Irish S.