As my classmates Amanda and Monica have already said quite eloquently, a great deal was
learned and accomplished over the past few weeks. We have had the pleasure of
working with a terrific artist and his site. We have
learned an unbelievable amount, not just about social media, network and
producing content for online news, but about a vibrant, fun, and all-around cool community. So I won't belabor the points
made by my classmates (good points all). Instead, I would like, on behalf of
the Pilsen Project, to extend my sincerest thanks to Pilsen and its artists for
welcoming us into their community, taking time to talk with us, and sharing
with us your enthusiasm for what you do and the neighborhood you call home.
A project like this is only as successful--or indeed as interesting--as the
subject matter allows it to be. As our statistics showed over the past four
weeks (almost 2,000 unique views in under four weeks!) The Pilsen Project was
quite successful, if we do say so ourselves. We couldn't have accomplished that
without the Pilsen art community, who effectively made this project as colorful
and fun as it was.
So thank you Miguel
Cortez,
Jeriah Hildwine, Saul
Aguirre, Alvaro
Sahagun, Rebecca Beachy,
Kate Bowen and all the
other artists who took the time to speak with us about art, about community,
and the subtle (and not so subtle!) intersections between the two. We could not have done this without you.
Katherine H.
Showing posts with label Week Four. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week Four. Show all posts
Monday, March 5, 2012
Reflection: The Pilsen Project
I can’t believe how quickly the past four weeks have gone
by!
At the beginning of February (Week One), we teamed up with Miguel Cortez of Art Pilsen to attract followers for his blog and social media
platforms and increase his overall digital presence.
With Week Four coming to a close, we asked Cortez his after
thoughts on working with The Pilsen Project and learned that our efforts did
have an impact on Art Pilsen and we all made some great connections and
contacts.
The Pilsen Project: Did we help increase traffic to
the Art Pilsen website, Twitter page or Facebook account? Miguel Cortez: YES
TPP: Did we provide more in-depth coverage for your
site? MC: YES
TPP: What did you take away from working with
us?
MC: I met several very cool people.
MC: I met several very cool people.
TPP: Is this something you would consider doing
again? MC: YES
TPP: What could we have done differently? MC:
It was all fine.
Art Pilsen increased its Total Likes on Facebook and had its Most Popular Week starting on February 12-20 (Week Two of The Pilsen Project)!
Working with the Pilsen art community was a truly unique experience and I hope that Art Pilsen will continue to grow and improve along with the community itself.
Amanda B.
P.S. Since December, Art Pilsen has steadily increased its number of followers on Twitter and is now being followed by 401 people.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Art In Other Forms: Dance (Part 1 of 2)
Over the past four weeks, we have been introduced to the thriving Pilsen art community and have talked to artists working with every medium imaginable.
Whether working with a paintbrush, a camera or simply their own body, these artists have shown us that art is not easily definable to one way, shape or form.
We've also learned over the course of the last few weeks that the art community in Pilsen is highly connected and supportive of one another's work.
Local Clinard Dance Theatre is no exception.
In 2010, Clinard Dance launched a community outreach program that brought together many Pilsen artists in the communities' parks and integrated the flamenco style of the theatre into the parks' landscapes.
From the Pilsen tradition, Clinard invited a muralist to draw their performance at Harrison Park and danced as matadors for the community to see.
Clinard Dance Theatre is a contemporary dance company with flamenco roots. They offer dance classes for flamenco firsts to those more advanced. The Winter Session is on now through April 7th.
For more information, check out: http://www.clinardance.org/
Amanda B.
Art in Other Forms: Music (Part 2 of 2)
Part of Pilsen’s appeal to local, independent musicians is its sheer number of recording studios, stages, and
other venues for meeting musicians, producing, and playing music. The community's openness to new sounds, and its tight-knit DIY vibe makes this the ideal place to meet and work with like-minded folks in the music industry. Below is a
sampler of some of those places. Check out the map for more listings!
ApeTrax Recording Studios--Located on the corner of 18th
and South Peoria, ApeTrax is a recording studio which caters to a wide variety
of sounds. While their web page has not been updated recently, the images of
their newly updated studio are impressive, as is their list of past clients.
ApeTrax specializes in “providing artists with excellent quality audio in an
affordable and relaxed environment.”
Mariachi Mexico Vivo—formed in 2005, this Pilsen-area group
of eight gives a nod to the neighborhood’s Mexican roots. As their name
suggests, Mariachi Mexico Vivo specializes in traditional mariachi music, an
energetic and upbeat style native to Mexico. They have played for a number of events and at concerts,
including a 2008 appearance with Gloria Trevi, a Mexican pop-rock musician, at
the Congress Theater.
Miller Street Studios--Specializing in urban music and
hip hop sound, Miller Street Studios heralds itself as offering the “highest
quality recording capabilities for the lowest rates in Chicago.” They are
active in social media, and their blog (managed by the owners and interns) is
used not just to promote artists at the studio, but to discuss musical genre,
aesthetics, and what makes "good" sound.
Click on the map below to see more studios, stores, and music venues!
Katherine H.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Art in Other Forms: Music (part 1)
It goes without saying that the term "Art" is not
just limited to paintbrushes and sculpting clay. In the last few weeks alone,
the Pilsen Project has profiled artists who use everything from cardboard to
live-action sports to children's games as part of art. And now, we will look at art that is pleasing
not to the eye, but to the ear: music!
Pilsen is no stranger to music. Take a walk down any street
through the neighborhood's center and chances are you will hear it drifting out
of any one of the establishments that line the sidewalk. It's an interesting
blend of sound and culture: the myriad lyrical sounds of Pilsen's Mexican
heritage mixed with the punk and jazz of present-day Chicago. It is a sound
that embraces old and new, tradition and the modern.
In October of last year, during Chicago Artist's Month,
WBEZ's Catalina Maria Johnson wrote a profile on Pilsen's vibrant and thriving indie
music scene, which was prominently featured in Pilsen's ninth annual 18th Street Pilsen Open Studios. Open Studios got its start in 2004 as an artist-run
series of events which showcased artists and musicians from the Pilsen area and
beyond.
In the article, Johnson's interviewees--including musicians,
producers, singers, and art gallery curators--credited the neighborhood's
willingness to come together, as well as their openness to newcomers, with the
success of the indie music scene (and indeed the arts in general) in Pilsen.
Visual artists and musicians often work together to promote each others work,
whether sharing space for shows or collaborating on combined visual/audio
projects. Music has grown up alongside visual art in Pilsen and, in many ways,
the two have influenced each other.
One artist and musician, Victor Montañez, said it to Johnson best: “Pilsen
is not a geographic location, it’s a state of mind, it’s a state of heart, it’s
a state of art."
Katherine H.
Artist Snapshot: Alvaro Sahagun (Part 2 of 2)
(interview with Sahugan continued.....)
3.) What do you appreciate about the Pilsen art
community?
I love Pilsen and its art community. I enjoy its urban environment, the
cultural richness in the environment it’s around. When I was a young boy I had
a lot of family in the little village / Pilsen area. I would love to spend
weekends there and be around the liveliness of the community. The murals and
overall ambience for me as a child was very welcoming. I love the abundance of art galleries
and their Friday exhibits. I love
the art work that is displayed as well, it’s great community that fosters
growth for young artist that are at the beginning of their careers. The freshness
and “cool” (contemporary style) artwork is fascinating to me.
4.) What galleries has your work been featured at?
My artwork has been featured at Union Street Gallery, Visual Arts
Gallery, Moraine Valley College Art Gallery and at the Governors State
University Library.
5.) Any upcoming shows??
Yes! My artwork Naturalized Citizens was just accepted to a National
exhibition at Union Street Gallery (http://www.unionstreetgallery.org/)
by Juror Elizabeth Whiting curator for the Union League Club of Chicago. I was
also invited to display my art at the same location for an exhibition in April
of 2012 titled Threshold. Threshold will provide me with 13 feet of wall space
where I may display my art, it’s intended to highlight beginning artist. I will also be in a student exhibition
in May 2012 where the judge will be Jeff Zimmerman, Chicago muralist
artist.
For more information about my
artwork please visit.
Twitter: @lsahagun2
-Monica M.
Artist snapshot: Rebecca Beachy (Part 2 of 2)
Who’s your all-time favorite artist?
I don’t have an all-time favorite,
but the influence of a few key artists can be found in this latest
installation: Joseph Beuys’ fat corners, Richard Serra’s corners and Carl Andre’s bricks, Lawrence Weiner’s cut wall piece, to name a
few. I wouldn’t say they are my favorites, but their work has clearly
wiggled into my work for one reason or another. I recently heard
Wolfgang Laib speak, and I think the way he approaches his work is
admirable. I was able to ask him if he collects all of the pollen for
his installations himself, and he said he’s been tipping flowers by
himself every Spring for decades—that’s a LOT of time collecting pollen!
The work might be just a large yellow square of pollen, but the scale
of the flowers and the bees, and the personal labor in the fields, comes
through—nearly knocks you over! He positions the material as enough and occupies a position of humility towards it.
How would you describe your style?
My style is nest-like and digestive :)
What other types of mediums do you hope to experiment with?
I’ve been thinking I’d like to experiment with sound. I had a recent revelation about the role of horse bodies in string instruments—I’d like to find a way to use the horsehair bow in a way that consciously brings the presence of the horse back into the music.
What do you think of art in the Pilsen area?
I think at it’s best, Pilsen has a great playful vibe. Like the recent volleyball show “Short Court: Tropical Aesthletics” at Antena, where the sports-themed work was literally getting banged around and knocked off the walls by the volleyball tournaments taking place in the tiny room at the opening. Adam Farcus actually conscripted a women’s volleyball team to make his work for him. There is literally a great energy happening within this kind of exhibition.
I was delighted to have the opportunity to work with both Eel Space and Roxaboxen. As a coop, Roxaboxen does a whole lot to foster a healthy arts community in the area. Likewise, ACRE Projects has been working really hard to bring young artists together.
What do you think of the art scene in Chicago?
I think it’s wonderfully nourishing—just small enough. I love knowing I can show up at most shows and run into friends and colleagues.
- Irish
- Irish
Artist snapshot: Rebecca Beachy (Part 1 of 2)
 |
| Rebecca Beachy |
Rebecca Beachy’s work is
striking – the kind that gives you whiplash. It forces you to look at each
piece more than once and perhaps more once you learn that this 29-year old
artist grew up on a farm – a background that plays a key role in her latest
exhibit titled ‘Ground.’ It takes a deft hand to turn ground up animal bones
and shells into art but with her subtle touch, Beachy invites us to see beauty
in the macabre.
How long have you been an artist and where did you train as
an artist?
I think I first recognized
myself as an artist at the age of 15. I recently received an MFA from University
of Illinois at Chicago.
What made you want to become an artist?
I think it goes back to very
basic experiences: fishing, watching animals being born and dying on the farm
where I grew up, wanting to process and make meaning of those experiences.
Where did you get the inspiration for ‘Ground’?
I love the versatility of
the word ‘Ground’—so much of what I do involves literally grinding up objects
(bones, shells, etc.). Nearly everything I work with is gleaned from the
ground.
When I came up with this
title I was staying in a tent on the floor in my studio. I was literally sleeping
on the ground, surrounded by a nest of my work, recently graduated and
in-between homes. I thought, the ground is reliable; it’s a good place to
start. And it’s where we all end up.
What do you hope audiences will walk away with after viewing
your work?
I hope the audience of the
work will experience some of the wonder that I experience when I handle these
materials—that they might experience some of the physical/emotional sensations
that I find interesting, like the intense smell of calcium dust in hundreds of
ground-up eggshells.
I’m possessed by thinking
about the intimate, everyday relationship we have with animal
products—something ‘normal’ like a factory-farmed chicken egg, or the dead
goose we forget that we’re sleeping on each and every night in our down
pillows. I hope the audience might come away with some feeling of revelation
regarding the everyday things surrounding them. This might lead to some
unsettling recognitions—I find that discomfort hopeful.
What usually inspires you?
I’m inspired by the
relationship of the wild to human culture and ideology. Looking at what happens
to animals is one way to think about the damage done from what
people build. Birds, for example, are so vulnerable to architecture. I’m
blown over that a material as simple as architectural glass can kill millions
of birds every year! Likewise, something like an earthquake can level
everything we build in just one day.
(Continued in Part 2)
- Irish
Monday, February 27, 2012
Artist snapshot: Jorge G. Zavala (Part 2 of 2)
 |
| "Ying with infectious disease" |
My inspiration comes
from society. I’d like to think that my artwork is a subtle critique on
accepted social norms and I invite the viewer to question their ideas about a
certain topic. Much of my past work dealt with the changing faces of American
Indian/Latino populations, as well as the developing notion of identity within
their respective communities. My current work was inspired by my life in
Bangkok, Thailand, and the observations I made as an outsider looking in.
What’s
your favorite medium?
Graphite, acrylic
paint and a mix of ink and colored pencils. I like to keep things simple.
What
other types of mediums do you hope to experiment with?
As I develop my work,
I'd like to incorporate more organic matter into my pieces, such as grass
blades, hair or dried leaves. I love the feel of nature on a piece and really
like the browns, greens, and everything in between.
 |
| "Nothing to hide" |
Can
you describe the concept behind your work?
Most, if not all, of
my work is a reflection of the people I've met over the years, faces I remember
and dream about, as well as the issues I contemplate as a believer in the human
spirit.
While living and working
in Thailand for nearly two years, I witnessed many beautiful things: Thai hospitality,
the spiciest food ever, beautiful beaches and a very cool art scene.
However, I was also
exposed to what Bangkok is notoriously knowing for: human trafficking and the
skin trade. Because prostitution and the trafficking of young men, women and
children are so rampant, it's really difficult to know who is voluntarily
working in that field or was coerced into doing so. My artwork, which was presented
at Al Teatro Ristorante on February 25th showcases portraits of Thai men and
women currently and formally engaged in the skin trade.
How
would you describe art in the Pilsen area?
The best word to
describe it is avant-garde. I feel
that the mix of materials used, the concepts and the ideology behind each
artist’s work is a really awesome juxtaposition that incorporates politics of
our time, as well as the joie de vivre
that comes with everyday life. This wonderful mix makes Pilsen art unique.
Who
are some of your favorite Pilsen-based artists?
 | |
| Puchai Jaeng |
I really like Edra
Soto's use of imagery and graphite. Her subject matter works well for her and I
like the emotion I can sense in her recent collection, Vividos. I also like Huong Ngo's work that, to me appears to be a
great mix of performance, acting, documentary, photography, and community
engagement. It's an awesome mix of many things I love and I’m especially fond
of "Secret School."
What
do you think of the Chicago art scene?
I would have to say
that the Chicago art scene is not as developed as I'd like it to be. I think
that formal art presentations, such as those in galleries, shows and museums
are really fun but they lack a certain je
ne sais quoi. My travels throughout Asia really challenged me to find
things that are reflective of our urban environment, our struggles and our
pride.
Pilsen has artists
and artwork that reflects social consciousness, an edgy attitude and it’s very
much connected with the reality that is Chicago in 2012. I'm a fan. I dig the
Pilsen art scene, and I think Chicago as a whole needs to feel more comfortable
letting loose and follow the path Pilsen artists have developed.
- Irish
- Irish
Artist Snapshot: Alvaro Sahagun (Part 1 of 2)
 |
| Images courtesy of Alvaro Sahagun |
1.) Full name and quick bio....has art always been a part of your life? How
did you get started?
My name is Luis Alvaro Sahagun I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and
raised in the urban setting of Chicago Heights, Illinois. Like most children drawing cartoons and
creating imaginative superheroes was my coping mechanism to my childhood
problems. Art has always been a
part of my life; it is my medication. My artwork is indicative of how I see the
world and how I battle with the difficulties of life.
2.) What is your favorite medium and why?
I am currently in love with creating art with cardboard. By using an urban
material and a contemporary process I create a merge between academia and
street art. The outcome challenges
the audience to re-evaluate their preconceived notions of which materials are
accepted as beautiful in art.
-Monica M.
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