TPP: Some Final Thoughts And a Thank You

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.

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.

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. 

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 18^th 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.

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.

http://www.wix.com/lsahagun2/artanddesign

http://ispeakart.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @lsahagun2

-Monica M.

Artist snapshot: Rebecca Beachy (Part 2 of 2)

(Continued from Part 1)

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

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

Artist snapshot: Jorge G. Zavala (Part 2 of 2)

"Ying with infectious disease"

(continued from Part 1)

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

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

Artist snapshot: Jorge G. Zavala (Part 1 of 2)

Jorge G. Zavala

For Jorge G. Zavala, 25, human rights development is a full-time occupation, while art is a part-time hobby. But during his recent exhibit at Al Teatro Ristorante, these two passions collide.

The DePaul alumni takes a moment to discuss a trip to Asia that shaped his work and why he thinks the city’s mainstream art scene should take a few pointers from Pilsen’s more eclectic art scene.

"Kaoli Style"

Are you a full-time artist?

No, I work in human rights and international development so it's definitely a part-time passion.

Which program were you in at DePaul?

I was part of the International Studies program and was additionally active in the Global Asia Studies Program (then referred to as the Asian/Asian American Studies program) as well as Japanese Studies.

Did you formally train as an artist?

Never. I began my life as an artist at the age of five when I played with crayons and I developed that into comic strips and eventually into portraits and landscapes in graphite, pencil, and acrylic paint.

What made you realize you wanted to become an artist?

I've always had a passion for people and my surroundings. I love being creative and feel that through art I can express thoughts, concepts, and ideas I couldn't otherwise through spoken word. Being an artist grants me the opportunity to create something interesting (I hope!) that makes people think and question what they know about a certain topic or idea.

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

That's a tough one. I would have to say my favorite artist is Paul Gauguin. His use of color, portraits and symbolism really impress me every time I look at them. Particularly, I’m a huge fan of portraits and capturing the essence of a person through the stare and the vitality of “the look” that one has. I love doing that with my own work and I see it in Gauguin’s work quite regularly, specifically in his series of French Polynesian work.

How would you describe your style?

Simple and fresh. I make portraits – I draw people. I have them look at me, so that they’re looking at you, the audience, when the piece is complete. I strive to make sure my subject is thinking about something meaningful, something deep in order to convey a serious yet passionate look. I'm not a fan of making things overly ornate. Instead, I like to follow Japanese aesthetics: simple is more.

(Continued in Part 2)

- Irish 

Artist Snapshot: Kate Bowen

Kate Bowen: "It's easy to become a slave to your artist statement. I think it is just as important to chase mystery & see where it takes you."

1. When did you first get involved with the art world? 

I got involved in the arts in college.  I started with the intent of being pre-med and I took classes in the art and theater departments because I had heard that a diverse education would make me a more desirable applicant when it came time to apply to medical school.  Secretly, I just wanted to continue taking art and theater classes after high school and “diversifying my education” was an excuse to do so.  I grew up in Eagle, Idaho and everyone in my family is an engineer so a career in the arts wasn’t really on my radar.  I bounced around a lot before I gave in and became a full time art student.  I basically tried to quadruple major in photo, print-making, drawing and art history.  One of my professors had to tell me that it was time to graduate and move on to bigger things.

I was really involved with the arts community in Idaho, but the “art world” seemed really distant until I moved to Chicago.  I went to Columbia College for grad school and worked for the Museum of Contemporary Photography as a curatorial assistant, which is when I started to have a broader understanding of what the term “art world” meant.  

2. What is your preferred medium? 

I hold a BFA and MFA in photography, so it’s safe to say I’m partial to the medium of photography.  I use photography, video and performance in my work most often.    

3. How would you describe your work? 

I am motivated by a deep curiosity about the way people attempt to understand and articulate their own desires.  The obsessive and relentless qualities present in the concepts of desire and longing that gets addressed in a number of different ways in my work.  My current project, Almost Always Getting it Right, is situated in my hometown of Eagle, Idaho and centered on longing for perfection, which is absorbing and as such, oppressive.  This year marks the 10^th anniversary of the perfect season of football at my high school, which is the only perfect season played by any team in the conference to date.  Perfection, in this place, is found in broken records and physical ability.  Beauty is a long run to the end zone or a perfectly executed routine.  Sensuality is a pom pom that runs the length of the thigh and is followed by ahead flip when it reaches its destination.  All of which is surrounded by a wide-open landscape that meets mountain ranges that hold you in, and protect these ideals and values. When I am making work I am looking for the things and people that are still in a process of becoming, or moving on.  I like to think about the optimism of a cheerleading routine and the frustration of attempting to recapture greatness.   

4. What upcoming projects are you working on? 

Almost Always Getting it Right is a relatively new project and I plan to continue working on it for a while longer.  I particularly like to continue working with the cheerleaders, they are really wonderful to watch, and I want to work with some of the other football stars from my high school.  I have also renewed my fascination with sports aphorisms and clichés in general while working on this project, which is where several of my titles come from.  It’s a way of soothing ones own disappointment with a security blanket of words, so I might try to work with some of these phrases more. 

5. Where do you see your art going after you receive your MFA? 

I received my MFA this last May.  The working process for the post MFA period is a strange one.  It feels very exciting, energetic and lonely at the same time.  One of the more surprising things that I have discovered after grad school is that it feels good not to have all the answers, all the time.  Depending on your program, you get used to talking about your work at length and being able to answer every possible question that may come up about your work.  While I do believe this is good practice, it is easy to become a slave to your artist statement. I think it is just as important to chase mystery and see where it takes you.

Don't forget to check out Almost Always Getting it Right TOMORROW from 4-8 PM. 

Amanda B.

Art in Schools Part 2 of 2

After years of pushing to improve their standardized test scores drastically reduced the time spent on art classes, elementary schools are once again trying to bring those subjects back up to strength. Unfortunately, the grim economy has made it difficult to find the funding to hire new instructors, create new spaces for art classrooms, or provide sufficient supplies.

This is where the art community has stepped in to fill the gap.

Local nonprofits, museums, and community centers are partnering with schools to provide in-school instruction and after-school programs that provide art education students would otherwise not be able to receive.

In Chicago, there is extra emphasis not just on the importance of teaching children about art, but ensuring that they all have access to it, regardless of age or socioeconomic status. Organizations like Prosarts Studio, Marwen, the South Chicago Art Center and Gallery 37 provide space, materials, and classes for children and youth at low or no cost.

One organization in particular has taken the mission of providing quality art education to youth too heart. 

A girl works on part of a mural | photo courtesy of Yollocalli

Yollocalli Arts Reach, a youth art initiative associated with the National Museum of Mexican Art, began in 1997 with the vision to provide “equal access to communal, artistic, and cultural resources” to area youth who might not otherwise be able to afford costly extra-curricular art classes.

Yollocalli does not just serve students who want to pursue a career in the arts, either.

“Most of our students just simply enjoy making and learning about art and do not have many opportunities to explore it on their own,” Vanessa Sanchez, Yollocalli’s program director, said in an email. Sanchez said that the students who came in to Yollocalli ended the program feeling confident about their abilities not just to create a work of art, but effectively communicate with each other about their work, art in history, and their future goals.

“Our young people are given the space to create art based on their own stories and lifestyles,” Sanchez added. “We focus on giving the youth the tools necessary 'to realize their own vision'.”

Making clay art for animation | photo courtesy of Yollocalli

In 2009, Yollocalli was awarded the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, recognizing the organization for its dedication to the young people in the community.

Yollocalli is not alone in Chicago. There are many schools, organizations and groups tapping into the city’s vibrant art culture to bring art and youth closer together, serving as a reminder that art is as vital a subject as literacy and science to a young person’s education.


Katherine H.