{"article":{"id":328,"title":"Commissioner Mark Kelly: Chicago's Out-of-the-Box Culture Wizard on Public Art","excerpt":"<p>By GINNY VAN ALYEA</p>\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n\r\n<p><em>On a summer morning, when the sky over Millennium Park is nearly black with storms, I notice several small, strange creatures perched among the high walls of Mark Kelly&rsquo;s 3rd floor office in the Chicago Cultural Center. After Kelly introduces himself, he tells me that when he accepted the position of Commissioner of the City of Chicago&rsquo;s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in 2016, he first looked to&nbsp; the Visual Arts team for help hanging past public art proposals and exhibition posters salon-style around his office, since it needed, of all things, some art on the walls. Realizing I was still checking out the winged, dragon-like figures suspended in flight in the conference room, he tells me that they are actually part of his personal collection and were created by the Linares family (Mexico) and Erin Cramer (Chicago). They serve as the inspiration for the Wabash Avenue Flying Creatures project, which will soon feature many more of them, created by local teens, around the Loop. Kelly, it seems to me, is a man who can dig up forgotten treasure and summon exotic beasts, especially if he happens to be in the right place at the right time. For a moment I wonder if I am talking to a City administrator or a wizard.</em></p>\r\n","body":"<html><head></head><body><figure class=\"image\"><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418273/icm2dzxn65wdad7cb5ax.jpg\"></figure><p>By GINNY VAN ALYEA</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><i>On a summer morning, when the sky over Millennium Park is nearly black with storms, I notice several small, strange creatures perched among the high walls of Mark Kelly’s 3rd floor office in the Chicago Cultural Center. After Kelly introduces himself, he tells me that when he accepted the position of Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in 2016, he first looked to&nbsp; the Visual Arts team for help hanging past public art proposals and exhibition posters salon-style around his office, since it needed, of all things, some art on the walls. Realizing I was still checking out the winged, dragon-like figures suspended in flight in the conference room, he tells me that they are actually part of his personal collection and were created by the Linares family (Mexico) and Erin Cramer (Chicago). They serve as the inspiration for the Wabash Avenue Flying Creatures project, which will soon feature many more of them, created by local teens, around the Loop. Kelly, it seems to me, is a man who can dig up forgotten treasure and summon exotic beasts, especially if he happens to be in the right place at the right time. For a moment I wonder if I am talking to a City administrator or a wizard.</i></p><p><i>Kelly’s frenetic creativity is driving his overhaul of all things cultural in the City of Chicago. He came to the job almost by accident, after decades embedded in a more or less deliberate and predictable academic life at Columbia College. He says he has never felt more untethered in his professional life, but that presiding over DCASE has given him surprising professional freedom, in a government position no less, to easily change the direction of a given project and to be nimble in the pursuit of creativity on behalf of the City and its citizens. One year into this unexpected job, he is embracing a host of initiatives , all in pursuit of giving art and culture to the public.</i></p><p><strong>CGN: You’ve been [Commissioner of DCASE] for one year. How have things changed for you from your time at Columbia working with students and academics?&nbsp;</strong></p><p><strong>Mark Kelly:</strong> The world of academia and committees is a very laborious process. Here, of course, I have to live within a budget...It’s incredibly tight, and [with] some of the rules of engagement in the City you would say it’s hard to be nimble, but I feel like we, the DCASE staff, working with our partners, can think and do pretty freely. It’s actually a lot of fun.</p><p><strong>CGN: Much of your past work has focused on youth and education. How has that influenced the directions you’ve taken at the City so far?</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> I didn’t know it, but my time at Columbia was 32 years of preparation for this job. I became very knowledgeable and connected to the creative and cultural life of the city. And I’ve always been interested in, intrigued by and determined to create creative and cultural environments that inspire and demand one’s attention. If anything, this job now is just an extension of that idea, but with a canvas, if you will, that is huge.</p><p><strong>CGN: You were working from the inside out before, and now you have to work from the outside in and take all those things and expand them for a wider audience.</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> Well, the scale is different, but the thinking and the possibilities are quite similar. So, here I was, the architect for the Wabash Arts Corridor, and then I come into the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. They’ve declared it’s the Year of Public Art, and it’s fair to say that when I entered, they were still figuring out plans for all the elements of the year. I’m a practitioner, not just an administrator, so it was like a gift to bring a little more focus and energy to the concept, and then to quickly start to try to energize a city; it was a fascinating beginning for me.</p><p><strong>CGN: A lot has already taken place in the first half of 2017 for the Year of Public Art, but the second half sounds even more engaging.</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> Several major cultural, public art and art initiatives are all coming together. There’s EXPO at Navy Pier, the Nick Cave Jeanne Gang mash up, if you will, at the Pier as well, and then of course the second edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial opens at the same time. I’m very impressed with our curators and that we get to host an international event like this. Finally, we can’t share details yet, but by early fall we will announce a stunning new permanent public art piece in the Loop by a renowned Chicago artist.</p><p><strong>CGN: What else is coming up?</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> We launch our public art festival in October, as well as a public art symposium October 26-27, and our Flying Creatures will take over Wabash under the El. At the same time we’ll be celebrating the majority of Mayor Emanuel’s 50 x 50 neighborhood arts projects that will have been completed – we are literally putting new public art in every ward of the city by artists who are respected and esteemed. On top of all of that, we’re going to be releasing an ambitious and focused public arts plan. Hopefully we are setting our compass going forward so that public art is not celebrated for just a year. We hope we’ve grabbed everyone’s attention and laid the path to ensure that public art, which is always changing, becomes a defining characteristic of the city.</p><p><strong>CGN: What do you think is significant about public art continuing to evolve and change and be created for a city?</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> I want to reverse that question. The idea that the art should be anywhere but with the public, to me, is crazy. So much of our thinking about art takes us to the wall, or the screen, or the stage. It’s relegated to static places. I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that art, that creative impulses may be one of the definitions of what distinguishes us as a species. It needs to be present in our lives, all the time and everywhere. So public art becoming a defining characteristic means it’s no longer relegated to somewhere over there, it’s centered. Does it save us? Does it necessarily make us a safer city? No. But it’s just fundamental. It brings things to light, and it brings surprises in our daily lives. The most powerful example of it is Millennium Park. None of us ever imagined the power of that space and the interactive public art at the highest level. I mean look at [Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate] “The Bean” – the public is not saying ‘Oh look at this great public art piece,’ they’re pulled into the vortex of the images; it’s a funhouse mirror as well as a selfie zone that always changes. I love the [Jaume Plensa] Crown Fountain in that it was intended to be a place of contemplation. The artist saw it as a place for serene moments of private reflection. And then the kids grabbed it, and it’s the coolest, most energizing, fun space. Even the Picasso – once they removed the barriers it became a slide for kids. So this is a long-winded answer, but art needs to be public. Art is now defined as part of what makes a city great. The artistry and the design around us, that built environment takes us somewhere.</p><p><strong>CGN: It seems that it’s not just putting art in the public space, it’s really turning it over to the public.</strong></p><p><strong>MK: </strong>Well, that’s the other part of this. The definition of what we consider to be public art has so radically changed from the carefully placed monuments of the past. All of those still have their place, and should continue, but now the graffiti artist and the street artists grow a movement. They raise the question, ‘Why should walls have art on them?’ and ‘Who said the barren landscape couldn’t be remade?’ Now many people love the power of street art. Ten years ago, 15, 20 years ago it was the scourge of this city and all cities. The “urban wasteland” actually just inspired artists, and then they were schooled on the street, and they taught us something.</p><p><strong>CGN: What was the inspiration for the year of public art in Chicago?</strong></p><p><strong>MK: </strong>The idea came from Mayor Emanuel, who announced it along with Yoko Ono’s Skylanding sculpture in 2015. 2017 is also the 50th anniversary of the Picasso, as well as the Wall of Respect mural, so he said ‘This is going to be the year of public art’, and then it was sort of out there. How fortuitous that’s when I just happened to arrive here. I’m a little insane and wrongheaded, and we committed to this idea and ran hard with it. It’s the power of a phrase or a unifying principle.</p><p><strong>CGN: How do you continue the unity that has come out of the Year of Public Art?</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> Next year is going to be the Year of Creative Youth, because we are rallying all of our organizations that can engage young people in creative ways in order to encourage more youth to go down an artistic path. Obviously this flows right from public art. What better way to engage young adults? They don’t want to be in non-violence programs, what is that? They want to be inspired and engaged, period. One of the most powerful ways to do that is through creative forms and practice.</p><p><strong>CGN: That must bring in a whole other circle of cultural institutions, beyond the visual arts.</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> In Millennium Park we’re going to have Chicago’s first ever Creative Youth Festival; I hope it becomes an annual event. It’s going to be all forms – fashion, design, performance, spoken word, music and dance. The tagline is going to be “Born Creative.” I’m going full circle to my work at Columbia, because the heart of my efforts there was to inspire young adults who have decided to pursue a creative field to be fearless. Now we also want to encourage all young adults to be creative somewhere in their life.</p><p><strong>CGN: Is there a plan for how these organizations will get more youth involved in their programs? How do you bring in people who have not done something like this yet?</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> We haven’t quite figured that out, but I’ve been amazed at the strength of organizations here supporting creative youth, whether it’s Louder Than a Bomb, Marwen, After School Matters, YOUMedia, SkyART – it’s amazing. We need to better appreciate them. Let’s put a spotlight on them – celebrate it and make it known. Then we can draw more youth into these programs. We will it figure out.</p><p><strong>CGN: Are you ever not connected to this job? Or is this twenty-four hours a day, everything that’s on your mind?</strong></p><p><strong>MK:</strong> It’s twenty-four hours a day, everything that’s on my mind. Everything here in the city is a giant new canvas.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Photo by Patrick Pyszka. Paintings by Phyllis Bramson.</p></body></html>","published_at":"2017-08-28 00:00:00","state":"published","slug":"commissioner-mark-kelly-chicago-s-out-of-the-box-culture-wizard-on-public-art","type":"NewsPost","meta_description":"Chicago Gallery News interviews Mark Kelly, city commissioner, participant of the Wabash Flying Creatures project, and advocate for youth exposure to art. ","text":null,"created_at":"2017-08-22 20:00:40","updated_at":"2020-03-31 17:11:42.798982","category_id":3,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'-27':860B '15':1424B '20':1425B '2015':1489B '2016':87B '2017':723B,1490B '26':859B '32':497B '3rd':50B '50':886B,888B '50th':1494B 'academ':277B,386B 'academia':392B 'accept':68B 'accid':265B 'actual':148B,454B,1441B 'administr':237B,675B 'adult':1638B,1759B,1779B 'affair':82B,631B 'ago':1423B,1427B 'almost':263B 'along':1481B 'alreadi':715B 'also':1492B,1773B 'alway':522B,974B,1053B,1214B 'alyea':19B 'amaz':1830B,1855B 'ambiti':930B 'among':42B 'anish':1173B 'anniversari':1495B 'announc':820B,1479B 'annual':1713B 'answer':1283B 'anyth':544B 'anywher':1018B 'appreci':1860B 'architect':616B 'architectur':782B 'around':109B,190B,1307B 'arriv':1537B 'art':15A,94B,101B,119B,355B,620B,644B,729B,743B,745B,826B,847B,856B,890B,903B,934B,947B,971B,992B,1015B,1033B,1060B,1092B,1164B,1191B,1285B,1290B,1324B,1356B,1399B,1420B,1468B,1519B,1584B,1631B,1691B 'artist':835B,911B,1235B,1383B,1387B,1444B,1623B 'artistri':1303B 'attent':542B,962B 'audienc':595B 'avenu':174B 'barren':1406B 'barrier':1269B 'bean':1179B 'beast':210B 'becam':505B,1271B 'becom':976B,1093B,1711B 'begin':708B 'behalf':330B 'better':1633B,1859B 'beyond':1688B 'biennial':783B 'black':32B 'bomb':1846B 'born':1736B 'box':10A 'bramson':1945B 'bring':683B,1129B,1135B,1679B,1807B 'budget':409B 'built':1310B 'came':259B,1474B 'canva':558B,1937B 'care':1363B 'cave':759B 'celebr':879B,950B,1869B 'center':57B,1109B 'cgn':361B,459B,565B,711B,836B,983B,1315B,1458B,1568B,1676B,1787B,1889B 'chang':313B,374B,975B,997B,1215B,1360B 'characterist':979B,1096B 'check':127B 'chicago':4A,55B,77B,165B,257B,781B,834B,1470B,1701B 'circl':1684B,1742B 'citi':75B,236B,255B,333B,424B,482B,518B,703B,909B,982B,1003B,1121B,1300B,1434B,1437B,1932B 'citizen':336B 'cloud':1176B 'collect':153B 'colleg':281B 'columbia':280B,381B,495B,1747B 'come':625B,749B,840B,1577B 'commission':1A,72B,365B 'commit':1548B 'committe':394B 'compass':941B 'complet':896B 'concept':692B 'confer':140B 'connect':509B,1894B 'consid':1352B 'contempl':1233B 'continu':993B,1378B,1572B 'coolest':1257B 'corridor':621B 'couldn':1408B 'cours':402B,775B 'cramer':164B 'crazi':1026B 'creat':156B,186B,531B,1000B 'creativ':244B,328B,512B,532B,1062B,1595B,1611B,1672B,1705B,1737B,1766B,1782B,1838B 'creatur':40B,176B,864B 'crown':1221B 'cultur':11A,56B,81B,252B,357B,514B,534B,630B,741B,1686B 'curat':795B 'daili':1139B 'danc':1729B 'day':1906B,1921B 'dcase':298B,367B,440B 'decad':267B 'decid':1762B 'declar':637B 'defin':978B,1095B,1293B 'definit':1069B,1348B 'deliber':274B 'demand':539B 'depart':79B,628B 'design':1306B,1723B 'detail':812B 'determin':529B 'didn':487B 'differ':601B 'dig':203B 'direct':315B,476B 'distinguish':1072B 'done':1813B 'dragon':132B 'dragon-lik':131B 'draw':1878B 'drive':246B 'earli':816B 'easili':312B 'edit':778B 'educ':470B 'effort':1753B 'el':871B 'element':664B 'els':838B 'emanuel':884B,1477B 'embed':268B 'embrac':345B 'encourag':1616B,1776B 'energ':701B,1259B 'energi':689B 'engag':421B,737B,1607B,1636B,1659B 'ensur':968B 'enter':654B 'environ':535B,1311B 'erin':163B 'especi':211B 'esteem':916B 'even':735B,1262B 'event':85B,634B,804B,1714B 'ever':1153B,1704B,1892B 'everi':905B 'everyon':960B 'everyth':1907B,1922B,1928B 'everywher':1089B 'evolv':995B 'exampl':1144B 'exhibit':104B 'exot':209B 'expand':590B 'expo':753B 'extens':551B 'fair':648B 'fall':817B 'famili':160B 'far':484B 'fascin':707B,1055B 'fashion':1722B 'fearless':1770B 'featur':181B 'feel':436B 'felt':287B 'festiv':848B,1707B 'field':1767B 'figur':134B,658B,1823B,1887B 'final':807B 'first':89B,720B,1703B 'fli':175B,863B 'flight':137B 'floor':51B 'flow':1627B 'focus':466B,687B,932B 'forgotten':205B 'form':1673B,1721B 'fortuit':1529B 'forward':943B 'fountain':1222B 'four':1903B,1918B 'freedom':304B 'freeli':451B 'frenet':243B 'full':1741B 'fun':458B,1260B 'fundament':1127B 'funhous':1205B 'gang':761B 'gate':1177B 'get':799B,1797B 'giant':1935B 'gift':681B 'ginni':17B 'give':354B 'given':300B,318B 'go':925B,942B,1512B,1589B,1620B,1698B,1717B,1733B,1740B 'govern':307B 'grab':959B,1251B 'graffiti':1382B 'great':1189B,1301B 'grow':1388B 'half':721B,733B 'hang':98B 'happen':214B,1535B 'hard':430B,1554B 'haven':1820B 'heart':1750B 'help':97B 'high':44B 'highest':1167B 'hope':936B,956B,1709B 'host':347B,801B 'hour':1904B,1919B 'huge':564B 'idea':554B,1012B,1058B,1473B,1551B 'imag':1201B 'imagin':1154B 'impress':792B 'impuls':1063B 'incred':412B 'influenc':474B 'initi':349B,746B 'insan':1543B 'insid':571B 'inspir':170B,537B,1443B,1462B,1657B,1757B 'institut':1687B 'intend':1227B 'interact':1162B 'interest':524B 'intern':803B 'intrigu':526B 'introduc':60B 'involv':1800B 'jaum':1219B 'jeann':760B 'job':262B,342B,503B,546B,1897B 'kapoor':1174B 'kelli':3A,48B,59B,193B,241B,388B 'kid':1250B,1275B 'know':489B 'knowledg':507B 'known':1874B 'labori':398B 'laid':964B 'landscap':1407B 'launch':844B 'less':273B,310B 'let':1862B 'level':1168B 'life':278B,293B,515B,1786B 'light':1132B 'like':133B,437B,679B,805B,1815B 'linar':159B 'liter':899B 'littl':685B,1542B 'live':406B,1084B,1140B 'll':877B 'local':188B 'long':1281B 'long-wind':1280B 'longer':1101B 'look':90B,1171B,1186B 'loop':192B,830B 'lot':456B,713B 'louder':1843B 'love':1217B,1415B 'm':669B,790B,1540B,1739B 'major':740B,881B 'make':1117B,1298B,1872B 'man':200B 'mani':182B,1413B 'mark':2A,47B,387B 'marwen':1847B 'mash':762B 'matter':1850B 'may':1064B 'mayor':883B,1476B 'mean':1097B,1170B 'mexico':161B 'millennium':28B,1148B,1694B 'mind':1912B,1927B 'mirror':1206B 'mk':485B,596B,738B,842B,1004B,1338B,1471B,1585B,1692B,1818B,1913B 'moment':227B,1243B 'monument':1365B 'morn':23B 'movement':1390B 'much':460B,1028B 'mural':1506B 'music':1727B 'must':1678B 'navi':755B 'near':31B 'necessarili':1116B 'need':114B,1078B,1286B,1857B 'neighborhood':889B 'never':286B 'new':823B,901B,1936B 'next':1586B 'nick':758B 'nimbl':323B,433B 'non':1647B 'non-viol':1646B 'none':1150B 'notic':36B 'obvious':1625B 'octob':850B,858B 'offic':52B,111B 'oh':1185B 'one':337B,369B,540B,1066B,1661B 'ono':1484B 'open':784B 'order':1614B 'organ':1604B,1795B,1835B 'out-of-the-box':6A 'outsid':582B 'overhaul':248B 'paint':1942B 'park':29B,1149B,1695B 'part':149B,1295B,1344B 'partner':445B 'past':99B,463B,1368B 'path':966B,1624B 'patrick':1940B 'peopl':1414B,1609B,1809B 'perch':41B 'perform':1724B 'period':1660B 'perman':824B 'person':152B 'photo':1938B 'phrase':1563B 'phylli':1944B 'picasso':1264B,1498B 'piec':827B,1192B 'pier':756B,769B 'place':220B,717B,1050B,1231B,1240B,1364B,1375B 'plan':660B,935B,1791B 'plensa':1220B 'posit':70B,308B 'possibl':607B 'poster':105B 'power':1143B,1156B,1417B,1560B,1665B 'practic':1675B 'practition':671B 'predict':276B 'prepar':500B 'present':1081B 'presid':296B 'pretti':450B 'principl':1567B 'privat':1245B 'process':399B 'profession':292B,303B 'program':1649B,1803B,1883B 'project':177B,319B,891B 'propos':102B 'public':14A,100B,360B,643B,728B,742B,825B,846B,855B,902B,933B,946B,970B,991B,1022B,1091B,1163B,1181B,1190B,1289B,1327B,1337B,1355B,1467B,1518B,1583B,1630B 'pull':1195B 'pursu':1764B 'pursuit':326B,352B 'put':900B,1323B,1864B 'pyszka':1941B 'question':1010B,1394B 'quick':696B 'quit':609B,1822B 'radic':1359B 'rais':1392B 'ralli':1600B 'ran':1553B 're':924B,1194B,1697B 'realiz':123B 'realli':1331B 'reflect':1246B 'releas':928B 'releg':1047B,1102B 'remad':1411B 'remov':1267B 'renown':833B 'respect':914B,1505B 'revers':1008B 'right':219B,223B,1628B 'room':141B 'rule':419B 'safer':1120B 'said':1404B,1509B 'salon':107B 'salon-styl':106B 'save':1112B 'saw':1236B 'say':283B,427B,650B,1184B 'scale':599B 'school':1449B,1849B 'scourg':1431B 'screen':1041B 'sculptur':1487B 'second':732B,777B 'seem':195B,1317B 'selfi':1211B 'seren':1242B 'serv':167B 'set':939B 'sever':37B,739B 'share':811B 'signific':989B 'similar':610B 'sinc':112B 'sky':26B 'skyart':1852B 'skyland':1486B 'slide':1273B 'small':38B 'someth':1457B,1814B 'somewher':1104B,1314B,1783B 'soon':180B 'sort':1524B 'sound':734B 'space':1159B,1261B,1328B 'speci':1076B 'special':84B,633B 'spoken':1725B 'spotlight':1866B 'staff':441B 'stage':1044B 'start':697B 'static':1049B 'still':126B,657B,1372B 'storm':34B 'strang':39B 'street':1386B,1419B,1452B 'strength':1833B 'student':384B 'stun':822B 'style':108B 'summer':22B 'summon':208B 'support':1837B 'surpris':302B,1136B 'suspend':135B 'symposium':857B 'taglin':1731B 'take':585B,866B,1034B,1312B 'taken':479B,716B 'talk':233B 'taught':1455B 'team':95B 'teen':189B 'tell':63B,143B 'ten':1421B 'thing':117B,251B,373B,588B,1130B 'think':447B,604B,987B,1031B 'tight':413B 'time':224B,379B,493B,788B,875B,1087B 'togeth':750B 'top':918B 'treasur':206B 'tri':699B 'turn':1332B 'twenti':1902B,1917B 'twenty-four':1901B,1916B 'unexpect':341B 'unifi':1566B 'uniti':1574B 'unteth':289B 'urban':1439B 'us':1035B,1073B,1113B,1118B,1152B,1308B,1313B,1456B 'van':18B 've':363B,478B,521B,636B,958B,1052B,1828B 'violenc':1648B 'visual':93B,1690B 'vortex':1198B 'wabash':173B,619B,868B 'wall':45B,122B,1038B,1397B,1503B 'want':1006B,1642B,1654B,1774B 'ward':906B 'wasteland':1440B 'way':1612B,1634B,1666B 'well':597B,771B,852B,1208B,1339B,1500B 'whether':1840B 'whole':1682B 'wider':594B 'wind':1282B 'wing':130B 'within':407B 'wizard':12A,240B 'wonder':229B 'word':1726B 'work':382B,442B,464B,568B,579B,1745B 'world':390B 'would':426B 'wronghead':1545B 'x':887B 'year':338B,370B,498B,641B,667B,726B,954B,1422B,1426B,1465B,1516B,1581B,1587B,1593B 'yet':813B,1817B 'yoko':1483B 'youmedia':1851B 'young':1608B,1637B,1758B,1778B 'youth':468B,1596B,1618B,1706B,1799B,1839B,1880B 'zone':1212B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1721767383/rr9mqhntuuweh2gcl1ya.jpg","editor_pick":false,"category_name":"Interviews"},"related":[{"id":13767,"title":"Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Nikko Washington","excerpt":"","body":"<p>Fall offers a full slate of exhibitions across galleries and museums throughout the Midwest.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community are working tirelessly to support artists and bring fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</p><p><br></p><p><em>The following preview is one of five conversations that appear in CGN's Fall 2026 magazine. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://835ba3.myshopify.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>click here.</em></a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789517637/noxz9olp47gfneafz8xg.jpg\"></p><p><br></p><h4><em>Nikko Washington –&nbsp;</em></h4><h4><em>Artist</em></h4><p><br></p><p>“I’m thrilled to further expand my artistic and design practice by introducing other mediums into the mix. I’m looking forward to watching the seasons change and devoting a lot of time in the studio as well. Fall/winter is my favorite time to create new works.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>I have an upcoming solo show with <a href=\"https://vsgcontemporary.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">VSG&nbsp;Contemporary</a> that I am excited about. The work will delve further into the topics of cultural mythology and how these tales and narratives have helped shape my worldview.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>Also, it wouldn’t be right if I left out my&nbsp;excitement for this upcoming season of Chicago sports.”</p><p><br></p><p><a href=\"https://www.nikkowashington.com\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Nikko Washington</a></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-09-11 00:30:00","state":"published","slug":"anticipating-a-season-of-art-five-to-talk-to-nikko-washington","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-09-16 00:13:58.216","updated_at":"2026-09-16 00:13:58.216","category_id":3,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'2026':76B 'across':19B 'also':174B 'anticip':1A,60B 'appear':71B 'art':5A 'artist':39B,90B,98B 'behind':26B 'bring':41B 'cgn':73B 'chang':117B 'chicago':191B 'click':86B 'communiti':33B 'contemporari':146B 'convers':69B 'copi':81B 'creat':135B 'cultur':161B 'delv':155B 'design':100B 'devot':119B 'edit':85B 'excit':54B,150B,185B 'exhibit':18B 'expand':96B 'fall':12B,75B 'fall/winter':129B 'favorit':132B 'five':6A,50B,68B 'follow':63B 'forward':112B 'fresh':42B 'full':15B 'galleri':20B 'help':170B 'insid':51B 'introduc':103B 'left':182B 'look':111B 'lot':121B 'm':92B,110B 'magazin':77B 'mani':29B 'medium':105B 'midwest':25B 'mix':108B 'museum':22B 'mytholog':162B 'narrat':168B 'new':136B 'next':61B 'nikko':10A,88B,193B 'offer':13B 'one':66B 'peopl':30B 'perspect':43B 'practic':101B 'preview':64B 'print':84B 'public':46B 'receiv':79B 'right':179B 'scene':28B 'season':3A,116B,189B 'shape':171B 'show':143B 'slate':16B 'solo':142B 'spoke':48B 'sport':192B 'studio':126B 'support':38B 'tale':166B 'talk':8A 'thrill':93B 'throughout':23B 'time':123B,133B 'tireless':36B 'topic':159B 'upcom':141B,188B 'vsg':145B 'washington':11A,89B,194B 'watch':114B 'well':128B 'work':35B,137B,153B 'worldview':173B 'wouldn':176B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788406360/ujd84dhihjroxqjs9izj.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":13930,"title":"Andi Crist: The Art of The Pun","excerpt":null,"body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961823/s3lp0uull2s8mvd8funj.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Extension Cords</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">, Glazed stoneware, chrome, Sizes vary 2021-present. Photo: Mikey Mosher</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong><em>This interview is part of CGN's Fall 2026 issue.&nbsp;</em></strong><strong style=\"color: rgb(51, 51, 51);\"><em style=\"color: rgb(51, 51, 51);\"><a href=\"https://chicagogallerynews.myshopify.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color: rgb(51, 51, 51);\" target=\"_blank\">Purchase a copy or subscribe</a>.</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961824/mghrpnghxd9j9ko2dsjt.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>BY ALISON REILLY</p><p><br></p><p>Andi Crist’s warm, engaging demeanor is evident in the first few minutes of our conversation. Generous with her time and forthcoming in her observations, she cares deeply about building relationships through her art making. Crist grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, devoured art classes, wrote songs and played music in high school, and moved to Chicago to study visual art at Columbia College. In 2024, she received her MFA from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a woodworker, sculptor, ceramicist, and conceptual artist, and she teaches at Illinois Institute of Technology. We discussed her multidisciplinary practice, her experience working as an art handler, preparator, and fabricator, and how she thinks about labor, creativity, and value in the art world.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: You grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. How did that environment shape your point of view as an artist?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Andi Crist:</strong> That’s such a funny question. Nobody’s ever really asked.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: Oh, really?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>Yeah, maybe because I never was super connected with the arts community down in Birmingham. I moved to Chicago in 2007, so it’s been 20 years since I lived in the South. I was definitely one of those art kids—one art credit was required in high school, and I graduated with like seven. I was surrounded by artists who had a big impact on me, because they were working artists. All my art teachers were trained in Alabama and then continued to teach and work in Alabama, which gave me this desire to try to expand my community outside of what I was familiar with.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: Do you identify as a Chicagoan?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>My family still lives in Alabama, and I go back every year. I love being in Alabama. Maybe now being in Chicago for almost 20 years, I identify as a southerner living in the city. I carry on the social qualities of a friendly southern person [laughs].&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN:</strong> <strong>You have a varied art practice</strong><strong style=\"color: rgb(71, 71, 71);\">—</strong><strong>woodwork, ceramics, mold making. What drew you to those types of fabrication methods and that type of art making?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC:</strong> My dad is a carpenter and a hobbyist woodworker, but his career was psychology, and my mom was a professor and an incredible craftswoman. I absorbed my mom’s model of creativity, which is to try a bunch of different things and not necessarily finish them but to try to learn as much as I can by just going for it. My practice over the years has become an exploration of conceptual elements of what makes art art and not just craft. Do you have to be a master craftsperson or a professional artist in order to make something that resonates with people?</p><p><br></p><p>I make a lot of work that references the mode of making and requires a variety of different media. I just finished teaching a ceramics production class where students learned how to produce molds, think about positives and negatives, and get into a level of production rather than just handicraft as a way to multiply their output.</p><p><br></p><p>I got into fabrication because I’ve always liked working with other artists. I have a background in theater and gallery work. I’m a voracious learner, and I like being able to share those skills with my community. Then I end up making work about that. It’s a self-feeding cycle.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961825/zzejqwibga5f5wk6einh.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist,&nbsp;</span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Artist’s Ladder</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">, 2023.&nbsp;Photo: Jeff Perlman</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: Thinking about your background as an art handler and preparator</strong><strong style=\"color: rgb(59, 62, 65);\">—</strong><strong>how did you get to the point where you were making work about that experience?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>In 2010, right before I graduated from Columbia, I was living in a storefront in West Logan Square with my partner at the time. We started a gallery called Autotelic in the space and had to build it out using the worst tools with very minimal resources. Then we started curating shows there and that meant helping other artists figure out how to install their work in our unusual space. Eventually, I gained the reputation for knowing how to do that type of work. I started getting invited to work in museums and galleries.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>The Holocaust Museum was the first museum I worked at, and as difficult as that subject matter is, that experience was really important to me because I was learning more about the larger world of gallery work. As an artist working as a preparator, you’re straddling both sides of that space. You’re really seeing how the sausage is made. You’re hearing all the conversations about artists, curators, the process of exhibition making. There is a lot of information you can gather about the economics of the art world by just being the person that has the know-how to touch and handle artwork. Eventually that started feeding into my art practice because I wanted to make work that was contributing to a conversation around art as a type of job. It fueled a methodology of seeing everything in the world as the result of a long line of processes that required effort and thoughtfulness by many hands.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961826/uv5bysb5fbne30gr5czh.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Fair Warning</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">, 2025.</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: The title of your recent exhibition at the Cleve Carney Museum—<em>Live, Laugh, Lo</em>—sorry, not <em>Live, Laugh, Love</em>—<em>Live, Laugh, Labor</em>.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC:</strong> [Laughs] That’s what everybody does.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: I love the title—it’s perfect. You incorporate humor along with thoughtful critiques about labor and value in your work. What role does humor play? How does it help you connect with your audience?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC:</strong> One of my biggest criticisms of art with a capital A is how easily it can be overly intellectualized. I think that’s why I end up making a lot of work that references things that already exist or have some kind of real purpose. It’s important to give people a foothold so there’s an obvious place to board that train of thought. As an artist—maybe this is me getting into a sweeping argument about what artists should be—but I personally believe in intellectual accessibility. Humor is a swift way to drop defenses and allow people to come in without feeling like they are not getting the joke or not understanding. I like to make work that can hold both of those things at the same time—it’s funny on the surface level, it’s kind of cheeky, but there’s also another way to look at it that is intellectually clever. There is a joy in the attempt to “get it”. Like the satisfaction of grasping how a crossword puzzle actually works.</p><p><br></p><p>It’s also so much a part of my personality. I take myself seriously as an artist, but my ego isn’t at the heart of it. It’s really something that I do because I love to make things, and I love to connect with other people. My parents raised me on puns, creating those language relationships between things and people and space. Understanding a joke is the same way that we understand art, and while neither of my parents would consider themselves artists, they taught me how to think about art.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961828/gnotyfijabr7e15kb6hm.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist,&nbsp;</span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">69 Bananas</em></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: Your work, <em>Artist’s Ladder</em>, explores hierarchies, workplace cultures, and institutional values. What experiences shaped your reflections on these themes?</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>AC:</strong> The ladder piece distinctly represents the complicated relationship between front of house, back of house, and the hierarchy of labor. Who is the artist in those relationships? How much does another person’s knowledge and expertise contribute to the success of another artist?</p><p><br></p><p>There are enormous, industrialized art practices out there, warehouses full of people making things, and those people are also artists. When you make work that involves other people, it’s important to acknowledge their contributions. I’ve had complicated interactions with other artists who are like, ‘Hey, do you want to collaborate with me on this thing?’ but really they just want me to make their idea. I made <em>Artist’s Ladder</em> while I was in grad school at UIC, and it really represented my relationship with a lot of other artists, because I could be an actual support structure for them. Then it turned into this absurd physical thing. It’s extremely overbuilt with inlaid racing stripes made of exotic hardwood, and a butcher’s block-style plaid top. It’s not really like an FU as much as it is asking for acknowledgement of my skills and the essential support structures that exist.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>CGN: I want to ask you about another piece, <em>Five O’Clock Somewhere</em>, a wool rug that resembles a children’s play mat. I work at a library, and it reminded me of rugs I see all the time. It’s a peaceful image of an office park with a large fountain surrounded by a parking lot. I’m curious why you chose a rug as the medium to depict that image.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong style=\"color: rgb(38, 38, 38);\">AC: </strong><span style=\"color: rgb(38, 38, 38);\">To me </span>the heart of that joke was that it was a landscape. I wanted it to be physically traversable. And that was, I don’t want to say controversial, but it was something that I had to talk about a lot.<span style=\"color: rgb(38, 38, 38);\"> </span>The critique of that work was the fact that I didn’t want to hang it on the wall and turn it into a tapestry. I really wanted it to be a rug that people could walk on. When I showed that work at Chicago Artists Coalition for the New City Breakout Artists show. There was a lot of pushback about having it on the floor and allowing people to walk on it.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>That, to me, was such an important conversation, because, in my mind, the fact that you could walk across it and traverse it was part of how I was thinking about the object. Rugs are utilitarian–they are floor coverings. When you make art that doesn’t do anything, you don’t get to participate in that part of the conversation.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I enjoy sparring around art like that. I am totally tickled by the pushback. The critique of display is exciting, and sorting through the politics of utilitarianism in art spaces is fun to me. And then—it was so crazy—we ended up showing it halfway on the wall and halfway on the ground.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961829/r1zylkwfw9rkw191skdl.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Five O’Clock Somewhere</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">, on display at </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Live, Laugh, Labor: Thoughts on Usefulness and Other Myths</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\"> at The Cleve Carney Museum of Art, 2025.</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: Oh, wow.</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>I was like, this is the epitome of compromise! I had to build a structure so that it could hang that way safely.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>CGN: I would say just put it on the ground if that’s what you want to do. It’s interesting that there are still very fixed ideas about the way that art should be displayed.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>AC: </strong>That preparator part of it, that’s what I’m all about. I was having that conversation about what physically supports the work or what conceptually supports it in the way that it’s shown.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>CGN: Have you always been a writer? How do your art and writing practices work together?&nbsp;</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>I can’t say that I’m a writer, it’s probably the same way that it can feel weird to call yourself an artist. But I feel like I’ve always been relatively good at writing. The first time I ever did any kind of professional writing was contributing,&nbsp;a long time ago, to a website called eHow. The editors would send me a title, and then I would have to research how to do that thing. Then I would write out step-by-step instructions for how to do that.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>I think that’s how I had to make myself think through my conceptual practice—I had to do the research, coagulate that into some kind of document, and then I would have stream-of-consciousness conversations with myself. “Why are we interested in this? Why would we make it this way? What would I want to talk about if someone were to ask me about this?” It’s almost like I was pre-interviewing myself.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>I think the writing is just another way for me to process that idea before I put in all of the time and energy to actually accomplish it.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: What are you working on right now? What projects do you have coming up?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>The biggest project that I have right now is my house. My family and I suffered a major house fire on New Year’s Day. We’ve been displaced since then and are navigating rebuilding our house. It was a total loss.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961830/kekfqzf9f87fq48juogh.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Single-Use Fireplace</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">, 2025. Photo: Mikey Mosher.</span></p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>CGN: I’m so sorry to hear that.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>Thank you. We’re all okay, but it’s been a really tumultuous year. I moved my studio into a storefront last summer, and so most of my, at least relatively recent, work is safe, and I still have all of my materials, but my home life is starting over. I just had my first full year at this space, and it’s got a little gallery built out in the front called Coming Soon. It’s beautiful with floor-to-ceiling windows on Division and Central Park. I’ve been inviting people into the space to try things out.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>After teaching the ceramics class, I came into a bunch of nice slip casting molds, and I’m making some really playful, weird, ceramic stuff. I want to be open and not put too much pressure on myself. Having a big studio by myself is very expensive, so it’s easy to want to make it feel like it’s worth it. But if for now all I can do is make it a resource for other people, then that will be the thing I do. Be less selfish, but more selfish with my time. Saying I can’t do that, or I don’t want to do that. It’s not my nature to say no—I’m such a yes man. I’m learning how to be a yes man for myself.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: That makes sense after going through something so traumatic.</strong></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>AC:</strong> I have an amazing support system. Our friends started a GoFundMe. It was incredible. I’m so humbled and floored by how held I felt by Chicago. I can’t help but throw a little shout out to my Chicago people. I can see how people’s lives get totally ruined by this kind of tragedy. I feel so lucky. Chicago definitely showed its love back.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CGN: For your project Coming Soon, are you bringing in other artists?</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>AC: </strong>My philosophy is that I want to be involved as little as possible. I am thinking about it more as a hosted than curated space. I’m actively soliciting proposals or ideas for workshops, meetings, book clubs—I’m down for making it a resource, whatever that means. I don’t want to over-think it, I want it to be an intuitive and organic thing, which is why I call it Coming Soon—it can be a placeholder for anything. It’s exciting. Taking my hands off the reins is a good exercise for me.</p><p><br></p><p><a href=\"https://www.andicrist.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">andicrist.com</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961831/gno5dhliwfnzpuaim78s.jpg\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Andi Crist, </span><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Extension Cords</em><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">, Glazed stoneware, chrome, Sizes vary 2021-present. Photo: Mikey Mosher</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-09-10 01:00:00","state":"published","slug":"andi-crist-the-art-of-the-pun","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-09-09 13:50:32.441","updated_at":"2026-09-09 13:50:32.441","category_id":3,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'20':224B,338B '2007':219B '2010':639B '2021':17B,2614B '2023':607B '2024':106B '2025':897B,1789B,2169B '2026':30B '69':1238B 'abl':579B 'absorb':413B 'absurd':1412B 'ac':198B,313B,387B,637B,921B,964B,1261B,1533B,1793B,1853B,1905B,2120B,2181B,2427B,2506B 'access':1053B 'accomplish':2103B 'acknowledg':1337B,1450B 'across':1667B 'activ':2534B 'actual':1141B,1402B,2102B 'ago':1959B 'alabama':82B,169B,278B,287B,319B,330B 'alison':40B 'allow':1063B,1643B 'almost':337B,2069B 'along':939B 'alreadi':1001B 'also':1111B,1145B,1323B 'alway':555B,1892B,1937B 'amaz':2431B 'andi':1A,8B,37B,42B,182B,602B,893B,1236B,1764B,2163B,2605B 'andicrist.com':2604B 'anoth':1112B,1292B,1303B,1468B,2083B 'anyth':1697B,2588B 'argument':1041B 'around':859B,1713B 'art':4A,75B,84B,101B,145B,161B,209B,238B,241B,273B,366B,385B,464B,465B,618B,821B,845B,860B,971B,1217B,1235B,1309B,1692B,1714B,1738B,1788B,1849B,1899B 'artist':126B,181B,258B,270B,481B,560B,604B,696B,771B,800B,1032B,1044B,1159B,1227B,1243B,1285B,1304B,1324B,1347B,1374B,1396B,1621B,1628B,1930B,2505B 'artwork':838B 'ask':194B,1448B,1465B,2063B 'attempt':1128B 'audienc':963B 'autotel':667B 'back':323B,1274B,2493B 'background':564B,615B 'banana':1239B 'beauti':2259B 'becom':455B 'believ':1050B 'big':262B,2323B 'biggest':968B,2122B 'birmingham':81B,168B,213B 'block':1432B 'block-styl':1431B 'board':1025B 'book':2542B 'breakout':1627B 'bring':2502B 'build':71B,674B,1806B 'built':2249B 'bunch':425B,2292B 'butcher':1429B 'call':666B,1927B,1963B,2254B,2578B 'came':2289B 'capit':974B 'care':68B 'career':399B 'carney':908B,1785B 'carpent':392B 'carri':350B 'cast':2296B 'ceil':2264B 'central':2269B 'ceram':369B,515B,2286B,2306B 'ceramicist':123B 'cgn':27B,163B,195B,306B,361B,611B,898B,928B,1240B,1461B,1790B,1817B,1889B,2105B,2173B,2417B,2494B 'cheeki':1107B 'chicago':97B,117B,217B,335B,1620B,2454B,2467B,2488B 'chicagoan':312B 'children':1480B 'chose':1523B 'chrome':14B,2611B 'citi':348B,1626B 'class':85B,517B,2287B 'cleve':907B,1784B 'clever':1121B 'clock':1472B,1768B 'club':2543B 'coagul':2020B 'coalit':1622B 'collabor':1356B 'colleg':104B 'columbia':103B,645B 'come':1066B,2118B,2255B,2498B,2580B 'communiti':210B,298B,586B 'complic':1268B,1343B 'compromis':1802B 'conceptu':125B,459B,1879B,2012B 'connect':206B,960B,1187B 'conscious':2035B 'consid':1225B 'continu':281B 'contribut':855B,1298B,1339B,1955B 'controversi':1563B 'convers':57B,798B,858B,1656B,1709B,1870B,2036B 'copi':34B 'cord':11B,2608B 'could':1399B,1611B,1665B,1812B 'cover':1688B 'craft':469B 'craftsperson':477B 'craftswoman':411B 'crazi':1749B 'creat':1197B 'creativ':156B,419B 'credit':242B 'crist':2A,9B,38B,43B,77B,183B,603B,894B,1237B,1765B,2164B,2606B 'critic':969B 'critiqu':942B,1577B,1725B 'crossword':1139B 'cultur':1249B 'curat':688B,801B,2530B 'curious':1520B 'cycl':601B 'dad':389B 'day':2145B 'deepli':69B 'defens':1061B 'definit':234B,2489B 'demeanor':47B 'depict':1530B 'desir':292B 'devour':83B 'didn':1586B 'differ':427B,508B 'difficult':744B 'discuss':136B 'displac':2149B 'display':1727B,1771B,1852B 'distinct':1265B 'divis':2267B 'document':2026B 'doesn':1694B 'drew':373B 'drop':1060B 'easi':2333B 'easili':978B 'econom':818B 'editor':1966B 'effort':887B 'ego':1162B 'ehow':1964B 'element':460B 'end':589B,990B,1751B 'energi':2100B 'engag':46B 'enjoy':1711B 'enorm':1307B 'environ':173B 'epitom':1800B 'essenti':1456B 'eventu':708B,839B 'ever':192B,1947B 'everi':324B 'everybodi':926B 'everyth':872B 'evid':49B 'excit':1729B,2591B 'exercis':2601B 'exhibit':805B,904B 'exist':1002B,1460B 'exot':1425B 'expand':296B 'expens':2329B 'experi':141B,636B,751B,1254B 'expertis':1297B 'explor':457B,1246B 'extens':10B,2607B 'extrem':1417B 'fabric':149B,379B,551B 'fact':1583B,1662B 'fair':895B 'fall':29B 'famili':315B,2133B 'familiar':304B 'feed':600B,842B 'feel':1069B,1924B,1933B,2339B,2485B 'felt':2452B 'figur':697B 'finish':432B,512B 'fire':2140B 'fireplac':2168B 'first':52B,737B,1944B,2236B 'five':1470B,1766B 'fix':1843B 'floor':1641B,1687B,2262B,2447B 'floor-to-ceil':2261B 'foothold':1017B 'forthcom':63B 'fountain':1512B 'friend':357B,2435B 'front':1271B,2253B 'fu':1442B 'fuel':867B 'full':1314B,2237B 'fun':1741B 'funni':188B,1098B 'gain':710B 'galleri':568B,665B,731B,767B,2248B 'gather':815B 'gave':289B 'generous':58B 'get':531B,625B,724B,1037B,1074B,1130B,1701B,2476B 'give':1014B 'glaze':12B,2609B 'go':322B,446B,2422B 'gofundm':2438B 'good':1940B,2600B 'got':549B,2245B 'grad':1381B 'graduat':250B,643B 'grasp':1136B 'grew':78B,165B 'ground':1763B,1826B 'halfway':1755B,1760B 'hand':892B,2594B 'handicraft':540B 'handl':837B 'handler':146B,619B 'hang':1590B,1813B 'hardwood':1426B 'hear':795B,2179B 'heart':1167B,1537B 'held':2450B 'help':694B,958B,2458B 'hey':1351B 'hierarchi':1247B,1279B 'high':92B,246B 'hobbyist':395B 'hold':1087B 'holocaust':733B 'home':2227B 'host':2528B 'hous':1273B,1276B,2131B,2139B,2157B 'humbl':2445B 'humor':938B,953B,1054B 'idea':1371B,1844B,2090B,2538B 'identifi':309B,341B 'illinoi':115B,131B 'imag':1504B,1532B 'impact':263B 'import':754B,1012B,1335B,1655B 'incorpor':937B 'incred':410B,2441B 'industri':1308B 'inform':812B 'inlaid':1420B 'instal':701B 'institut':132B,1251B 'instruct':1993B 'intellectu':983B,1052B,1120B 'interact':1344B 'interest':1837B,2042B 'interview':23B,2075B 'intuit':2570B 'invit':725B,2274B 'involv':1330B,2515B 'isn':1163B 'issu':31B 'jeff':609B 'job':865B 'joke':1076B,1209B,1540B 'joy':1125B 'kid':239B 'kind':1006B,1105B,1950B,2024B,2481B 'know':714B,832B 'know-how':831B 'knowledg':1295B 'labor':155B,920B,944B,1281B,1775B 'ladder':606B,1245B,1263B,1376B 'landscap':1546B 'languag':1199B 'larg':1511B 'larger':764B 'last':2203B 'laugh':360B,911B,916B,919B,922B,1774B 'learn':438B,520B,760B,2408B 'learner':574B 'least':2211B 'less':2370B 'level':534B,1102B 'librari':1488B 'life':2228B 'like':252B,556B,577B,1070B,1081B,1132B,1350B,1440B,1715B,1796B,1934B,2070B,2340B 'line':882B 'littl':2247B,2462B,2517B 'live':228B,317B,345B,648B,910B,915B,918B,1773B,2475B 'lo':912B 'logan':654B 'long':881B,1957B 'look':1115B 'loss':2162B 'lot':494B,810B,994B,1393B,1517B,1575B,1633B 'love':327B,917B,930B,1179B,1185B,2492B 'lucki':2487B 'm':571B,1519B,1863B,1912B,2175B,2300B,2401B,2407B,2443B,2533B,2545B 'made':792B,1373B,1423B 'major':2138B 'make':76B,371B,386B,463B,485B,492B,502B,591B,632B,806B,851B,992B,1083B,1181B,1317B,1327B,1369B,1691B,2007B,2048B,2301B,2337B,2354B,2419B,2548B 'man':2405B,2414B 'mani':891B 'master':476B 'mat':1483B 'materi':2224B 'matter':748B 'mayb':200B,331B,1033B 'mean':2554B 'meant':693B 'media':509B 'medium':1528B 'meet':2541B 'method':380B 'methodolog':869B 'mfa':110B 'mikey':20B,2171B,2617B 'mind':1660B 'minim':683B 'minut':54B 'mode':500B 'model':417B 'mold':370B,524B,2297B 'mom':404B,415B 'mosher':21B,2172B,2618B 'move':95B,215B,2197B 'much':440B,1147B,1290B,1444B,2317B 'multidisciplinari':138B 'multipli':545B 'museum':729B,734B,738B,909B,1786B 'music':90B 'myth':1781B 'natur':2396B 'navig':2154B 'necessarili':431B 'negat':529B 'neither':1220B 'never':203B 'new':1625B,2142B 'nice':2294B 'nobodi':190B 'o':1471B,1767B 'object':1681B 'observ':66B 'obvious':1022B 'offic':1507B 'oh':196B,1791B 'okay':2187B 'one':235B,240B,965B 'open':2312B 'order':483B 'organ':2572B 'output':547B 'outsid':299B 'over':982B 'over-think':2560B 'overbuilt':1418B 'parent':1192B,1223B 'park':1508B,1516B,2270B 'part':25B,1149B,1673B,1706B,1856B 'particip':1703B 'partner':658B 'peac':1503B 'peopl':490B,1015B,1064B,1190B,1204B,1316B,1321B,1332B,1610B,1644B,2275B,2360B,2468B,2473B 'perfect':935B 'perlman':610B 'person':359B,827B,1049B,1152B,1293B 'philosophi':2508B 'photo':19B,608B,2170B,2616B 'physic':1413B,1552B,1873B 'piec':1264B,1469B 'place':1023B 'placehold':2586B 'plaid':1434B 'play':89B,954B,1482B,2304B 'point':176B,628B 'polit':1734B 'posit':527B 'possibl':2519B 'practic':139B,367B,450B,846B,1310B,1902B,2013B 'pre':2074B 'pre-interview':2073B 'prepar':147B,621B,775B,1855B 'present':18B,2615B 'pressur':2318B 'probabl':1917B 'process':803B,884B,2088B 'produc':523B 'product':516B,536B 'profession':480B,1952B 'professor':407B 'project':2114B,2123B,2497B 'propos':2536B 'psycholog':401B 'pun':7A,1196B 'purchas':32B 'purpos':1009B 'pushback':1635B,1723B 'put':1822B,2093B,2315B 'puzzl':1140B 'qualiti':354B 'question':189B 'race':1421B 'rais':1193B 'rather':537B 're':777B,785B,794B,2185B 'real':1008B 'realli':193B,197B,753B,786B,1172B,1363B,1387B,1439B,1602B,2193B,2303B 'rebuild':2155B 'receiv':108B 'recent':903B,2213B 'refer':498B,998B 'reflect':1257B 'reilli':41B 'rein':2597B 'relat':1939B,2212B 'relationship':72B,1200B,1269B,1288B,1390B 'remind':1491B 'repres':1266B,1388B 'reput':712B 'requir':244B,504B,886B 'research':1978B,2019B 'resembl':1478B 'reson':488B 'resourc':684B,2357B,2551B 'result':878B 'right':640B,2111B,2127B 'role':951B 'rug':1476B,1494B,1525B,1608B,1682B 'ruin':2478B 'safe':1816B,2216B 'satisfact':1134B 'sausag':790B 'say':1562B,1820B,1909B,2378B,2398B 'school':93B,247B,1382B 'sculptor':122B 'see':787B,871B,1496B,2471B 'self':599B 'self-feed':598B 'selfish':2371B,2374B 'send':1968B 'sens':2420B 'serious':1156B 'seven':253B 'shape':174B,1255B 'share':581B 'shout':2463B 'show':689B,1616B,1629B,1753B,2490B 'shown':1888B 'side':780B 'sinc':226B,2150B 'singl':2166B 'single-us':2165B 'size':15B,2612B 'skill':583B,1453B 'slip':2295B 'social':353B 'solicit':2535B 'someon':2060B 'someth':486B,1173B,1567B,2424B 'somewher':1473B,1769B 'song':87B 'soon':2256B,2499B,2581B 'sorri':913B,2177B 'sort':1731B 'south':231B 'southern':344B,358B 'space':670B,707B,783B,1206B,1739B,2241B,2278B,2531B 'spar':1712B 'squar':655B 'start':663B,687B,723B,841B,2230B,2436B 'step':1990B,1992B 'step-by-step':1989B 'still':316B,1841B,2219B 'stonewar':13B,2610B 'storefront':651B,2202B 'straddl':778B 'stream':2033B 'stream-of-consci':2032B 'stripe':1422B 'structur':1404B,1458B,1808B 'student':519B 'studi':99B 'studio':2199B,2324B 'stuff':2307B 'style':1433B 'subject':747B 'subscrib':36B 'success':1301B 'suffer':2136B 'summer':2204B 'super':205B 'support':1403B,1457B,1874B,1880B,2432B 'surfac':1101B 'surround':256B,1513B 'sweep':1040B 'swift':1057B 'system':2433B 'take':1154B,2592B 'talk':1572B,2057B 'tapestri':1600B 'taught':1229B 'teach':129B,283B,513B,2284B 'teacher':274B 'technolog':134B 'thank':2182B 'theater':566B 'theme':1260B 'thing':428B,999B,1091B,1182B,1202B,1318B,1361B,1414B,1983B,2281B,2366B,2573B 'think':153B,525B,612B,985B,1233B,1678B,2000B,2009B,2078B,2522B,2562B 'thought':889B,941B,1029B,1776B 'throw':2460B 'tickl':1720B 'time':61B,661B,1095B,1499B,1945B,1958B,2098B,2377B 'titl':900B,932B,1971B 'togeth':1904B 'tool':680B 'top':1435B 'total':1719B,2161B,2477B 'touch':835B 'tragedi':2483B 'train':276B,1027B 'traumat':2426B 'travers':1553B,1670B 'tri':294B,423B,436B,2280B 'tumultu':2194B 'turn':1409B,1596B 'type':377B,383B,719B,863B 'uic':1384B 'understand':1079B,1207B,1216B 'univers':113B 'unusu':706B 'use':677B,1778B,2167B 'utilitarian':1684B,1736B 'valu':158B,946B,1252B 'vari':16B,365B,2613B 'varieti':506B 've':554B,1341B,1936B,2147B,2272B 'view':178B 'visual':100B 'voraci':573B 'walk':1612B,1646B,1666B 'wall':1594B,1758B 'want':849B,1354B,1366B,1463B,1548B,1560B,1588B,1603B,1832B,2055B,2309B,2335B,2388B,2512B,2558B,2565B 'warehous':1313B 'warm':45B 'warn':896B 'way':543B,1058B,1113B,1213B,1815B,1847B,1884B,1920B,2051B,2084B 'websit':1962B 'weird':1925B,2305B 'west':653B 'whatev':2552B 'window':2265B 'without':1068B 'woodwork':121B,368B,396B 'wool':1475B 'work':142B,269B,285B,496B,557B,569B,592B,633B,703B,721B,727B,740B,768B,772B,852B,949B,996B,1084B,1142B,1242B,1328B,1485B,1580B,1618B,1876B,1903B,2109B,2214B 'workplac':1248B 'workshop':2540B 'world':162B,765B,822B,875B 'worst':679B 'worth':2343B 'would':1224B,1819B,1967B,1975B,1986B,2030B,2046B,2053B 'wow':1792B 'write':1901B,1942B,1953B,1987B,2080B 'writer':1895B,1914B 'wrote':86B 'yeah':199B 'year':225B,325B,339B,453B,2143B,2195B,2238B 'yes':2404B,2413B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788961816/q8i9yimdkrhqptwlczmp.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":13766,"title":"Anticipating a Season of Art: Five to Talk to – Debra Kerr","excerpt":"","body":"<p>Fall offers a full slate of exhibitions across galleries and museums throughout the Midwest.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, many people in the community are working tirelessly to support artists and bring fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke&nbsp;with five insiders about what excites them now&nbsp;and what they anticipate next.</p><p><br></p><p><em>The following preview is one of five conversations that appear in CGN's Fall 2026 magazine. To receive a copy of the print edition&nbsp;</em><a href=\"https://835ba3.myshopify.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>click here.&nbsp;</em></a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1789516769/izokunnmrufdyjbjnypk.jpg\"></p><h4><em>Debra Kerr –&nbsp;</em></h4><h4><em>CEO, Intuit Art Museum</em></h4><p><br></p><p>“Intuit Art Museum’s renovated, expanded spaces give audiences the chance to connect with art through daily art-making, third Thursday Art After Work, group Slow Looks designed to provide a mindful experience with a single work and upcoming conversations with sculptor Bill Brady (Oct. 3) and Dr. Mary Trent (Oct. 15), who curated our current exhibition on the role of scrapbook-making in Henry Darger’s art.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>On view is the thought-provoking <em>Monumental: The Sculpture of Dr. Charles Smith</em>, which encourages guests to consider the lack of historical representation of African Americans and Black people in America. Dr. Smith’s memorials champion Black history and stories of everyday life he sees missing in mainstream narratives.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p>This fall we’re opening an exhibition of paintings by Karla Wong, an artist who immigrated from Oaxaca and who explores themes of life and death, gender identity and self-discovery.”</p><p><br></p><p><a href=\"https://art.org\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Intuit Art Museum</a></p>","published_at":"2026-09-09 00:30:00","state":"published","slug":"anticipating-a-season-of-art-five-to-talk-to-debra-kerr","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-09-15 23:59:29.662","updated_at":"2026-09-15 23:59:29.662","category_id":3,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'15':146B '2026':76B '3':140B 'across':19B 'african':189B 'america':195B 'american':190B 'anticip':1A,60B 'appear':71B 'art':5A,92B,95B,108B,112B,116B,163B,247B 'art-mak':111B 'artist':39B,227B 'audienc':102B 'behind':26B 'bill':137B 'black':192B,201B 'bradi':138B 'bring':41B 'ceo':90B 'cgn':73B 'champion':200B 'chanc':104B 'charl':176B 'click':86B 'communiti':33B 'connect':106B 'consid':182B 'convers':69B,134B 'copi':81B 'curat':148B 'current':150B 'daili':110B 'darger':161B 'death':239B 'debra':10A,88B 'design':122B 'discoveri':245B 'dr':142B,175B,196B 'edit':85B 'encourag':179B 'everyday':206B 'excit':54B 'exhibit':18B,151B,220B 'expand':99B 'experi':127B 'explor':234B 'fall':12B,75B,215B 'five':6A,50B,68B 'follow':63B 'fresh':42B 'full':15B 'galleri':20B 'gender':240B 'give':101B 'group':119B 'guest':180B 'henri':160B 'histor':186B 'histori':202B 'ident':241B 'immigr':229B 'insid':51B 'intuit':91B,94B,246B 'karla':224B 'kerr':11A,89B 'lack':184B 'life':207B,237B 'look':121B 'magazin':77B 'mainstream':212B 'make':113B,158B 'mani':29B 'mari':143B 'memori':199B 'midwest':25B 'mind':126B 'miss':210B 'monument':171B 'museum':22B,93B,96B,248B 'narrat':213B 'next':61B 'oaxaca':231B 'oct':139B,145B 'offer':13B 'one':66B 'open':218B 'paint':222B 'peopl':30B,193B 'perspect':43B 'preview':64B 'print':84B 'provid':124B 'provok':170B 'public':46B 're':217B 'receiv':79B 'renov':98B 'represent':187B 'role':154B 'scene':28B 'scrapbook':157B 'scrapbook-mak':156B 'sculptor':136B 'sculptur':173B 'season':3A 'see':209B 'self':244B 'self-discoveri':243B 'singl':130B 'slate':16B 'slow':120B 'smith':177B,197B 'space':100B 'spoke':48B 'stori':204B 'support':38B 'talk':8A 'theme':235B 'third':114B 'thought':169B 'thought-provok':168B 'throughout':23B 'thursday':115B 'tireless':36B 'trent':144B 'upcom':133B 'view':165B 'wong':225B 'work':35B,118B,131B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1788406120/wgkj5rkg0rq42watsxad.jpg","editor_pick":true}]}