Bankrupt and deserted, the Michael Reese Hospital on the 2900 block of Ellis Avenue is an unlikely site for Olympic grandeur. But across the street from the hospital, flags wave in the parking lot of the Prairie Shores apartment complex…
Big Fish: Calumet Fisheries keeps the smokehouse tradition alive on the Far Southeast Side
by Veronica Gonzalez •
Calumet Fisheries is the pride of local foodies. This shack, excuse me, smokehouse, is touted by the owners as one of the only authentic smokehouses left in Illinois. This disappearing art involves marinating the fish in brine overnight and then…
Death Ships and Love Notes: H.C. Westerman’s life and work on display at the Smart Museum
by Elizabeth Joyce •
Walking through the H. C. Westermann exhibit now showing at the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art means embracing a certain degree of sensory overload. Its title “Your Pal, Cliff,” references the artist’s prolific letter writing, and the exhibit…
In “Control”: Jen Rosenthal’s monastic works calm the chaos of modern culture
by Melanie Treuhaft •
The short-lived sand paintings of Tibetan monks are as ritualistic as they are aesthetic. Requiring days of concentration and effort, the paintings are destroyed in a matter of minutes. Their value depends essentially on faith. For the Chicago artist Jen…
The Writing on the Wall: Héctor Duarte’s mural project challenges the borders between Mexico and the U.S.
by Alexandra Perez •
Bright colors, changing shapes and a dash of surrealism convene in “Unraveling Frontiers,” Héctor Duarte’s latest mural at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Influenced by Impressionist and Surrealist painters, Duarte uses a technique learned from fellow Mexican artist and…
Sausage Fest
by Michael Joyce •
There were some downsides to the yearlong German Peasants’ Revolt of 1524-25, like burned cities, sacked churches, and 100,000 dead. On the other hand, there was a degree of martial activity, along with at least some celebration by common folk,…
It’s a No Grow
by Yennie Lee •
As bulbs emerge from the muddy thaw of winter and tight buds loosen their petals on tree branches, the dormant 61st Street Community Garden waits to be cultivated for another growing season in Woodlawn. And as members of the 61st…
Crime Fighters: The University of Chicago Crime Lab evaluates solutions to youth gun violence
by Natalie Doss •
“I guess we’ll find out,” responds Harold Pollack, co-director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, when asked if the Obama administration would be likely to implement one of the Crime Lab’s ideas to reduce youth gun violence on a…
Golden Eggs: Angelic Organics Learning Center teaches chicken care and more
by Robin Peterson •
On Saturday, March 21, chicken enthusiasts from all over Chicago flocked to Woodlawn’s Angelic Organics Learning Center to attend a free workshop on basic backyard chicken care. It was the Center’s second such workshop and, like the first held in…
