We asked some leading lights of the South Side art scene: Why does art matter? What is the social relevance of art? Why do we need it on the South Side? What follows are their responses. Read the rest of this entry »

Entering the performance art gallery ROOMS prior to the showing of its new play, “Bird Dog Sedition,” you are immediately struck by the sense of solemnity. Beneath the dim bluish lighting, a half-circle of wooden folding chairs faces a small open space, in the center of which a blindfolded woman stands statuesque atop a pedestal. Quotes from noted philosophers and writers such as Orwell, Nietzsche, and Baudrillard adorn the walls; their political and religious convictions echo silently along with more audible, ominous music. Like a church sanctuary before service begins, the atmosphere evokes a feeling of reverence. Read the rest of this entry »

Now, Speak. “My hair is falling out, my hair is falling out, my hair is falling out, my hair is falling out. All over the place in little red armies of individual hairs looking at me these hair people I try to throw them out. Like a red atomic bomb that went off all over my pillow. I feel some sense of loss.” I think I want to watch her, like this—three inches from the screen—for hours. I can’t tell you her name or even what she’s talking about—herself? Cancer? I didn’t have time to find out because a moment later I got distracted by the guy next to her (with the dreds) who I heard saying “Spilling squids.” This strange alliterative sentence caught my ear and, bashfully, I shuffled over to stand before him. Read the rest of this entry »