Stories

Learn about the people, places, and ideas that drive Chicago’s dynamic art ecosystem. Dive in and discover interviews, essays, news, videos, and more.

Inside Look

A dense collage of brightly colored floral images on a black background.

Myth of the Organic City: Art as Medium for Environmental Critique

The works of art in "Myth of the Organic City" compel viewers to confront the unseen impact of our technological footprint, making visible the tensions between nature, society, and industry.
Gallery installation view of a colorful mural depicting a Black man holding a child, a car, two busses, and a variety of other objects.

Learning Together: Documenting Chicago’s History of Art Education

Gallery 400's exhibition, "Learning Together: Art Education and Community" exemplifies the power of community, shared histories, and the commitment to documenting Chicago’s artistic and educational legacy.

Rewilding History: A Review of “Myth of the Organic City”

Sixty Inches from Center’s Mrittika Ghosh guides audiences through her experience visiting 6018North’s exhibition, "Myth of the Organic City."

Radical Craft: Firebird Community Arts and Red Line Service pick up the threads of Hull-House

A look into the community-centered collaboration between Firebird Community Arts, Red Line Service, and Jane Addams-Hull House Museum.
Visitors standing and interacting in front of stacks of full bookshelves.

When Clouds Roll Away: A Community Reflection on the Johnson Publishing Company Archives

Sixty Inches from Center’s Tonal Simmons (they/them) attended the opening of “When Clouds Roll Away” at Stony Island Arts Bank and recorded reflections from attendees, artist Theaster Gates, as well as their own.

Adversarial Joy: Art, History, and Storytelling in “Paper Cuts”

For Ho-Chunk visual artist Jim Terry, author of the comic "Paper Cuts," defiance is more than a creative impulse–it’s a way of life.

Creative Conversations with Dawit L. Petros

Artist Dawit L. Petros discusses his solo exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, “Prospetto a Mare.”

Questions with a Curator featuring Lois Taylor Biggs

Art Design Chicago sat down with Lois Tylor Biggs, curator of the Center for Native Futures' exhibition Gagizhabaajiwan. 
A photograph of Mary Lawson interviewing Akito Tsuda. They sit at a big red table with photographs hung on a wall in the background.

Thank You for This Question

Sixty Inches from Center's Mary Lawson interviews Akito Tsuda about his "Pilsen Days" exhibition and his growth as a photographer.
Four artists and two curators pose together in front of an gallery wall.

Stories found within art and spoken by Native artists in six contemporary exhibitions in Chicago

Guided by Indigenous voices and practices, a series of exhibitions showcases the breadth and depth of artwork by a diverse group of Native artists with ties to the Chicago region.

Questions with a Curator featuring Clemenstien Love

The GREYSTONE Collective co-founder Clemenstien Love talks about her solo exhibition, "THE Artisanal Roomscape LABORATORY."

Visual Voices and Art as Resistance: Designing for Change at the Chicago History Museum

In the midst of the political and social upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, Chicago became a stage for activism and protest, where art wasn’t just a tool for expression but a force for change.

The Sweetly Sly Art of Alberto Aguilar / El gentilmente travieso arte de Alberto Aguilar

Alberto Aguilar, the first Chicago Humanities Artist-in-Residence talks about his art-making process and previews Chicago Humanities' upcoming free day of art events in Pilsen.
Two boys run through a very rainy Pilsen street corner. A large church and cars in the background.

Tripartite Lenses: a History of Them, Him, and Us / Lentes Tripartitos: Una historia de ellos, de él, y de nosotros

A deep dive into “Pilsen Days,” an exhibition with over 100 photos by Akito Tsuda of the Pilsen neighborhood’s Mexican community.

Curation and Community Archiving as History Making: The Processes and Challenges of Mapping South Asian American Art in Chicago

Centering the idea of community archiving, the curators "What's Seen and Unseen" were deeply committed to community engagement from the outset.

What Does It Mean to Design for Dignity? 

The presenters of Deem’s second symposium were asked what it means to design for dignity. Here’s what they shared with us.

Questions with a Curator featuring Sheridan Tucker Anderson

Art Design Chicago and Curator Sheridan Tucker Anderson discuss the history, impact, and legacy of Elizabeth Catlett.  
Artist Victoria Martinez stands in front of an installation of her large-scale textile artworks.

Video: Artist Victoria Martinez Shares her Art and Influences

A native of Chicago’s Pilsen community, artist Victoria Martinez talks about how the neighborhood she grew up in has influenced her practice.
A street scene featuring an artwork pasted up on a brick wall. A figure passes by. A sign on the wall says "Build Coffee."

Look Longer: Reflections on Opening Passages

Sixty Inches from Center goes on a journey across the city exploring a multi-venue and multi-neighborhood project that de-centers the Loop as the main hub for cultural creativity.
Portrait of Alice Shaddle seated among a collection of her artworks.

Reflecting on Alice Shaddle’s Fuller Circles: Art, Legacy, and Community

A reintroduction of the diverse work of Alice Shaddle (1928 – 2017) to new audiences through a poignant exploration of the artist's intricate weave of family, community, and curation.

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Recent Posts

Myth of the Organic City: Art as Medium for Environmental Critique

Learning Together: Documenting Chicago’s History of Art Education

Rewilding History: A Review of “Myth of the Organic City”

Radical Craft: Firebird Community Arts and Red Line Service pick up the threads of Hull-House

When Clouds Roll Away: A Community Reflection on the Johnson Publishing Company Archives

Adversarial Joy: Art, History, and Storytelling in “Paper Cuts”

Creative Conversations with Dawit L. Petros

Questions with a Curator featuring Lois Taylor Biggs

Thank You for This Question

Stories found within art and spoken by Native artists in six contemporary exhibitions in Chicago

Questions with a Curator featuring Clemenstien Love

Visual Voices and Art as Resistance: Designing for Change at the Chicago History Museum

The Sweetly Sly Art of Alberto Aguilar / El gentilmente travieso arte de Alberto Aguilar

Tripartite Lenses: a History of Them, Him, and Us / Lentes Tripartitos: Una historia de ellos, de él, y de nosotros

Curation and Community Archiving as History Making: The Processes and Challenges of Mapping South Asian American Art in Chicago

What Does It Mean to Design for Dignity? 

Questions with a Curator featuring Sheridan Tucker Anderson

Video: Artist Victoria Martinez Shares her Art and Influences

Look Longer: Reflections on Opening Passages

Reflecting on Alice Shaddle’s Fuller Circles: Art, Legacy, and Community

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An initiative of the Terra Foundation for American Art in partnership with artists and organizations across the city, Art Design Chicago is a series of events and exhibitions that highlight the city’s artistic heritage and creative communities.

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