Today In The Culture, March 16, 2022: Historic Pritzker Prize | DuSable Park, Finally | Joffrey’s Largest Production Ever

Peter Behrens, “Ohne Titel”(Der Kuss/Untitled (The Kiss)/Image Courtesy Richard H. Driehaus Museum

ART

Driehaus Museum Acquires Eighty Prints from PAN Journal Of The Avant-Garde

The Richard H. Driehaus Museum will acquire a major collection of prints that were published in the influential periodical PAN—an important addition to the Museum’s collection of works that trace the history and interconnections between art, design and architecture in the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. PAN was published in Berlin by writer and editor Otto Julius Bierbaum and art historian Julius Meier-Graefe from 1895-1900, and is considered an early example of avant-garde magazines with an approach that sought to embrace and engage its readers by sharing a wide array of art, design and literary styles and trends. The museum will acquire the collection of eighty prints from Denenberg Fine Arts. During its five years of publication, PAN included lithographs, etchings and woodcuts, along with written vignettes, in both black and white and full color. It featured work by some of the most important painters and graphic artists of the time, including Aubrey Beardsley, Käthe Kollwitz, Auguste Rodin, Georges Seurat, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Max Liebermann, and their work for the journal reflects the period of cultural and artistic transition toward modernism at the end of the nineteenth century. It also demonstrates the desire of the journal’s founders to elevate graphic arts to the same level as the academic fine art of its day, Driehaus relates.

 “Hooking Up: Meet The Collection” At CCMA

Home to over 800 works of art by recognized masters such as Rembrandt and Toulouse-Lautrec, the Cleve Carney Museum of Art announces their summer exhibition, “Hooking Up: Meet the Collection.” CCMA permanent collection works will be in conversation with contemporary pieces by artists from the greater Chicago area. Works by Chicago artists, including Amanda Williams, Britni Mara and Riva Lehrer will be in dialogue with permanent collection highlights by Andy Warhol, Maya Lin, Roxy Paine and others. The exhibition is curated by CCMA assistant curator Julia Walker. A reception will be held July 15 at 6:30pm. More here.

DESIGN

Diébédo Francis Kéré Wins 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize

“The 2022 laureate of architecture’s highest honor, the Pritzker Architecture Prize, is Diébédo Francis Kéré, known as Francis Kéré, the Burkina Faso-born architect, educator, social activist, recipient of the 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture and designer of the 2017 Serpentine Pavilion. Recognized for ’empowering and transforming communities through the process of architecture,’ Kéré, the first Black architect to win this award, works mostly in areas charged with constraints and adversity, using local materials and building contemporary facilities whose value exceeds the structure itself, serving and stabilizing the future of entire communities. ‘Through buildings that demonstrate beauty, modesty, boldness, and invention, and by the integrity of his architecture and geste, Kéré gracefully upholds the mission of this Prize,’ reads the official statement of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Announced today by Tom Pritzker, chairman of The Hyatt Foundation, Francis Kéré is the fifty-first winner of the award founded in 1979. Praised ‘for the gifts he has created through his work, gifts that go beyond the realm of the architecture discipline,’ the architect is present equally in Burkina Faso and Germany, professionally and personally.” More here.

DuSable Park Moves Forward With Ross Barney Architects And Brook Architecture

“Since its dedication in 1987 by former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, DuSable Park has functioned as a park in name only. As for that name, it honors Haiti-born trader and trapper Jean Baptiste Point DuSable, who arrived in the area circa 1775 as the first non-Indigenous settler of what is now Chicago,” reports The Architect’s Newspaper. “Substantial progress is finally being made with the announcement that the DuSable Park Design Alliance (DPDA) has been awarded a $1.5 million design contract to create an actual park at DuSable Park.  The DPDA is a joint venture between Brook Architecture and Ross Barney Architects. Both Chicago-based firms are women-owned—by RaMona Westbrook and Carol Ross Barney, respectively. Both firms also have extensive experience designing for the public realm; Ross Barney Architects’ key role in the Chicago Riverwalk has garnered the firm local and national acclaim while Brook Architecture’s lauded work at 31st Street Harbor similarly helped to breathe new life into another underutilized stretch of Chicago waterfront.”

How Will Downtowns Change?

“While employers rethink office buildings on the micro scale, cities and regions need to grapple with how to efficiently use their office-dominated downtowns, which are their most central and easy-to-access places,” cogitates Tracy Hadden Loh at the Atlantic. “If you’ve stood on the right block in the Golden Triangle district of Washington, D.C., or inside the Loop in Chicago or in San Francisco’s Financial District at 9am on any recent weekday, you might have experienced the creepy feeling that you had missed the Rapture and been left behind. America’s downtowns have not recovered, and they won’t—at least not to what they were before the pandemic hit. For two years, federal dollars have buoyed local governments, transit agencies, and downtown businesses. But as we enter the third year of the pandemic, we can see that more fundamental change is needed. The public and private entities that depend on downtown money are going to need a path to a new normal. This future will require plenty of office workers—but also more residents, shoppers, visitors, tourists, students and seniors.” Loh has more details at Brookings.

The Art Of Brick Arrives At Museum Of Science And Industry

“The Art of Brick is the world’s largest display of Lego art and it’s at the Museum of Science and Industry,” reports WGN-TV. “This is the first time this exhibition has been in Chicago,’ Jeff Buonomo, senior manager [of] feature experiences at the Museum tells the station; over a hundred sculptures by artist Nathan Sawaya are featured; each work consists of 4,000-80,000 Lego bricks.

Protégé Startup Gets Big Support

The Protégé startup has backing from Sequoia, Will Smith and Lionel Richie, reports Crain’s. “Protégé is like Cameo meets ‘American Idol’ or ‘Shark Tank,’ letting you pitch your talent and ideas to celebrities, including Scooter Braun and Jason Alexander… Jackson Jhin once wanted to be a professional musician. He could never catch the break he needed to launch a music career, but Jhin, formerly chief strategy officer of Cameo, thinks he can help others get their shots. He created Protégé, an online site that allows people to get their talent or idea in front of accomplished professionals for feedback.”

Senate Votes To Make Daylight Savings Time Permanent

“The long-held practice of changing clocks twice a year could finally come to an end under a measure the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Tuesday that would make daylight savings time permanent,” reports NJ.com. “The bill, passed by voice vote, still needs to clear the U.S. House and be signed by President Joe Biden. If that happens, the legislation, dubbed the Sunshine Protection Act, would go into effect in 2023.”

DINING & DRINKING

Hash Past

“Breakfast and lunch restaurant Hash abruptly closed over the weekend, just a few months after reopening for indoor dining,” reports Block Club. “The restaurant at 1357 North Western offered hash plates, classic breakfast items and sandwiches since opening in 2013. Much of its menu was available with vegan options.”

Pilsen Residents Want Giant Penny Whistle Closed

“A Pilsen community group, along with Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, filed a lawsuit seeking to nullify a tavern license they claim was wrongly issued by the city,” reports the Sun-Times. “The Giant Penny Whistle should never have gotten a tavern license because there is a moratorium on tavern licenses along Blue Island Avenue from 16th to 19th that’s in the city’s municipal code, according to the suit, which was filed by the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council and Sigcho-Lopez.” Mark Brown wrote in January about the unusual dispute.

Sunda Launches Weekend Brunch

Sunda New Asian Chicago is relaunching their popular lunch service April 9, as well as serving brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11am-2pm. Highlights include Ube Waffles, with purple yam, whipped ube butter, fresh fruits; Avocado Crispy Rice, with spicy avocado puree, crispy rice, sunny egg, radish, tomatoes, mixed greens and Musubi Sushi,  with soy-glazed spam, sushi rice, nori, scallions, strawberry soy. More here.

XO Marshmallow Café Fluffs Up Lincoln Park

Rogers Park’s XO Marshmallow Cafe, the “World’s First Marshmallow Café,”  is moving from North Sheridan Road to Lincoln Park, reports YIMBY Chicago. “The café will be open at 2730 North Clark… This new location will be much larger than its predecessor, clocking in at 1,780 square feet of useable space.”

Bayer Threatens To Stop Crop Supplies To Russia

In a move that would affect future supplies of wheat and other staple exports to the rest of the world, “Bayer has threatened to suspend crop supply sales to Russia next year unless the country stops its attacks on Ukraine,” reports the Financial Times. “The German drug and agrochemical conglomerate, a leading seed and crop treatment supplier, said it was considering halting the sale of essential farming inputs to Russia, despite such a move potentially leading to further volatility and increases in global food prices… Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat and along with Ukraine accounts for about a third of total exports. It is also a leading producer of other grains and sunflower oil with a long list of developing countries that rely on supplies from both it and Ukraine.”

FILM & TELEVISION

Siskel Film Center Sets Ukraine Cinema Benefit

The Gene Siskel Film Center will present Ukrainian Cinema, five films showcasing the lives and experiences of Ukrainian people, past and present, with most titles screening twice between Friday, March 25 and Thursday, April 7. Ten percent of the sales for films in this series will be donated to Voices of Children, a Ukrainian-based nonprofit providing emergency psychological aid and assistance in the evacuation process to Ukrainian children and families affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “The situation in Ukraine is heartbreaking,” says Film Center director of programming Rebecca Fons in a release. “As a cultural institution that values artists from across the globe, and as a team who aches to contribute support, even if in a small way, we present this small collection of films from filmmakers that demonstrate the lives and experiences —both harrowing and hopeful—of Ukrainian people, past and present and will donate a portion of the proceeds to the Ukrainian-based nonprofit Voices of Children.” Programs and other details here.

AMC Theatres Moves From Its Stock Bubble To Diversify Into Gold And Silver Extraction

“AMC is playing on offense again with a bold diversification move,” tweets AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron. “We just purchased 22% of Hycroft Mining of northern Nevada. It has fifteen million ounces of gold resources! And 600 million ounces of silver resources! Our expertise to help them bolster their liquidity.”

Latino Film Festival Announces Opening Night And Centerpiece At The Drive-In

The thirty-eighth Chicago Latino Film Festival has announced its selections for the opening night and centerpiece screenings at ChiTown Movies Drive-In. The Festival opens Thursday, April 21 with Abner Benaim’s story of Panama’s class and racial divides, “Plaza Catedral.” The Festival’s Centerpiece selection, Ángeles Cruz’s feature debut, “Nudo Mixteco,” will screen on Wednesday, April 27. Both films will screen exclusively at the Drive-In. More details here.

MEDIA

Still Waiting For “Normal” In The Third Year With Relentless News

“I’m tired all the time. You’re tired. We’re all tired. How could living at the junction of the third year of a global pandemic and the threat of World War III be anything but completely, thoroughly, absolutely exhausting?,” writes Dan Sinker in a lucidly exasperated but necessary read at Esquire. “Nothing stops anymore: not the news, not the virus, and certainly not you. We’re all thrust into an unrelenting race to ‘normal,’ even if nothing feels remotely normal about it. We’re back in the office and back in school… Don’t talk about those of us with co-morbidities that could lend to worse outcomes even if we’re vaxxed to our eyeballs. Life feels like a comorbidity at this point. Instead, everything’s open, everything’s maskless, everything’s ‘normal,’ like it or not… Going back to normal is the wrong direction anyway. We need to move forward, to build new lives, better lives.”

MUSIC

Versa Reversed

The recently announced inaugural “woman-powered” Versa festival of music, food, comedy, spoken word and inspirational speakers set for June won’t happen, reports Block Club. No reason has been offered. “Versa was to feature more than 25 musical artists, a handful of comedians and speakers, according to the festival’s announcement.” “Though the reason for the festival’s cancellation remains unclear, Versa’s organizers—Austin, Texas-based Four Leaf Production, led by a former co-founder of C3 Presents (the Live Nation-owned production company behind Lollapalooza)—have faced organizational challenges before in Chicago,” Eater Chicago adds.

COVID And Canceled Gigs Leave Musicians In Lurch

Most working musicians have been marginalized or excluded from COVID relief funding, writes musician Marc Ribot at the Nation, in an extended examination of how important touring pay is today to almost every working musician. “We are migratory birds, and our migration routes have been disrupted. Touring musicians—triply impacted by global venue closures, obstacles to travel and Covid-19 itself—have borne an outsized share of pandemic losses. Our tours demand six to eight months of advance planning and investment, and are unsustainable in a world where new variants go from unknown to global in a few months and restrictions on work and travel are announced with two weeks’ notice.”

STAGE

Joffrey Announces Sixty-Seventh Season

Joffrey’s 2022–2023 season at Lyric Opera House will feature a world premiere from a rising choreographic star, a revival from a Joffrey icon, the return of a Joffrey blockbuster, and a full-length, large-scale story ballet. The Joffrey Ballet begins its season with “Beyond Borders” October 12–23, a mixed program that pays tribute to the Joffrey’s maverick legacy with works by artists of its past and present. It includes an original work from choreographer Chanel DaSilva and returning works by choreographer Liam Scarlett and Joffrey co-founder Gerald Arpino. Christopher Wheeldon’s production of “The Nutcracker” returns December 3–27, followed by the remount of Yuri Possokhov’s “Anna Karenina” from February 15–26, 2023. Closing the season is the Chicago premiere of John Neumeier’s interpretation of “The Little Mermaid,” which will be the largest production ever mounted by the Joffrey, running April 19–April 30, 2023. All programs feature live music performed by Lyric Opera Orchestra. More here.

Eifman Ballet Cancels Chicago Dates

“The Eifman Ballet has canceled upcoming Chicago performances, acknowledging the time isn’t right for a visit by one of Russia’s foremost dance companies,” reports the Sun-Times. “‘In light of COVID-19 restrictions for international travel and the current geopolitical climate, the Eifman Ballet is unable to perform in the United States,’  said a statement from the Auditorium Theatre, where the troupe was to perform its ‘Russian Hamlet’ May 20-22. The St. Petersburg-based company was founded by choreographer Boris Eifman in 1977. Among his fans: Vladimir Putin, who in 2012 presented Eifman with the country’s highest honor, the Order for the Merit to the Fatherland.”

Chicago Latino Theater Alliance Will Export UrbanTheater Company’s “La Gringa” To Puerto Rico

Chicago Latino Theater Alliance imports top Latino theater artists and companies from the U.S. and Latin America to perform during Destinos Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, the festival says in a release. But that’s just half of CLATA’s import-export business, dedicated to showcasing the diversity of the Latino experience. Next month, CLATA is exporting “La Gringa,” the acclaimed play produced by Chicago’s UrbanTheater Company, to be performed as part of a cross-cultural exchange, live and in person, at the Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño e Internacional 2022. More here.

A Breakdown On Cost Of Producing An Off-Broadway Play Today

Chicago economics are, of course, different, but Playbill has a breakdown of the budget of self-producing playwright-director Winter Miller for her latest play. “‘No One Is Forgotten‘ receives its world premiere at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater as part of the theater’s curated rental series, with support from New Georges. Written and directed by Miller, the production is possible thanks to a budget that was raised entirely by the playwright—tens of thousands of dollars collected from private donors and a Kickstarter campaign that drew in over 300 supporters.”

ARTS & CULTURE

City’s Oldest Block Club Notches Sixty Years

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce points out that the Winona-Foster-Carmen-Winnemac Block Club (WFCW) is celebrating its sixtieth anniversary, making it Chicago’s oldest block club. Since its founding in 1962, members have been actively involved in supporting local businesses, hosting social events, influencing public policy, disseminating community news, volunteering and leading community improvement initiatives. WFCW plans to hold an anniversary celebration this summer. More here.

UChicago Sets Up Scholarships And Support For Ukraine Scholars And Students

The University of Chicago will provide full-tuition scholarships for undergraduate students affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “The initiative is inspired by the impact that the University has seen after supporting other students and scholars affected by global wars and crises,” the university announces in a release. “UChicago is committed to bringing together students and scholars of all backgrounds from around the world in a setting of free expression. In addition to full-tuition scholarships, the plan includes: expanded programming in college readiness and preparation for college applications for students from Ukraine (such remote and in-person programming will be based at UChicago’s Center in Paris); increased financial support and other services for current UChicago students and scholars affected by the war in Ukraine who have financial hardship and expanded fellowship programs for current college students who are unable to continue their studies in Ukraine.”

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