PURE DATA PATCH: AMPLITUDE

These pictures definitely don’t do justice to how awesome it was in real life.  I don’t think I captured any of those moments of micro enalrgement.

When first arriving at the SSCAC I was more than skeptical that I would ever be able to relate to it. The chipped floors, peeling paint, and mountains of dust seemed to scream neglect. I couldn’t imagine where I could even begin in working with this building. Yet, despite the distancing I felt at SSCAC, I chose to stay in the course (probably due to a combination of Drea who seemed like a fountain of knowledge and partly because everyone else in the class seemed so motivated from day one). As it turns out, my sticking with the class ended up being one of the best decisions I made all semester. After repeatedly making a migration over to the south side week after week, that cold feeling of neglect fell away. Through all of those weeks spent inside it’s walls, that cold feeling began to exude warmth. The chipped floors, peeling paint, and piles of dust transformed into evidence.  Remnence of past and present happenings and proof that it was loved. I was able to embrace the buildings bumps and bruses. By the time the end of the semester approached, I had been able to personify this place I had thought I would never be able to relate to.  In retrospect I feel that it was this personification of space that really dictated my project.  

“Home Cooking” changed shape and size so many times throughout the evolution of this course, it’s almost hard to recollect that the idea began as an outdoor BBQ.  Quickly, it stepped away from that and (much like my other works) began to evolve into something I imagined as being intimate and personal. The focus that once lay with food and cooking stayed present but, many other aspects began to dominate.  I think that a large part of Home Cooking ended up being about transformation- an aspect that was largely influenced by the way SSCAC was able to transform. Not only in the physical sense that  the center seemed capable of morphing into different creatures- hosting events, holding classes, exhibiting artworks, etc. But, in an almost spiritual way- from seeming like a beat up old building into feeling almost like a second home.  I feel that “Home Cooking” almost became a visualization of how I had personified SSCAC and made an example of how it was able to transform.  

Sang hee jun is a young artist interested in space design. Coming from the field of medical studies, I am particularly interested in how space effects people’s experience, psychology and movement.

 The birdorigami installation.

I got various feelings through this installation. And also learned a lot about actual event things. Because this was my first official installation through my life such a big scale. The other things I’ve done through the school was the project that can be said as a fake one. – based on design studios.  And the character of this project was also so impressive. Because I needed over 500 origami for this installation, I couldn’t do it by myself. All the people around me helped me a lot for folding the origami. And even person who doesn’t know me involved through my friend. Relating to their participation, I thought that this event becoming for everyone in realality. Specially relating to the meaning of my event, the birds was a meaning of every person’s spirit from downtown and everywhere to sscac,so when I installed all the origami I seems to me that the spirit really coming from everywhere. And also I did have  during hanging birds on the ceiling. Even though I got a big bruise on my knee, the feeling that I am creating the space was an unbelievable experience. 

Also the ‘wall image projector’ project was a great experience for me.  the only thing I am sorry about is that we – me and wonjoon- couldn’t make a special projector for sscac.  And also, the contents of the image was also little inconvenience. Since the projecting on the wall can be a meaningful event for communicating between the viewer and the center, I guess it might be better if we created our own word for our event.  But it was really great covering the exterior with the image of light. I really enjoyed it.          And again I stated previously,  I felt internally that my project was successful relating to the relationship between the community and the center and me and the center. I am so surprised that I am used to this center already through this class. Because I never imagined that I would feel comfortable with this site at the end.  Like my experience I guess the SSCAC can spread out to everyone’s mind in chicago.

The Critical Response to Flash Mob

Throughout the time designing and composing the Flash Mob, what I learned mostly is how to communicate with others: not only people individually, but the whole community. Before the process, and even more, before the class, I think  I totally forgot the importance of communication with others. Maybe I was way too concentrated only on my focus. Not only as an experimental artist, but also as a lighting designer, I should’t lose the sense of communication in terms of Design as a part of commercial art. This project absolutly forgived and encouraged my timidity, and let my expression out there. As mentioned in last class, my intention of the scale was dissatisfied, and it lead me into the disheartenment. But on the other hand, as a result, with lots of enrgy ‘we’ as a group enjoyed and related through the event, and the replies remained the event in successful accomplishment. Through the rough time in this semester, I’m pretty pleased that I at least communicated with you all, as a new step for my career. And to the public I learned what can be mostly effected and what does not. As a first step for my tiny behavior to the world, it lead me into the world where I desired to be in; public art. 

The Critical Response to Light Installation

Also, with this project I tried to talk to the community at there, and tell them this place, SSCAC, in the art history in the making. I was sorry that there weren’t not many people out there wandering, so then we could’t get enough thoughts about this. But personally it was such a nice experience projecting my thought and expression with my speciality to the public. It would be better if the light was brighter so that the image projected with better quality. If there weren’t enough articles about the bronzeville in the school portal, it could be very challenging to project something in public if there aren’t enough knowledge about the place. Therefore, before the communication, understanding by each others should be the first, and then, researching about others will help the relationship better. That’s what I learned from this. I hope it helped the understanding of our event to people.

Though this course, Site/Environment/Community…

In short, this class really changed my notion of Chicago neighberhood. As I mentioned in the class before, What I heard and knew about the south loop was just not safety place to go. But through this sememster, I realized not only this place, but also the south loop is not dagerous or someother place that I can’t get in. Of course, there always are posibilities in danger in everywhere in the world. By exception of the posibilities, it was such a warmful place that we need to vitalize with art. SSCAC would be perfact place to start on, and this class had a big success on my notion of entire misunderstanding. Like this case by corrceting the misunderstanding of our neighber and showing the beautiful aestetics of  African American Art, SSCAC will remain no longer as an intention; it will remain as one of the most influence Art Center in Chicago.

 

By Won Joon Lee

To be able to go through and document the SSAC’s archive has been truly a privilege. The physical aspect of touching history and being able to see the events and people that have taken a role in SSCAC was a wonderful way for me to develop a relationship with the center. Earlier in the semester I felt a strong disconnect with the center and felt that I could only access it in a distant way rather than becoming intimate with the space. Getting to know the photos and spending so much time examining and altering them for my project aloud me to become much more comfortable and intimate with the space. The photographs made me want to become much more involved with the center and take a more active role with my project.

For the event my project was not as successful as I had hoped it to be, there were some technical glitches with the program and the files that interrupted my proposed idea. However, I still felt that it did in a way activate the space and hopefully added to the general ambiance of allowing the public more access to what was private within the center. Again as I stated previously I felt internally that my project was successful in the way that it aloud for me to develop a relationship with the center and its many members. There was something very special about spending so much time analyzing and in a way nurturing the photos of the archive that was very significant in my understanding of the center.

Sebastian Alvarez was born and raised in Lima, Peru. Alvarez is very interested in disciplines and theories that entail calling into question, among other things, the instrumental exploitative gaze through which we humans distance ourselves from the rest of nature. His current research, and practices manifest in the form of sound, video, photography, site-specific installation and performance.

Fun Raiser:

The main focus of this event is to becomes a public interaction and exchange that contributes to the growth of all the participants. This exchange can bring stories, experiences, and/or ideas that can potentially become models of communication and/or collaborative relationships. Ideally, this event will strengthen the affiliation between the Southside Community Art Center and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago while celebrating the connection between creativity and community life.

(images with description coming soon)

Gwenn-Aël LYNN was born from a French mother and an American father. As an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California he started making site-specific installations. In 2000 he moved into performance. Since then he has been interested into expanding the notion of site specificity by making “culturally specific” work, or, in the terms of Mi Won Kwon, localities. Thus, wherever he resides he works in relation to place, with local communities, and local histories. Because of his dual origins, as the descendant of colonizers (France) treading a colonized land (America), he is particularly interested in the postcolonial cultural processes of creolization, as defined by the Antillean poet, Edouard Glissant.
His recent work is based on the following hypothesis: if visual media is a way of ascertaining power (as, for example, western art history has shown), what happens if we shift our attention towards less hegemonic senses: like smell and taste? Hence he has made interactive smell installation and food/scented performances which problematize further the relationship between olfaction, taste, hybridity, and hegemony.

South Side Herbal Tea Project:

This installation/performance exists as a service to other artists. Conventionally, snacks and drinks are served during openings. Thus rather than serving drinks and snacks unrelated to the locality of the exhibition, I propose to serve a series of 5 herbal teas, which are historically and biologically linked to the Southside Region and to Bronzeville. These 5 teas are prepared in 5 kettles, each playing a specific frequency range in the manner of organ pipes. Chicago is considered one of the homes of blues, hence the use of a pentatonic scale. The interval between each frequency range (or pitch) is related to the scent of each herb used for the teas. I will be present during the event at the Southside Cultural Center to pursue this conversation further with our guests as they are sipping their tea.

Evan Apodaca’s practices utilize the translation of commonly insular domains of knowledge and professions.  By adopting and mediating technological and scientific language toward a wider audience including the average citizen, his work questions the possibility of a greater accessibility to social equity.  Evan’s social services of establishing access become integral in the creation of equitable opportunities to knowledge and therefore to employment. His most recent work is part of a group initiative where an event at Bronzeville’s South Side Community Art Center brings public attention to the center and allows for an open dialogue between communities of Chicago.  His contribution to the event consisting of a 38-block walk from the front entrance of the Art Institute of Chicago to the South Side Community art Center becomes a catalyst and exercise of mobility throughout our various socially constructed apparatuses.  Evan received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2009.

As an introduction to the walk I have tried to create an open mental space for all other participants.  It was a goal of mine to establish my own intent while giving room for other individuals to acquire their own unique experience.  Another point that I explicitly expressed as part of the introduction was in accordance to the idea that (and I am probably quoting myself) walking being a form of expression and one of the most archaic forms of expression at that, still holds true to be one of the most empowering to humanity whether that be in terms of fleeing from a hierarchy or simply in terms of meditation.  This is one point where I see the 38-Block Walk becoming parallel to the idea of the Great Migration.  It is hard to know if anyone heard me that day let alone took my words to heart.  Overall, I think there was a great response from others regarding the experience of the walk.  One of the most constructive of responses has been that I should have included more stops and more knowledge.  I definitely agree with this.  Other people have mentioned that the walk felt like a warm-up leading to the event.  As I have said at our last meeting at the center, I feel that the walk acted not only as basis for physical momentum, but as a mental momentum or spring board into our event as a whole and into its social context.

The whole process of following through with my proposal was a challenge. There were many things to think about and details to work though, which I am sure all other projects go through similiar phases. However, to have to work with the dark room that was turned into a storage room and to make sure it is decent enough for people to feel good about paying the donation was a tough job. The many days and hours of planning and working in the room was not wasted though, the whole experience was very inspiring and fun. I feel that it added an unique element to the event.I am still in the process of matching photos and emailing individuals back with their photos. I hope to have Faheem link this blog to the website so people (board members or the public) may look at our hard work and have the photos displayed this way, to see it in the context of what I want to do, how it relates to the old photos (Maggie’s photos).

Overall came away from the class with a few philosophical questions that I am still comtemplating through. I am constantly wondering about my position as an artist. I am thinking of my role as an artist. I am thinking about what I want to do with my art. Who I want to work with. I want to promote the usage of art as a vehicle for self expression with others, while using it as a process for my own thinking process. I no longer desire to be in the ‘art scene’. I no longer want to make it about ‘I’ (noticing how many ‘I’s I’ve been typing). From now on it will be about others, assisting others to use art will be my art.

As mentioned, I am at a point in life with big changes and transitions (I’m sure all of us are constantly). The class allow me to think and providing me a safe space to try out a different role as an artist, and to be integrated into my local community. It’s so rewarding and inspiring, thank you for all of you that made it possible.

Stay tuned for more photobooth good-ness!

Thank you! *curtains down*

What?

The Dark Room at SSCAC is transformed into a time machine photo booth. With a suggested donation, participants have their photos taken to be included into the web archive of the Art Center. All funds collected is added to funds for SSCAC to further improve their art storage facilities. A 40’s themed experience (music, costumes on the facilitators), an atmosphere that allow patrons to let loose and share their thoughts and memories about SSCAC.

Who?

Bianca Lee is an artist from Hong Kong who loves collaborating with people on projects and using art as a medium for communication. Along with students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) she has the opportunity to collaborate on a project at the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC).

Unfortunately the photos of the setting of the photobooth was not saved properly, but I will share the photos from the booth!

Evan!

Maggie

Mr. Christopher Bradley

brothers

Ms. Yamani Hernandez and her cute children

The Conductors of the Photo Booth!

There are more photos to come….

http://vimeo.com/4534363

So here was my original intent with the tap room:

I am the catalyst for the “Tap room” by creating an environment that will facilitate an open communication by tapping into intuition of the body and the mind. Teaching tap dance steps and sharing information I have gathered over the past 14 weeks learning about the Dance Community in Chicago I will use movement to overcome or bypass what inhibits us to communicate as ourselves.  I will help facilitate an open dialog tapping into innate sensibilities, which are historic, cultural and provoke social thinking.  The sound of the tapping will lure people to come and experience the connection of our past, present and future

The end result was a great discovery:

The active research I did in the dance community ended up not being an imporatant element for the tap dancing.  It was more important to just be present in the space and focus on the people in the room.  To focus on supporting them and helping them “move” to an unexplored place, within their bodies and with new people, in a new place.  The energy in the space was vibrating with positivity and a fearless approach to thinking about movement.  A great momentum was created with people from all walks of life and I am going to continue to teach tap at the southside community art center.  I am excited to continue bringing together an eclectic group of people that want to move their bodies and connect to themselves and each other in a new way.

Overall experience at SSCAC:

It does feel like home.  I have grown in the space and felt the support of the community around me, the class, the center and the people in the neighborhood.  I feel lucky I found a way to remain connected to the center.  The first question I began asking myself was, what can i do for this community?  The answer unveiled itself during our final event.  I am not only going to be teaching tap at the center, I have a chance to give back to the center and share this community of home to more people.  So it was possible…we did make a connection between different communities, and even made a new community of tappers at the SSCAC.