Michael Workman

If you've been involved with the art scene in the city for any length of time, you know that beyond the museums, galleries and art schools exists a healthy swath of the culture made up of little atelier spaces run out of people's apartments, garages and storefronts. Our city's artist-studio system, the primary indicator of all things artist-run, consists of perhaps ten times the number of other types of art spaces here and works as a kind of gold standard against which these are measured. These "alternative" spaces--as they've been labeled in the last few decades--are a tradition in Chicago since early on, when artists sought to have a private place to consider their work among friends and patrons. As these spaces have evolved into venues for exhibiting work, they've fallen under the scrutiny of the city government, subject to all the same laws as any other business. Is it possible to strike an equilibrium between legal concerns and the reality of a small group of artists banding together to offer a vital cultural resource that wouldn't otherwise exist? Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs has attempted to educate the public about these laws, especially with the launch of the new Chicago Artists Resource, available for free online at www.chicagoartistsresource.org. There you'll find, in a section called "Square Feet Chicago," a fairly comprehensive guide not only to renting and financing property, but also to the ins and outs of zoning ordinances, building code and inspections. Still, not all such spaces may actually wish to "go legit." While it's easy to take the view that the city's the bad guy, it's simply not always the case. Some spaces open knowing they'll remain semi-private.

Take, for example, the house at 1417 North Hoyne, known in the art world as "The Mansion." That's pretty much what it is, a grand home that's fallen into disrepair, used by a group of friends who have occupied it to produce exhibitions and small-scale performances, such as this last weekend's "Scales of the Pangolin," which featured a performance by Winnipeg artist Daniel Barrow and opera singer Dewayne Slightweight. Barrow uses a slide projector and transparencies to animate in real-time stories of beauty pursued to tragic ends. Situated back from the street behind a curtain of leafy trees, the walk was lit with candles at the front steps, leading in past an old grand staircase, into sitting rooms where the performance was to take place. Inside, organizer Megan Palaima was rushing back and forth, checking the audio equipment needed for the show, rows of folding chairs lined like pews. Palaima explained that the house had been run as an exhibition space for some time, since the early days of Around the Coyote, and more recently for shows by local artist Dirk F. Knibbe.

Visiting with an artist friend from Brooklyn, we were told the show was starting late and to come back in an hour. We spent a few minutes browsing the drawings hung in a side room and settled in on the front stoop to wait for the preparations to get completed. It didn't take long before rows of visitors began lining up at the front door, arriving by the dozens. We mused at how the ceiling plaster had given way to reveal the floor structure and wondered, as the patrons filed in to pack the place, whether the floor would actually hold us all. (It did.)

By the time Barrow began his performance, the place was shoulder to shoulder with people. Barrow's first two pieces, "The Face of Everything" and "Catalogue of the Original," were delightful, whimsical pieces on the subject of beauty and its destitutions. His third piece, "Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry," was too long. Barrow's a real pro, however, and it was a pleasure to watch as he continued his narrative, fishing with his free hand into a file folder when his assistant handed him the wrong transparency. After the show, Palaima explained that The Mansion was slated to end operations in a few weeks, when the building owner begins construction to make the place into his permanent home. And she's perfectly okay with that. As a patron, it suddenly struck me that it only ever meant to serve as a place for those wise enough to follow the word of mouth to opening night. It was a stellar realization. With all the complaints from artists about unfair code restrictions and licensing issues, it's simply refreshing that an artist can accept that their project may exist to contribute the art of a single lovely moment.

(2005-11-08)

Also by Michael Workman

Eye Exam
In the second of a two-part assessment of the Bridgeport neighborhood during the Select Media Festival, this week we interview Jesse Batesole of the Texas Ballroom and Gallery
(2005-11-01)

Chicago Artist
Mia Capodilupo draws from varied sources for her art, from feminism and urban environments to the sensitivity of our human bodies to touch
(2005-10-25)

Eye Exam
While wearing my other hat as art promoter and event organizer, I've occasionally crossed paths with Ed Marszewski
(2005-10-25)

The Collectors
There aren't enough collectors in Chicago to sustain a world-class art scene
(2005-10-18)

Eye Exam
(2005-10-18)

Chicago Artist
(2005-10-11)

Eye Exam
(2005-10-04)

Chicago Artist
(2005-10-04)

Chicago Artist
(2005-09-27)

Eye Exam
(2005-09-20)

Eye Exam
(2005-09-13)

Is River North Dead?
(2005-09-06)

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