Sean Redmond

Ah, the map: one of the most underrated of all directional tools, faced with the undesirable future of forever being locked in the glove compartment by angry fathers who would rather find themselves trampled beneath their own tires than be forced to consult the handy square of fold-out paper. Fortunately, Chicago has remedied the situation by throwing the "Festival of Maps" celebration, which includes the new "Mapping Chicago: The Past and the Possible" exhibit at the Chicago History Museum. Visitors can find all sorts of—you guessed it!—maps, ranging from guides from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition to potential venue layouts for the 2016 Olympics. Other highlights include a bird’s-eye view of downtown Chicago circa 1857, where in the place of skyscrapers you can see houses and trees dotting familiar pathways like Rush Street and Chicago Avenue; there’s also maps charting ethnic settlements, a map of trails, trader points and Indian settlements from 1835 and a beautiful drawing of a proposed view of Grant Park by Jules Guerin, 1909, in which a pair of towering lighthouses overlook a smattering of colorful sailboats, flocked together like geese in a large inlet of water bordering Chicago’s busy downtown streets. Also on display are a number of (surprisingly competent) children’s artworks, as well as nearly a hundred globes—most of which can be found hanging from the ceiling—supplied courtesy of Replogle Globe Company.

"Mapping Chicago: The Past and the Possible" shows at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 North Clark, (312)642-4600.

(2007-09-25)

Also by Sean Redmond

Chow Down
"I’ve worked with animals for thirty-five years, and I’ve always believed in real food for dogs," explains Gloria Lissner, owner of Famous Fido’s Doggie Deli and Bakery, a canine pet shop that specializes in gourmet cooking and baked goods—for dogs, of course
(2007-09-18)

Tip of the Week
Parents and teachers are always trying to make learning sound fun—and while Columbia College’s new exhibit, "Reading, Writing and ‘Rithmetic: The Way We Used to Learn," isn’t exactly a trip to an amusement park, it is a whole lot more interesting than the premise might have you believe
(2007-09-18)

Movement Vocabulary
Six years ago, musician/composer Gene Coleman first began working with the artists playing in the "Sound Space: Japan/USA" performance, a new sound and stage project put together by Links Hall and Sound Field, Coleman’s very own not-for-profit music-production organization
(2007-09-11)

Back to the Future
Dan Deacon is a busy man. Between organizing shows for the B-more scene, recording music and extensive touring (he’s hot off the heels of a European jaunt), it’s amazing that he’s found the time to talk, not to mention play not one but two Chicago shows for September 8, one as part of the Hideout Block Party, followed by a show with O’Death at the AV-aerie that same night. We’re seeing him a mere two months after his stint at Pitchfork this year was cut off due to safety concerns—and who knows, with a little luck, he might even get to play his song "Wham City" this time
(2007-09-04)

Waxing Optimistic
(2007-08-31)

Go West, Children
(2007-08-31)

Death by Stereo
(2007-08-28)

Tip of the Week
(2007-08-28)

Park on Clark
(2007-08-21)

Tip of the Week
(2007-08-14)

Crystal Clear
(2007-08-10)

Tip of the Week
(2007-08-07)

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