Windows to the World
Summer through Fall 2020 outside of 6018North
In response to the collision of COVID-19, institutional racism, police brutality, and economic inequality, the Justice Hotel at 6018North has turned into an experimental platform to address justice with our neighbors and with you. Windows to the World is an outdoor, street-facing exhibition to advance collective solutions to systemic problems. We invite you, the public and organizations to use your own windows to build a collective dialogue about the change that is needed now.
Curated by a collective of Justice Hotel curators – Wisdom Baty, Ciera McKissick, Caroline K. Ng, Ji Yang, and Su Yeon Lim - Windows to the World features work in 6018North’s windows and exterior spaces by Rohan Ayinde, Jane Georges, Efrat Hakimi, Jiwon Ham, Mashaun Hendricks, Tshab Her, Audra Jacot, Angela Lopez, AJ McClenon, Dorian Sylvain, and Sadie Woods.
Pre-COVID, during installation of exhibitions, works are installed somewhat simultaneously. However because of the need for social distancing, Windows to the World’s works have been installed progressively. Efrat Hakim’s Time was installed first, as a solitary image at the top of the house, like a cuckoo clock or a church clock telling time, but melting and warped.
If we want the world to change hopefully. 'Time's up' on police brutality, racism, xenophobia, inequality - the list of messes goes on…
Given this melting time, the show asks: How can we use this time to empower artists to advance both personal and communal transformation? How can we respond to this universal experience to create something better together? Here are our collective responses. Show us yours!
Months in the making, Windows to the World is an extension of the socially responsive, cooperative work of Justice Hotel at 6018North. When the state of Illinois-ordered shut-down occurred, we pivoted from creating Justice Hotel 2.0 to create, while closed inside, we reached out to artists through virtual studio visits. We asked the prompt: Viewing this time as a portal: How do we want to see the world when we get out? Who do we want to be individually and collectively? Working together what are you and we doing to advance this vision? Together we are creating an investigation of social justice that opens up a collective dialogue through our windows, created for our community’s neighbors, but extended to the world.
The exhibition at 6018North is created through a progressive installation with work appearing in the outdoor space of 6018North during Summer 2020.
The show is meant to be a call and response, with each artist sending out a different message. We invite you to talk to us:
Windows to the World Artists
Rohan Ayinde Fracturing the Horizon / A Poetics of the Black (W)hole) – Steel, 2019
Rohan’s sculpture – an architectural space that alludes to the time and space warp of black holes – is also a platform for his reading from Afro-futuristic works at various times throughout the Summer including Saturday, August 15 and 22 at 3 PM, and Thursday, August 20 and 27 at 5:30 PM with Tshab Her. These can be seen on 6018North’s instagram. Rohan draws connections between Afrofuturism, black holes, and the breakdown of the laws of Physics within the singularity of black holes. His full text FRACTURING THE HORIZON / A POETICS OF THE BLACK (W)HOLE rethinks the constrictive structures of slavery, racism, and modernity vs. the expansive potential of black radical position(s). Rohan is a Chicago based artist, writer and curator. A recent Masters graduate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a recipient of the New Artist Society Scholarship and The MA Visual and Critical Studies Graduate Fellowship Award. For more about the artist, visit rohanayinde.com.
Performances: Saturdays at 3 PM August 15 and 22, and Thursdays at 5:30 PM on August 20 and 27.
Jane Georges Feeler – Plastic respirator tubes, 2020
Made of respirator tubes, the work reflects on the emotional gravity of the human breath and the air we breathe during this time. The work is a response to the inability to breathe, literally and figuratively due to COVID-19, the brutal murder of George Floyd (and many others) by the police, and now forest fires. The title comes from “feeler” roots which seek out nutrients and once found, signal for others to follow. In 2019 the tree’s roots found their way into the house’s plumbing system. Roots, trees, air, breath, life. Jane received her BA in printmaking, painting, and sculpture from Indiana University in 2005. For more about the artist, visit janegeorges.com – and read an interview with Georges by Susan Musich.
Efrat Hakimi Time – Neon, 2019
Time was the first image installed, at the top of the house like a cuckoo clock or a church clock telling time, particularly when time is so warped. “If we want the world to change hopefully 'Time's up' on police brutality, racism, xenophobia, inequality, the list goes on…” Efrat is a multidisciplinary artist and engineer working in installation, sculpture, printmaking and video. Efrat received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (2019), graduated from Hamidrasha School of Art (2016) and holds a BSc in mechanical engineering (BGU, 2010). For more about the artist, visit efrathakimi.com – and read an interview with Hakimi by Marina Resende Santos.
Jiwon Ham Not for All – Video, light projection on plexiglass, one-way mirror film, 2020
This work is a projection of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution onto one-way mirrors, similar to those found in police interrogation rooms, it highlights the promise of the 14th Amendment. Enacted in 1868, it forced States after the Civil War to give slaves equal protection under Federal law. The 14th Amendment has been crucial in desegregation (1954’s Brown v. Board of Education), abortion (1973’s Roe v. Wade), contested presidential election (2000’s Bush v. Gore), and same-sex marriage (2015’s Obergefell v. Hodges). It also pertains to Chicago. In 1999, City of Chicago v. Morales the Supreme Court judges rejected Chicago’s then anti-loitering laws writing “the freedom to loiter for innocent purposes is part of the liberty protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.” Jiwon is a media artist and motion graphics designer. Jiwon received an MFA in Art and Technology Studies, from School of the Art Institute of Chicago. For more about the artist, visit jiwonham.com.
Mashaun Ali Hendricks Does the System Need Criminals? and Break the System – Vinyl banners, 2020
The banners compare and contrast punitive justice and restorative justice. Mashaun is a restorative justice practitioner and visual artist. Hendricks co-owns the streetwear brand, TRAP HOUSE CHICAGO which creates provocative questions and discussions to challenge the justice system, racism, and inequity. He specializes in providing restorative justice and peace circle training and development. On November 5 at 5PM he and a group of circle keepers will conduct a peace circle at 6018North. Hendricks owns the streetwear brand, TRAP House Chicago. For more about the artist, visit traphousechicago.us.
Activation: Saturday, November 21 at 2 PM – view recording.
Tshab Her We Are: Chang, Cheng, Chue, Fang, Hang, Her, Khang, Kong/Soung, Kue, Lee, Lor, Moua, Pha, Thao, Vang, Vue, Xiong, Yang – Fabric, thread, velcro, 2020
This work commemorates the 18 clans of the Hmong diaspora using Hmong designed fabrics. It reimagines a world where Hmong stories are known without erasure and colonization. The flag will be “created” onsite since Tshab’s people – the Hmong – do not have a flag, nor a nation. While practicing social distancing, the performance can be viewed from the outdoor spaces of 6018North. Her is a multidisciplinary artist working in embroidery, installation, and social practice. Her earned a BFA in Studio Arts at University of Illinois at Chicago. For more about the artist, visit tshabher.com – and read an interview with Her by Felicia Holman.
Activations: Thursdays in August at 5:30 PM
Audra Jacot Selfless – Neon, 2020
This work, with two different blinking transformers, asks the question “how do we navigate the self during a collective moment of crisis?” The colors reflect the Filipino flag. Typically, the flag is raised with the blue side up and the red side down when at peace. When the country is at war, it is reversed. Jacot received her MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2014, through the Art & Technology Studies program. She is currently part of the Siblings art collective. For more about the artist, visit audrajacot.com.
Angela Lopez Tie them Up – Video, 2016 and two wolves – Takeaway zine, 2020
This video projection tells a Cherokee tale of the inner struggle between good and evil depicted as two wolves. The narrator reveals the wolf that wins, is the one that is fed. The video is also accompanied by a zine handout. Angela Lopez is an artist and organizer. Lopez earned an MFA in Art Theory and Practice at Northwestern University, and is the co-founder of Extended Practice. For more about the artist, visit lopezangela.com – and read an interview with Lopez by Amanda Dee.
AJ McClenon What did you bring me to keep me from the gallows pole? – Ironed-on t-shirts and rope, 2020 and Black Hole – Rubber, 2020
The t-shirts commemorate violence in America beginning with Columbus in 1492 and the arrival of the first Black slave in 1619. The Afro-futuristic circle invites the public to visit a past moment to bring something positive - specifically as it pertains to police violence - from that moment forward to the present. McClenon is an artist and educator. AJ graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute and is a recent 3Arts Awardee. For more about the artist, visit ajmcclenon.com.
Dorian Sylvain Sankofa justice – Wood, plexiglass, 2020
The mythical Sankofa bird which looks backward to move forward. Made during the time of riots after George Floyd’s death the bird, made of wood used to board up buildings, has images of recent protests and historical protests for Black rights. Dorian is a painter, muralist, and educator. Dorian is a recent 3Arts awardee and received the University of Chicago and the South East Commission’s “Arts & Culture: Connecting Communities to the Arts” from outstanding work and committed service. For more about the artist, visit doriansylvain.com.
Sadie Woods “It was a Rebellion” radio edit – Soundtrack, 2020
“I made it for Black people. So we can remember who we are right now.” It Was A Rebellion mixes music from the Civil Rights Era and music of contemporary social movements, news reports and political speeches, and ephemeral and symbolic sounds to articulate public expressions of Black rage. Beginning with Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination and the Chicagos riot of April 1968, in this moment of unrest 50+ years later, this sound piece resonates with the past and sentiments of our present social struggles. Woods is an artist, curator, DJ, and educator. Woods received her BA from Columbia College and MFA from The School of the Art Institute. For more about the artist, visit sadiewoods.com.
Curatorial Collective
Wisdom Baty
Baty is an artist, curator, and mother, interested in reimagining physical space and historical accuracy for black bodies. Baty currently serves as the Director of Development and Community Relations at CO:LAB 7100, a neighborhood co-working space, and runs Wild Yams, an experimental artist studio space in South Shore.
SY Lim
Lim is a founder of 062, a non-profit art gallery. Lim received her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2017.
Ciera McKissick
McKissick is a freelance writer, independent curator and cultural producer, and the founder of AMFM, a creative arts brand based in Chicago that supports emerging and established artists by offering them a platform to showcase their work and passions on a larger scale through exhibitions, web content and curated events. She is also the coordinator of public programs at the Hyde Park Art Center, and Communications Associate at Ox-Bow School of Art.
Caroline K. Ng
Ng is an arts administrator, curator, and project manager based in Chicago, Illinois, with special focus on improvisation and sensory immersion in arts programming. An advocate of “low-class” cultural pride, her current research investigates food and new media in pop culture as collaborative political agents.
JI Yang
Yang is an artist, curator, writer whose works try to code and decode systems and rethink globalization.
Press
Sixty Inches from Center “Windows to Our World,” September 27, 2020 by Susan Musich
Newcity “Fall Arts Preview 2020: Can’t-Miss Fall Art Events,” September 7, 2020 by Kerry Cardoza
Chicago Reader “Mapping out a reader’s delight,” August 28, 2020 by Salem Collo-Julin
Reviews from 6018North Writer’s Workshop
6018North is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of culture and the arts in Chicago. Windows to the World is generously supported by an anonymous donor. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency, and the Gen Ops Plus Grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. 6018North projects are partially supported by 3Arts, the AD3 Innovation Bootcamp Grant, an anonymous donor advised fund at The Chicago Community Foundation, a CityArts Innovation Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, the Field Foundation of Illinois, the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, IL Humanities, the Illinois Arts Council, the Illinois Arts Council Youth Employment Grant, the Joyce Foundation, The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the Terra Foundation for American Art, and individual donations.