Downtown Chicago
In difficult economic times artists struggle for patronage, commissions and the opportunity to sell their work. During boom times, such as the ones experienced in the late 90s and early 2000s the art community is a full blown industry where the money is free-flowing and fortunate artists rub elbows with celebrities and business moguls who buy expensive pieces as an investment.
In an interesting twist, the recession has given birth to an unlike spate of opportunities for Chicago area-artists. In November 2009, Chicago Loop Alliance presented the first exhibitions in its Pop-Up Art Loop project, an initiative designed to create partnerships between artists and property owners, creating temporary gallery space at no cost to the artist in prime Loop locations. The initiative has secured several temporary exhibition sites inside vacant storefronts and other currently unused spaces in which artists are able to exhibit their work. Often the space will be as small as a street-facing window, but in some cases the storefronts are transformed into temporary mini-galleries where visitors can come, look and even buy original art.
The Chicago Loop Alliance is dedicated to strengthening the Loop neighborhood’s position as a mixed-use destination as well as increasing the artistic vitality of the area. The Pop-Up Art Loop is capitalizing on the need that building owners have to rent their space, and the need for emerging artists to gain exposure. Artists who work in virtually every kind of media are invited to submit their proposals to be accepted and exhibited at one of the selected sites. If accepted, artists must design, install and dismantle their work, provide all materials, assist in staffing the space as necessary and agree to a 10-day kick out, meaning that if the owner of the building gets a buyer or renter for the space the artist will do what he or she needs to do to get out within ten days. Art shown inside storefronts will not be censored but any work that can be seen from the sidewalk must follow the guidelines that apply to all public art.
Chicago Photograpy Collective's Space on E. Madison
Ty Tabing, CLA’s Executive Director began the project with only three small shows: a small space on E. Madison Avenue was transformed into a small gallery showcasing the work of the Chicago Photography Collective, another storefront displayed the paintings of artists Martin Jon and Bill Boyce, and finally Sara Schandt transformed the interior of a little room on Wabash Street into the physical manifestation of the internet in her installation entitled “Network.” Fashioned out of twine and mirror the piece intends to challenge our concepts of what a “network” actually is by creating multi-dimensional slightly chaotic feeling in the space.
Bill Boyce's painting in a street-facing window
Sara Schnadt's "Network"
Chicago is a city known for its large artist population and a community of young people who take a unique approach to exhibition spaces. Students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago have in recent years turned their homes into art spaces, or rented other apartments in affordable neighborhoods and turned them into temporary galleries. It is with this DIY spirit that the Pop-Up Art Project was born. Says Tabing, “This is a temporary response to the retail environment because what we’re advocating is the rental of these spaces.” So when the economy improves the program may be forced to end as the spaces are taken over by businesses and retail outlets. Tabing anticipates that the Pop-Up Art Loop project will be around for another few years, however, and encourages any interested artist to apply
