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Here at Making Chicago Home, we would like to wish you a Happy, Spooky and Safe Halloween!
Dastardly Jack, this year's jack-o-lantern! Ain't he cute?!
Dev xx
Happy (almost) Halloween, Chicago!
Decked out house in Gold Coast Historic District!
This is my favourite holiday and I tried to find some information on Chicago’s history with Halloween to put in this article. I hope you learn something new and are able to come out to Green City Market this Saturday at 9am to take my very special Halloween-themed market tour where I will fill you in on all of the Halloween traditions associated with local foods! Everyone is invited…just look for me dressed like Little Bo Peep!
A preview of my Little Bo Peep costume for Halloween 2009.
The earliest known reference to ritual begging on Halloween in Chicago was in 1920.
On 23 October 1921, Jane Eddingon of the Chicago Daily Tribune wrote the article “Halloween Fal-Lalls and Fare”, which discussed the popular Halloween candy of the time:
There was a profusion, even a confusion, of candies in orange and black. There were orange gumdrops, orange jelly beans, orange buttercups, and chips and hard candies. And there were black (licorice) gumdrops and jelly beans and buttons and all possible devices that were ever seen in black candies…There were lovely and dainty opera sticks in both orange and black, tied often with ribbon and for the center of some of the endless arrangement of these things in Halloween candy boxes–witch and black cat decorations on them–and ultimately tied with wonderful pompons of black…ribbon.
Chicago newspapers in the early 1920s reported that children of Chicago would go out on Halloween in costumes and be rewarded from neighbours with with nuts and candies for their rhymes and songs. Unfortunately, not every child (or adult!) was nice and vandalism became the prevalent “trick” on Halloween nights. This continued to grow through-out the 30s in Chicago until one day Chicago put an end to the shenanigans. In 1939 at the start of World War II, Chicago entertained the idea of banning Halloween. In 1942 the Chicago City Council banned Halloween for the duration of the war, substituting “Conservation Day” in its place.
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The very idea of the Victorian photocollage goes against much of what we are taught to expect from this straight-laced, prim and proper era. We think corsets and strict posing, not sharp wit and fun-loving sensibilities. And why shouldn’t we? The Art Institute’s new exhibit, Playing with Pictures: The Art of Victorian Photocollage, shows us why we’re so mistaken.
Upon first glimpse of these bizarre collages, you cannot help but feel that you are now part of some private joke over a century in the making. Family photos are trimmed, save the heads, and placed in drawn bottles, pasted on the bodies of animals, decorating drawn frames and playing cards. The magnitude of the collection suggests this was a popular art form. The pleasant shock at which I, along with other viewers, displayed while absentmindedly strolling through the gallery still has me shaking my head in disbelief. We were all a bit betrayed by history.
To understand this new world of surreal-structure and depth-defying imagery, I had to put myself in the shoes of artist Marie-Blanche-Hennelle Fournier, featured in the collection. Little is known about the eccentric Madame B, but, it is widely speculated that she employed her craft to garner favor with social groups. More Bewitching artist than social Butterfly, Madame B was arguably an innovator and felt quite smug with her new documented truths. And what greater form of rebellion from her life as a diplomat’s wife, than to be a quirky artist. Standing there in gallery, we all understood that.
The joke was that Madame B and others saw the rest of the world for what it was, and told everyone to stop taking themselves so seriously. A young boy riding a heron, or a joker scattering family portraits in a meadow subverted expectations and gave way to the absurd. It is a message that had many viewers smiling and nodding either for the sheer hilarity of the work, or for the continued relevance of one looking to upset the bourgeois standard.
For the Art Institute, where permanent exhibits range somewhere from Napoleonic furnishings to Egyptian pottery, this was a welcome, albeit sarcastic, change. Madame B’s album will be on permanent display, whereas the rest of the exhibit will enjoy a shorter viewing through 2010.
As one of the first looks into a new kind of artistic inspiration, the Victorian photocollage remains an unexpectedly fascinating testament to historical documentation. Look for it on your way to Renaissance jewelry.
-Ileana
Michael Morgan, guest conductor for Laughter! Picture courtesy of the Chicago Sinfonietta
I am going on a music binge!
This Monday 2 November at 7.30pm, I am attending the Chicago Sinfonietta’s presentation of Laughter! This performance should be an interesting one, given that the orchestra will explore the humourous impulses of composers and “laughter” itself.
But what makes this orchestra performance different from others? For starters, there is a piece being performed called Dead Elvis. Intrigued? Me, too! Dead Elvis is a sarcastic twist on a Stravinsky classic, Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) and was inspired by Elvis Presley. Lewis Kirk will be playing Elvis…errr…the bassoon that represents Elvis, who is tempted to sell out and become a Hollywood glamourpuss.
If the King doesn’t interest you, then maybe the Brazilian-inspired Le Boeuf sur le Toit (Ox on the Roof) will: It is inspired by Brazilian popular music. Rounding out this lively and fun repertoire is Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, which re-creates the feel of people dancing in the streets and the sound of bagpipes and country ballads.
It will be held at Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center at 220 South Michigan Avenue. I already have my tickets, but if you would like to attend, visit the Chicago Sinfonietta’s website for purchasing information.
See you there!
Dev xx
Saturday night I had the pleasure of attending Joffrey Ballet’s presentation of Othello, which is in fact not based on the Shakespeare play but adapted from the 1566 story by Giraldo Cintio. I say this because if you go into the ballet thinking you are seeing Shakespeare’s adaption you will be confused throughout the performance.
Othello is presented in three acts and is expertly accompanied by the Chicago Sinfonietta.
The first act comprises three scenes: Desdemona and Othello getting married in a cathedral in Venice; Cassio giving a tribute to the new couple in the Great Hall (and Othello giving Desdemona a magic handkerchief); and Iago venting his fury because Othello promoted Cassio and not him.
The show-stealer in the first act is Cassio played by Aaron Rogers. He is going to blow you away with his energy, precision and grace. Classical ballet is all about fighting gravity to appear weightless and airy. Rogers seemed to always be airborne, only grazing his toe shoes lightly against the stage before leaping into yet another joyful, fast-paced jump. His arms fluttered about him and he kept his back so straight that it seemed he was being suspended by string, like a puppet.
By scene three you are ready to experience the rage that Iago, played by Matthew Adamczyk, has bubbling inside of him. His synthesis of modern dance and ballet is violent and angry, a perfect contrast to the nicey-nice dancing between Othello and Desdemona in earlier scenes. Adamczyk starts out with choppy, robotic moves that act as an aside. As the tempo picked up, it was clear Iago is at war with himself: He tossed his body to the ground; he pounded his fists; every limb was hyper-extended to the point where it looked disconnected from his body.
It was painful to watch.
When his wife Emilia, played by Valerie Robin, joins him, try not to blink. She unsuccessfully tries to console him and he responds with violent fury executed beautifully.
The second act opened with a desperate, haunting dance with the women of Cyprus waiting for their husbands to return home from war. The homecoming dance between Desdemona and Othello is pretty, but forgettable. In contrast to Iago and Cassio, Othello, played by Fabrice Calmels, is a head-and-shoulders taller, much brawnier and never seems to be able to shake the clumsiness that comes along with his size. He is apeish, always rounding his shoulders and slouching, as if the weight of Desdemona’s death was already bearing down on him, even before he killed her.
Something odd happened during Othello’s angry solo dance, however, that changed my mind about his performance. The Chicago Sinfonietta whipped out horns and blew jazzy tunes over the usual classic repertoire. All of a sudden, Othello’s clumsiness felt more like a man dancing the blues and it made sense.
Act three is by far the best. In Othello’s chamber Iago describes the details of Desdemona and Cassio’s affair to Othello. As Iago is recounting the stories you can see how Othello pictures the affair: behind the two men, upstage right, stand Cassio and Desdemona, acting out the infidelities. They look dream-like and are cast with thick, projected fog and soft lighting. Of course, as Othello thinks about his wife cheating, he becomes enraged.
In Desdemona’s bed chamber, Othello tosses out Emilia to be alone with Desdemona. Surprisingly, a very loving dance between the two follows, with only several moves alluding to Othello’s anger. When the music picked up pace and low notes floated through the auditorium, Othello threw Desdemona to the ground and chokes her with the handkercheif. Othello’s hands visibly tremble as he pulls the handkercheif tighter and tighter around her throat until at last her body shudders.
Othello offers something for everyone and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You will be so entertained, enraged, joyful and absorbed that each scene will go by quickly and leave you wanting more. And more. And more.
Dev xx
The mail-order bride
Today I mosied on down to 1 E. Delaware to check out Tails in the City’s Halloween for Dogs. Sure, it might be a silly event, but all of the proceeds went to PAWS Chicago and it was a lot of fun. *Sigh* And people say cat people are crazy…
I took some pictures of the best costumes at the parade and thought I would share them with you all.
*WINNER* Funniest Costume
Pupojevich stole the show with his Cook County Jail orange jumpsuit and perfectly coiffed hair. While there were several Blagojevich look-a-likes, none were quite as decked out as this pup.
Chicago Fashion Incubator at Macy's.
Today I attended a press event at Macy’s in the historic Marshall Fields building downtown. The event was held by Fashion Focus Chicago and, among other things, discussed how to make Chicago a major competitor in the fashion world.
The Chicago Fashion Incubator is one such initiative which is supposed to help make this possible.
The Incubator is a project that involves six local designers and gives them the space, means, and direction to become successful at their craft. (If this is sounding strangely like Project Runway, you’re probably not too far off.) Through an exclusive agreement with Macy’s, the designers will have their clothes sold at the store. The entire 7th floor of the Macy’s on State St. has some designs on display.
Chicago's Mayor Richard M. Daley.
The interesting part of the presentation undoubtedly was the presenters. Mayor Daley and the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs spearheaded Fashion Focus and cited the desire to bring Chicago to the forefront of the fashion community. (What took them so long?)
Mayor Daley then introduced Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren, who reinforced the importance of retail and his mission to bring America out of economic turmoil through shopping. Nice thought.
But the most exciting part of the whole event was the introduction of Principal Designer for the Fashion Incubator project, Tommy Hilfiger. As a product of the ’90s, I proudly wore his clothes and still harbored some of that same enthusiasm as I saw him speak this afternoon.
He spoke of the changing world of fashion, how none of us know what to expect next–but that he was going to be there to witness it–on the 7th floor of Macy’s, over the course of the project.
Pricipal Designer of the Fashion Incubator, Tommy Hilfiger.
There is no Fashion Week in Chicago per se.. only Fashion Focus. Same concept, different availability of high-end designers.. if any.
I’d argue that’s the unique part of the Chicago Fashion scene. Less pretentious and much more attainable. The fashion show that followed the press event, for instance, displayed designs from local designers that will be featured in the Fashion Focus this Fall.
The designs were nothing earth-shattering: simple, subdued tones, ruffles, new takes on angular designs. Certainly nothing that would encompass the term “haute couture.” They were designs that one could spot just as easily in local boutiques as on women on the street.
Yet that’s the charm of Chicago fashion. The ready-to-wear aspect that is both sensible and economical. That corn-fed, down-home, American style that has been missing a bit from the style scene since my bygone middle school days.
I’m definitely looking forward to what’s next. (Cut below to some additional photos from the event.)
See you at “fashion week”!
-Ileana
Spotted on the Near North Side is the weirdest, most confusing storefront I have ever seen. I thought long and hard about posting it up on MCH because of it’s, um, graphic content. But if a mannequin’s breasts are offensive then what isn’t?
The store in question was selling home goods and the window front had absolutely nothing to do with the items for sale; it was merely to catch the passerby’s eye…and it did. I can’t imagine the neighbours being very happy about this set up, but it seems that for the moment it is sticking around.
Any thoughts? (PS, another picture is available if you “click to read more”)
Dev xx
Check out my feature article in this month’s Midwest Construction magazine!
Cultural and Municipal Building Projects Make Their Marks in the Midwest
Each will enrich or help protect lives
Cultural, civic, and municipal construction projects bring us buildings that house the libraries, theaters, museums and sporting facilities that add richness to a community’s life. They also build the city halls, courthouses, and police stations that help a city function and protect its citizens. Here are five such projects now under construction.
By Ileana Ionescu
Often sources of civic pride, cultural and municipal construction projects can help enrich the lives of a region’s population by enabling people to gather and enjoy all forms of the arts. Other kinds of municipal construction, such as law-enforcement facilities, can help people live more safely by increasing the morale and efficiency of the police departments that protect them. Either way, cultural and municipal facilities offer designers and contractors the opportunity to participate in projects that will long remain memorable showcases in the public’s focus.
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Here are a few of the memorable current cultural and municipal construction projects going on in Midwest Construction’s circulation area.
New Police Headquarters in Aurora, Ill.
Slated to be one of the largest and greenest in the United States, the grand, 400,000-sq-ft complex is as impressive in size as it is in unique building partnerships. The combined efforts of Leopardo Construction Inc., Phoenix architectural firm McClaren, Wilson and Lawrie, Inc. and the city of Aurora, Ill. delivered this brick-and-drywall monument to justice to the formerly-disenchanted Aurora Police Department.
The city’s existing outdated facility and inadequate parking had left the force with low morale, says Commander Joseph Groom. But these new state-of-the-art buildings are just the remedy Groom and his fleet need; “We’ve had half of the department here on tours, and they are absolutely thrilled. Nobody can wait for the day we move in here.”
The complex, located off Farnsworth Ave. just a few blocks off I-88, is made up of the headquarters, a 911 emergency call center, training and support building that include amenities such as a firearms range and a forensics lab, and a 500-car parking garage. Aesthetically, the structure combines modern design elements, such large windows to allow in lots of light, and one-way glass stairwells located on either side of the building for a new take on privacy. The brick exterior, complete with gargoyle-style carvings, also complements the older style of buildings in Aurora.
Principal architect James Lewis McClaren explains that designing a headquarters that spans four counties brought up various construction and special issues, but these costs are nothing compared to the amount saved by creating one large facility and eliminating the demand for others.
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| Construction is under way for the $43-million, 81,000-sq-ft addition to the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, Wis. The addition is scheduled for completion in 2011. (Photo courtesy of J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc.) |
One major consideration in the design was minimizing ecological impact. The city of Aurora decided that green certification should be integral to the construction process. Some of the environmentally-friendly elements of the LEED Gold-seeking building are: permeable pavers designed to absorb storm water runoff; the use of recycled product in the ceiling, drywall, countertops, and other building products; the recycling of at least 75% of construction waste; and choosing finishes that can be washed with soap and water rather than harmful chemicals.
The department’s around-the-clock work schedule was another consideration in the design. The headquarters uses a rubber-based floor covering instead of carpeting, which would require near-constant replacement.
Not only is the building among the greenest police stations in the nation, it is also among the largest projects of its kind going on right now. The headquarters is currently the largest civic building under construction in Illinois and also the largest full-service municipal police headquarters under construction in the U.S., according to Mike Behm, vice president at Leopardo.
The price tag on the complex, McClaren notes, has remained relatively close to the project’s goal of $91 million, even during a time when concrete and steel prices are “going through the roof.”
All involved agree that teamwork was the key to design success. “We’re a workable team,” says Barbara Kattermann, project manager at the city of Aurora. “Everybody has come to become a part of the project. There was benefit to it.”
