Columbia College Chicago and Wabash Arts Corridor Partner for Mural Exhibition 'Street Level'

News Office Staff / Sep 11, 2017

Artist Gloria “Gloe One” Talamantes installs a mural inspired by Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia production. Photo: Daniel Livingstone.

CHICAGO (Sept. 11, 2017) – In partnership with Columbia College Chicago, the Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC) presents its annual public art exhibition Street Level, Sept. 15–Oct. 20, 2017. In conjunction with EXPO Chicago, the Chicago Architecture Biennial, and the City of Chicago’s Year of Public Art, Street Level will add eight murals to the South Loop neighborhood, bringing the total number of murals produced to nearly 50. Street Level also features an inaugural performance art series, interactive projections, site-specific installations, live art-making, public tours, and more. For a full schedule of programming, visit wabashartscorridor.org/street-level-events.

“This year’s WAC programming will once again transform the South Loop into a visual and performance arts destination for the city,” said Neysa Page-Lieberman, Chief Curator of WAC and Executive Director of Columbia’s Department of Exhibitions and Performance Spaces. “With the support of new partners and sponsors, we are thrilled to add new performance and interactive elements this year, while continuing to expand our vibrant mural program.” 

A Street Level kick-off party will take place at Columbia’s Hokin Gallery on Sept. 15 from 5-8 p.m., joined by several artists, and beverages provided by Baderbrau Brewing Company. In addition, all of Columbia’s galleries and museums will host exhibition receptions that evening.

This year’s program expands artist, community, and media inclusivity with an exciting line-up, featuring: new murals with local, national, and international artists; three weekends of public performances in partnership with Threewalls; video works projected from a roving box truck from artist Mat Rappaport; and a pop-up WAC visitor center/exhibition offering a preview to upcoming projects and community events. The culminating event is the annual WAC Crawl, where dozens of cultural and academic institutions, restaurants, hotels and businesses, residents, students, and artists come together to celebrate the expanding cultural vitality of WAC and the city of Chicago.

2017 Street Level artists include:

Muralists:
Shinique Smith
Sam Kirk
Hector Duarte
Louise “Ouizi” Chen
Eelco “Virus” Van den Berg
Gloria “Gloe One” Talamantes
Twoone
 
Performance artists:
Jennifer Ling Datchuk: performances on September 21 & 22
Misty De Berry: performances on October 6 & 7
Michael Anthony Garcia: performances on October 20 & 21
 
Street Level Kick-off Party
Friday, September 15,
5-8 p.m.
Hokin Gallery
623 S. Wabash Ave., First floor

WAC Street Level is sponsored in part by Columbia College Chicago, The Joyce Foundation, The Fogelson Foundation, Threewalls, Cirque du Soleil, Blick, Sherwin Williams, CTA, Roosevelt University, Choose Chicago, DCASE, City of Chicago, NDP Electric, Chicago Truborn, Eleven City Diner, Spray Planet, Vertical Gallery, and Sunbelt Rentals.

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The Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC) was launched by Columbia College Chicago in 2013 to transform the college’s campus and community into a destination neighborhood to live, work, study, and visit. Since its inception, WAC has installed more than 40 large-scale murals by local and internationally-renowned street artists, creating one of the most significant collections of public art in the city. For more information about the Wabash Arts Corridor, visit wabashartscorridor.org.

Columbia College Chicago is a private, nonprofit college offering a distinctive curriculum that blends creative and media arts, liberal arts and business for more than 8,000 students in more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Dedicated to academic excellence and long-term career success, Columbia College Chicago creates a dynamic, challenging and collaborative space for students who experience the world through a creative lens. For more information, visit colum.edu.

Media contact: Danielle Wilcox, 312-369-7939, dwilcox@colum.edu

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