Chicago Now Blog

Editor's Note: In the process of researching Gallery Guichard for this gallery spotlight, we asked Andre Guichard to contribute to the blog. So before he uploads his first post, I wanted to give a proper introduction to Gallery Guichard and convey a sense of his gallery and its role in the Bronzeville art scene, and beyond.

When discussing a Bronzeville art gallery, it's common to explore the issues surrounding the lack of critical attention given to South Side art. However, for this post, I want to focus solely on Gallery Guichard as an art gallery. Instead of viewing it as an Afrocentric or Diaspora gallery, let’s consider it a successful fine art gallery specializing in contemporary art that has achieved remarkable success in just four years.

Paul Klein is writing a series about art collecting for this blog. In his introduction to collecting, he recommends buying from art galleries, but I asked him how a new collector could get started if they only want to spend around $300 on a piece, since most River North gallery artworks begin at $1,500.
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This is where I see Gallery Guichard filling an important role for people who are new to collecting, or have been buying art for a long time. Gallery Guichard is a big, three-floor gallery. Prices begin very low and range to about $3,000 (though a few pieces are quite a bit more).

Phantom Gallery in Ramstein Germany

This is a space I'm considering for a phantom gallery project.

There are several other closed art galleries in the Village of Ramstein.

Simba Mediterranean Gallery

I ventured into the Ramstein-Miesenbach Museum, which is currently hosting a special exhibition, "African American Civil Rights in Germany," until July 19.

"Afroamerikanische GIs und Deutschland", "African American GIs and Germany".
The exhibition chronicles the little-known history of African American GIs' experiences in Germany and the significance of their deployment to the advancement of the civil rights movement in the US. It presents the first results of a joint research initiative of the German Historical Institute, Washington, D.C., Vassar College (Poughkeepsie, NY), and the Heidelberg Center for American Studies (HCA) at the University of Heidelberg in co-operation with the DOCU Center Ramstein.

Sometimes in life, one comes full circle. I remember, in 1971, being a high school student, going underground to attend meetings that supported the Black Panther Party. We circulated petitions to free Angela Davis, a Fresno farmer who put up his farm to make her bail. That was my indoctrination into the Pan-African Peoples Revolutionary Party and into activism. The exhibition also highlights the Black Panther Movement in Germany, the freeing of the Ramstein 2, with posters and black-and-white photos of key Panther members.

www.aacvr-germany.org

Call for Artists: "City as a Studio- Curb Appeal"

"Art is Business" 

Call for Artists: "City as a Studio- Curb Appeal" Opening: October 7

Curator: Gabriel Patti

Are you tired of the typical tourist attractions in Chicago? This exhibition highlights urban scenes that you won't find in guidebooks. We'll showcase the beauty of back alleys, dive bars, underpasses, graffiti, and more through paintings, drawings, and photographs. Selected artists are invited to collaborate on large, primed sheetrock pieces, which will be completed during a live painting and performance event. The location will be announced soon. 

Please send your images to gjpatti@gmail.com.

Obama Presidential Center is officially open to the public.

"Art is Business"  OPC

The Obama Presidential Center is more than a landmark—it's a new space of possibilities. Built on the South Side where the Obamas' journey began, this 19.3-acre campus was designed with you in mind. Find inspiration in a one-of-a-kind Museum, dive into a story at the public library, or hang with friends on the Great Lawn. From around the block to across the world, this is your home for hope and change. 

Mark Bradford: Layers of America

Learn about Mark Bradford's artistic practice, his commissioned artwork on campus, and his materially driven approach to abstraction. The discussion will be moderated by Louise Bernard, Founding Director of the Obama Presidential Center Museum.

Mark Bradford: Layers of America

Tue, July 7

Hear how Mark Bradford works with everyday materials and learn about his commissioned artwork at the Museum.

Mark Bradford is a contemporary artist known for large-scale abstract works made from layered paper and found materials. His work explores the social and political forces that shape history and experience. A MacArthur Fellow, he represented the U.S. at the 2017 Venice Biennale.

June's Bronzeville Trail Framework Plan open house

"Art is Business" https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/bronzeville-trail-framework-plan/home.html

Save the date for June's Bronzeville Trail Framework Plan open house

The June 3 event will provide updates on a community-led, long-term planning process to create a trail and green space atop the former Kenwood rail embankment between Lake Park Avenue and State Street.

Stop by any time between 5:30 and 7:30 PM at Wendell Phillips Academy High School, 244 E. Pershing Road.

Register to attend or visit the Bronzeville Trail Framework Plan website

Overview

The Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) and the Department of Transportation (CDOT) are seeking community input on the proposed conversion of the Kenwood embankment into an elevated trail and green space.

The embankment was used by the Kenwood branch of the city's rapid transit system between 1907 and 1957, when it linked Bronzeville to the Union Stock Yards, the Loop, and other destinations. Countless South Side residents used the line for daily commuting and transit needs, contributing to the thriving cultural, spiritual, and professional identity of the greater Bronzeville neighborhood. Almost no evidence of the former stations or tracks remains beyond the embankment's concrete walls, with wild vegetation covering most of the surface.

A long-term, community-led visioning process to improve the embankment and adjacent land was initiated in fall 2025 with the Bronzeville Trail Framework Plan. Led by DPD in partnership with the Bronzeville Trail Task Force, MUSE Community + Design, DePaul Institute for Housing Studies, and Nurture Architects, the framework could be finalized and presented to the Chicago Plan Commission for adoption in early 2027 as a formal guide to planning decisions and public expenditures. As of early 2026, no timetable exists for a proposed trail project that is expected to require years to finance, design, and construct.

Sign up for email updates about public engagement opportunities during the framework process. 

Upcoming Events

The Bronzeville Trail Task Force is leading community participation in three public meetings through 2026 that will help ensure the vision for the trail and adjacent land reflects local goals. Times and dates to be announced in early 2026.

2026 Preservation Excellence Awards Chicago South Side landmarks

"Art is Business" 

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/preservation-month/home/2026-preservation-excellence-awards.html#Waters

2026 Preservation Excellence Awards: Chicago's top historic preservation projects, programs, and practitioners will be celebrated at DPD's third annual Chicago Preservation Expo on Monday, May 18, at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Held in honor of Preservation Month, the awards showcase the best preservation work to advance through the Landmarks Commission's Permit Review Committee in the last year. The awards ceremony runs from 6–7 PM and will be emceed by WGN TV personality Ana Belaval. The awardees are listed below.

Muddy Waters House: 

Kenwood

Considered by many to be the "Father of Chicago Blues," Muddy Waters was one of the most important figures in the development of electrified blues music worldwide. His impressive list of awards and commercial successes includes sixteen R&B chart hits with Chicago's Chess Records from 1947 to 1975.  

Born McKinley Morganfield in 1913, Muddy's house on Lake Park Avenue was the only residence the musician ever owned in Chicago. It became an unofficial center of artistic activity for blues musicians. Band members, including Otis Spann, James Cotton, Little Walter, and Paul Oscher, stayed at the house, while lodging and food were also shared with traveling musicians such as Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry, and countless other artists.  

In 2021, the house was designated a Chicago landmark with the support of Muddy's great-granddaughter, Chandra Cooper, who owned the home and envisioned creating a museum inside. With assistance from a $250,000 Adopt-A-Landmark grant, as well as other financing and in-kind donations, Ms. Cooper focused on high-priority repairs to get the house ready for visitors. This included work on the historic masonry and new windows matching the original profiles. The bay on the front elevation was reclad to match its appearance when Muddy lived there, and extensive interior work was done, including an entirely new HVAC system. 

Future phases of the project will focus on museum programming, a jam space, an educational recording studio, and office space. When completed as the Muddy Waters Mojo Museum, the building will be a place for music, learning, and community events.  

The project team included Ed Torrez (Arda Design), Mike Mitchell (contractor), and the building's owner. Initial work was completed in 2026.

Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, 4021 S. State St., Grand Boulevard

Grand Boulevard  (Bronzeville) 

The Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ building had an extensive history leading up to Emmett Till's funeral in September 1955. The church was built as a one-story structure by South Side architect Edward G. McClellan and later expanded in 1927 to include a large second-floor sanctuary. An additional full expansion was completed one year later, and a final remodel was completed in 1943.  

Roberts Temple is best known as the location of the funeral and visitation for Emmett Till after the 14-year-old was murdered by lynching in Mississippi. Mississippi authorities originally planned to bury Emmett locally. Still, his mother, Mamie Till Bradley, insisted that his body be brought home to Chicago for an open casket funeral and later, burial. Ms. Bradley requested that the funeral be held at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, with the Rev. Isaiah Roberts presiding. Emmett's death was widely covered by local and national press, and many Chicagoans were outraged by the murder of the young boy, wishing to pay their respects. At least 2,000 mourners assembled inside the church, and as many as 5,000 additional people gathered outside. The event was an important catalyst for individuals seeking social and political justice and equality for African Americans, and the building exemplifies the importance of Emmett Till's tragic death to the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. 

In the 1990s, the church's front façade was reclad in tan face brick. The church congregation wanted to honor its history and restore its exterior to how it looked at Emmett's funeral in 1955. Exterior work began in 2024, including masonry and window restoration of the front façade. The project team retained and recognized the distinct elements of the church's evolution across various periods, renewing its role as a place of worship and a center for education, reflection, and community engagement.  

The project team included Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, Arda Design (architect), and Berglund Construction (contractor). The work received a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to assist with project costs. 

Today, the building is a beacon of optimism that reflects its storied legacy and the history of greater Bronzeville.

Open Lands: Tree Planting in honor of National Arbor Day.

"Art is Business. 

On Arbor Day, the Village of Hazel Crest Beautification Commission hosted a Village Clean Up Day and Tree Planting, and the dedication of a new metal People Chair sculpture by artist Alpha Bruton at Art in the Woods. The event took place at the Hazel Crest Open Lands Arboretum on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

The afternoon included an outdoor digital photography workshop led by William G. Hill and a presentation on the AI-Narridin Plastic Woven Recycle Bag project, which covered the display logs.

Address:   Hazel Crest Police Department

 3000 W 170 Pl. Hazel Crest, IL 60429 

(Parking is available)

Installed at the Village of Hazel Crest Open Lands, Kedzie at 171st. 

Installation: April 18, 2026, Dedication of Sculpture: April 25, 2026, Village of Hazel Crest, Illinois

This is People Chair #29, of public art installations known as "Metal People Chairs," created by Shonna McDaniels, founder of the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum in Sacramento, California. Each chair in the collection honors artists of the Harlem Renaissance and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). 

The Harlem Renaissance marked the emergence of Harlem, New York City's Black cultural mecca in the early 20th century—a center of social, artistic, and intellectual flourishing. Lasting roughly from the 1910s through the mid-1930s, the era is widely regarded as a golden age of African American culture, expressed through literature, music, theater, and visual art.

The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was an ambitious employment and infrastructure program created by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935, during the bleakest days of the Great Depression. Over its eight years of existence, the WPA put roughly 8.5 million Americans to work building schools, hospitals, roads and other public works. Perhaps best known for its public works projects, the WPA also sponsored projects in the arts—the agency employed tens of thousands of actors, musicians, writers and other artists.

The Hazel Crest Open Lands "Art in the Woods." This placemaking project is an exciting initiative that aims to transform our community's landscape by blending art with nature. This project seeks to engage residents throughout the process, inviting them to participate in both the design and installation of a captivating collection of sculptures. These artworks will serve as visual focal points and promote connection during community gatherings.

Pickup and delivery day at Peter N Gray Studio, young, enterprising artists to assist with movement. 

My family came out to celebrate: Herbert Raney Jr, Jazmin Bruton Davis, and Dani Davis.

Location of the Sculpture Installation facing 171st/Kedzie Open Lands

Alpha Bruton- Artistic Statement: My "Curatorial Practice" spans 46 years.

This project is essential to my career trajectory because I am focused on creating art in non-traditional settings as an environmental installation artist, working outside the traditional gallery context. I have traveled nationally and internationally as a resident artist, engaging communities in the art of artmaking in empty lots, national forest preserves, on land held in conservancy, in alternative galleries, and in museum settings. 

William G. Hill Center for the Arts

Digital Photography Workshop Presented by William G. Hill

William G. Hill founded the William G. Hill Center for the Arts (WGHCA), a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the Woodlawn community in Chicago. The mission of WGHCA is to support and improve creative and artistic expression. The organization aims to design programs that enhance, beautify, and revitalize communities physically, socially, and economically, utilizing multi-platform, culturally informed approaches to art and nature.

This placemaking project was a collaborative team: 

The Village of Hazel Crest Board of Trustees, Beautification/Open Lands Commission. 

Public Alpha Bruton, lead artist and muralist; Peter N. Gray, fabrication of the metal chair; and Harry Detry, embellishment of metal leaves. Works Department.  

William G. Hill Center for the Arts, the Phantom Gallery Chicago Network, and Allies for Community Business Chicago. 

RESEARCH:

MARGARET BURROUGHS

The Composition:

MARGARET BURROUGHS, an artist advocate for art, founded the Southside Community Art Center, the DuSable Museum, and the African American Association of Museums. An active member of the African American community, she also helped establish the South Side Community Art Center, which opened on May 1, 1941, and was dedicated by the first lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. There, at the age of 23, Burroughs served as the youngest member of its board of directors. A long-time educator, she spent most of her career at DuSable High School.

Taylor-Burroughs was a prolific writer, with her efforts directed toward exploring the Black experience and toward children, especially in fostering their appreciation of cultural identity and in introducing them to art and fostering their growing awareness of it. 

Freedom Railroad Quilt Patterns

Why Railroad Quilts Design? Great Migration

In 1890, William McClintock relocated from Ohio to Hazel Crest, where he established a depot for a local milk train. This depot became a vital transportation hub to Chicago and beyond, serving as the area's first real estate office, a public meeting space, a Sunday school, a day school, and the local post office.

The Underground Railroad, often misunderstood, was not an actual railway but a secret network of courageous individuals who helped enslaved people escape from the South during the 19th century. These escapees traveled to hidden "safe houses," guided by the North Star, toward northern states and Canada, where freedom awaited them.

Embellishment of wrought iron leaves, by Harry Detry

Installation of Ivy leaves attached to the screws from the back of the 1/8 " Metal plate.

Metal Oak Leaf flattened, and edges sanded smooth.

The oak leaves are attached to the metal with two rivets, creating a flush surface.

Chair fabricated by Peter N. Gray of Metal-i-genics Studio.o

Concrete pad 46" x 46"

Apply the primer coat, position the leg flaps, and ensure that the screws face each other from the inside.

Added a lip to attach to the top of the chair frame

Metal panels were delivered in two pieces for the chair's seat and back.

THE FABRIC OF FREEDOM: QUILTS AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

The Fabric of Freedom: Quilts and the Underground Railroad Denise Brown

This color study of the headpiece was based on the YouTube video "Celebrating Black History Month." Presenting Sunshine Coast artist Denise Brown's Fabric of Freedom collection, including 19 square watercolor paintings that honor the quiet revolution of the Underground Railroad through the unique, mysterious storytelling quilts that represent.

This mosaic tile work by Thomas Hill was used for her portrait composition. The portrait of the museum's founder, Margaret Taylor Burroughs, is as resistant to fading as her artistic legacy.

The texture and three-dimensional quality of mosaic wall art interact with the light and the angle of viewing. The timeless quality of mosaic portraits seems to resonate with all of us. The DuSable Museum of African-American History in Chicago has several fine mosaic tributes to influential figures. 

I have always used color studies and clipping files to create collages of the ideas that inspire my compositions. These come from sources such as Paper Quilting, photos of pops of color in the natural environment of the Open Lands, and a leaf-printing workshop held there. 

 I like the texture and the use of leaf-printing.  

   Color studies for my head adornment

Texture leaves study for the seat

William G. Hill presents Landscape Photography

"Art is Business"

Theaster Gates on the artist's ties to hometown Chicago

Working out of an old airplane parts factory, the internationally-acclaimed artist Theaster Gates has refused to fit inside a box – from creating works out of discarded objects, to making paintings out of tar. He talks with Mark Whitaker about his role as an artist; his stewardship of neglected buildings in his Chicago neighborhood; and his work commissioned for the forthcoming Obama Presidential Library.

"CBS News Sunday Morning" features stories on the arts, music, nature, entertainment, sports, history, science, and Americana, and highlights unique human accomplishments and achievements. Check local listings for "CBS News Sunday Morning" broadcast times.

The Sankofa Project CSUS Historic Preservation

This documentary follows a CSUS professor gifted rare African artifacts from Rhodesia by two sisters whose parents spent nearly 20 years as missionaries in Africa. The film explores cultural preservation, historical responsibility, and the personal stories tied to these artifacts—raising important questions about memory, ownership, and legacy.

Hashtags:

#Documentary #AfricanArtifacts #Rhodesia #CSUS #CulturalHistory #HistoricalPreservation #TrueStory #AfricanHistory

The Sankofa Exhibit: Embrace the Past – Forge the Future opens Oct. 15

Wednesday, October 15, 10am – Friday, December 5, 2025, 3pm

The Sankofa Exhibit: Embrace the Past - Forge the Future opens Oct. 15

The Sankofa Research Team partnered with the Department of Anthropology and the Department of Ethnic Studies in a new exhibit of Zimbabwean cultural items showcasing the principle of Sankofa. The exhibit will be between 10/15/2025 and 12/05/2025, Monday through Friday, from 10 A.M. – 3 P.M., Mendocino Hall 1000. 

Contact: clarence.george@csus.edu, tours: karen.dively@csus.edu.

Location Mendocino Hall, room 1000.

Black Soil: Our Roots Run Deep Exhibition – January—March 2026

"Art is Business" An exhibition by the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum at the Sacramento History Museum. 

African American agricultural history is a rich legacy marked by the forced labor of enslaved people who brought crucial skills from the motherland; the post-slavery struggle for land ownership amid systemic discrimination; and the groundbreaking innovations of figures like George Washington Carver and Henry Blair. Despite a significant decline in Black farm ownership due to discriminatory lending and other barriers, this history continues to be shaped by cooperative movements and a deep connection to the land. This exhibition will honor the legacy of African Americans in Agriculture on both a broad scope and a local perspective.

We are excited to have a host of community partners bringing knowledge, artistic talents, art and artifacts to this exhibition.

Community partners include:

Sacramento History Museum- Executive Director, Delta Mello, and Heather Reynolds, Museum Exhibits Manager: 

Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum- Shonna R. McDaniels, executive director, Project Manager, and Artist in Sacramento.

Clarence George III, Ph.D., Assistant Professor/Director of the Cooper Woodson College Enhancement Program, Pan African Studies Program, Department of Ethnic Studies

“If you can control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his action. When you determine what a man shall think you do not have to concern yourself about what he will do.  If you make a man, feel that he is inferior, you do not have to compel him to accept an inferior status, for he will seek it himself. If you make a man, think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door.  He will go without being told; and if there is no back door, his very nature will demand one.”  

― Carter G. Woodson, The Miseducation of the Negro (1933) 

Dr. Tanisha Jackson, Assistant Professor in African American Studies and Director of the Community Folk Art Center at Syracuse University.

CSUS Sankofa Research Team, Sacramento State University (Sankofa Group), 

California State University, Sacramento, Internship & Student Development Manager, Graduate Research Lead, Sankofa Museum Project.

CSUS IMPACT Fellow, Ethnic Studies & Psychology Researcher

Dr. Miller, the new Chair of the Art History Department at Sacramento State University

Professor Alana Infinity

Professor Sade Turnipseed -Cassie Sade Turnipseed, MS, MBA, PhD  

Yisrael Farm

Featured  Artists Installation

Artist Curtis Wayne Riley Jr

Artist Helen Plenert (Cotton and Carver wood installations)

Gallery 157 co-owners Milton Bowens and Daphne Burgess

Photographer Kareem Daniels

Featured Shovel  Installation Artists

Alpha Bruton, Phantom Gallery Chicago- artist/chief curator, and archivist for Pop Up Research Station.

Shawntay Gorman, 

Lee McCormick

Niamah McDaniels

Shonna McDaniels - artist/activist/muralist/archivist

Judah Pimentel

Helen Plenert

GOS ( Gerry Simpson)

 

"Act as if what you do makes a difference, it does" ~ William James

Giving Tuesday, Warm greetings to you accompany this request for your consideration.

"Art is Business."  In the spirit of gratitude, we reach out to request your thoughtful consideration for a year-end donation in 2025 to help support the valuable work of the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum. https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/organization/sojoartsmuseum

In the spirit of gratitude, we are reaching out to request your consideration for a year-

end donation in 2025 to support the work of SOJO. We hope you will include this important work in your year-end giving plans.

SOJO presents the Black Heritage 365 Program, which focuses on historical African

Americans in STEM. Our mobile Black Heritage Exhibitions provided educational

enrichment serving 6782 youth in the SMUD-funded STEM/STEAM education featuring

workshops, activities, presentations, and hands-on learning for youth ages 12-24 and

25+ adults.

SOJO highlights the stories of historic African Americans and notable Africans, like

Mansa Musa, through oral traditions called griots. Mansa Musa, known as the richest

man in history, amassed wealth primarily from the Mali Empire's control of the salt trade

and gold mining. Various spoken word artists create this interaction with our audience

during mobile exhibitions.

We look forward to being in touch with you. If you have questions or would like more

information on the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum, please contact Shonna

McDaniels, sojomuseum@gmail, or call our office at 916-320-9573.

Shonna