Calendar for May 27th, 2015

Bulletin

Deportation Defense 101
The landscape of immigration never ceases to be highly contested and changeable, as deportation remains an imminent threat for countless families across the country. Deportation Defense 101 is a training session from Organized Communities Against Deportations, an organization that supports mobilization, advocacy, and education as tools for preventing deportations. Tania Unzueta, an undocumented queer organizer born in Mexico City and raised in Chicago for the latter half of her childhood, is also conducting the session under on behalf of Not1More, an ongoing campaign that responds to unjust immigration laws. Targeted at community members and organizers, this session is for individuals who seek to combat deportations, and will offer avenues for getting involved in deportation defence work in Chicago. A similar workshop will be held in Spanish the following week. Cultura in Pilsen, 1900 S. Carpenter St. Saturday, May 30, 11am-1pm. Registration at bit.ly/ocadtraining (Darren Wan)

Building Blocks: A Foundation of Social Change
Are you interested in social change? Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur? Come to Building Blocks, hosted by SydneyMalcome LLC, a networking event for people committed to social change. You’ll be able to network with professionals, get consultations on various aspects of business (law, technology, branding), and hear from successful business owners. SydneyMalcome is a consulting firm that helps businesses and individuals enact their vision for social change. The company has hosted this event for three years now. This year, they will also be launching their new Ashley S. C. Walls Foundation—created in honor of one of the company’s co-founders—to support emerging leaders and nonprofits. Room 43, 1043 E. 43rd St. Sunday, May 31st, 3pm-8pm. Free. sydneymalcome.com (Akanksha Shah)

Getting to Work: The History of the Labor Movement and Our Rights Today
The School of Social Service Administration at the UofC is hosting a talk by the Chicago Freedom School on workers’ rights, the eight-hour workday, and the history of the labor movement in Chicago and America at large. As a youth-focused social activism movement, the Chicago Freedom School should provide colorful commentary on labor and its many intersections. One Facebook commenter sums it up nicely: “To start talking about the history of labor, we must start talkin about the history of colonization, the history of capital, of racism, of speciesism. Fuck the HIS-story, lets talk about the story of the forgotten.” University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, 969 E. 60th St. Wednesday, June 3, 12pm-1:30pm. chicagofreedomschool.org (Sam Stecklow)

We Need Our Buses!
For almost two decades, people from the neighborhoods along the route of the old 31 bus—including residents of Little Village, Bridgeport, and Chinatown—have agitated for the route’s reinstatement. In 2012, residents of North Center and Lincoln Park neighborhoods found themselves in a similar situation, when the 11 route down Lincoln Ave. was severely curtailed. Since the restoration of both of these lines depends on the same stretched CTA budget, the two campaigns might seem to be natural opponents; instead, at this event and other opportunities to lobby the CTA, North Siders and South Siders lobby together for a revitalized public transit system. Chicago Transit Authority, 567 W. Lake St. Wednesday, June 10, 10am. facebook.com/31stAndLincoln (Adam Thorp)

Music

Africa and Maggie Brown at the Promontory
Few have had such a profound influence on Chicago’s cultural landscape as jazz musician Oscar Brown III. Known for his protean style, Brown was born and raised on the South Side and his work extended to poetry, theater, education, and civil rights. Now, on the eve of his honorary street naming, Brown’s daughters Africa and Maggie keep his legacy alive in performance. The sisters, both vocalists, and Chicago pianist Miguel de la Cerna will perform a short program, followed by comments from city officials and colleagues of Oscar Brown. Celebration of Brown’s legacy comes fifty years after the civil rights movement and the Black Arts Movement, making reflection on the visionary’s work even more important. Join Africa and Maggie Brown and Miguel de la Cerna this Friday to see them bring Brown’s brilliance, insight, and humor to life. The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. W. Friday, May 29, 7pm. Free. promontorychicago.com (Clyde Schwab)

Jody Watley at The Shrine
Hailing from Chicago, Grammy Award-winning Jody Watley was one of the first female African-American artists to bridge gaps and create ties between music, dance, fashion, and even exercise. Her signature was “waacking,” a freestyle dance style she describes as “showing the music.” Watley became a master at creating an all-encompassing experience of the senses, both as a sight on stage and a voice through the speakers. She may have made her debut in the eighties, as a stage-stunner on Soul Train and the lead female in the breakout group Shalamar, but since then she has collaborated with numerous groups, including the French Horn Rebellion, and has also had a robust solo career. Even after thirty years in the industry, this self-described “not just a dreamer, but a girl always trying to do and be something” still has the music and moves to make you want to jump up and dance—and you will have the chance to do so next Saturday. The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Saturday, May 30, 9:30pm. $30. 21+. (312)753-5681. theshrinechicago.com (Cristina Ochoa)

Beenie Man and Shawnna at The Shrine
Erstwhile dancehall king Beenie Man and famously filthy Chicago-bred rapper Shawnna will be playing The Shrine on May 31. Beenie Man, best known for both his rowdy dancehall and his violently anti-gay lyrics (as well as numerous back-and-forths in the press about whether or not he’s apologized for them), hasn’t released an album since 2006. Since becoming bogged down in the PR battle over his lyrics, his only notable semi-recent appearance was being sampled on Kanye West’s “Send It Up.” Shawnna, similarly, hasn’t released anything since the 2012 mixtape She’s Alive. Here’s hoping they both try out some new material. The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Sunday, May 31, 10pm. $35. 21+. (312)753-5681. theshrinechicago.com (Sam Stecklow)

Yvonne Gage at Mo Better Jazz
This four-hour set hosted by South Shore jazz promoters Mo Better will feature Yvonne Gage, a prominent 1980s pop vocalist who has used her pipes to support the likes of R. Kelly and Celine Dion, among numerous other superstars, stars, and almost-stars. Her only album, 1984’s Virginity, was noted for its cover, which featured Gage in a risqué posture holding a sealskin coat. Its highest-charting single was “Doin’ It in a Haunted House,” which should be reason enough to catch this industry veteran when she reappears in her hometown. Mo Better Jazz, 2423 E. 75th St. Friday, June 5, 7pm. 21+. (773)741-6254. mobetterjazzchicago.us (Jake Bittle)

Songhoy Blues
To call the story of Songhoy Blues unusual would be an understatement—the group formed after Oumar Touré and Aliou Touré, brothers living in Gao on the Niger River who grew up obsessed with hip hop and classic rock, were forced to leave because of growing unrest in Mali and decided to turn misfortune to their advantage. They subsequently formed a band with drummer Nathanial Dembele and Garba Touré. The group became popular in Bamako, the town where they were relocated, and has recorded with Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Named after the Songhoy, one of the most prominent of Mali’s ethnic groups, the Songhoy Blues celebrates the history, beliefs, and traditional music of their displaced people. Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Friday, June 5, 8pm, 7pm doors. $12 in advance. thaliahallchicago (Clyde Schwab)

This is Pilsen: Bohemian Past, Latino Present at Thalia Hall
Eastern Europe meets Latin America in this celebration of global pathways converging on Chicago. Once a predominantly Czech neighborhood, and now home to a large Latino community, Pilsen will honor its past and present through a concert and art exhibit featuring music and art from both cultures. Set to play at the concert in Thalia Hall are Ondřej Havelka and His Melody Makers, playing popular songs from Pilsen’s Czech past; the fusion band ¡ESSO! Afrojam Funkbeat; and singer-songwriter Vivian García. Thalia Hall will also host the art exhibit, featuring paintings by Chicago and Prague artists and photographs from Pilsen’s history, which will be open through July 31. Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Wednesday, June 10, 8pm concert, 6:30pm exhibit. $15-$22. (312)526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com (Hafsa Razi)

Lalah Hathaway at the Shrine
On June 11, the Shrine will be graced with the classically trained, Grammy-award-winning, alto voice of Lalah Hathaway. Better known as the First Daughter of Soul, Hathaway made her first foray into the world of music at the tender age of one, providing background wails for her father Donny Hathaway’s single “The Ghetto.” However, she’s better known for her more recent releases like Self Portrait, and singles “That Was Then” and “Something,” a collaboration with Snarky Puppy. It would be a shame to limit your experience of the artist who describes herself as “enamoured with colour, space, and the evolution of music” to just her records. The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Thursday, June 11, 9:30pm. First fifty tickets $32.50; otherwise $40. 21+. (312)753-5700. theshrinechicago.com (Emeline Posner)

Stage and Screen

Vanessa Bayer at Thalia Hall
Famous for her uncanny impressions of smiley teen princess Miley Cyrus, a geeky “Jacob the Bar Mitzvah boy,” and a frightening Hillary Clinton, Vanessa Bayer has charmed audiences with her charisma and talent during her five-year stint at Saturday Night Live. This week, Bayer returns to the birthplace of her comedic career (she trained at Second City and the ImprovOlympic, now known as the iO Theater) in what is sure to be a memorable stand-up performance.  Opening for her is the absurdist Chicago comedian Adam Burke, who was voted best stand-up comedian in Chicago by the Reader in 2014. Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport Street. Friday, May 29, doors 8pm. $30. (312) 526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com (Lucia Ahrensdorf)

City by City: Dispatches from the American Metropolis
Few things capture the spirit of our time as well as stories of urban life. In City by City: Dispatches from the American Metropolis, a collection of essays published by n+1 magazine and edited by Keith Gessen and Stephen Squibb, a new generation of writers works to document the cities they call home. Exploring everything from a tale of small-town Alaska to reality television stardom to the lingering political corruption in Providence, Rhode Island, the essays capture the shifting dynamics and forces at work in the everyday successes and heartbreaks of American citizens and cities. Take refuge from the maelstrom of urban living at the Seminary Co-op Bookstore this Saturday and listen to a presentation by contributing essayists Sam Biederman, a Hyde Park native currently writing and living in New York, and Ben Merriman, a doctoral candidate in sociology at the UofC. Seminary Co-Op Bookstore, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave. Saturday, May 30, 3pm. (773)752-4381. semcoop.com (Lewis Page)

Saving Mes Aynak
An adventurous archaeologist. A sacred, 5,000-year-old Buddhist site of worship. An intrepid filmmaker willing to put his life on the line. These are the stranger-than-fiction ingredients of the true story told in Saving Mes Aynak, the new film from Chicago documentary powerhouse Kartemquin. The Chicago premiere of the acclaimed documentary will kick off the Music Box’s Docs at the Box summer documentary series. Director Brent E. Huffman and producer Zak Piper will be in attendance, as well as a group of panelists including Gil Stein, director of the Oriental Institute at the UofC. In an interview for MovieMaker magazine, director Brent E. Huffman said, “Saving Mes Aynak is a film I believed in so deeply I repeatedly risked my life to make it.” Make sure Brent’s life wasn’t risked in vain—come watch the thrilling tale of a true-life Indiana Jones on a noble mission to save an ancient city. Music Box Theatre, 3773 N. Southport Ave. Tuesday, June 2, 7:30pm. $10. (773)871-6604. musicboxtheatre.com (Lewis Page)

Stop Making Nonsense: Japanese Surrealist Films, 1960-1964
Surveying the experimental films during the wave of avant-garde cinema in Tokyo during the 1960s, the Center for East Asian Studies will sponsor a screening of four Japanese surrealist films. The series features films made by members of the famous “Group of Three,” including Obayashi and Limura, directors hailed for their eclectic productions made with the 8mm format. The first film is Obayashi’s Complexe, which focuses on a man whose mundane walk turns into a surreal dreamscape representative of the manic pace of modernity, a theme complemented by Obayashi’s use of stop motion animation. Second is Jonouchi’s Pou Pou, which documents a burial ritual performed by children. Next, Limura’s Ai, is comprised of close-up shots of fragmented body parts and features sound by Yoko Ono. Last is Obayashi and Fugino’s An Eater, a macabre comedy about cannibalism. Afterwards, programmer Harrison Sherrod and SAIC graduate student Kara Jefts will host post-screening discussion to help provide context for the Japanese avant-garde cinema movement. Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St. Thursday, June 4, 7pm. Free.  southsideprojections.org (Clyde Schwab)

Sins of the Father at eta Creative
Successful blues singer Calieb “Tigereye” Hamilton suddenly returns home to his adult son and aging father after a nine-year absence. However, the joy of his homecoming is quickly clouded over by family secrets past and present. What dark truths must be revealed in order to save this family? And will they be able to forgive each other? Family drama and moody ballads prevail in Synthia Williams’s four-man production, Sins of the Father, a part of eta Creative’s 2015-2016 Season of Plays. eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. South Chicago Avenue. April 17 through June 7. Friday, 8pm; Saturday, 10am; Sunday, 3pm. $35 general, $25 for seniors, $15 for students. (773)752-3955. etacreativearts.org (Dagny Vaughn)

Secret Garden at Court
Coming off an acclaimed adaptation of another popular book, the Bible, Hyde Park’s dependable Court Theatre will continue its successful season with an adaptation of the famous children’s book The Secret Garden. Like the Bible, but aimed for a younger audience, The Secret Garden is a well-loved story that features a dynamic cast of characters, a mysterious old house, and a blooming garden. The precocious protagonist is a surly little girl named Mary who moves to a new home in Yorkshire with a magical secret. Come for the childhood memories, stay for the weirdly talented child actress. Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. May 21 through June 21. Fridays, 8pm; Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 2:30pm and 7:30 pm. $48 general, $43.50 for seniors, $23 for children, $18 for UofC students. Ages 4+. (773)753-4472. courttheatre.org (Jake Bittle)

Susan Giles: Scenic Overlook
In Susan Giles’ new exhibition, “Scenic Overlook,” one can view some of the world’s tallest buildings from above. Giles’ installation consists of large wooden sculptures modeled after the four highest observation towers in the world, the Tokyo Skytree, Canton Tower, CN Tower, and Ostankino Tower, all held up horizontally by steel structures. Giles takes advantage of the two-floor gallery space to allow observers to view these famous architectural wonders from above. Giles, a professor of art at DePaul University, got her MFA from Northwestern in 2009 and is known for her large-scale installations in venues across Chicago, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Elmhurst Art Museum. Visit the Hyde Park Art Center to witness Giles’s exploration of the power of perspective, tourism, and architecture. Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S Cornell Avenue. Sunday, April 19 through Sunday, July 26. Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 12pm-5pm. Free. (773)324-5520. hydeparkart.org (Clyde Schwab)

Old Wicked Songs
First produced in 1996 by Jon Marans, Old Wicked Songs is the story of an aging Viennese music professor and his prodigal but burnt-out piano student. In a story that takes teacher and student to emotional extremes while discussing the ramifications of the Holocaust in Austria, Old Wicked Songs shines as a valuable lesson that reflects the importance of healing, music, and remembering one’s past. The play closely follows the “Dichterliebe” (A Poet’s Love), a collection of songs by Robert Schumann. The play is presented by Provision Theater, a Chicago company that broke into the scene in 2004 with an acclaimed production of Cotton Patch Gospel. Provision has since followed with productions including Smoke on the Mountain, the Boys Next Door, and Gospel. Provision Theater Company, 1001 W. Roosevelt Rd. April 29-June 7. Fridays, 8pm; Saturdays, 8pm; Sundays, 3pm. $10-$32. (312)455-0066. provisiontheater.org (Clyde Schwab)

Visual Arts

Effigies
New paintings from Abraham, a Chicagoan otherwise known as Brahma Brand, arrived at the NYCH Gallery this spring. In his new collection, Abraham leads the viewer down dark tunnels of horror and sadness. Abraham unites our personal tortures and tragedies into a common despair-–a pain Abraham works on to ensnare the on-looker. With rough brushstrokes on a stark canvas, “Effigies” is a showcase that allows one the solace of being engulfed by true and universal melancholy. NYCH Gallery, 643 W 18th St. Through June 5. 585-208-4593. nychgallery.com (Cristina Ochoa)

Seductive Material
The art of seduction isn’t limited to just sex; the laws of attraction beguile anything and everything we want or need in life. Similarly, a painter must manipulate—or allure—the canvas and paints to do what is desired. “Seductive Material” showcases sculptor Angela Swan’s minimalistic, abstract pieces and examines how artists must explore and entice their chosen media’s physical matter to bend and build three-dimensional objects to their liking. The sculptures, which are created from found objects and fabricated resources, prompt viewers to consider their own sense of personal identity, existence, or transcendence. Curated by Sergio Gomez, Swan’s portraits of the self will be at the Zhou B Art Center until June 13. Zhou B Art Center, 1029 W. 35th St. second floor gallery. Through June 13. Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm. (773)523-0200. zhoubartcenter.com (Alex Harrell)

No Longer Art
What really is art? What isn’t? Can a piece of art ever stop being art? The exhibition “No Longer Art” is a collection of “salvaged art”: pieces of work removed from museum and gallery circulation due to accidental damage and complete loss of market value, but still culturally significant and relatively intact. Founded by the New York artist Elka Krajewska, the Salvage Art Institute (SAI) serves as a shelter for salvaged art and a stage for discussing the work’s cultural, visual, and—perhaps most importantly—fiscal value. “No Longer Art: Salvage Art Institute” is presented at the Neubauer Collegium Exhibitions in partnership with the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry with support from the Chicago Center for Contemporary Theory. The Neubauer Collegium for Culture and Society, 5701 S. Woodlawn Ave. April 23 – June 26. Monday-Friday, 11:00am-5:00pm. (773)702-6030. neubauercollegium.uchicago.edu  (Alex Harrell)

Windy City Breakdown
Ayana Contreras—DJ, radio show host, record collector, producer, blogger—was one of the Arts Incubator’s Artists-in-Residence during 2014-15. Her culminating exhibition, “Windy City Breakdown,” features locally-sourced records from her own personal collection, and will explore Black Chicago at the height of the Black Power movement, alongside its intersections with art and entrepreneurship. Contreras hosts and produces a weekly show on Vocalo called “Reclaimed Soul” that is all about “taking old materials (records, buildings, ideas, et al) to push us all forward.” With Contreras being the all-around sound and audio Renaissance woman that she is, her exhibit is sure to be an unusual foray into Chicago, black resistance, and history. Not to mention, it’ll have a great soundtrack. Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Blvd. Through May 29. Artist talk May 19, 6pm-7:30pm. Free. (773)702-9724. arts.uchicago.edu (Maha Ahmed)

The Ghost of Slavery in Corporate Chicago
Buried deep in Section 585 of Chicago’s Municipal Code is the “Slavery Era Business/Corporate Insurance Disclosure,” which mandates that contractors with the city disclose any and all profits gained from slavery. Yet after two hundred years, several major Chicago companies have yet to disclose their profits from slavery. “The Ghost of Slavery in Corporate Chicago” spotlights the skeletons in these companies’ closets. In an exhibition of photographs and documents regarding the businesses’ hidden histories, images of corporate success and human suffering collide. The exhibit is the first in a larger series at Pilsen’s URI-EICHEN Gallery, entitled “40 Acres and a Mule: A Series of Visual Arts Shows and Discussions about Reparations for Slavery,” which will run until September. URI-EICHEN Gallery, 2101 S. Halsted St. Through June 5, by appointment. (312)852-7717. Uri-eichen.com (Hafsa Razi)

Cosmosis
Though most visibly a muse for artistic creation in the last few years with feature films and literature, outer space has mystified and inspired humanity for centuries. In the new exhibit at the Hyde Park Art Center, artists attempt to visually represent the deeper resonances of the cosmos through its intersection with different fields such as philosophy, anthropology, and physics. The exhibition examines the significance of space travel to modern culture as well as the role Chicago-based artists have had in interpreting this significance. This event promises to be full of thought-provoking discussion and haunting images of another world. Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. Through August 23. Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-5pm;Sunday, noon-5pm. Free. (773)324-5520. hydeparkart.org (Lucia Ahrensdorf)

.de.ma.rc.at.ed.
The main idea of this month-long showing in a new Hyde Park gallery is this: art does not exist in a vacuum, and neither does anything else. The work of Alberto Aguilar, presented at the 4th Ward Project Space with support from the UofC’s Arts + Public Life Initiative, explores the way different boundaries—art and artist, home and world, owner and object—work, both in themselves and in relationship to one another. This particular show, titled “.de.ma.rc.at.ed.,” decontextualizes functional household objects and presents them as “monuments” for the viewer to interpret. 4th Ward Project Space, 5338 S. Kimbark Ave. Enter on 54th St. Opening reception Sunday, May 3, 4pm-7pm. Through May 31, 1pm-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. (773)203-2991. 4wps.org (Jake Bittle)

Gabriel Sierra
Swing by the Renaissance Society right after breakfast to see Gabriel Sierra’s “Monday Impressions” at ten in the morning. Visit right before your midday nap around two to experience “In the Meantime, (This Place Will Be Empty after 5:00 pm),” or maybe take in “Few Will Leave Their Place to Come Here for Some Minutes” around four, right before the gallery closes. The title of the exhibit changes each hour, but the work of the architecturally-trained Colombian artist will be consistently compelling. An interactive exploration of the ways in which the human body relates to and experiences temporal and spatial environments, Sierra’s installation consists of a series of constructions made with natural materials that have been isolated, processed, and domesticated. The exhibit emphasizes the presence and experience of the visitor, begging to be walked over, stood in, and experienced firsthand, whatever the time of day. The Renaissance Society, 5811 S. Ellis Ave. through June 28, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12pm-5pm. Free. (773)702-8670. renaissancesociety.org (Lewis Page)

Mirrored Infinity
Inspired by Jorge Luis Borges’s short story “The Approach to Al-Mu’tasim,” visual artist John Whitlock inquires into existentialism, spirituality, and reproduction through black and white collages that are scanned and crafted into mixed media compositions. These are accompanied by a video feed of evolving geometric patterns on an infinite loop. The work uses simple shapes to create elaborate and semi-religious iconography, gold—with its connotations of preciousness and implication of age—and geometric distortions. Whitlock works primarily in collage and assemblage and is influenced by the surplus of stimuli in our culture and society, particularly in popular graphic images. Join Whitlock at the Chicago Urban Art Society’s debut in its new McKinley Park space in a show “about finding yourself in the search for another.” Chicago Urban Art Society, 3636 S. Iron 6:30pm-11:30pm through Saturday, June 27. Free. (773)951-8101. chicagourbanartsociety.com (Clyde Schwab)

ARC 40th Anniversary Exhibit
An show in honor of the 40th anniversary of ARC, one of the oldest female-run art galleries and exhibition spaces in the country, will begin this Friday at the Beverly Arts Center. The show features over 120 current and former artists from the co-operative gallery in Chicago. Founded in 1973, ARC provides exhibition opportunities for emerging artists based on “excellence of artwork” and without discrimination regarding gender, race, class, and other factors. While ARC is an internationally recognized exhibition space, it also serves as an educational foundation, providing opportunities for emerging artists. Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St. Friday, May 31, 7pm-9pm through May 31. (773)445-3838. beverlyartcenter.org (Clyde Schwab)

Imaginary Landscapes
Returning to a space of your past is the best way to wipe away the rose-colored nostalgia tint from your glasses. Through Imaginary Landscapes, Mana Contemporary presents an exploration of the relationship between space, time, and memory. Four Midwest-based artists delve into the uncertain space at the nexus of the three, and the result is a collection of sculptures and images gathered by Chicago-based curator Allison Glenn. Lisa Alvarado’s work features elements of shamanism as she critiques cultural appropriation and assimilation; Assaf Evron toes the line between photography and sculpture; deconstructing the mundane, Robert Burnier explores failed utopia; and, last but not least, Caroline Kent harnesses narrative and storytelling to ruminate on what it means to be an outsider in another country. Delve into the uncertainty that spans space and time. Mana Contemporary, 2233 S. Throop St., 4th floor. through May 31. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. (312)850-0555. Free. manacontemporarychicago.com (Kristin Lin)

Nature’s Matrix
Like many of their fellow artists, Charles Heppner and Diane Jaderberg have turned to nature for inspiration. Instead of capturing the astonishing might of an ocean or the tranquility of a peaceful sylvan landscape, they channel elements from nature and turn them into visual motifs, repeating and abstracting them to create pieces that are not just strange but nearly unrecognizable. Also important for their work and their new installation is the interaction between technology and nature, which is mirrored in Heppner’s use of digital media and computer software to create prints. Their joint exhibition, “Nature’s Matrix,” is taking place at the Hyde Park Art Center, where the two have been studying and creating since the mid-2000s. Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. through July 5. (773)324-5520. hydeparkart.org (Robert Sorrell)

From the Hearth: A Home of Art, Education, and Community for 75 Years
In 1940, the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Art Project funded the creation of over one hundred centers for the arts nationwide. Seventy-five years later, the South Side Community Art Center in Bronzeville is the only one that remains. Awarded Chicago Landmark status in 1994, the Art Center continues to serve as a symbolic and historic site of the legacy of African-American art in Chicago. In collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Center presents a retrospective of a seventy-five-year history of art, activism, and community-building. Curated by Lamar Gayles and Kara Franco—two young artists under the mentorship of the MCA assistant curator and the former director of SSCAC—the show will include the works of artists such as Archibald Motley and Margaret Burroughs as well as discussions on the past and future of the SSCAC as a place of constant reinvention and innovation. South Side Community Art Center, 3831 S. Michigan Ave. through June 16. Wed-Fri 12pm-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1pm-5pm. Free. (773)373-1026. sscartcenter.org (Lewis Page)

The Break Age
Having received his M.F.A in sculpture at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Benjamin Zellmer Bellas makes art that is, according to Slow gallery, “Art and not art at the same time.” His upcoming show at Slow in Pilsen touches upon themes of faith, mystery, and the origins of life, but also science, domesticity, and technology. Though progressive in nature, the show draws upon traditional art-making processes. Bellas emphasizes that each of his works of art embodies its own transformation—who knows, maybe “The Break Age” will also change you. Slow, 2153 W. 21st St. through June 13, 6pm-9pm. Free. (773)645-8803. paul-is-slow.info (Juan Toledo)