Street Level

Wabash Arts Corridor

Sep 15 - Dec 11, 2017

An approachable environment along the Wabash Arts Corridor with small-scaled murals at eye level, so everyone can get up close and personal with the art.

Curatorial Statement

In 2013, Columbia College Chicago launched the Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC) to immerse Chicago students, residents, and visitors in a “living urban canvas” through an ever-growing number of large-scale murals, installations, and collaborative projects. WAC fosters the community’s collective creative spirit by using overlooked urban spaces and reclaimable resources to revitalize and transform the South Loop business district into one of the city’s major cultural assets. The corridor currently displays over thirty murals from local, national, and international artists.

This year’s WAC initiative STREET LEVEL is focused on creating a more approachable environment along the corridor with smaller-scaled murals placed at eye level to encourage people to actively interact with murals in the neighborhoods; take selfies, post to social media and get up-close-and-personal with the art.

The STREET LEVEL exhibition and visitor center invites you into the creative process behind the conception, planning, and production of the murals. The show will continue to evolve this Fall to reflect the new installations and happenings of the Wabash Arts Corridor:

The Artist’s Studio is a changing installation displaying the tools and materials used by WAC artists in their creative process and will be updated as new murals are developed and installed.

Sandra Steinbrecher’s Photography features the work of this Chicago-based photographer who continues the documentary work she began with the publication of Wabash Arts Corridor / Big Walls / 2016.

WAC Documentaries features an ongoing series of short videos capturing the creative process, created by The Doc Unit, a Cinema and Television A

The DIY Mural invites you to add your perspective to an ever-growing installation that looks to the future.

The WAC Community Mural is a collaborative piece between Columbia College Chicago student artists Melanie Vazquez (a WAC people’s choice winner), Lauren Van Reken, and a local non-profit in within the community as a way of educating youth about the Wabash Arts Corridor and the importance of creative expression.

Curators: Neysa Page-Lieberman, Jenni Button, Sara Dulkin

Featured Artists and Creators: Erik Beehn, Evan Gulock, Dahazee Flores, Lauren Parker, Hector Duarte, Sam Kirk, Abie Vazquez, Renee Robbins, Sandra Steinbrecher

Hokin Team: Sydney Pacha*, Yi Wang*, Alexia Tillman, Ashley King, Emily Gallaugher, Alexus Jarriell, Roland Santana

Collaborators:

Wabash Arts Corridor Creative and Production Team:

Neysa Page-Lieberman – Director and Chief Curator

Sydney Pacha – Graduate Project Manager

Jenni Button – Funding and Engagement Coordinator and Co-curator

Sara Dulkin – Artist Liaison and Co-curator

Abie Vasquez – Production Coordinator

Meg Duguid – Curatorial Collaborator

Danielle Wilcox – Manager/Editor of News Office at Columbia College Chicago

Sandra Steinbrecher – Independent Photographer

Emily Gallaugher – Undergrad Curatorial Assistant