America: Now and Here Visits Chicago November 4 – 13, 2011

From Nov. 4-13, 2011, America: Now and Here hosted a series of programs to engage Chicago artists, cultural leaders, and citizens in a national movement to build a more civil society through engagement with art.

Kruger Truck Program and Tour – our full sized tractor-trailer, wrapped by the work of artist Barbara Kruger, visited the following locations:
Nov. 4 – Jane Addams Hull House and UIC Campus; Nov 5 – Auburn Gresham Community; Nov. 6 – Perry Mansion Cultural Center in Englewood; Nov. 7 – Museum Campus; Nov. 8 – Smart Museum, University of Chicago; Nov. 9 – Hyde Park Art Center.

Free Spirit Media artists accompanied the truck, engaging audiences in discussion around the Kruger slogans. Hear what they had to say here.

American Dialogues in Chicago brought artists “to the table” with civic, business and cultural leaders to explore the role of art as a catalyst for conversation and community action, artists as leaders, and the re-imagining of place through creativity.  Our cultural and community partners included Jane Addams Hull House, Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, Hyde Park Art Center, University of Chicago, ReBuild Foundation and Columbia College.

America: Now and Here thanks the following participating artists:

Dawoud Bey, photographer and Chicago artistic director, America: Now and Here

Theaster Gates, Director of Art and Public Life, University of Chicago and founder, ReBuild Foundation

Iker Gil, architect, director and founder of MAS-Studio

Indira Johnson, artist and founder, Ten Thousand Ripples Project

Emmanuel Pratt, urban agriculture expert/media artist/director of Aquaponics, Chicago State University, and resident artist Hyde Park Art Center

Jason Reblando, photographer

David Schalliol, photographer and sociologist, documenter of the Bloomingdale Trail project in Chicago

Ines Sommer, filmmaker and executive director, Percolator Films

Jan Tichy, artist and creator of Project Cabrini Green

Ricardo “Cobe” Williams, actor, The Interrupter

“America: Now and Here demonstrates the power of art to bring people together and positions creativity as our compass for success as individuals, communities and a nation.”

- Dorothy Dunn, Director, America: Now and Here

America: Now and Here in Chicago is supported in part by the Crown Family Philanthropies and by individual contributions. The Kruger truck wrapping was underwritten by Mary Boone Gallery, NYC and the tractor generously provided by Paccar Inc.