Reclaiming leisure on Chicago’s South Side at Homecoming: Interactive sound sculpture, music, and games invite Washington Park to come out and play
CHICAGO, IL – August 16, 2024 – Arts + Public Life (APL), in partnership with Gertie's Next Stop: Chicago campaign, invites Washington Park residents and neighborhood commuters to unwind between work and home on the Arts Lawn, the area’s newest “third space” at 337 E Garfield Blvd. On Tuesday, August 20, and Wednesday, August 21, from 4:00-7:00 pm, Homecoming offers a unique opportunity to lounge and relax in public, with a sound bath, ambient music, free books and treats, chess and card games, and the unveiling of an interactive outdoor sound sculpture.
Honoring the rich cultural heritage of Washington Park, Homecoming’s centerpiece is “ode to rhumboogie,” a sound sculpture designed to invite play, experimentation, and social interaction. Created by Chicago artists ebere agwuncha, a transdisciplinary craftsperson, and Josué Esaú, a multidisciplinary fabricator, who both explore the depths of memory and ancestral connections, the piece draws the legacy of the Rhumboogie Cafe, the once-thriving jazz and blues club that stood where the Arts Lawn is located today. Inspired by stringed instruments like the Banjo, Berimbau, and Kora played throughout the diaspora, the design includes woven strings, a gong, gourds, and a wooden bridge that both amplifies sound and echoes the arches of the Rhumboogie stage. “ode to rhumboogie” invites visitors to become part of the art by interacting with the strings and percussive elements to create their own melodies and rhythms. The sculpture will remain on the Arts Lawn through October, providing the community with an ongoing source of creative exploration.
“Through ‘ode to rhumboogie’, we wanted to create a space where the community can engage with the past, present, and future of sounds,” said agwuncha and Esaú, “The Rhumboogie Cafe holds a special place in Chicago’s history, and we hope our work inspires people to remember and celebrate that legacy. This sculpture is an invitation to play, listen, and discover sound's power to shape our lives and communities. We’re excited to see how people interact with the sculpture and make it their own during Homecoming and beyond.”
Special guest artists will share unique sound offerings alongside the sculpture on both days:
5pm - Ben LaMar Gay, a composer and multi-instrumentalist renowned for his electro-acoustic collages that seamlessly blend sound, color, and space, and a 2019/20 APL Artist-in-Residence, will perform a piece that engages “ode to rhumboogie”
6pm - Mecca Elevated, a multi-faceted artist and experienced sound meditation facilitator, will guide participants through an outdoor sound bath
Together, agwuncha, Education Programs Manager and past instructor of the Design Apprenticeship Program (DAP I), and Esaú, DAP I & II instructor and Woodshop Manager, support APL's education programs, sharing their expertise with local youth. This summer, Esaú mentored six talented teens who advanced to the second level of the program (DAP II). These students designed and built a new suite of furniture for Homecoming consisting of three tables and six chairs that invite visitors to lounge communally and encourage game play. Their designs incorporate weaving techniques and arches that reference the sound sculpture. Also, Olu Adeleke, creator of prgrssn and a 2024 APL’s L1 Creative Business Accelerator Fellow, has designed exclusive apparel for the DAP II students to commemorate their work and the spirit of Homecoming.
Visitors are invited to relax and recharge at Homecoming with these free activities and treats (while supplies last):
Chess games and instructions from Carmenita Peoples
Book giveaway from Call + Response Books
Ice cream and Italian ice from Big Bros
Isis Ferguson, Senior Director of Engagement and Partnerships, said, “The Arts Lawn is a creative site that encourages play, respite, and experimentation. We deserve multi-use places of beauty on Chicago’s South Side. Homecoming is an expression of gratitude to our Washington Park neighbors and an invitation to artists to imagine ways they can incorporate the built environment into their artistic practices and projects. We have been relaxing and reclaiming leisure all summer with APL’s inaugural Arts Lawn arts and culture programming.”
About Arts + Public Life
Arts + Public Life (APL), an initiative of UChicago Arts, is a dynamic hub of exploration, expression, and exchange that centers people of color and fosters neighborhood vibrancy through the arts on the South Side of Chicago. As a neighborhood platform for arts and culture in Washington Park, APL provides residencies for Black and Brown artists and creative entrepreneurs, arts education for youth, and artist-led programming and exhibitions.
About APL Education
Arts + Public Life offers paid, in-depth arts education to Chicago South Side youth from 14 to 19 years old. In 2023, APL served over 150 teenagers, engaging them in 307 art education program sessions through four programs: Backstage Production, Community Actors Program, Design Apprenticeship Program, and Teen Arts Council. The programs cultivate students’ creativity, social development, and leadership while inspiring them to find and create their places in the world.
Address: 301 E Garfield Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60637
Email: artsandpubliclife@uchicago.edu
Website: https://artsandpubliclife.org
Social media: @artspubliclife
Media Contact:
Liu Yang, Associate Director of Communications, Arts + Public Life, llyang@uchicago.edu