Join us for our Spring Super Sunday where aanl things Art Center come out and shine, new exhibitions, open studios, artist performances, and activities!

AGENDA:

1pm-Ongoing: General Economy Exquisite Exchange (GEEE)
GEEE will turn our outdoor plaza into a garden of surplus and exchange. Bring your poems or other plants and swap them for orange zebra heirloom, Jaume plum, or 6 other varieties of tomato seedling plants.1-3PM: PUBLIC SCHOOL
Join Las Artelitas, ACT Collective, and For the People to learn more about the collective arts and justice based work in Chicago. We will be sharing resources, building zines, and making art together.
Organized by Silvia Gonzalez.
1 – 4PM: Lead Zine Folding Gathering
The Chicago ACT Collective will host a lead zine folding gathering where we invite the public to hang out, fold zines, and discuss our water rights. This event is led by William Estrada.
1 – 5PM: School Art Sale
Our Spring School Art Sale is up! May 20 – 28, support artists directly and help fund the Art Center! Find screen prints, jewelry, ceramics, paintings, and more.
2 – 3PM: Artist Talk – Corinna Button
Corinna will walk through her new show, talk about her process and answer questions from the audience.
3PM: ‘Black Sheep’ Poetry Performance
The South and West side based poetry slam team ‘Black Sheep’ will be performing from a collection of text pieces incubated in HPAC’s teen program Art + Restorative Justice: Writing Works.
3:15PM: Aisha Cousins Performance
National Anthem performance (vocal concert) by Vikki O. Stokes and Nyfesha Miller*, in conjunction with The Presidential Library Project: Black Presidential Imaginary opening.
2 – 5PM: Open Studios
Meet our resident artists and get an inside look at their studios and practices. Featuring our artists Sara Black, Bethany Collins, Deirdre Fox, Elisabeth Hogeman, Gabe Moreno, Sheri Rush, Kunal Sen, Suzanne Torres, Lan Tuazon, and Melissa Weber. Joining them is new Flex Space resident Damon Locks, Hyde Park Art Center Teaching Artists Udita Upadhyaya and Gwendolyn Zabicki in Studio 1, and International Visiting Artist Bianca Bernardo from Rio de Janeiro.
2-5PM: The Future Fossil Factory
The Future Fossil Factory produces fossils out of mass produced containers, bisected and nested to fit concentrically into each other like the rings of a tree. Bottles, coolers, Tupperware and toys grow and accumulate over time to make fossils out of things in the recycling bin and then the recycling bin itself! The Future Fossil Factory is opening in Studio #5 and going outdoors to the front garage of the Hyde Park Art Center to ask you to donate containers of any type, size, and material. Most desired varieties are medicine bottles, fruit shaped containers, and large-scale containers for liquid commodities. Please come see the factory and consider taking part in growing a fossil by donating to the collection.
2 – 5PM: Spring Give-A-Thon
Visit our Spring Give-A-Thon table and support Chicago arts and artists, donations made in any amount are entered to win a fabulous prize!

OPENING EXHIBITIONS:
Interfaces
(Corinna Button)
The Presidential Library Project: Black Presidential Imaginary
(James Britt, Rashayla Brown, Aisha Cousins, Zachary Fabri, Lamont Hamilton, Billy McGuinness, Shonna Pryor, Deb Sokolow and Nate Young, curated by Ross Jordan)
Art For An (Un)Common Public
(Oluwafemi Ajenifuja, Menelik Barberouss, Lauren Calvin, LeShawn Cox, Will Curry, Jiawei (Laura) Gong, Walela Greenlee, Amir Hardeman, Genevieve Liu, Kendall Mensah, Nicholas Pelster Johnson, VaChanta Sims, and Krist Vinotai)

Light refreshments will be provided. Additional parking provided at Harper Court Parking Garage.

* Vikki O. Stokes is an international performer and national educator, with a passion for transforming communities through education and the arts. She has performed as the lead singer with Grammy nominated band Liquid Soul, opening for Sting at Madison Square Garden, and even singing for President Clinton’s inauguaration. She has also toured with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble performing at the Teatro Manzoni in Milan, Italy with the late great William Russo, and mentor Bobbi Wilsyn of Columbia College. She has also toured as backup singer for international neo- soul artists Amp Fiddler and Omar. Vikki has also starred as Billie Holiday with Jackie Taylor’s Black Ensemble Theater. Vikki currently sings at various venues, and serves as an Elementary School Principal by day focused on telling truths and healing souls.
Nyfesha Miller is a singer/actress best known for her recent mark in the Broadway touring production, “The Color Purple” as Shug Avery. A self acclaimed artist who’s performed on stages all over the world that include being the opening act for recording artists such as Kem, Kindred, & Amel Larieux (to name a few). Nyfesha is no stranger to the stage, but she most credits her experience to theater, as she’s amazed audiences in plays such as, “The Wiz” & “Imitation of Life.” She continues her love for the entertainment industry by performing at different venues and special events.