Chicago Art Observation Report

This weekend I visited the Chicago Art Institute, and more specifically went to the exhibit: Never a Lovely So Real: Photography and Film in Chicago 1950-1980. I took the train down early in the morning, and spent a while walking around the exhibit, and another hour or two exploring the museum. The title of the exhibition comes from a book on Chicago from 1951 in which Nelson Algren, the author, says, “Like loving a woman with a broken nose, you may well find lovelier lovelies. But never a lovely so real.” The photography collection took up most of the bottom floor, and focused on Chicago as a city of neighborhoods, divided and completely separated from each other. Although segregated for each other, the collection of neighborhoods demonstrates

a sense of unity and community.
One main takeaway I had after viewing the exhibit was the diversity of Chicago. Although Glenview has a strong community, it is relatively lacking in terms of diversity. While I did understand the magnitude of Chicago and its diversity going into the event, the photos on display brought it into a new light. One can present the numbers all they want, and show the demographics, but seeing the photos was a whole new experience. From documentation of the graffiti by Wrigley Field to a neighborhood where many immigrants were just getting adapted to life in the city, no two communities were the same. Although the subject matter was key to establishing a tone of each piece, the photos each had their own spirit. Every person captured seemed alive, and the exhibit seemed more passive than active. The movement in each piece lead to the next largest impact the exhibit had on me.