Wright Wood 659 in Chicago invites you to visit a trio of diverse and extraordinary exhibitions this spring and summer, on view through July 15.
Kongkee: Warring States Cyberpunk takes you back to the future with an immersive experience blending ancient Chinese poetry and modern anime. Part comic book, part animated film, and part meditation on history, this exhibition uses multi-screen video, projections, neon art, and ancient artifacts to chart the epic journey of legendary poet Qu Yuan (c. 339-278 BCE). resurrected soul in the body of an android.
Shahidul Alam: scorched but not burnt presents more than 80 striking photographs by the famous Bangladeshi photographer, activist and 2018 Time Personality of the Year magazine. In 1984, Shahidul Alam found his country in the ruthless grip of an autocratic general. The injustices he witnessed inspired him to use his camera as a tool of resistance. Over the next four decades, Alam dedicated his work to opposing political corruption, documenting the struggle for democracy, and advancing social justice. The images for this exhibition were selected from his extensive archive in Dhaka.
Patric McCoy: Take my picture focuses on the 1980s, when photographer Patric McCoy cycled through Chicago, still with his camera, capturing images of men who wanted to have their picture taken. For 10 years he has photographed thousands of subjects from Chicago’s black gay community – images depicting joy and desire, with subjects that are neither posed nor directed. The exhibition presents a selection of 50 black and white and color photographs and celebrates the untold stories of this pivotal decade, at the end of which thousands of people would die of HIV/AIDS.
For more information, visit wrightwood659.org.
These shows are presented by Alphawood Exhibitions at Wrightwood 659.
Kongkee: Warring States Cyberpunk is organized by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and curated by Abby Chen, Senior Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Burned but not burned is inspired by an exhibition currently touring India and curated by curator and art writer Ina Puri.
