Resolutely old-school photo-documentarian Dave Jordano specializes in giving us glimpses of the neglected places that make Chicagoland a fabled sweet home. This time Jordano presents in subtle yet bold and saturated color beautifully composed images of the interiors of modest African-American storefront churches on the city’s South Side, dotted with sensitive portraits of their congregants. With unassuming grace, Jordano moves in for detailed studies of signage, prayer rugs, choir song sheets, baptismal tubs, pulpits, displays of pastors’ treasured mementos and a “wall of fame,” each of which is exquisite in its own right, and all of which combine to make us feel that we know these sites intimately. We are used to visualizing the African-American church as filled with energetic life; Jordano takes us into the environment that inspires the profession of faith, and we experience its allure. (Michael Weinstein)
Fleeing Desperation: A Review of Ada Trillo at Chicago Center for Photojournalism In this heartbreaking yet visually beautiful exhibition, Ada Trillo implicates herself within her subjects to shine a light on both the hope and the hopelessness of their lives. If you are not moved by these images, surely your heart is made of stone.
Home Is Where the Family Is: A Review of Chicago Chiquito at Bridgeport Art Center This small but significant exhibition shows the history of Chicago Chiquito, or little Chicago, the nickname given to La Hacienda, a small town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Its families have migrated north to find work for over one hundred years.
The Roots of Pride: A Review of Jerry Pritikin at The Chicago Center for Photojournalism The show “When Then Was Now” gives a glimpse of early LGBTQ+ life in San Francisco—Harvey Milk became mayor and gay activism was gaining momentum. Pritikin, a legend of reportage, takes us back to a time before AIDS reared its ugly head and shows us how the movement looked all those decades ago.
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