Uncharted Books joins the Logan Square community

Uncharted Books owner, Tanner McSwain. © W. Tanner Young 2012

In 2011 we witnessed the demise of big-box behemoth, Borders. The economy remained cautious, and unemployment numbers didn't fall nearly as fast as everyone had hoped they would. Yet in this unstable world, one Chicago resident saw opportunity. After plenty of research, many hours spent doing physical labor, and some help from the book-loving community via Kickstarter, Tanner McSwain opened Uncharted Books to the public at January 14th.

Uncharted Books logo.

Logan Square's very own used book store happily occupies the 1,300 square foot storefront at 2630 N Milwaukee Ave, just steps from the Logan Square blue line stop. Pulled straight from the Kickstarter page, where a total of $12,532 was raised to help offset opening costs, McSwain explains his concept for the store:

"We're an independent used bookstore specializing in literature, vintage classics, queer and gender studies, and local interests. We host open salons for writers, storytellers, artists, and students. We encourage browsing, loitering, chit-chatting, socializing, drinking, eating, writing, working, hanging out, and staying in. We want to be your bookstore – Logan Square’s, the north side’s, and Chicago’s."

Between labor hours from contractor friends, volunteers assisting in alphabetizing and shelving books, the final clean up event, and a preview event for Kickstarter supporters, Uncharted Books was a physical community hub before even opening their doors to the public. Additionally, McSwain is constantly fostering an digital community through social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr; No comment, tweet, ask or email goes unanswered.

Interested in being part of the community? Stop by Uncharted Books! Hours of operations are as follows:

• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday-Friday: 12pm – 8pm
• Saturday-Sunday : 11am – 9pm

--Justine Rowland
www.linkedin.com/in/justinerowland

IALS's own shows at the Boiler Room

If you've been to the Boiler Room, then you're probably familiar with their PB&J special. But what about their PB&A? sure you are! Pizza, Beer & Art! I refuse to say PBArt...except for right there. Anywho, theres no way you could miss the giant Wall o' Art in the back (not to be confused with the Wall o' Butts in the mens bathroom...). If you havent noticed it, then you've probably never been to the Boiler Room, and also, we're not friends.

But big news! well, news, at least, IALS's very own blog slave/photo dude Tanner Young will be displaying his work starting this Monday, January 30. You may be familiar with him as the Co-curator (along with Brooke Herbert Hayes, our other photo...dude..) of our first photo exhibition, Snapshot: Inventing the Everyday. Or the dude at those IALS things, with the camera. Or that dude at The Boiler Room, at the bar...with the hat..(?). Or if you're really lucky, you dont know him at all.

Give 'Em the Boot ©W. Tanner Young 2009

But now's your chance to tempt fate, and eat pizza at the same time! Or you know, you could just eat the pizza and look at the photos, if you want. Young will be displaying work from his project An Excerpt of Various Photographs Strewn About the Room, for the first time in Logan Square. "The Project," he explains, "is intended to explore the struggle of my generation as we grow into the people we will be, in the world we are given." Whatever that means, I guess. Consisting of large scale prints, Young's photos are intimate portraits of his nexus of friends, acquaintances and the archetype their personalities portray. But rather than present us with a tight shot of a person or face, the figures in these photographs are often obscured by their surroundings, or "consumed" as he puts it (whoa, thats deep man), focusing on the way their personal spaces reflect their personalities.

Shoot for the Moon ©W. Tanner Young 2009

Young goes on to say, "Our lives are transitional, we’re caught in a period between young adulthood, maturity, a career and the rest of life. Our homes are our hideaway from this; a physical extension of our identity. By capturing these characters in moments of isolation, consumed by their surroundings, I glimpse into the bond between a person and an intimate moment in time." Personally, I think he should just get over the whole thing, but if these scenes look familiar, it would be no surprise. The project embodies an archetype of people we're all familiar with, a network of artists, musicians, writers and all those other no-job hippy liberals (aka "stoned-slackers" if you're as into Bill O'Reilly as I am) we surround ourselves with, right? uuhhh...ZING!

So if you're not doing anything this monday (and even if you are), come on down and check out the work, say "hi", and enjoy the pizza party. Because we all know you've been wanting to have a straight up pizza party since the last time, in the 6th grade.

House of 1000 Corpses ©W. Tanner Young 2010

An Excerpt of Various Photographs Strewn About the Room


The Boiler Room
2210 N. California Ave
Jan 30 - Mar 30

Opening Pizza Party:
Jan 30th, 7pm - passout time

Oh, he also really likes to write about himself in 3rd person.

All the best,

-W. Tanner Young

www.WTANNERYOUNG.com

This month--we are all about film!

It is the dead of winter-- movies in the parks stopped months ago, the Logan Theatre is undergoing renovations and Netflix on the couch is starting to get a bit old. Well fret not, film-loving folks, because starting next week we are all about film.  First and foremost, we are quite excited to announce our February exhibition, Film Is Dead: Edges of The Digital Frame.  Film is Dead is a video exhibition that celebrates the "new wave" of underground cinema; by "incorporating aspects of video appropriation, off-kilter narratives and culturally conscious video mash-ups," the works of Nelson Carvajal and Amir George represent an underexposed avenue of truly independent filmmaking—one that steers clear of traditional “film school tropes and textbook rhetoric." Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame opens on Thurs, February 2nd from 6 to 8:30 pm, at the I Am Logan Square Gallery, located at 2644 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Once again, Revolution Brewing will be providing seasonal beer and their signature bacon fat popcorn for the reception, accompanied by delicious treats courtesy of Paper Moon Pastry.



Carvajal, the exhibition’s curator and featured artist, helped launch Cinefile, an online networking platform for independent filmmakers. His handheld camera technique was a topic point in Jim Emerson’s (editor of RogerEbert.com) essay “Screw the Tripod” earlier last year.  And George was part of the Seen and Heard Music Video Showcase (in collaboration with Chicago Filmmakers) and guest curated a Salonathon video event for the Chicago Underground Film Festival.

In addition to the Film Is Dead exhibition, Carvajal will be a special guest at our upcoming Industry Night on Tuesday, January 31st.  This month's Industry Night is dedicated to film and the guest line-up not only includes Carvajal, but also welcomes industry professionals Shayla Kloska, Marketing Director of the Logan Theatre and David Schmüdde, Executive Producer of EarthCircle Films LLC and Associate Professor at the Illinois Institute of Art. IALS’s Industry Nights, designed to connect established and emerging arts professionals, take place the last Tuesday of every month from 6-8pm at Café con Leche/D’Noche, located at 2710 N. Milwaukee Ave. A $15 admission ticket includes passed hors d'ouevres and an open Sangria and beer bar. Your ticket also helps IALS continue the monthly Industry Nights programming.

Film Is Dead: Edges of the Digital Frame will be on display through the end of February. The gallery is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 6 pm.
IALS hosts monthly gallery exhibitions of works by local artists and accepts exhibition proposals on a rolling basis. Participating artists and/or curators must either live or work in Logan Square to exhibit their work and priority will be given to group or collaborative shows.

--Brooke Herbert Hayes
www.brookeherbert.com

Sulzen/Zamudio Art Studio

Many Logan Square residents who take the blue line know that familiar building off the California stop with the paint palette and brush sign. Inside is the live/work space for painter Julie Sulzen and photographer Dan Zamudio. They often hold art shows displaying their work and also host exhibits during the annual Milwaukee Ave Arts Festival. Currently called the Sulzen Fine Art Studio, they will soon be rebranding and changing their name, so keep an eye out for Sulzen Zamudio Contemporary Images, Traditional Art.

© OTK Photography

 This spring marks 10 years they have been working in that space and they started hosting shows when Julie had an exhibit for her painting students and over 200 people were in attendance. Living together and working closely, Julie and Dan don’t necessarily find inspiration in each other’s work, but they do discuss technical aspects once their work is complete. Both their styles deal with Chicago urban living and often depict quiet, still scenes--something one doesn't typically expect when viewing art about city life. The unexpected scenes in their work are perfect for deep viewer contemplation.

© OTK Photography

Keep an eye out for the new sign and a new website this spring in addition to their bi-annual printed newsletter! You can stay up to date with the studio by signing up for the newsletter on their website at www.sulzenfineartstudio.com.

--Katie Holland
www.KatieHolland.com

Multilingual Chicago Brings Culture and Language to the Square!

In just two years, the little-language-school-that-could is making headway in the neighborhood that houses and nurtures it. Opened in October 2009 with a staff of four, Multilingual Chicago now employs fifteen people and offers classes in fourteen different languages.

For Hilary Hodge, director of operations at Multilingual Chicago, Logan Square is the perfect location for their school. “It’s great to be in Logan Square,” she says. “We love our neighbors.”

The neighborhood’s history with different waves of immigrant populations, including German, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Russian, Puerto Rican, and Mexican, means that it is not uncommon to hear many languages other than English being spoken on the street or in bars or stores. “I think the multilingual history of Logan Square is really interesting,” says Hilary. “Our Polish classes in particular have been really popular…I think it’s because of the location, and because there’s so few places that offer Polish classes in Chicago. I think our location is especially ideal, in this multilingual little neighborhood.”

It’s hard not to find something that might suit your interests at Multilingual. There are classes covering the basics to get you started in a new language as well as more advanced offerings like the upcoming Spanish novel class. There are one-day bootcamps over the weekend for those who favor minimal commitment. There are even food-based events for those who might want to try a new cultural flavor but don’t have the tongue for language acquisition. “We had a Nutella day party last February--that was a lot of fun--where we had eight different vendors come in with different Nutella goodies,” says Hilary. “We had a kimchi day party two months ago.”

The school has also hosted cooking classes, wine tastings, and film screenings, in addition to participating in the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, Logan Square Farmer’s Market, and Holidays on the Square.

And Multilingual will extend its reach even further in the coming year. Hilary projects that in 2012 the school will expand its supplementary language programs at schools, create bootcamp sessions for families, and host a monthly “free and fabulous” event that could feature such programming as a bollywood dance class or a pierogi-making class.

Winter adult classes for 2012 start up on January 9th and end March 5th. Classes include Spanish, Polish, Hungarian, Italian, French, Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, German, and Korean. There are also many class offerings for kids.

Check out Multilingual’s website for more information, and keep an eye on the events page for some of those upcoming “free and fabulous” events!

Multilingual Chicago  
2934 N. Milwaukee Ave., Suite C
Chicago, IL 60618                     
773-292-5500

--Tamara Matthews

Holiday Greetings & Wishes to All Our Friends and Supporters!

We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood with no shortage of artistic talent and innovation, replete with visual, musical, performing and literary arts and as a supporter of the arts, you understand the meaningful impact they make on our community.

To further that impact, IALS provides vital assistance to artists and arts organizations that add so much value to our neighborhood and we depend on your support to continue our work.

Thank you for your generosity in 2011. We are deeply grateful for the time, talent, efforts and financial support you have contributed to IALS and the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival.

Moving forward, we are seeing an increased need in the career development opportunities and services IALS provides. We are glad and proud that we are able to serve artists who bring such great richness to our community, but we cannot continue to do so without your help.

Your contribution is essential to keeping the arts alive and vibrant in Logan Square.

As the year draws to a close, we hope that you will consider making a new or additional gift to I Am Logan Square to enable us to continue our vital work and serve the Logan Square community.   

Please donate by mail or call our office at  773-278-4257 with your credit card number. You can also donate online here.

Thank you and have a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year! 

Cara Dehnert Huffman, Executive Director
Natasha Casanova, Marketing & Development Director 

New Years Eve and awkward kisses in the Square!

So much New Years, so little time. wait, that doesnt sound right. So much new year ahead, so little time...left...in this one. Well, poetics aside, technically, I'm correct. So what are your plans to bring in 2012? I mean, aside from champagne(let's be honest, it's just generic sparkling wine) and an awkward kiss with that guy/girl-you-like-but-doesnt-like-you-back-but-feels-bad-for-you-and-it-IS-new-years-afterall sorta kiss. ! ....? oh, that was weird. BUT BESIDES THAT! what else? Well, if you're looking for something to do, or have a list you'd like to add to because you're a guy/gal about the town, Logan Square has a bunch to offer!

first and foremost, hurry hurry hurry to get a ticket from our official gallery series sponsors, Revolution Brewing (facebook link w00t w00t!)for their Party! a New Years Party, if you havent guessed. Or, NYE as facebook/the blagoshpere is referring to it. $95 gets you 4 hours of More Booze of Doom(this is what us blog-o-teers call....blog foreshadowing.) aka open bar of wine, liquor and your favorite Rev Brew...brew. OH! and their meat and veggie-friendly buffet. And if you don't want to party with the...party people, nurse your New Year hangover with brunch from rev brew, as they'll be open for brunch, lunch and dinner on the 1st!

"But mysterious/faceless IALS blog writer, my NY needs to be ushered in with a little more latino/cubano spice!" you say? Heard! Lucky for your face, our lovely Industry Night Sponsors, Cafe Con Leche/D'Noche (facebook link what!)is hosting a party as well, and with 3 seatings to choose from! For you aforementioned guys/gals about the town, you can get a ticket from 7pm-9pm for a 3 course dinner, a cocktail, and you're also-aforementioned-bubbly. Then of course, you can go about the rest of your hundreds of Lgn Sq. parties, or whatever it is you social butterflies...do. However, if you want to start 2012 cubano style, then get your 3rd seating ticket  for 10pm-3am and get said 3-course dinner, un-previously-said 3hr open bar, and pre-said bubbly at midnight! oh yes, dont forget to dance in the new year with the tunes provided by their live DJ! Also, dont forget that awkward-unrequited-love sorta kiss....LATINO STYYYYLLLEE!

"Faceless IALS blog slave! I'm only hungry for deliciously crafted holiday cocktails/fancy drinks my Grandad used to slip me at parties when mum wasnt looking!" Oi vey, what a whiney bunch of Logan Square-ian-ites you are. Lucky for you, Local Cocktail Lounge, The Whistler (facebook link huh!), is throwing a party where you can whine/un-whine all you like. YES! as they put it, $85 will get you "all the fancy cocktails your heart desires, gratuity, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and all-night dance jams pumped out by Dino Soccio of Only Children. [They'll] even make sure you’ve got a party hat and a glass of champagne to toast with at midnight…but you’re on your own for The Kiss" no, I'm not getting lazy on my writing, I just couldn't have said it better myself! also, I wrote it. no, thats a lie. But they did make me feel a little less weird about mentioning the awkward-kiss thing so much. I'M NOT ALONE! Well, until NYE, at least. Oh IALS blog writer, you're messing this up! Disregard that. LOOK! Spinny-disco-ball-thing!

"But tall-dark-mysterious/disturbingly-faceless IALS blog writer," you whine once again, "the only thing I'm hungry for on NYE is TO HAVE MY DANG SOCKS ROCKED CLEAN OFF ME!" Well keep your socks on, for everyones sake, please. HOWEVER! If you must know (you really must.) MBD is playing a new years eve party at Saki! (facebook link who!) for all you MBD fans, you know what i mean...or maybe you dont, it is just a 3 letter abbreviation, afterall. Most Brilliant Dummy. Man Beats Duck. Man Becomes Duck. More Booze of Doom(foreshadow...complete).....ok NO! Murder By Death. Thats right! Your favorite punkabilly/indiebilly/punkapunky/cellobilly rock band is playing an Epitonic Saki Session to Murder 2011, and bring in a new one! yeah, that was cheesy. BUT ALSO AWESOME. Seriously, I may ditch my own NYE house party to see this. and if youre not an MBD fan....well I suppose you can take my spot at my party. Just kidding, the show is at 4pm, WELL before my party time. You're uninvited to my party. Seriously though (can I ACTUALLY be serious?), if you owe your entire foundational understanding of punk/post-punk bands and online music sharing to Epitonic like I do, you can't miss this. Unless you don't live in Chicago. But since you're reading this, I'm calling your bluff on that lie!

well until next year, fellow blogosphere/Logan Square-ian-ites, farewell! Hope 2011 was fantastic! However, according to recent poles saying 76% of Americans regard 2011 as the worst year of their lives....well I REALLY hope 2011 was good for you! If you're looking to make 2012 even better, you can start by checking out our current show Snapshot: Inventing the Everyday, curated by our own Brooke Herbert Hayes and W. Tanner Young (yes, it is I, your mysterious and slightly terrifyingly faceless IALS blog slave, UNMASKED!)

Oh, and good luck on the NYE kiss thing, you weirdo. If it makes you feel any better, smashing your face to someone else's whilst hiding your nervous, clammy palms to bring in a new year probably looks REALLY WEIRD to aliens.

All the best,

-W. Tanner Young

www.WTANNERYOUNG.com