Illinois Artists at Work: Cannot Live Without

Illinois Artists at Work: Cannot Live Without
A new documentary featuring five artists' work, methods, and ruminations on their craft and the world. Featured are poet Daniel Borzutzky, visual artist Allison Ruttan, project-based artist Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford, choreographer/performer Cynthia Oliver; and composer Kathleen Ginther. Airdates.
TRANSCRIPT
ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM
IS PARTIALLY SUPPORTED
BY A GRANT FROM THE
ILLINOIS ARTS COUNCIL AGENCY.
DAN ANDRIES: IN 2014,
THE ILLINOIS ARTS COUNCIL AGENCY
CHOSE 18 ARTISTS
TO BE A PART OF THEIR
THESE ARTISTS WERE CHOSEN
FOR THEIR FANTASTIC TRACK RECORD
AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH,
AND THEY WERE GIVEN
UNRESTRICTED GRANTS.
I CHOSE TO FOCUS
ON FIVE OF THEM.
WHILE THEY DO REPRESENT
A CROSS-SECTION
OF ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES,
MORE IMPORTANTLY,
THEY ARE ALL THE REAL DEAL.
THEY'RE THE KIND OF THE PEOPLE
WHO PUSH THE EDGES
OF THEIR ART FORM.
WHO ASK QUESTIONS
RATHER THAN PROVIDE ANSWERS.
WHO PROVOKE,
RATHER THAN REASSURE.
I ANTICIPATED MEETING THEM
WITH A CAMERA CREW
AND A LIST OF QUESTIONS
ARTISTS' FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
WOULD BE REMARKABLE.
I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
ALISON: WE LIKE THINGS TO BE
MESSED UP TO SOME DEGREE.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
CYNTHIA: EXHAUSTION,
IMPERFECTION,
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I AM
COMPLETELY ENGAGED WITH.
[GUN SHOT]
I'M NOT INTERESTED
IN THE POLISH, THE FINISH.
[MUSIC]
AT THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION,
THERE'S A TRUTH THAT COMES.
DANIEL: EVERY BOOK HAS SENTENCES
IN IT THAT THE WRITER HATES,
THAT THE WRITER CANNOT
GET RID OF, THAT THE WRITER
CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT.
ANY WRITER WHO CUTS OUT
EVERY SENTENCE HE HATES
IS A WRITER NOT WORTH READING.
[MUSIC]
[MUSIC]
KATHLEEN: ISN'T THAT CRAZY?
DAN ANDRIES: THIS DOCUMENTARY IS
A LIMITED LOOK AT FIVE ARTISTS.
I SPENT A DAY OR TWO
WITH EACH OF THEM.
I MET UP WITH THEM
AFTER A PREMIER,
AFTER A RETIREMENT,
IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEMESTER,
PREPARING FOR WORK
THAT WOULDN'T BE READY MONTHS.
JEREMIAH: YOU WANT ME TO SPELL
MY ENTIRE NAME?
CAMERA MAN: YES.
DAN ANDRIES: THEY WERE NOT
AT THE POINTS
OF PUBLIC PRESENTATION.
THEY WERE IN BETWEEN.
ALISON: CAN I TAKE
A BATHROOM BREAK?
CAMERA MAN: SURE.
DAN ANDRIES: ARTISTS IN ILLINOIS
ARE FROM A LOT
OF DIFFERENT PLACES, LIKE EXILES
OR MIGRANTS, RELOCATED.
ALISON: I LIVED IN THE
PHILIPPINES AS A KID.
I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
IN BERKELEY.
CYNTHIA: I WAS BORN
IN BOOGIE DOWN BRONX.
I LIVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
DURING BAY OF PIGS.
DANIEL: I GREW UP
IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.
KATHLEEN: WELL ALL OF MY MUSICAL
EDUCATION WAS IN CHICAGO.
CYNTHIA: THE REST OF MY
GROWING UP YEARS,
I DID IN ST. CROIX,
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.
DANIEL: MY PARENTS WERE MIGRANTS
FROM CHILE.
ALISON: MY FATHER WAS
AN ECONOMIST WORKING
JEREMIAH: I GREW UP IN RURAL
VERMONT AND IT'S A PRETTY WELL
WONDERFUL PLACE,
A VERY SHELTERED PLACE.
WITH THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES.
[MUSIC]
I CAME TO CHICAGO
AND IT WAS A LOT MORE GRITTY
AND PEOPLE WERE THROWN AROUND
LIKE SOCIAL PRACTICE
AND LIKE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND THROWN AROUND
LIKE AN APARTMENT GALLERY.
AND I JUST WAS BLINDSIDED
BY THIS IDEA THAT ART
COULD MARCH RIGHT AT THE DOOR.
SO I WAS IMAGINING
SOMETHING PRETTY HUGE.
MALE: IT'S NICE.
IS THERE ANOTHER ONE?
MALE: SO I JUST GOT
THE TWO PRINTED.
JEREMIAH: WE'RE GOING TO BE
BUILDING SORT OF
A RECREATION
OF THE DUSABLE MUSEUM
OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
AND MOVING IT AROUND
TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SITES
ON THE SOUTH SIDE,
FLOATING IT DOWN
THE CHICAGO RIVER
AND HOPEFULLY SITING
IN THAT, HOPEFULLY SOON TO BE
DUSABLE PARK, BUT RIGHT NOW
GREEN SPACE DOWNTOWN IN CHICAGO.
JEREMIAH: WELL HERE'S
A QUESTION:
RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT RENDERING,
IT'S LIKE A SIMPLIFIED DUSABLE.
ARE YOU GUYS FEELING LIKE
WE WANT TO CHANGE THE APPEARANCE
SO THAT IT LOOKS QUITE DIFFERENT
FROM THE ORIGINAL MUSEUM?
MALE: I LIKE THE IDEA
OF HAVING A FOOTPRINT.
JEREMIAH: I VISITED
THE DUSABLE MUSEUM.
I LIVE VERY CLOSE TO IT.
I'M THINKING ABOUT ITS POSITION
ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.
IT'S THE FIRST MUSEUM
OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THEN ALSO HOW OFTEN
WHEN I GO THERE
I MIGHT BE THE ONLY PERSON
IN THE GALLERY.
AND I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT
ARCHITECTURAL MOVERS
BECAUSE THAT EXISTS.
PEOPLE MOVE BUILDINGS.
AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT
WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN
IF THE MUSEUM WAS TRANSPOSED,
IF IT WAS FLOATED,
IF IT WAS MOVED,
IF IT WAS DROPPED
INTO A NEW SITE.
JEREMIAH: I MEAN, IT DEPENDS ON
WHETHER IT'S GROUNDED TO A BARGE
OR IF IT'S MOBILE BEFORE THAT.
I HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT A BARGE STRUCTURE
IS ACTUALLY LIKE.
MALE: THANK YOU.
JEREMIAH: I THINK OBVIOUSLY,
THAT WOULD CUT DOWN ON WEIGHT.
MALE: YOU MAY WANT TO TALK
TO A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER.
JEREMIAH: I THINK ALSO,
HOW FUTILE IT IS FOR AN ARTIST
TO QUESTIONS JUST THESE
HUGE POWER STRUCTURES,
IF IT MIGHT BE
HISTORICAL POWER STRUCTURES,
POLITICAL POWER STRUCTURES,
AND HOW A GESTURE WORKS
IN RELATION TO THESE
MONOLITHIC POWER STRUCTURES
AND THE ABSURDITY IN THAT.
PRETTY INTERESTED IN THAT.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT
ARCHITECTURE PROGRAMS
IN THE CITY.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH
FLOATING SCULPTURE FOR A WHILE
AND SORT OF NOTION OF WHAT
BUOYANCY DOES TO WEIGHT.
SO IF YOU'VE GOT A HEAVY THING
AND YOU SLIDE IT ON TO WATER,
SYMBOLICALLY WHAT HAPPENS,
THE HISTORICAL WEIGHT ON WATER
AND THE POETICS OF THAT.
I REENACTED THE BAY OF PIGS
INVASION WITH THESE WILD PIGS.
IT WAS A BIG OF A DEBACLE.
BUT THE INVASION WAS A DEBACLE,
RIGHT?
KATHLEEN: I WORK OFTEN WITH
LEAVING AND THEN RETURNING
TO SOMETHING BECAUSE THE IDEA
OF MEMORY IN MY MUSIC,
AND THE IDEA OF DEPARTURE
REQUIRES A KIND OF RETURN.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
YOU JUST GO AND COME RIGHT BACK.
YOU MIGHT TAKE MANY DETOURS
ALONG THE WAY.
[SINGING]
I THINK THAT'S THE WATERY THING
IN MY MUSIC.
[PIANO MUSIC]
KATHLEEN: MUSIC IS A VERY
PHYSICAL THING.
WRITING IS FOR ME, TOO.
BECAUSE I'M JUST FEELING IT
IT'S SO COOL.
IN MY BODY AS IT TAKES SHAPE.
IT'S REALLY A FUN TO DO.
THERE'S NOTHING MORE FUN REALLY.
[PIANO MUSIC]
WHEN I WAS LOT YOUNGER,
I ALWAYS THOUGHT MUSIC
WAS JUST FOR PLEASURE
AND ENJOYMENT.
I DIDN'T REALLY TAKE IT
SERIOUSLY AS SOMETHING
YOU COULD BUILD
YOUR LIFE AROUND.
[PIANO MUSIC]
THEN ONCE YOU GET ON THAT TRACK
YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE.
[PIANO MUSIC]
SO MANY COMPOSERS,
AND I WOULD PUT MYSELF
IN THIS GROUP,
ARE WORKING TO EXPAND
THE CAPACITY OF INSTRUMENTS
SOUND-WISE;
TO JUST HAVE A BIGGER SOUND ROLE
FOR EACH INSTRUMENT.
[PIANO MUSIC]
THERE ARE LOOSE RHYTHMS IN THIS.
[PIANO MUSIC]
SHE HAS TO BRING
SOMETHING OF HER OWN
MUSICAL SOUL TO THE PROCESS.
[PIANO MUSIC]
I ACTUALLY WROTE IN THE SCORE
HOW I WANTED HER
TO LIFT HER FINGERS UP
IN A CHORD
TO KIND OF REVEAL AN UNDER CHORD
THAT WAS PART OF THE BIG CHORD,
BUT YOU MIGHT NOT HEAR IT
SEPARATELY WHEN YOU'RE HEARING
THE COMPOSITE AND THE MORE
COMPLEX SOUND OF THE CHORD.
AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF REVEALING
SOMETHING THAT WAS OBSCURED,
BUT IT'S BEEN THERE
THE WHOLE TIME;
YOU JUST COULDN'T HEAR IT.
[PIANO MUSIC]
WELL IT DOES SOUND VERY FLUID.
IT DOES DEFINITELY SOUND
LIKE A RIVER.
I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA
THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE
ABSOLUTE VERSION OF SOMETHING.
PERFECTION,
IT'S NEVER ACHIEVABLE
AND IT'S KIND OF WASTE OF TIME
TO TRY TO ACHIEVE THAT.
CYNTHIA: I'M INTERESTED
IN IMPERFECTION.
EVERY TIME I MOVE OVER
HE MOVES OVER TOO.
CAMERA MAN: I SURE DO.
SOMETIMES I'LL DO THIS
SOMETIMES I'LL DO THIS.
AND SOMETIMES I'LL DO THIS.
CYNTHIA: OH, WE ARE DANCING.
I CAN DO THAT, TOO.
CAMERA MAN: YEAH!
CYNTHIA: I'M A MIDDLE-AGED
DANCER.
EXPRESSING THE CHALLENGES
OF EVERYDAY LIFE
FOR PARTICULARLY WOMEN;
FOR MANY YEARS,
I'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO
WOMEN OF COLOR, IN PARTICULAR.
CYNTHIA: YES, SEE IF YOU CAN
KEEP UP WITH ME NOW.
I AM A PROFESSOR
IN THE DANCE DEPARTMENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.
THE WAY MOST FOLKS THINK ABOUT
A SABBATICAL THAT ARE NOT
IN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM,
THINK OF IT AS A PAID HOLIDAY.
[BACKGROUND DIALOGUE]
CYNTHIA: THIS SABBATICAL
HAS BEEN ABOUT
COMPLETING THIS PIECE
WITHOUT THE DISTRACTION
OF COMMITTEE WORK, OF TEACHING,
OF ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO
WITH A UNIVERSITY POSITION.
[MUSIC]
THE PIECE IS CALLED, "BOOM",
BECAUSE YOU GO ALONG
IN YOUR LIFE
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,
[CLAP] BOOM,
S--- HAPPENS.
FEMALES: I'M A PUNISHER.
I'M GONNA KNOCK IT DOWN!
I'M GONNA KICK WHILE YOU'RE OUT!
[LAUGHTER]
CYNTHIA: I THINK THE GREATER
POWER FOR BEING THIS AGE
AT THIS STAGE OF MY LIFE
AND PERFORMING, IS WEIGHT.
THERE IS A WEIGHTINESS THAT
COMES WITH LIFE EXPERIENCE.
[MUSIC]
CAMERA MAN: ACTION.
CYNTHIA: I WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH BREAST CANCER
IN THE FALL OF 2010
AND IT WAS A VERY AGGRESSIVE
BREAST CANCER.
SO WE NEEDED TO ACT FAST.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD DANCE
FULLY AGAIN.
I WANTED TO TEST THE LIMITS
OF WHAT I COULD DO.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SPEAK
TO THE DESIRE TO KEEP GOING,
THE NEED TO KEEP GOING,
AND ITS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
THAT AND ENDURANCE
AND THE RELENTLESSNESS
OF OUR LIVES.
[MUSIC]
YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR ASS UP
AND KEEP GOING.
[MUSIC]
I THINK DANCE SAVED MY LIFE.
[MUSIC]
IT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR ME
TO COME BACK FROM
THE BRINK OF DEATH
TO TRY TO FIND IT AGAIN,
TO TRY TO GET STRONG.
CANCER IS AN OBVIOUS
BIG LOW POINT.
THERE ARE OTHER KINDS
OF LOW POINTS
THAT FOLKS HAVE ALL THE TIME.
DANIEL: IT CAME.
WORDS SMASHED OUT OF THE SKY
AND FROM THE MOUTHS
AND FROM THE FLESH AND BLOOD
OF THE BODIES
AND WORDS HIT READERS
AND WERE DESTROYED
LIKE MORE BODIES
AND OFF THE PAGES
WHERE LITTERED BODIES AND DEAD.
CARCASS LOVE, THEY CALLED IT.
CARCASS ECONOMY, THEY CALLED IT.
AND THE FIELDS IN A NATION
TO ME, WRITING IS KIND OF AN ACT
AND THE READERS FOUND--
THE CARCASSES
FELL ONTO THE PAGES
AND WERE TAKEN AWAY
IN WAGONS AND TRUNKS AND--
RATHER THAN DREAMING,
ACTUALLY IN MY SLEEP
I WAS ACTUALLY DREAMING
ON THE PAGE.
--TIME TO FESTER
FALSE CARCASS ECONOMY!
PERHAPS ARTICULATING NIGHTMARES,
RIGHT?
WILL THE SOULS OF THE CARCASSES
MISS THEMSELVES WHEN THEY DIE?
WILL THE BODIES WHOSE LIPS
SLURP OUT THE SOULS
OF THE CARCASSES MISS THEMSELVES
WHEN THEY DIE?
WILL THE WORDS FROM THE BODIES
WHO SLURP OUT THE SOULS
OF THE CARCASSES CEASE TO EXIST
WHEN THE BODIES THEMSELVES DIE?
WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT
OF GIVING WORDS TO DREAMS.
THE ROTTEN CARCASS ECONOMY,
I'M THINKING ABOUT CHICAGO.
THIS PLACE WHERE THERE
IS GREAT VIOLENCE.
MILES AND MILES, AND MILES
OF ABANDONED COMMUNITIES.
WHERE THERE'S A MASSIVE
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY.
I THINK IT'S PERFECTLY
REASONABLE TO CALL CHICAGO
A LATIN AMERICAN CITY.
AND I THINK IT'S REASONABLE
TO CALL CHILE
A CHICAGOAN COUNTRY
IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER.
[BACKGROUND SPANISH DIALOGUE]
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT
IS THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS
BETWEEN MY LIFE AND CHICAGO,
AND MY PERHAPS IMAGINARY LIFE
IN CHILE.
[TYPING SOUND]
CHILE IS KIND OF INFLUENCING
CHICAGO IN VERY ODD WAYS,
IN INTERESTING WAYS.
[MUSIC]
IT BEGINS RIGHT BEFORE
THE MILITARY COUP IN 1973.
WITH THE GROUP OF ECONOMISTS
WHO WERE CALLED THE CHICAGO BOYS
FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.
WHO WERE INVOLVED
IN MILITANT FREEDOM
AND OTHER TOP ECONOMISTS.
AND THEY VERY MUCH PLANNED
THE ECONOMIC POLICIES
THAT WERE THEN ENACTED
UNDER THE PINOCHET REGIME.
KIND OF EXTREME
AUSTERITY MEASURES,
PRIVATIZING EVERYTHING
FROM HEALTH CARE,
SOCIAL SECURITY, EDUCATION,
NATURAL RESOURCES.
WE SEE SIMILAR THINGS HAPPENING
IN CHICAGO.
WE SEE OF COURSE, THE ISSUES
WITH THE PARKING METERS,
DIFFERENT PUBLIC SERVICES.
AND SO I THINK PART OF THE IDEA
THAT I'M THINKING ABOUT IS THAT
THIS IDEA STARTED IN CHICAGO.
IT WAS EXPORTED TO CHILE.
BUT PERHAPS THE END GAME
WAS TO BRING IT BACK TO CHICAGO
IN ORDER TO ENACT SOME OF THESE
PRETTY DRASTIC
AUSTERITY MEASURES HERE.
I CRAWL ACROSS THE PAGE
AND I DON'T KNOW
IF I'M DYING OR DEAD.
DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT
THE BOY IN CHICAGO
WHOSE EAR WAS BITTEN OFF
WHEN HE CROSSED A BORDER
HE DID NOT KNOW EXISTED?
[LOADING GUN]
ALISON: YOU MIGHT SAY,
I BECAME KIND OF OBSESSED
WITH WATCHING THE NEWS.
THESE IMAGES IN THE LAST
TEN YEARS HAVE BEEN COMING
ACROSS THE AIRWAVES
AND THERE IS JUST
THIS OVERWHELMING WAY IN WHICH
WE TAKE IN THESE IMAGES.
[GUN SHOT]
WE'RE BOTHERED BY THEM.
I THINK MOST AMERICANS JUST
IT ALSO GIVES
A KIND OF SHREDDED LOOK THAT
SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS HAVE.
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM.
I'M WORKING ON TWO LARGE SERIES
RIGHT NOW.
FOR THIS PROJECT,
THERE'S ALMOST NO CAR
THAT COMES OUT WRONG.
BOTH OF THEM ARE BASED ON
CONFLICTS THAT HAPPENED
IN THE MIDDLE EAST
IN THE LAST 25 YEARS.
ONE IS CALLED,
"HIGHWAY OF DEATH".
I'M RECREATING A SECTION
OF THE HIGHWAY OF DEATH,
WHICH WAS FROM THE GULF WAR.
AND THIS IS WHEN
SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ARMY
WAS RETREATING FROM KUWAIT.
AND THERE'S GOING TO BE
ABOUT 500 OF THEM.
THE SECOND INSTALLATION
IS RECONSTRUCTION
OF A NEIGHBORHOOD IN BEIRUT
THAT WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED.
AT LEAST 15,000 PEOPLE
WERE DISPLACED IN THIS BOMBING
AND IT'S A REAL TRAGEDY.
MAYBE I FEEL A LITTLE BIT GUILTY
HAVING THOSE FEELINGS
OF INTEREST
IN LOOKING AT THE DESTRUCTION.
YOU SENSE THAT YOUR OWN INTEREST
MIGHT BE VOYEURISTIC
AND YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF
LOOKING, IN THE SENSE OF SAYING
THAT AT LEAST I'M WATCHING,
THAT I'M PAYING ATTENTION.
[MUSIC]
I'M VERY MUCH A BELIEVER
THAT THERE'S A RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN ME AND MY VIEWER
THAT THEY UNDERSTAND
THAT THIS IS RECIPROCAL.
THAT I'M STARTING A CONVERSATION
AND I WANT IT TO START
[GUN SHOT]
CYNTHIA: I MEAN YOU MAKE ART,
AND YOU NEVER KNOW
HOW IT'S GOING TO RESONATE
FROM A POINT OF GENEROSITY.
WITH AN AUDIENCE.
KATHLEEN: THESE THINGS
ARE ENTIRELY SUBJECTIVE.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYBODY
IS GOING TO THINK EVER
ABOUT ANYTHING YOU DO.
YOU CAN JUST DO WHAT YOU
HAVE TO DO AND WHAT YOU HEAR.
DANIEL: I THINK YOU CAN'T REALLY
BE TOO CONCERNED ABOUT
WHAT IMPACT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
ON THE READER.
YOU HOPE THAT PEOPLE DIG IT.
AT LEAST FOR ME,
WHEN I BEGIN
TO WORRY ABOUT THAT,
I THINK WHEN YOU,
JEREMIAH: I TEACH AT
THE ART INSTITUTE
IN THE CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES
DEPARTMENT IN SCULPTURE
AND I ALSO TEACH
AT THE CHICAGO HIGH SCHOOL
FOR THE ARTS.
IT PARALYZES ME A LITTLE BIT.
I ACTUALLY DID A PROJECT
WITH MY CHI ART STUDENTS
WHERE I REALIZE THAT THERE ARE
UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO
AND IN CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT IMMIGRATION ISSUES
AND I INVITED MY CHI ARTS KIDS
TO BUILD RAFTS WITH ME.
[GUN SHOT]
AND I WANTED TO HAVE
AN IMMIGRANT LANDING
ON THE GOLD COAST DURING
BEACH VOLLEYBALL SEASON.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PARK DISTRICT
DENIED OUR PERMIT
FOR THE LANDING.
WELCOMED US WITH OPEN ARMS.
SO WE SAILED SOUTH
TO GARY, INDIANA.
DANIEL: ONCE I DREAM WROTE
THAT I FOUND MY OWN REMAINS
IN A DESERT
THAT WAS PARTIALLY IN CHILE
AND PARTIALLY IN ARIZONA.
HOWEVER, GARY, INDIANA
TOSSED OUT OF AN AIRPLANE
BY A DICTATORSHIP
OR WAS I A MIGRANT BODY
WHO DIED FROM DEHYDRATION WHILE
CROSSING THE INVISIBLE LINE
BETWEEN ONE CIVILIZATION
TO ANOTHER?
EDWIN DESCRIBES HIMSELF
AS A LINGUALIST.
HIS POETIC BIRTH CAME THROUGH
THE NUYORICAN POETS CAFĂ©.
I WOULD SAY HE BOTH DOES NOT
SHY AWAY FROM HIS HERITAGE
AND CLAIMING IT AS SOMETHING
TO WRITE ABOUT,
WAS I A DISAPPEARED BODY
BUT IN NO WAY DOES HE LET IT
DEFINE HIM.
EDWIN: BIENVENIDO
TO THE BICOASTAL LINGUA,
FORKED TONGUE MANDALA,
SPEECH SO TRUE,
[APPLAUSE]
BICOASTAL LESIONS AS AMERICA
TRIES HARD TO PERFECT
HER ASS-CENT... HER ACCENT.
DANIEL: WHY DON'T WE START
JUST BY HAVING EVERYBODY
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
MALE: MY NAME IS STEVEN WADELL.
I LIKE TO WRITE POETRY.
I LOVE READING POETRY A LOT.
I'M PLANNING ON BECOMING
A COLLEGE ENGLISH PROFESSOR.
MALE: I THINK WHERE I WANT TO GO
WITH WRITING IS MAYBE WRITE
A BOOK OF POETRY OR SOMETHING.
MALE: I MAINLY WRITE MUSIC.
I DON'T REALLY WRITE POEMS.
BUT I THOUGHT MAYBE
A POETRY CLASS COULD HELP ME
ADD SOME DEPTH
INTO THE WAY THINGS FLOW.
DANIEL: SO EDWIN AND JULIA--
WRIGHT IS ONE
OF THE CITY COLLEGES.
YOU CAN BE A CLASSROOM WITH
A WHOLE RANGE OF STUDENTS
FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT
COUNTRIES,
SEVERAL DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS.
MANY OF THEM HAVE COME FROM
CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
WHICH WERE NOT PARTICULARLY
WELL SUPPORTED.
MALE: BOTH OF YOU
BEING PUBLISHED AUTHORS,
HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT?
WERE YOU LIKE,
I'M GOING TO WRITE A BOOK
SO I CAN MAKE MONEY?
EDWIN: THERE'S NO MONEY.
[BACKGROUND DIALOGUE]
DANIEL: THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY
EXPECTED TO GO TO COLLEGE
AND DO WELL.
I THINK THERE'S A VERY
POLITICAL SPIRIT TO THE WORK
THAT WE DO AS TEACHERS THERE.
THE STUDENTS DESERVE
A CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
THAT IS AS GOOD
OF A CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET
AT OTHER TYPES
OF MORE ELITE INSTITUTIONS.
GETTING CHANCES THAT
THEY MIGHT NOT NORMALLY GET.
EDWIN: I LOOK UP AT YOU,
TALL, PROUD, BEACON.
I, TOO, AM TOWER.
IT'S MY LAST NAME IN SPANISH.
DANIEL: WE ALL HAVE THESE
PATTERNS THAT WE GET INTO
AND WE KIND OF NEED
SPLITS THE TONGUE INTO
TO TRICK OURSELVES
TO GET OUT THEM.
[KNOCKING]
ALISON: WELL I TEACH
IN CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES,
WHICH IS THE FRESHMAN PROGRAM,
AND ALSO DO GRADUATE ADVISING.
I LIKE THAT MIX
BECAUSE BOTH FRESHMAN
AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ARE OFTEN
ASKING REALLY BIG QUESTIONS
ABOUT WHAT ART CAN BE.
[BACKGROUND DIALOGUE]
I WALK TO THE INSTITUTE
AS PART OF MY JOB AND I AM OFTEN
IN THE CHINESE
WINGS OF THE MUSEUM,
AND THE HAN DYNASTY PIECES
THAT THE MUSEUM HAS
ARE BEAUTIFUL PIECES.
AND THERE ARE THESE
FUNERARY MODEL THAT
WERE BURIED WITH THE DEAD,
BUT THEY'RE A VERY
INTIMATE SCALE.
THEY'RE ALSO ALMOST
MODERN LOOKING.
SO WHEN I FIRST STARTED
THIS PROJECT THAT WAS THE MODEL
I WAS LOOKING AT.
AND I LIKED THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING THAT ALREADY HAD TO DO
WITH DEATH.
[DOOR OPEN]
KATHLEEN: SO I'M IN THIS
NEW PHASE OF MY LIFE
CALLED RETIREMENT.
[DOOR CLOSE]
VERY, VERY EMPTY OFFICE.
MIXTURE OF FEELINGS HERE.
BYE OFFICE.
I'VE SPENT THE NIGHT HERE
MORE THAN A FEW TIMES,
MORE THAN I PROBABLY CARE
TO ADMIT.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT.
IT'S EASIER TO FUNCTION
SOMETIMES IN A COMPLETELY
ISOLATED PLACE.
[MUSIC]
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME
FINALLY TO PUT
ALL MY BEST ENERGY,
MY FIRST ENERGY INTO WRITING
AND GETTING MY STUFF OUT THERE.
[MUSIC]
THERE ARE THINGS THAT FLOAT
AROUND IN YOUR BRAIN
FOR A LONG TIME
BEFORE THEY LATCH ON.
[PIANO MUSIC]
CYNTHIA: IT'S INTERESTING
TO THINK ABOUT ROUTINE
BECAUSE ROUTINE SORT OF IMPLIES
SOMETHING IS THE SAME,
AND I FIND THAT I HAVE
TO IMPROVISE ON A DAILY BASIS.
ELIAS!
ONE OF THE LADIES
WHO TOOK CARE OF ME
WHEN MY PARENTS WERE AT WORK,
WHEN I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL,
A LADY NAMED MISS EBBIE,
SHE LIVED AROUND THE CORNER
FROM US.
ELIAS: HI!
CYNTHIA: THERE WAS ALL THIS
MYSTERY AROUND HER.
THEY USE TO CALL HER
OBEAH WOMAN.
[BACKGROUND DIALOGUE]
MISS EBBIE HAD SPECIAL POWERS.
SO THIS IS WARM ENOUGH?
ELIAS: YEAH,
BUT THAT'S WARMER THOUGH.
CYNTHIA: YEAH, I KNOW.
THAT'S WHY I GAVE IT TO YOU.
ELIAS: BUT IT'S HARDER TO MOVE.
[STRUGGLING NOISE]
CYNTHIA: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
SHE DID TO ENTERTAIN ME
WAS TO TEACH ME
HOW-TO TIE A HEAD-TIE.
"AND YOU TAKE IT SO,
AND YOU FOLD IT SO."
I IDENTIFY
AS A CARIBBEAN PERSON.
ELIAS: BYE, SEE YOU.
CYNTHIA: I COULD NEVER HAVE
ANTICIPATED THAT THIS WOULD BE
THE KIND OF PLACE
THAT I WOULD END UP
OR THAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED
IN BEING IN,
BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY PRODUCTIVE
AND A GREAT PLACE TO BE.
I STILL PERFORM AND PRESENT
MY WORK IN OTHER PLACES.
I DO OTHER PEOPLE'S WORK
IN OTHER PLACES.
AND I'M ALWAYS HAPPY
TO COME BACK.
SO YOU GUYS ARE RECOMMENDING
BOOKS TO EACH OTHER.
ELIAS: YEAH, AND IF WE WANT
TO READ THEM, THEN WE CAN.
CYNTHIA: I SEE.
DAN ANDRIES: IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY
OR TALK ABOUT TODAY
THAT I HAVE NOT TOUCHED ON?
CYNTHIA: I DON'T KNOW.
I PROBABLY WON'T KNOW
UNTIL TOMORROW.
DANIEL: NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
DAN ANDRIES: OK.
I THINK WE ARE GOOD.
THANK YOU.
[MUSIC, SINGING]
ANNOUNCER: THIS PROGRAM
IS PARTIALLY SUPPORTED
BY A GRANT FROM THE
ILLINOIS ARTS COUNCIL AGENCY.