By Museum of Contemporary Photography
Image: Clarissa Bonet
Jim's Original, Maxwell St. (1987/1990) by Patty CarrollMuseum of Contemporary Photography
Patty Carroll
Carroll photographed some of the 2,000 hot dog stands in Chicago, a cultural staple to the city’s urban landscape. Interested in the history of these popular establishments, she was also drawn to the vibrant, eccentric, and comical characteristics of their hand-painted signage.
Carroll has long been in interested in the vivid colors and iconography of American pop culture, and the Chicago hot dog stands provided the perfect subject matter.
Doug Fogelson
Fogelson pays tribute to Chicago’s Institute of Design, which was established in 1937 and produced some of the earliest innovators in the field of photography. Working in the school’s original darkroom, these prints are the last works ever created there before remodeling.
In his photograms, using a retro color palette, Fogelson channels how Chicago’s history of photography and design are indebted to the legacy of the Institute of Design.
Clarissa Bonet
Bonet observes and takes note of chance encounters and interactions she witnesses between strangers on the streets of downtown Chicago.
Initially recording the interactions with her iPhone, she later restages the moments, setting up her location, lighting, and models to recreate the scenes, featuring individuals anonymously and solitarily navigating an urban terrain.
Girls Dancing, Englewood, Chicago (2008) by Carlos Javier OrtizMuseum of Contemporary Photography
Carlos Javier Ortiz
Ortiz photographs youth and families that have been involved in or affected by acts of gun violence. He began the project by focusing on the families of two young girls from Chicago who were the unintended victims of a neighborhood shooting.
Ortiz considers gun violence from multiple perspectives over the course of many months and years. This approach creates a complex narrative that traces issues beyond headline appeal.
To learn more about photographers in Chicago visit mocp.org
