A City Divided

Posted on June 10, 2019

On the 18th of May, I had the pleasure of attending a small venue located on the bustling street of N Milwaukee Avenue. A secluded building holding a fairly recluse event, “A City Divided,” took place on a cloudy day, with peeks of drizzle and rain. Reaching the location where the doors opened at the strike of 6:00 pm, I’ve taken a brief time to observe the displayed pieces of arts and crafts statured around the room. On the left side of the room were walls covered with portraits, photographs, paintings, and engravings. Each piece dedicated their own valid space amongst other pieces of work hung for display.

On the right side of the room were the vendors that had the artists and creators themselves promoting their material. Placed in the center of the linear arrangement was a table filled with embroidered and knitted buttons and canvases and a woman who cherishes her work deeply. Renata’s obsessed discipline is her sewing. She proudly displayed her catalog of university buttons and artistic canvases towards those wandering through, and she was a pleasure to speak to.

Another vendor, Winslow Dumaine, had a conceptual view of the world that he perceived through his art which I cannot commend enough. Dumaine is an artist and stand-up comedian, originally from Nebraska, who journeyed to Chicago to pursue his stand-up career. He delved deep into the aesthetics of depression, trauma, and suicidal ideation, which rely heavily on the use of black-and-white contrasts and grotesque imagery.

The line-up of musicians transitioned quickly and swiftly, giving enough time for each artist to showcase their talent. Emma Grace, a young guitarist, and singer performed first. Her vocal capacity reached toward a small but delighted audience who were just beginning to pile on as she performed. She performed music from her debut album, “Peach Tree.” She sang jovial and slightly somber tunes to showcase her emotional transference to the stage.

Next was the power couple that is Adjacent Cruise. The guitarist, Shannon Richardson, handled the vocals and classical musician, Yuen Yee, slayed away at the chords and both matched for an authentic display of Midwestern/Southern Rock’n’Roll music. A smooth, timbre voice undulating along with the chords that eased the hurried frenzy of the incoming crowd.

Another highlight of the show was an eloquently spoken word poet, Tarnyon. The coolness of her voice matched with the vigor of her word made it an, although short segment, a thought-provoking one in itself. Another highlight was the lyrical and bravado group of House Music, which is made up of lyricists Nigel and Nephaniel, and behind the set, Cory. The suave attitude of these young performers, who also held an eclectic range of musical tastes, set for an entrancing display of lyrical capability and seamless fun.

The creativity held in this compact room on the second floor served as a hidden reservoir for some golds and diamonds. It was a night of talented creatives setting their feet into the waters that is Chicago.