June Artist News
published: June 7, 2025
Grishma Shah, All Dolled Up For Zoom, 2020, mixed media on canvas. On view in Dissonance, an exhibition at the Bridgeport Art Center now through July 3, 2025.
Available on Netflix, UnBroken is the “miraculous true story of the seven Weber siblings, ages 6-18, who evaded certain capture and death, and ultimately escaped Nazi Germany relying solely on their youthful bravado and the kindness of strangers, following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz.” As the youngest Weber sibling, Ginger Lane’s story is the central quest of the film, and she stars in the documentary as a cast member, guiding viewers through her journey.
Sustaining Spirit: A Solo Exhibition by Genevieve Ramos at Gallery CPAG
On view now through June 13, 2025, Sustaining Spirit: A Solo Exhibition by Genevieve Ramos, curated by Matt Bodett, features a collection of works exploring survival, collective care, disability justice, and the sacredness of the soul at Gallery CPAG. Genevieve’s work is “a visual narrative of self and nature— intimate, intuitive, and rooted in love for the earth. These pieces reflect my belief that healing ourselves and the plant are deeply intertwined.” Join Genevieve and Matt on June 13 for a closing artist talk.
Dissonance at the Bridgeport Art Center
On view now through July 3, Grishma Shah’s 3AP-funded exhibition Dissonance debuts at the Bridgeport Art Center. In Dissonance, art, identity, and disability converge to create a compelling exploration of personal and societal contradictions. “Dissonance challenges perceptions of discomfort, inviting you to reflect on the tensions that shape our lives. Through installations and mixed-media artwork, Shah’s work celebrates the complexity of existing at the intersection of culture and self-expression.”
Whereabouts at Tiger Strikes Asteroid
On view now through July 5, C.C. Ann Chen’s solo exhibition, Whereabouts debuts at Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago. Featuring expansive and precarious assemblages, “Whereabouts brings together a variety of Chen’s cross-disciplinary works that respond to local bodies of water in the Chicago area and form a continuum with her long-term project exploring landscape.”
Pianist and A Partner (Perhaps) at Elastic Arts
On June 4-5, Mabel Kwan performs in Pianist and A Partner (Perhaps) with Zaira Castillo, Angelo Hart, Josh Harlow, Paul Giallorenzo, Jeff Milam, Sharon Udoh and Mabel Kwan at Elastic Arts. Hosted by composer Sharon Udoh, Pianist and A Partner (Perhaps) highlights 3 or 4 genre-spanning musicians for whom the piano has been a long-time love. Each pianist can choose to bring one additional musician in a duo offering. In this third edition of the series, Sharon Udoh will perform a short set with pianist Mabel Kwan on synthesizer to open the night.
Sara Zalek & Norman Long: Marsh Melodies and the Breathing Ear at Big Marsh Park
On June 7, Sara Zalek and Norman Long hosts Sara Zalek & Norman Long: Marsh Melodies and the Breathing Ear at Big Marsh Park. In partnership with the Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology, this soundwalk includes meditation practice, ear calibration exercises, interactive recording demonstrations, and performance.
Roots in Motion: A Community Exchange of Ancestral Healing Dances at Links Hall
On June 7, Farah Salem hosts Roots in Motion at Links Hall. Roots in Motion is a dedicated space for participants to come together and share Ancestral Healing dances, embodying movements that have carried tradition, wisdom and connection through generations. In collaboration with Nancy Toncy, the workshop centers SWANA/Middle Eastern and BIPOC community reclamation and remembrance of ancestral dances. Pre-registration is required.
Shake Shook Shaken at Elastic Arts
On June 8, Emily Beisel performs in Shake Shook Shaken with Emily Beisel and Julie Meckler at Elastic Arts. Shake Shook Shaken is a theater/movement workshop series designed for people to gently bring body awareness, allowing participants to open up, explore outside of their comfort zone, bond with each other, create and show. No prior dance or acting experience is necessary, just a willingness to move and exhale.
Honey & Harmony with Amyna Love, Nashon Holloway & Alysha Monique at Epiphany Center for the Arts
On June 8, Nashon Holloway is a featured performer in Honey & Harmony at Epiphany Center for the Arts. Honey & Harmony is an intimate spring celebration of sisterhood, sound, and spirit. The three performers will blend lush harmonies, raw storytelling, and genre-bending grooves in a one-hour set of original music and reimagined covers.
We Are M-A-T-E-R-I-A-L Fashion Showcase at Alma Gallery
On June 12, Isaac Couch presents work at We Are M-A-T-E-R-I-A-L Fashion Showcase at Alma Gallery. The event includes live music performance by Sam Atkins and Armand Donegan, and light refreshments.
2025 Co-MISSION Festival of New Works at Links Hall
From June 15-29, 2025, Links Hall presents the 2025 Co-MISSION Festival, two groundbreaking weekends of new performance and public events. “Representing some of the most talented makers in Chicago from dance, performance art, installation, and performance as social practice, six artists present works developed while in-residence at Links during the 2024-2025 season.”
On June 20 and 21, Tuli Bera presents Bangali Meye a work exploring, acknowledging, and understanding “the experience of inhabiting the body and mind of a [child of immigrants] / [first-generation American], specifically one of [South-Asian] / [Indian] / [Bengali] descent living in Illinois.”
Jaquanda Saulter-Villegas & Jacinda Bullie’s FILLINZ, Put Some Respect on It!
On June 27 and 28, Jaquanda Saulter-Villegas & Jacinda Bullie’s FILLINZ, Put Some Respect on It! is an activation of the Kummba Lynx Co-Founders’ prose and coloring pages from a previously published work.
Freedom Lullabies: Presented by D-Composed and The Nap Ministry at Gary Comer Youth Center
On June 19, Caitlin Edwards and D-Composed present Freedom Lullabies, a rest experience that celebrates the power of Black ancestors’ freedom and uplifts Black composers’ works with revolutionary text readings at the Gary Comer Youth Center. This event is for those who identify as part of the African Diaspora.
Honey Pot Performance's Spring 2025 Programs
From June 19-21, join Meida McNeal and Honey Pot Performance for three days of locally rooted storytelling celebrations, workshops, and panels at First Church of The Brethren.
Pleasure Power Portal: Fifth City Juneteenth Celebration
On June 19, Pleasure Power Portal: Fifth City Juneteenth Celebration is a Juneteenth celebration honoring resilience and a preservation of Black culture and history. The event includes food, music, performances, and community, and attendees are asked to bring family recipes and other stories to archive.
Chicago Black Social Culture Map: Chicago Memory Keppers- Strategies for Shaping Community Stories
On June 20, Chicago Black Social Culture Map: Chicago Memory Keppers- Strategies for Shaping Community Stories is a panel and workshop bringing together archivists, memory workers, and cultural stewards to explore the power of preserving community histories.
Chicago Black Social Culture Map: Between Hip Hop and House- Chicago’s Street & Club Dance from the ‘80s On…
On June 21, Chicago Black Social Culture Map: Between Hip Hop and House- Chicago’s Street & Club Dance from the ‘80s On… invites participants to “step into the underground with an intimate verbal story cypher (discussion), followed by a dance cypher, featuring some of Chicago’s movers and multi-hyphenate artists who have shaped the city’s street and club dance scene—where Housing Flexing, Hip House, and Hip Hop have collided.”
The Color Purple at Goodman Theatre
From June 21 – July 27, 2025, Lili-Anne Brown will bring her revival of The Color Purple to the Goodman Theatre. Described as “perfection on every level” by the Chicago Sun-Times, Lili-Anne’s The Color Purple is a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning novel. Attendees are asked to “come ready to shout in church, stomp at the juke joint, laugh and cry…”
Freedom From and Freedom To at Chicago Justice Gallery
On June 27, Cristal Sabbagh presents Freedom From and Freedom To featuring Sara Zalek, Allen Moore, and many other dancers and musicians at the Chicago Justice Gallery. A continuation of the acclaimed performance series, Freedom From and Freedom To brings musicians and dancers together to create a fully improvised set.
On June 28, Pooja Pittie, Grishma Shah, and Priya Rama are featured speakers in Bridging The Divide: Making and Mending | A Conversation about Arts and Disability at South Asia Institute. This event invites participants into a community-building experience that highlights the resilience of artists with disabilities working in creative fields that are not often designed with accessibility in mind.