Waukegan's Urban Edge gallery to host closing night party for exhibit showcasing homegrown architect
Technology frustrations. Looming deadlines. Family obligations. With all the pressures of life, we often neglect our surroundings. The spaces that give shape to our experiences take a back seat. The details get lost.
This fall, the Urban Edge in Waukegan encouraged its visitors to take a breath and shift their focus to the often overlooked aspects of the places where they work, live, learn, and grow. In late September, the gallery space hosted an opening night party for its "The Art of Architecture" exhibit. Over 300 people, ranging from middle school students to investment bankers, came from throughout the Chicago area to experience the artistic talents of Legat Architects, founded in Waukegan in 1964.
On Saturday, October 18, Urban Edge will open its doors again from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to give the public a final opportunity to see the exhibit. The closing night party is part of Waukegan's monthly ArtWauk community-based arts festival.
Urban Edge curator Vickie Marasco said, "We encourage the public to join us for this free reception and enjoy a variety of media showcasing the aesthetic side of architecture."
Additionally, "The Art of Architecture" features textiles designed by internationally-known architects supporting ARZU Studio Hope's mission to empower Afghan women. Waukegan-based photographer Jay Stephen also has images of the city's architectural landmarks on display.
Art that Speaks to Everyone
The idea for the exhibit came about when Marasco met Jennifer McGregor, Legat's VP of interiors and business strategy, several months ago at another exhibit.
"Since we opened, my partner David Motley and I have always wanted to have an architecture exhibit," said Marasco. "By highlighting the talents of a firm right in our backyard, we're able to bring attention to the artistic side of architecture and promote the achievements of a local business."
The opening night party drew a wide variety of guests. Parents admired sketches of schools that their children attend. College students recognized photos of their campuses. Artists studied watercolors by Legat's Steve Blye depicting details in spaces like health clinic waiting rooms and bus shelters.
"They didn't just do 'the loop' and leave," said McGregor. "They stayed and mingled and enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere. It shows that architecture speaks to everyone."
"The Art of Architecture" coincides with Legat's fiftieth anniversary this year. The exhibit spans the firm's early work in Waukegan and Lake County to its progression to Chicago, the Midwest, and eventually, overseas.
David Motley, communications director of the City of Waukegan, said, "This exhibit doesn't just offer a testament to the vastness of Legat's portfolio, but it also proves that architects are artists."
Works on display range from a sketch of the firm's first school (AJ Katzenmaier in North Chicago) and a watercolor painting of Waukegan's award-winning City Hall completed a decade ago to photography of the firm's facilities as far away as South Africa.
The exhibit also shows computer and wood models. Motley said, "Despite all today's technological advances in the design of buildings, it's refreshing to see the intricacy of the wood models and the rawness of the hand sketches. They emerge as a kind of lost art."
A Light in the Dark
Three years ago, nothing was happening in the north part of downtown Waukegan along Clayton Street. "The entire block was empty," said Motley. "People were afraid to walk by because it was so dark."
Then Motley met long-time art enthusiast Marasco. The two of them, aware of the city's burgeoning ArtWauk program, wanted to use their mutual love of art to bring life to Clayton Street. On a shoestring budget, they transformed a 5,000-square-foot vacant storefront into Urban Edge. It was the first such transformation on Clayton Street in many years.
The night it opened to the public in November of 2011, the modest industrial themed gallery, with its concrete floors and chain link walls, enticed over 300 visitors.
Motley said, "It was supposed to be a one-time thing, just one night featuring the work of three artists that Vickie had represented before."
Three years and over a dozen shows later, Urban Edge continues to thrive. The artists it has shown range from Waukeganites to Middle Easterners and Europeans. Examples include a display of British artist Trevor Bell, an exhibit featuring the work and stories of former Chicago Sun Times photojournalists, a display on comic art and fantasy illustration, and an exhibit in partnership with the National Museum of Mexican Art. Urban Edge has even displayed the work of street artists who use graffiti and recycled items.
Today, one need only stroll down Clayton Street to see the impact the gallery has made. "Just having on the lights made a huge difference," said Motley. "Urban Edge has become a kind of catalyst to the surrounding area."
Details on Closing Night Party
Date: Saturday, October 18
Time: 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Location: 220 W. Clayton St., Waukegan, Illinois
Free parking and free admission.
For more information or to arrange a group tour, contact David Motley (847.902.6662; david.motley@waukeganIL.gov).
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