Anarchitectural Library (against the erasure of Chicago's common spaces)





The Anarchitectural Library solicited contributions from 20 Chicago organizations and individuals committed to combating the contemporary (neoliberal) erasure of four crucial common resources in the City, and the proliferation of spaces that remove citizens from its communities.

The Library features print materials, produced by these organizations, or suggested on reading lists they submitted, which are useful for understanding and promoting their campaigns to stop the ongoing erasure of the city's public buildings and landscapes: its housing, schools, manufacturing districts, and metabolic circuits (clean air, clean water, food security and park spaces), as well as spaces of erasure, such as prisons, immigration detention centers, and police stations, which remove people from their communities.

While The Bronzeville and Phantom Gallery collection is located in the school section of the library, due in part to individual members engagement in Chicago's public schools and their activation of the Overton School with Creative Grounds, it spans numerous topics from placemaking to the celebration of African American male icons to critical urban theory. Contributions from artists Toussaint Werner and Chris Devins, and curator Alpha Bruton range from artworks and posters to recommended reading on school closures, public art, and development.

Library credits: Alpha Bruton, Paula Robinson, Toussaint Werner Chris Devins, Aasia Castaneda, Philip Jackson (posthumous contribution)

Location:
Chicago Cultural Center, 4th Floor, Randolph Landing
19 September 2019 - 5 January 2020

Hours:
Monday - Friday: 10 am - 7 pm
Saturday - Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm 


The Chicago Cultural Center serves as the main venue for the Biennial with over 70,000 square feet of exhibition space.
 
Address: 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
Hours: Monday through Friday 10am – 7pm; Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Admission: Free and open to the public; no tickets required

PUBLIC TOURS

Beginning Sept 25, free one-hour tours will be offered each week for the duration of the Biennial. Guides will provide a brief overview of the main exhibition areas and highlights within the Chicago Cultural Center.
Wednesday & Thursday: 5pm – 6pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am – 12pm