Art Chicago descends upon us this weekend, and, along with it, that age-old question of "What is Art?" For every awesome Jaume Plensa sculpture or Tony Oursler video, there is something raggedy, like a twisted old rope mounted in a canvas or an ugly naked lady holding a dead flower. You try to act polite and not stare and whisper to your friend, What the hell??? But then you drink too much Grolsch at the opening party and end up wearing a trucker hat and getting all vocal about things and the “shushing” starts and …

OK, enough about last night. Between beers, I managed to take some photos for a little game called Art—or Not Art?...

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Art Chicago descends upon us this weekend, and, along with it, that age-old question of "What is Art?" For every awesome Jaume Plensa sculpture or Tony Oursler video, there is something raggedy, like a twisted old rope mounted in a canvas or an ugly naked lady holding a dead flower. You try to act polite and not stare and whisper to your friend, What the hell??? But then you drink too much Grolsch at the opening party and end up wearing a trucker hat and getting all vocal about things and the “shushing” starts and …

OK, enough about last night. Between beers, I managed to take some photos for a little game called Art—or Not Art?...

" />

Art Chicago descends upon us this weekend, and, along with it, that age-old question of "What is Art?" For every awesome Jaume Plensa sculpture or Tony Oursler video, there is something raggedy, like a twisted old rope mounted in a canvas or an ugly naked lady holding a dead flower. You try to act polite and not stare and whisper to your friend, What the hell??? But then you drink too much Grolsch at the opening party and end up wearing a trucker hat and getting all vocal about things and the “shushing” starts and …

OK, enough about last night. Between beers, I managed to take some photos for a little game called Art—or Not Art?...

" />
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Art—or Not Art?

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Art Chicago descends upon us this weekend, and, along with it, that age-old question of “What is Art?” For every awesome Jaume Plensa sculpture or Tony Oursler video, there is something raggedy, like a twisted old rope mounted in a canvas or an ugly naked lady holding a dead flower. You try to act polite and not stare and whisper to your friend, What the hell??? But then you drink too much Grolsch at the opening party and end up wearing a trucker hat and getting all vocal about things and the “shushing” starts and …

OK, enough about last night. Between beers, I managed to take some photos for a little game called Art—or Not Art?…

24-Hour Party People

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High Wattage

Hip Hop Live + Reel rolls into the Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E. Chicago Ave.; 312-397-4010) Friday the 25th with a full weekend lineup of performance and films. Friday highlights include Reggie Watts, whose show-stopping mash-up of political satire, improv, dance, and beatboxing has earned him comedy’s Andy Kaufman Award. Also on the bill: Local theatre company Teatro Luna reprises Machos, featuring an all-female cast in drag; plus, local beatboxer Yuri Lane and screenings including Dave Chappelle’s Block Party…

Shooting Miss Maya Sinstress

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Photographer Lisa Predko shot our April cover story, “Who Makes What,” in early February. There was snow on the ground, frozen nosehairs in our nostrils, and bitterness in our hearts. Winter seems like like a distant memory now, but we feel we must share these photos with you.

Check out our behind-the-scenes look at the photoshoot for Miss Maya Sinstress, a fetish diva whom we interviewed for the salaries article. She brought with her several latex costumes, various fierce whips, and a bottle of lube (you’ll see why in the photos)…

Guest Blog: Laurie Anderson Channeling Jon Stewart?

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After seeing Laurie Anderson in concert last night, I have to say that I’m a convert. Anderson’s blend of performance art isn’t for everyone. Even Anderson herself will admit as much. But in her latest work, Homeland, it’s clear that she’s let go of some of the visual gimmickry of years past. The topics are serious (national security, global warming), but the delivery is, actually, kind of funny. It’s almost a bit Jon Stewart, if Jon Stewart were a pixie-haired, 60ish art rocker…

Cute or Annoying?

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Just saw Sarah Ruhl’s latest, Dead Man Cell Phone, at Steppenwolf. I loved the Edward Hopper-inspired staging (one of many suggestions that Ruhl makes in her script). The premise isn’t that earth-shattering—a woman answers a stranger’s cell phone and pieces together his life post-mortem—but Ruhl injects enough of her brand of whimsy and magical realism that you’re quickly steered beyond the predictable. OK, so some weird and pretty unlikely things happen (a delish-looking make-out session in a stationery store; a monologue from the grave…