Beloit College students from three departments visited the Art Institute of Chicago and the Pilsen Neighborhood (Lower West side) as part of their coursework. Also on the trip were students involved in the Curating & Communicating Channel. This multi-disciplinary excursion to Chicago was generously funded by Beloit College’s Career Ready Programming Fund.
Dr. Gana Ndiaye and Logan Museum Assistant Curator Leeann Ream with ANTH 275 Global Cities students.
On Saturday, March 30th Beloit College descended upon Chicago for enriching experiences at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Pilsen Neighborhood (Lower West side).
The Pilsen Neighborhood group, led by Dr. Gana Ndiaye and Logan Museum Assistant Curator Leeann Ream, was made up of professor Ndiaye’s ANTH 275 Global Cities class, an introduction to urban anthropology with a focus on cities as places of contradictions. Topics discussed in the classroom, such as transnational migrations, education, youth culture, and urban art, were seen first-hand in the Pilsen neighborhood tour. The class went on a guided walking tour of murals in the community that document the immigrant experience and embody cities as canvas.
Dr. Gana Ndiaye's ANTH 275 Global Cities class on walking tour of Pilsen NeighborhoodZona Evans’26, a student in the class, learned that “a lot of building doors are below ground level. Because Pilsen was built before underground sewage systems were implemented, when they did add sewage systems into the neighborhood, instead of digging up the roads and putting them below street level, the pipes were installed above the original street. Concrete was then poured over it, making the street level much higher than it was originally. Because of this, most buildings now have multiple doors, one below street level and one above street level.”
Another student in the class, Cassie Kowalski’26, reflected that the guide, “effortlessly blended the city’s history with the lived experiences of the people living there. I believe it cut to the core purpose of the class (Global cities) that inspired this trip. It helped further my understanding of cities as both places with their own stories and conduits for the livelihood of the people that live in them.” In addition to the neighborhood tour, the group also visited the National Museum of Mexican Art.
Dr. Sonya Johnson's CRIS 325 Movements Within the African Diaspora on tour with docent at the Art Institute of Chicago.A second group of students visited the Art Institute of Chicago. Dr. Sonya Johnson’s CRIS 325 Movements Within the African Diaspora, along with Wright Museum Curator Christa Story’s ARTH 245 Modernism and Postmodernism, started their day with a guided tour through art of the African diaspora in the galleries of the Art Institute. Dr. Johnson’s course is designed to engage concepts and theories associated with perspectives used to understand the complexities of the socio-historical, political, and sacred contexts that inform African inspired expressive forms, like art.
Dr. Sonya Johnson's CRIS 325 Movements within the African Diaspora on tour at Art Institute of Chicago.Students in Story’s Mod/Postmod class were able to see, in person, works that they’ve been learning about throughout the semester. For example, they experienced (and participated in) Félix Gonzàles-Torres’s “Untitled” (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) (1991). They also had exercises in slow looking as well as navigating an encyclopedic museum. Natalia Dominique Ortega’24 walked away with this to say of her visit: “The curated selection of artworks, their placement within the galleries, and the creation of thematic sequences weave a compelling narrative that invites interpretation and ignites our artistic curiosity. A visit to the Art Institute isn’t just about viewing individual paintings; it’s about stepping into a world where curation becomes an art form in and of itself. By showcasing exceptional artwork, providing insightful context, and fostering a dialogue with visitors, the Art Institute offers a truly immersive and transformative artistic experience.”
Wright Museum Curator Christa Story's ARTH 245 Modernism and Postmodernism engage with Félix Gonzàles-Torres's “Untitled” (Portrait of Ross in L.A.) (1991).
In addition to the two classes who visited the Art Institute of Chicago, the Curating Channel was also represented. Several students spent the day perusing the galleries of the Art Institute on their own and sitting down for lunch together. These meaningful group visits to the Art Institute are made possible by the University Partner program.
The multi-disciplinary excursion to Chicago was generously funded by Beloit College’s Career Ready Programming Fund.
