

During the pandemic Stockyard Institute was gifted dozens of fiberglass planters and soil, plants, and labor from Chicago and Back of the Yards businesses. The aesthetic aspect of the project was developed by Lavie Raven and Jim Duignan. Lavie Raven invited local artists to exhibit their style on sets of planters and local business would / are sponsoring the boxes with funds going to the work force development Arts program., a Stockyard Institute and University of Hip Hop collaborative venture. Ellen Shapiro has built the network and connected local business with area police and architectural and design firms as we imagine a student designed playground in 2022.
This series of written conversations between artists, curators, and writers on the prompt of general curiosities we all had on our most immediate environment, sponsored by A Blade of Grass Foundation.
The cart was built by my brother Mike and I from scrap wood in our garage at 4044 W. Waveland with stroller and wagon wheels and a Pepsi box seat. It was the first object we made together these film stills represent a time of childhood where wonder abides and I came to know how I would fundamentally work. circa 1968.