Join us for a live in-person reading with Jared Brown, Stevie Cisneros Hanley, Briana Lynn, and Mila Methvin. The Open Door series highlights creative relationships in Chicago, including mentorship and collaboration.

Jared Brown is an interdisciplinary artist born in Chicago. In past work, Brown has broadcasted audio and text-based work through the radio (CENTRAL AIR RADIO, 88.5 FM), in live DJ sets, and on social media. Brown holds a BFA in video from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and moved back to Chicago in 2016 in order to make and share work that directly relates to their personal history.

Stevie Cisneros Hanley is a bastard child of colonialism, of mixed indigenous Hawaiian, Mexican, Irish, and Punjabi heritage. Cisneros Hanley’s work investigates the body as spill, miscegenation, identity as contradiction, psychic pollution and Intergenerational trauma. They teach in the department of Contemporary Practices at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and are represented by M LeBlanc Gallery. They have had solo shows at the International Museum of Surgical Science, University Club of Chicago, and Center of Endless Progress Berlin. Cisneros Hanley has participated in international exhibitions including Tüyup, Istanbul, Artist House Jerusalem, Jerusalem, and La Mama Galeria, New York City, among others. They have upcoming projects at Twins Gallery Laundry, a solo exhibition at M LeBlanc Gallery, and are publishing a tarot deck (BASTARD ARCANA).

Briana Lynn is a cross-disciplinary language artist and classically trained dancer working at the intersection of a literary and performance practice. Lynn received her MFA in Literary Arts from Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design. She is interested in multi-dimensional poetry; in language as object; and in engaging both her body and that of the reader—she is looking to choreograph text. Her work is an exercise in designing poems that can shepherd space and ultimately, perform. She is currently a Director at PATRON Gallery.

Mila Methvin is a sophomore at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a South African, born from a biracial american couple. She writes her best poems while showering. Methvin is an interdisciplinary artist who works with textiles, film, and sculpture that all focus on the integration of words into different art forms. She writes poetry that is inspired by love and the intimacy within details. Methvin values empathy centered interactions and emotional intelligence within her professional and creative spaces.

This is a hybrid event, which will be offered in-person and via livestream.

In-Person Attendance
All guests over the age of two must wear a mask inside the Poetry Foundation building. Guests over the age of five must show proof of vaccination and booster up to the level to which they are eligible for their age group. Guests over the age of 18 must show ID alongside their proof of vaccination. If you cannot meet these requirements, you will not be granted entry to the event. Please note that some performers may choose to perform without a mask. Guests are encouraged to register in advance.

Livestream Attendance
The livestream link will be shared with registered guests on the day of the event. In order to receive the livestream details, please register in advance here.

Poetry Foundation’s events are completely free of charge and open to the public. This event will include CART captioning and ASL interpretation. For more information about accessibility at the Poetry Foundation, please visit our Accessibility Guide.

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Tags: Chicago, Nera North Side, Open Door, Open Door: Jared Brown Stevie Cisneros Hanley Briana Lynn & Mila Methvin, poetry, Poetry Foundation