Dunning: A history of the Cook County Insane Asylum
@ The Center for Mad Culture
410 S Michigan Ave, suite 419, Chicago, IL 60605
Opening Friday, November 8th, from 5PM - 9PM
On view through Tuesday, December 31st
Join the Center for Mad Culture for the opening of Dunning, an exhibition that delves into the history of Cook County’s insane asylum through the powerful works of 10 visual artists and 10 poets. These artists, whose identities might have led to incarceration under psychiatric traditions of the past, reflect on how society treats divergent philosophies. The exhibition highlights the kinds of culture we lose when we respond to difference with institutionalization.
Participating Artists and Poets:
Stephanie Heit, Robert Ives, Gabrielle Jensen, Charlie Nutley, Edwin Parker, Salem Hue Penny, Evan Reynolds, U.P. 14060, Titus Wonsey, Joy Young, Cam Collins, Lily Cozzens, Melissa Kreider, Michael Michalski, Bri Noonan, Genevieve Ramos, Megan Sterling, Joshua With, and Keira Wood.
All events are free and open to the public.
Disability Access:
AI captioning and ASL interpreters will be available throughout the event from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The Center for Mad Culture is wheelchair accessible, and we are happy to accommodate other accessibility needs upon request.
Featured Performances:
Mad Conductors | 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM
Featuring poets Stephanie Heit and Alexis Riley, this participatory performance invites the audience to explore memory, forgetting, and the gaps between. Through improvisation, writing, movement, sound, and more, you are welcome to participate or witness as we build a supportive space for imagining new futures of care.
Crip/Mad Archive Dances | 8:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Petra Kuppers presents a screening of her experimental documentary Crip/Mad Archive Dances (2024, 35 mins), which explores how disabled and mad people survive and express creativity amid societal stigma. The film features archival dance footage, environmental visuals, and survivor testimonies of reclaiming agency. The screening will be followed by a discussion.
Exhibition Dates:
November 8 – December 31, 2024
Contact the Center for Mad Culture to schedule an appointment to view the exhibition.
Official Website
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Tags: Bri Noonan, Cam Collins, Charlie Nutley, Chicago, Dunning: A history of the Cook County Insane Asylum, Edwin Parker, Evan Reynolds, Gabrielle Jensen, Genevieve Ramos, Joshua With, Joy Young, Keira Wood, Lily Cozzens, Loop, MAD, Megan Sterling, Melissa Kreider, Michael Michalski, Robert Ives, Salem Hue Penny, Stephanie Heit, The Center for Mad Culture, Titus Wonsey, U.P. 14060, Visual art
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