In a spacious, bright room on the third floor of Woodlawn’s First Presbyterian Church, interdisciplinary artist Max Li is reviving the art of tintype photography. Creating photo portraits using processes dating from the mid-1800s, Li’s captivating tintypes reflect the mixture of old and new technologies that give them form, as well as the mixture of historic and contemporary influences running through the church itself, Chicago’s oldest continuously operating institution.

The subjects of Li’s tintypes appear in extreme fidelity, enveloped by a haze that makes it seem as if contemporary faces, clothing and objects were somehow surfacing from the distant past. The high-resolution of the photographs is a result of printing onto metal plates with a silver solution, Li said: “In digital photos, you are limited by the size of pixels. In tin-type photos, you are developing onto silver atoms.”

Li shoots using a camera from 1907, using a Dallmeyer lens from the 1800s on loan from a collector in Shanghai. He prints onto metal plates purchased from a trophy and plaque manufacturer. 

“Some folks bring their antique cars, sometimes someone will ask if I can turn one of their relative’s old photos into a tintype. One (client) even inquired about me photographing a recent surgical scar,” Li said. 

Li first became interested in tintype photography in 2016, while a third year in the University of Chicago’s Master of Fine Arts program. There, Li was exposed to daguerreotypes, tintypes, ambrotypes, albumen prints and other alternative photo processes in a darkroom class. Afterwards, he acquired the chemicals and photo equipment necessary to establish his own practice.

“It was very exciting to be deeply focused on learning about these processes,” Li said. “It felt like learning some kind of magic.” 

After shooting on his own for several years, Li acquired his studio space in First Presbyterian, 6400 S. Kimbark Ave., as a result of a happy accident. While snapping photos of the church’s gothic exterior one day in 2021, Li was approached by the current pastor, Reverend David Black, who invited him inside. After discussing Li’s tintype practice, Black invited the artist to submit a proposal to the church about setting up shop in one of its empty community rooms. 

Upon their acceptance of his proposal, Li immediately began cleaning up the space and planning events. He, along with the other resident artists with studios at First Presbyterian, receive their sizable studio spaces free of charge, with the expectation that they will in turn open up the space to other artists and community members.

“The space is very big, allowing for the free play of the imagination, and good reverb if you play music,” Li said. “Building a community here has been a pretty dynamic, ongoing process, and having the ability to engage with different scales of the spaces of the building has been unbelievable. The building has so many stories to tell and little details to discover.”

Today, Li shares space with an illustrator and mural painter, along with a dance studio and the world famous avant-garde music ensemble the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. A community kitchen operates within the church as well, distributing food to those in need. 

Some of Li’s artworks are on display around the studio, including a charming, powerful and enigmatic series of Lego-brick temples loosely modeled on real temples from China. These works look as if hundreds of satellites and stoplights and loose wires had been affixed by a madman to the sedate rooftops of Beijing’s Forbidden City.

Li’s free residency here has been enabled in part by the vision of First Presbyterian’s pastor. Having first served as a community pastor in a socially-minded, art-focused church in Harlem, Black came to Chicago in 2020, keen to share his experiences on the South Side.

“I came to Chicago with a deep belief that churches should be public squares where culture and the civic life of the community flourish,” Black said. “My experiences as an activist in a historically Black community on the edge of a wealthy university, under pressure from developers who sought to rebrand the neighborhood as ‘Central Park North,’ gave me a lot of context for the dynamics at play in Woodlawn.”

Li’s space and the 191-year-old church more broadly have a vital history that touches on many of the central events of the South Side and the city writ large. 

The church housed Chicago’s first public school. In the 1960s, Li’s studio was utilized as a meeting space by the civil rights group and street gang, the Blackstone Rangers. 

Here, the former minister Reverend John Fry offered space to the group as it sought to transition from a street gang into an organization focused on pressing social issues. The Rangers produced plays, conducted peace talks and held dances in the church, while simultaneously pursuing other more violent activities conducted in the surrounding neighborhood.

Remarking on the complicated history of his studio space, Li said, “As someone who came to Chicago in 2019,  I am such a foreigner and can’t comment on the history. Still, I am a Chinese international student who traveled around and stayed with host families, so I can relate the alienation — I think a lot of what the rangers did was a result of encountering intense alienation.”

In seeking to build community through the church, Li has hosted numerous events, including tintype portrait pop-ups, art shows, screenings, dinners, concerts and even a light show with jazz music. Li also hosts what he calls “mini residencies” on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, where he opens up the space to artists interested in installing artwork in the building.

Black framed Li’s involvement and the broader array of cultural activities here as part of a broader effort to make First Presbyterian one of the “most important cultural centers south of the Loop, where the creativity of Black Chicago can find roots, resilience, and flourishing.”

“Our church is blessed with an incredibly beautiful and versatile building rooted in the heart of the South Side,” said Black. “We are also blessed with a congregation that is flexible and willing to take risks. Our two rules are: no judgment and no censorship. As long as artists are respectful of the church building and the spiritual community that takes care of it, there are no boundaries on what they can express in our space.”

To request a tintype photograph appointment from Li, email omaxlgzo@gmail.com. Li’s work can be seen at www.maximage.org.

Enrique Muchacho

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Loyola University Maryland’s Julio Fine Arts Gallery opened its new exhibition on Feb. 22 from Baltimore artist Devin Allen.

The exhibition, titled “A Piece of Me Died with You,” tackles themes of gun violence, grief, and coping in Baltimore. It also will serve as the Common Text Exhibition in the gallery.

The press release given by the gallery said, “Allen is a Baltimore native who is deeply invested in activism to break down racial injustices, tying in beautifully with the message of this year’s Common Text: We have to fight the injustices at every level to get what is right for our children, our communities, and our city.”

The exhibition tackles more than that. Dan Schlapbach, Professor of Photography, Visual and Performing Arts, claims that it takes a personal side with its relationship to Baltimore as well as to gun violence.

The exhibition was originally inspired by the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

“Subsequently, a lot of the work is about his community and his friends who are dying from gun violence. So, it’s really beyond the gun violence to the relationship the Baltimore community has with the police department as well as the crime in the city. So, it’s really a personal evocative about his relationship with the people who have died as a result of gun violence,” Shlapbach said.

Despite the origins, Schlapbach believes that it is an incredible experience for students to see his work on display.

“It is a very moving work. It is about his relationship to people, so I think it’s important for students to look and see the fragility of life and how quickly and easily it is taken, and how important it is to work for social justice to try to eliminate these inequities that allow this sort of thing to happen and encourage students to look at Baltimore at a broader expanse of a community,” he said.

Devin Allen first rose to prominence when a photograph of his from the Baltimore Uprising made it to the cover of Time Magazine in 2015, making him the third amateur photographer to do so. Since then, his work has centered a lot around the city and mainly the communities around it. 

Gallery Director Megan Rook-Koepsel mentions that the exhibition holds more importance than it may seem.

“There’s a number of things that are special about this exhibition. The first is that it’s his first solo exhibition in a really long time and the work in this show is different from what we have seen in the past. Primarily, he works in photography, but for this exhibition, he will be showing some of his non-photography work, some of his paintings that he has been doing for the past few years,” Rook-Koepsel said.

The “A Piece of Me Died with You” exhibition is open from Feb. 22 to March 27. To view photographs of the Opening Reception, click here.

The February edition of On-Site is one that I look forward to every year. Our annual photo contest is a great opportunity to showcase some of the amazing work, and jobsites, of our readers throughout Canada, including the cover shot by tower crane operator Moe Lepage. What a great view of a sunset over Ottawa. He’s got a great office.

The only regret that I tend to have is that quite a few very good shots – contenders for accolades – end up not making it into our pages. There are a few of these contenders that I have marked for possible use this year, however, so keep your eyes on the pages of On-Site to see if you or your colleagues show up in a future edition.

Adam Freill, Editor
On-Site Magazine

In the meantime, I encourage you to check out our current digital edition (February 2024, if you are reading this in the months and years after posting) to enjoy the celebration of Canadian construction that starts on page 19. It is proof that there are some great photographers in our readership. And don’t forget to keep the cameras rolling as 2024 progresses. Next year’s contest will kick off in December, and you cannot enter a picture you forgot to take.

The other key theme in the February edition is technology, with our Technology Report exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI). More than a buzzword, AI is emerging as a game changer for construction.

Software and app creators have started to work this technology into their platforms, making use of it to find patterns and anomalies that can be difficult to notice without processing massive amounts of data.

As a coach, I’ve even investigated a few AI-based camera systems for sports teams. These systems use AI to follow and record the play, which is great for analysis and player improvement.

If you or your company are thinking about how to harness the power of AI, I invite you to check out some of the advice from our recent panel all about AI in Construction, which is summarized on page 34.

There was a lot of knowledge shared by the panel, including some great advice about developing structures and rules that will help govern safe and appropriate use of AI by your teams.

Until next time, stay safe and do good work.

Adam Freill

Editor

afreill@annexbusinessmedia.com

By late afternoon on sunny days, Natasha Moustache’s studio at the Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC) fills with warm light that illuminates a portrait of Moustache’s mother hung up on the wall. The photographer is still decorating their space as they settle into their year-long residency at the center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave., but it’s already inviting, with a golden accent wall, photographs neatly spread out across a long table, and rolls of wallpaper waiting to be installed.

Moustache is one of four artists who moved into HPAC studio spaces in January as part of the center’s Radicle Studio Residency, a free program for Chicago artists. The residency, which runs until December, gives artists access to an individual studio space, the center’s network of artists and resources, and connections to the Chicago art world.

As a sort of mission statement for the residency, HPAC’s website writes: “The radicle is the first part of a seedling to burst forth from a seed, rooting itself deeply into the earth.”

As they settle into their studio, Moustache plans to hang rolls of wallpaper they made next. The wallpaper is a kaleidoscopic arrangement of one of Moustache’s photos of a ginger root. To Moustache, ginger is much more than a cooking ingredient — it’s a metaphor for the resiliency of the African diaspora.

“It is the absolute perfect symbol for the diaspora,” said Moustache. “If you cut a ginger piece off and … put it in this dark place where you think it shouldn’t grow and shouldn’t survive, and it shouldn’t thrive, by all accounts you think it will just shrivel up and die. It doesn’t. It actually grows and reboots and reconnects and it builds new nodes.”

Moustache’s work investigates this ability of the African diaspora to thrive across the globe, even in harsh conditions. One of their recent projects, “Under the Same Sun,” followed the lives of three mothers: Moustache’s mother Anne, who immigrated to the U.S. from the Seychelles, and two Chicagoans named Apple and Yuvette.

“I was thinking about the relationships between the Black American community and the African immigrant community, and how there can sometimes be a distance between those communities. I was thinking about the ways we share cultures and history,” Moustache said about their conversations with Apple and Yuvette, who are Black Americans from Chicago and the South, respectively.

By photographing all three women, Moustache hoped to “build a family archive” of the diaspora.

A relatively recent newcomer to the South Side, Moustache moved to Bronzeville in 2019, the year they began a masters in photography at Columbia College Chicago.

Though Moustache’s creative practice typically just involves walking through neighborhoods and forming relationships with its residents whom they photograph, they’re also interested in making use of their new studio space at the HPAC to run posed photography sessions.

Having a physical space carved out for the practice of art-making is also essential for Moustache’s fellow resident Keith Wilson, a poet and game designer.

He works at Resilient Games Studio, which is owned by the University of Chicago, where he builds educational video games. Alongside his game design, Wilson is a poet. His first book, “Fieldnotes on Ordinary Love,” was published in 2019.

Though to some they may seem vastly different, Wilson described how his game design and poetry inform each other and blend together.

“Games are both serious and unserious,” he said. “People think about games and they’re like, ‘you just play them for fun!’ (But) if you watch anyone who cares about games, and even people who don’t care that much about games, they’re serious business.”

Recently, Wilson created a chess puzzle that includes elements of poetry to make an argument about police brutality.

“On the chess board, I have text, so as you’re trying to solve the puzzle, and you’re moving the pieces, you can read part of a poem,” Wilson said.

In this puzzle, knights mounted on horseback represent police, and move around the board, revealing Wilson’s poem beneath them.

As Wilson experiments more with visual poetry and games, he’s increasingly interested in collaborations with some of the visual artists at the HPAC and using his studio space there to make bigger pieces of art and poetry that can’t fit in a traditional book.

“Making visual art takes a lot of space,” Wilson said. “I have never had enough space that I can make something large.” He said he wants to use the wall of his studio for something, perhaps projecting, but he hasn’t settled on an idea yet.

As he experiments with hybrid forms in his studio, Wilson also plans to work on revising his second book, “Games for Children,” a draft of which is already done. “Fieldnotes on Ordinary Love” focused broadly on legacies of violence like slavery and policing, descriptions of visual art, and discussions of love in all of its forms.

“When you’re in love with someone, often the things that you value the most about them you don’t really realize, maybe only until they’re gone, are very ordinary things, like just sitting around doing nothing, or being on long drives, or eating dinner together,” said Wilson.

Wilson, like Moustache, has spent years living on the South Side. Wilson moved to Hyde Park in 2011 and has lived in the neighborhood ever since.

“I just really love Hyde Park because it’s essentially a part of the University of Chicago … It’s also part of the South Side, so it’s more diverse in many ways,” said Wilson. “(It’s) walking distance to the lake. I just really love, love the neighborhood.”

Whether it means going out into the streets and photographing locals or holding poetry workshops, Moustache and Wilson say they plan to fully embed themselves into the Hyde Park community during their residency.

A community dinner and discussion with HPAC’s Radicle Studio Residents will take place at the center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave., on March 14 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Shared Histories Project Photography Workshop 2024 is set to bring together individuals from the borderlands of Armagh/Louth and Donegal/Derry in a groundbreaking initiative aimed at exploring and celebrating the rich heritage of these communities through the lens of photography. Organized by the Regional Cultural Centre in collaboration with Photo Museum Ireland, Nerve Centre, and the National Library of Ireland, this project presents a unique opportunity for participants to delve into their past, share experiences, and foster a deeper understanding of their community’s heritage.

Exploring Cultural Heritage Through Photography

Participants in the Shared Histories Project will be guided by experts to use photography as a medium to unlock the shared histories that define their communities. Through carefully designed workshops, individuals will learn how to capture stories that reflect the cultural diversity and rich heritage of their local areas. This method not only encourages personal development and artistic expression but also aims to build bridges between communities that have historically been divided.

Fostering Understanding and Sustainable Connections

The initiative goes beyond mere photographic storytelling; it is about creating sustainable connections among diverse communities across borderlands. By engaging in this project, individuals will not only contribute to a collective memory project but also take part in an ongoing dialogue aimed at fostering understanding and reconciliation. The workshops, scheduled for 20-22 March 2024, are designed to be interactive and inclusive, ensuring that all participants, regardless of their background in photography, can contribute meaningfully to the project.

A Unique Opportunity for Community Engagement

The Shared Histories Project is open to all who are interested in cultural diversity, community engagement, and photography, with no cost for participation and lunch provided during group sessions. This initiative represents a significant step forward in using art and culture as tools for social change, inviting individuals to actively participate in shaping the narrative of their communities. It is a call to those who wish to explore the potential of photography to bridge divides, celebrate diversity, and contribute to a more cohesive society.

As the workshop dates approach, the excitement and anticipation among communities in Armagh/Louth and Donegal/Derry continue to grow. This project promises not only to unveil the shared histories of these borderlands but also to weave a new tapestry of connections that will endure for generations to come. It stands as a testament to the power of photography in unlocking the stories that unite us, encouraging a deeper reflection on the ties that bind communities together in a shared heritage and future.

Stunning drone photographs have recently captured the eerie allure of a massive abandoned mansion, famously featured in the first episode of the television series Outlander. The images, offering a bird’s eye view, showcase the grandeur and intricate decay of the once majestic estate, evoking a sense of mystery and fascination around its history and ghostly reputation. Amidst a variety of news items, this feature on the derelict mansion stands out, drawing attention to its architectural beauty and the stories it holds within its crumbling walls.

Mansion’s Mystical Appeal and Historical Significance

Known for its appearance in the hit TV series Outlander, the mansion, once a symbol of opulence, now lies in a state of elegant decay. Its isolation and the extensive decay visible in the drone photographs highlight the mansion’s haunting beauty. The estate, which once belonged to a Scottish earl, has a storied past, including serving as a girls’ boarding school and featuring plans for restoration or demolition over the years. Despite its current abandoned state, the mansion continues to captivate fans of the series and explorers alike, drawn by its architectural beauty and the tales of hauntings that surround it.

A Closer Look at the Architectural Marvel

The aerial photographs provide a unique perspective on the mansion’s grand scale and the intricate details that have survived the passage of time. Built in the 1820s, Dunmore Park House boasts unique architectural features, including the renowned ‘Dunmore Pineapple,’ a testament to its historical significance and the craftsmanship of its era. The images reveal how nature has begun to reclaim the once stately home, with overgrowth and decay setting a picturesque scene that blends historical architecture with the relentless force of nature.

The Mansion in Popular Culture and Future Prospects

Aside from its architectural and historical interest, the mansion’s inclusion in Outlander has imbued it with a new layer of cultural significance. The series, known for its meticulous choice of filming locations, has brought renewed attention to the estate, sparking discussions about its preservation and potential restoration. While the future of the mansion remains uncertain, its allure remains undiminished, serving as a poignant reminder of the past and a source of inspiration for those fascinated by Scotland’s rich history and culture.

As the drone images circulate and captivate audiences worldwide, they not only highlight the haunting beauty of the abandoned mansion but also invite contemplation on the themes of decay, history, and the stories that old buildings can tell. Whether as a subject of ghostly tales or as a beacon for architectural preservation, the mansion continues to hold a place in the imaginations of many, standing as a testament to the enduring fascination with Scotland’s historical landscapes.

Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images

Hours after the Australian leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour came to a close, a photographer accused Swift’s father of punching him in the face. Ben McDonald told police that Scott Swift struck him at a Sydney wharf where Taylor and her entourage disembarked from a yacht in the early hours of Tuesday morning. “In 23 years, I haven’t been assaulted and punched in the chops, particularly by the talent’s dad,” McDonald told the Associated Press. A spokesperson for Swift did not explicitly address McDonald’s assault allegations, but suggested in a statement to People that her team had been threatened by paparazzi. “Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water,” the statement read.

Following Swift’s final Eras show in Sydney on Monday night, McDonald says he and other local paparazzi were waiting at Neutral Bay wharf to photograph Swift and her entourage as they made their way from a jetty to their cars around 2:30 a.m. “We didn’t go rushing down the jetty. We didn’t go rushing to the back of the boat,” McDonald told the AP. The photographer said he and other media “kept it very civil” as Taylor approached, hidden under her security guards’ umbrellas.

“There were about four or five security there and at one point, one of the American security started shoving his umbrella into me and my camera and then Taylor got in her car,” McDonald told the AP. “Someone else came running at me and punched me in the left side of my face. Initially, I thought it was an Australian security that was trying to be the hero of the moment in the front of the Americans, but as it turned out it was her father.” McDonald says he later realized the man who punched him was Swift’s father after reviewing photos he had taken of the event that evening and comparing them with photos of Scott online. He did not sustain injuries from the alleged altercation and did not require medical assistance. An investigation by local police is currently underway.

Over the last several months, Scott Swift has become something of a mainstay at his daughter’s shows, hanging out in the VIP tent and handing out guitar picks to the crowds of Swifties. Swift left Australia via private jet on Tuesday. She is scheduled to perform six shows in Singapore starting this weekend.

Taylor Swift’s Dad Allegedly Punched a Photographer

Raymond Cooper’s Oakland, a photography collection currently on display at the Oakland Photo Workshop, does just that. In Cooper’s images, we see snapshots of lives and characters, places and social events that vividly take us back to the streets and living rooms of 1970s Oakland. Two young men hanging on a street corner. Children posing with a parked Chrysler Sunbeam. A woman with a beautiful Afro smoking a cigarette on her porch. A Black cowboy riding through a parade.

The images feel warm, familiar and intimate. They might not be of your friends and family, but they’ll make you think of the people who are. And their ability to take us to the least documented corners of the Town of 50 years ago is what makes them just a little bit magical.

The pictures on display represent an eclectic hodgepodge of Cooper’s two decades working as a photographer. (He also owned Sundance, a camera supply store on Webster Street.) In addition to Cooper’s street and home photography, there are some distinctly ’70s works of futuristic collage, a collection of fashion portraiture and some behind-the-scenes snaps, often involving hair stylists.

The story of how Cooper’s photography got this little renaissance is a delightful one. In 2021, a skateboarder named Ben Tolford rescued several binders of slides that had been dumped next to a trashcan in Oakland. While studying them at home, he found a self-portrait of Cooper that had the photographer’s name on it. He also found a baby picture with the name Aja on it. Tolford used social media to locate her — Aja is Cooper’s daughter — and returned the slides, which had been stolen from her storage space. Many more of Cooper’s photos had previously been lost in a house fire.