PROJECT 010
Artificial Outlook
Katelyn Patton /
Dr. Beth Reinke
12.15.2020 - 03.31.2021
In partnership with the Milwaukee Avenue Alliance, EXTRA Projects presents Artificial Outlook, a series of storefront installations created by artist Katelyn Patton and Dr. Beth Reinke, Assistant Professor of Biology at Northeastern Illinois University, curated by EXTRA co-founder Chris Grieshaber. As part of EXTRA’s shift to hybrid and digital programming in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, EXTRA has worked with interested neighbors along the Milwaukee commercial corridor north of Kimball and Diversey to provide space for Patton and Dr. Reinke’s explorations, where the public can enjoy art in a safe and engaging manner.
The collaborators have invented made-up storefronts theorizing what businesses might exist in the future, which explore the potential effects of man-made environmental decisions, and the resulting man-made interventions that may be necessary to counterbalance those decisions. The imagined flora and fauna on display are examples of their explorations of the term “Artificial Species Replacement”, which they have coined to explain not only ecological remedies actively in development by the scientific community, but also speculations of what those might be in a few decades’ time.
Through this exhibition, Patton and Dr. Reinke hope to open a dialogue about the future of our planet to consider how the climate of our world is changing, the essential role humanity plays in it, and what to do when we cannot seem to move past the debates about the causes. They also aim to provide a sense of hope for our society to use our creativity and resilience to improve itself and the world, even as we collectively stare down an inevitable future of change.
This project is partially supported by an Individual Artist Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, as well as a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, a state agency through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
More information about the subject matter of this exhibition can be explored at the companion website, www.speciesreplacement.com. In addition, a talk series will be hosted at EXTRA Projects during the first quarter of 2021. Socially distanced walking tours hosted by EXTRA Projects will be available by appointment and on specific dates to be announced via social media.
About Get Outside
Located at Corner Project, 2912 N Milwaukee Ave
About Patisserie Sauterelle
Patisserie Sauterelle is a bakery and resource for all of your modern baking provisions. This storefront concept is an innovative bakery at the forefront of utilizing insect protein flour for their baked goods, in an attempt to find new environmentally low-impact sources of nutrients. However, as forward-looking as the Patisserie tries to be, they’ll have to find a new supplier – the manufacturer of their cricket flour is closing up shop due to lawsuits from environmental damage due to their raw product escaping into the food chain.
Located at 2843 N Milwaukee Avenue
A double-lot mixed use building with apartments above and retail below, ready for new businesses to open. Owned and operated by the Greenwald Company.
About Emerge
Emerge Butterfly Release is a new event supply store showcasing specialty butterflies, genetically modified to whatever colors you may need. Whether you need to match your corporate logo, wedding, or graduation, they have the colors covered! Release a riot of saturated tones, a tasteful spray of neutrals, or even go with an all-natural look. You can even order chrysalises embedded in flower arrangements or cakes, specially timed and ready to emerge at just the right moment.
Located at the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce, 2808 N Milwaukee Ave
The Logan Square Chamber of Commerce advances the commercial and civic interests of Logan Square by supporting the local businesses, advocating for community improvements and encouraging economic development in our neighborhood.
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Please enjoy a self-guided walking tour at any time and enjoy the installations!
Katelyn Patton (b. 1990) is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist. Led by her interest in biology and ecology, she uses art to engage with explore the nature of a place. She received her BFA in Painting from Indiana University- Bloomington. She has had solo exhibitions in Chicago at the Lilstreet Arts Center, Harold Washington Library and the Storefront Gallery at the Whistler. Her work has been included in shows at the Woman Made Gallery, Trestle Gallery and Ground Level Platform. She has twice been an artist in residence at the Visitor Center Artist Camp in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She is a 2020 recipient of the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Individual Artist Grant.
Dr. Beth Reinke is an evolutionary ecologist and assistant professor at Northeastern Illinois University. Her lab primarily studies animal coloration using quantitative and experimental methods. She received her PhD in evolutionary biology from Dartmouth College and her BA in zoology from Indiana University. She maintains a long-term study of painted turtles in northern Wisconsin.
