Picture a typical Chicago Loop alley. Pretty drab, right?
Would you believe me if I told you the picture below is one of those very
alleys, transformed into a pop-up urban experience?
The brains behind this summer series, called ACTIVATE, is Chicago
Loop Alliance Placemaking and Creative Manager Kate Keleman. In order for you to fully understand what ACTIVATE
is, and before I go into a little more about Keleman, here are some quotes describing
the event from the Chicago Loop Alliance itself:
“Combining the talents of Chicago’s most creative minds,
the events feature art, music, and more in unique urban settings."
“Art. Music. People. Alleys. These are the core
components of every ACTIVATE.”
“ACTIVATE is not a festival. It’s an interactive
exhibition of art and culture that takes
place over the course of five nights from June through September.”
Keleman was featured
as Artist of the Week in Chicago Woman magazine, where she talked a little
about her process and inspiration for creating ACTIVATE. Keleman sees the city
in ways most people don’t. Her passion for the older buildings that surround us
is what motivated her to study historic preservation. What some people might
see as an old run-down building, Keleman sees as an opportunity for reuse and
reinvention.
“My work revolves
around how people create their cities, neighborhoods, and homes – the planned
and spontaneous actions that make places what they are,” Keleman said. “[ACTIVATE]
temporarily transform[s] downtown alleys into beautiful immersive experiences
filled with art, music, and drinks.”
When asked what was the
best piece of advice she had ever gotten, Keleman wasn’t sure. However, she did
speak on a piece of advice that had for some reason always stuck with her: “Don’t
struggle.” She described it as meaning not to overthink, but instead “to get
ideas out quickly and messily, then refine.”
The fact that this
advice has stuck with her shows a lot about her process when it comes to
producing these events. She has to draw from all types of fields in order to
pull together one cohesive event that will leave attendees with a better appreciation
for Chicago culture, art, and architecture.
Keleman clearly has
an eye for the uncommon, and she uses that vision to create pop-up urban
experiences for the public to enjoy. Based on The Four C Model of Creativity by Kaufman and Beghetto, I would
categorize Keleman as a little-c as well as a pro-c. She has been able to make
a career out of her creative vision for production, art, and architecture. It
is clear she has a knack for putting a bunch of small chaotic things together in
one cohesive experience, a creative skill that not many people have.
Citations
Kaufman, James C.,
and Ronald A. Beghetto. “Beyond Big and Little: The Four c Model of
Creativity.” Review of General Psychology, vol. 13, no. 1, 2009,
pp. 1–12., doi:10.1037/a0013688.
