Public Notice 3 and the Call for Unity Across Time

by Sophia Salganicoff

A glowing, immersive waterfall of wisdom-filled words, Jitish Kallat’s Public Notice 3 once again cascades down the Grand Staircase of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Kallat’s installation studs the stairs with Swami Vivekananda’s historic 1893 speech calling for global unity and religious tolerance. Words from over a century ago, illuminated in radiant red, orange, yellow, blue, and green—the colors of the post-9/11 Homeland Security threat advisory system—create a vivid visual that juxtaposes past and present. This striking installation reawakens a 130-year-old call for togetherness and an end to fanaticism, urging us to reflect on how history and art can inspire change in today’s fractured world.

On September 11, 1893, Swami Vivekananda, a young Hindu monk, delivered a groundbreaking speech at the World’s Parliament of Religions, held in what is now the Art Institute of Chicago. His address began with the now-iconic greeting, “Sisters and Brothers of America,” sparking a standing ovation that set the tone for his call for religious harmony. This historic event took place in a building designed in the Beaux-Arts style by Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, originally constructed for the Field Columbian Museum after the World’s Columbian Exposition. Months later, it became home to the Art Institute and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), founded in 1866 as the Chicago Academy of Design. Today, this dual institution remains a cornerstone of art education and culture.

In his speech, Vivekananda celebrated religious tolerance and universal acceptance, declaring, “We believe not only in universal toleration but we accept all religions as true.” He condemned “sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism,” which he described as destructive forces that “drenched [the earth] often with human blood.” His vision emphasized the shared truth of all spiritual paths, likening them to streams flowing into the same ocean. Rooted in Hindu teachings, his words transcended time and geography, advocating for an end to fanaticism and uncharitable feelings.

The Parliament marked the beginning of Vivekananda’s role in introducing Vedanta and Yoga to the West and elevating Hinduism as a world religion. Its legacy continues to inspire global discussions on inclusivity and tolerance.

In 2010, Kallat reinterpreted Vivekananda’s timeless message in Public Notice 3, installing it on the Grand Staircase of the Art Institute. By rendering Vivekananda’s words in the five colors of the U.S. Homeland Security threat advisory system, Kallat visually enmeshed the 1893 Parliament to the events of September 11, 2001, emphasizing the enduring urgency of Vivekananda’s plea for unity. The number 108—representing the 108 years between these two pivotal moments—forms the geometric basis for the installation, symbolizing interconnectedness and the cyclical nature of time. By drawing this connection, Kallat asks us to reflect on how the space between these two events has evolved, and what lessons we can learn from the past to inform the present.

The Public Notice series was originally created between 2003 and 2010, and Public Notice 3 is the third piece in a trilogy. Public Notice and Public Notice 2 also focused on pivotal historical speeches by India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. Madhuvanti Ghose, Alsdorf Associate Curator of Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan Art at the Art Institute of Chicago, brought the series to the attention of former AIC President James Cuno after seeing it installed on a staircase at the Guangzhou Triennial in 2009. However, Public Notice 3 is unique in its direct engagement with the architecture of the Art Institute. This iteration reflects the interplay between space, time, and history, turning the Grand Staircase into a powerful visual and auditory conduit, amplifying the reach of Vivekananda’s message into the contemporary moment.

Now open through September, Public Notice 3 invites visitors to reflect on the intersection of history, art, and collective memory, underscoring the enduring relevance of Vivekananda’s vision for a more harmonious world. ■