Frances Whitehead Recognized by A Blade of Grass Foundation
SAIC sculpture faculty Frances Whitehead has been named a 2016 Fellow for Socially Engaged Art by A Blade of Grass Foundation (ABOG). Over the last 10 years, Whitehead has created or been highly involved in a series of civic initiatives that are bringing the methods, mindsets, and strategies of contemporary art practice to the city of Chicago. These include The Embedded Artist Project; SLOW Cleanup, a phytoremediation program for abandoned gas stations; climate-monitoring plantings throughout the US and Europe; and The 606, an unused rail line in Chicago that was transformed into a park and trail system. Whitehead served as the Lead Artist on The 606, which recently received a National Planning Award for Urban Design from the American Planning Association.
Her ABOG Fellowship will support Fruit Futures Initiative Gary (FFIG), an experimental community orchard project that will use fruiting trees and shrubs to engage, educate, and express the creativity of the Emerson neighborhood in Gary, Indiana.
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In celebration of alum Georgia O’Keeffe: My New Yorks opening current SAIC students were invited to submit artworks inspired by O’keeffe and the city of Chicago.
An image from the exhibition opening of “My Chicagos: SAIC Students Honor Georgia O’Keeffe.”