Posted 6 years ago in Fun for Free, Arts and Culture, Trending
As a placemaking pop-up art program, ACTIVATE encourages people to see the Loop anew. And it didn’t fail to deliver at A.K.A. Power House as it transformed Garland Court into a visual exhibition, bringing artists and people from different walks of life for a celebration of Chicago’s house music legacy.
The third ACTIVATE event, curated by Canvas and collaborators Party Noire, brought the power of house music to the Loop, leaving revelers electrified with up and coming DJs.
Guests walked below a canopy of shiny, metallic material and entered EVO's portal into an alternate dimension featuring DJs, dancing and interactive art. Party Noire treated attendees to a trip down memory lane with house music hits from 40 years ago to 2018, and all the time in between.
As the sky grew darker, it was the power of house music that kept people grooving in the open dance floor under a giant heart-shaped disco ball. Sweat flowed like the Chicago River off bodies in motion as local vendors kept the drinks flowing, while a drag performance captivated the crowd.
Live painting of legendary house music DJ Frankie Knuckles by Ivan Vazquez took place, and Kane One put on a live graffiti session. The “Old School Room” interactive installation by Ashara offered a real-life Throwback-Thursday, which, coupled with other artistic works, kept people engaged for an evening of exploration.
Chicago Loop Alliance thanks the presenting sponsor School of the Art Institute of Chicago and all title sponsors for their continued support. We also thank Canvas and Party Noire for the art installations, digital engagements and unexpected adventures, and the participants for supporting ACTIVATE.
The next ACTIVATE takes place on Thursday, September 13, from 5 – 10 p.m. Stay tuned for more details, and RSVP in advance for a free drink ticket.