Long before climate change was a looming crisis or sustainability a buzzword, Black artists in Chicago utilized recycled materials in their work due to their accessiblity. In this talk presented by art historian Rebecca Zorach, Zorach shares examples of material reuse from the 1930s to today, including works by artists Theatser Gates and the Depression-era art teacher C. Rosenberg Foster, known for their teaching practice dubbed “Trashcraft.”

Presented by Red Line Service, an organization that creates cultural programs by and for Chicagoans with a lived experience of homelessness, this program is part of a series of talks by Chicago-based art historians that examines a variety of creative practices and settings where art is produced, questions ways in which art history is written, and introduces new audiences to art history. Each program is free, open to the public, and includes a meal, bringing together audiences to develop community through learning.

This talk is followed on September 30, 2022, 12–2 p.m., by a writing workshop for attendees who want to explore writing their own art histories. For more information and to RSVP for the workshop, please email contact@redlineservice.org.