Inside 6018North, Myth of the Organic City is a historical and contemporary exhibition about sustainability discussing the history of Chicago’s design and land use, from its indigenous roots through present-day developments. The exhibitions are on view Sat-Sun, 1-5pm and Monday evenings from 5-8pm.

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We are honored to present the work of  Alexandra Antoine, Rebecca Beachy with Nina Barnett and Christine Wallers, Deborah Boardman, Jennifer Buyck, Carbon Register, Julie Carpenter with Jane Norling, Eugenia Cheng, Carl Fuldner and Shane DuBay, Jane Georges, Iker Gil, Brian Holmes and Jeremy Bolen, Candace Hunter, Matthew Kaplan, Jenny Kendler and Giovanni Aloi, Haerim Lee, JeeYeun Lee, Jin Lee, Nathan Lewis, Norman W. Long, Luftwerk, Bmejwen Kyle Malott, Jenny McBride, Meida Teresa McNeal, Sherwin Ovid, Viet Phan, Melissa Potter, Emilio Rojas, Eleanor Ross, Pierre-Alexandre Savriacouty, Tria Smith and Katrin Schnabl, Deborah Stratman, Stephen Lowell Swanberg, Jan Tichy, Aleksandra Walaszek, Rhonda Wheatley, Amanda Williams, JI Yang, Sangwoo Yoo, and others.

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The exhibition’s first floor – Land Usage: From Sediment to Settlement to Steel – presents a historical overview of pre-settlement indigenous land use to contemporary land usage. Works in the basement show historic changes throughout the city. The staircase highlights transportation, and its accompanying pollution. The second floor – Waterways and Land Mess – visualizes changes in Chicago, from reversing the Chicago River, to disparities of pollution and accumulated detritus. The third floor – Regeneration – offers hope through individuals and groups developing strategies of reuse and regeneration. While the exhibition cannot offer a silver bullet for our looming climate crisis, it points to an arc from negative to positive change.

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Myth of the Organic City draws from Chicago’s seal which proclaims “Urbs In Horto" or “City in a Garden” as a projection of environmental custodianship. However, Chicago has been designed and constructed in often inequitable and unsustainable ways, with cycles of dispossession and dislocation of nature and people. The exhibition pairs a broad historical overview with contemporary artworks that reimagine our complicated relationship with the City and nature.