Poor Man's Paradise

“Everything has value on Maxwell Street, but the price is not fixed.” - Louis Wirth

The Maxwell Street Market, with its cacophony of voices haggling in different tongues, might have been Chicago’s best shot at the American Dream. This was where newcomers and outsiders came to get by in the big city and maybe leave their mark on it too. Maxwell’s story - its origins with turn-of-the-century immigrant pushcart vendors, its post-war innovations in the electric blues, and the neighborhood’s later neglect and demolition in the name of “urban renewal” - offers us themes that are relevant today.

In Poor Man’s Paradise, “outsider” artists pay tribute to this outsider economy. Michael Bryant, Bill Douglas, Andrew Hall, David Holt, R.J. Juguilon, Fernando Ramirez, Sereno Wilson, Ricky Willis, and George Zuniga share paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The artwork is exhibited alongside over 50 artifacts spanning the history of the Market, generously loaned by the Maxwell Street Foundation. Shop signs, rusty bird cages, and bespoke musical instruments tell their own stories and act as portals to different chapters in Maxwell’s history.

There there will be a guided visit of the exhibition at Project Onward (1200 W 35th St, 4th Floor) on Saturday 09/06 from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM. Artists will share the stories behind their work and the historians and activists of the Maxwell Street Foundations will tell about the significance of the street signs and artifacts on display. Finally, Vince "Lefty" Johnson, a tireless street performer and interpreter of the Maxwell Street blues will play several songs and relate his own story with the Market. Snacks and refreshments will be served. The visit is free but guests are asked to register beforehand.