CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

EVICTED: Extended Through March 24!

Visitor Hours:
Extended through March 24!
Thursdays-Friday, 12-6 p.m.
Saturdays-Sundays, 12-5 p.m.

National Public Housing Museum Offices
625 N. Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60654

Note: Masks strongly recommended

Inspired by Matthew Desmond’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, the Evicted exhibition brings visitors into the world of low-income renter eviction. The exhibition challenges visitors to face the enormity of one of 21st-century America’s most devastating problems while providing context for the crisis and a call to action. Thanks to special support from our partner Red Line Service, the exhibition will be staffed by museum educators who bring their cultural expertise and lived experience of houselessness and housing insecurity.

Evicted photos by Nolasco Giovanni Photography.

A sense of home and place is an essential human right. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) makes multiple references to both the physical and emotional need for belonging and safety, from the right to shelter to free movement and residence.  However, for millions in the United States and around the world, access to a safe, reliable, and permanent home remains out of reach. Those displaced by conflict, discrimination, or economic instability are forced to leave their homes and seek safety and opportunity in places they often have never been. Similarly, marginalized communities often see their homes vulnerable to governmental neglect, violence, and environmental degradation.

Evicted is on view from January 18-March 10, Thursdays-Friday, 12-6 p.m. and Saturdays-Sundays, 12-5 p.m. No reservations or tickets are required, feel free to drop in to see the show at our offices at 625 N. Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60654.

Your support helps us promote housing as a human right. Any donations made for Evicted will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000 by our generous sponsor, btcRE LLC! Double your impact by giving today. Can’t make it in to see the exhibition? You can still make a donation!

 
 

Evicted photos by Nolasco Giovanni Photography.


Meet our EVICTED Museum Educators

Thanks to special support from our partner Red Line Service, the exhibition will be staffed by museum educators who bring their cultural expertise and lived experience of houselessness and housing insecurity.

James Lee Williams, photo by Nolasco Giovanni Photography.

James Lee Williams

James’s passion for singing takes center stage in life. His musical journey began at a young age, around 5 or 6 years old. In 4th or 5th grade, he formed a singing group to impress his peers, he loved that it enabled him to get out of class for impromptu performances in other classrooms.

James has always had a natural talent for singing. James spent 15 years in prison and upon his release he was in a car accident that left him with extensive physical therapy. This accident was the catalyst for a series of events that led him to become houseless.  He describes the Red Line Service, which he became involved with two years ago, as a blessing, as they connect him to services and support. James continues to share his love for music, particularly favoring love ballads. James showcased his singing talent in Cabinet of Curiosity's Outloud! Outspoken! performance on October 1, 2023.

Venturing into the world of acting, James participated in the Chicago International Puppet Theatre Festival's Puppet Lab, performing in a 9-night show of "Consuewella Triptych in MOVE" by Jacqueline Wade from June 1-11, 2023. Puppets were a new and exciting experience for him and he thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to try different and new things.

James can relate to the struggles depicted in "Evicted" as he has experienced eviction and public housing firsthand. His unique perspective allows him to share stories and insights about the challenges faced by people in similar situations, having witnessed evictions in his own neighborhood and family. During his time in prison, he not only learned to play the keyboard but also became one of the head chefs, earning high honors and pursuing a degree in culinary arts. He shares that his music was a source of solace and calmness for fellow inmates.

Today, James finds joy in working with children, a passion he discovered after joining a church upon his release from prison. A pastor encouraged him to form a children's choir, and he discovered a deep connection with kids. Smart, charismatic, and street-wise, James easily relates to children, engaging in sports, teaching, and sharing his life experiences with them. James loves being a father to his 5-year-old daughter, Jamyah.

James would like people to know that he needs help finding an apartment and has been houseless for three years now despite countless social service workers promising to help and support him. 

 

Efren Paderes, photo by Nolasco Giovanni Photography.

Efren Paderes

Meet Efren, a multifaceted individual whose life is woven with diverse experiences. Efren's winters revolve around his passion for skating, as he works part-time as a skate host at the McCormick Tribune Millennium Park. A desire to skate with his daughter led him to self-taught expertise over the past nine years.

Transitioning from dull skates found in an alley to mastering the edges, Efren now enjoys his role as a skate host, welcoming visitors, providing assistance, and ensuring a smooth experience on the ice. During the summer, Efren loves cycling, participating in group rides to promote health through exercise, cyclists rights and sharing the road. 

Beyond the rink and the bike trails, Efren engages in event facilitation at Red Line Service, where he introduces new participants to the world of art. Hosting events that expose those experiencing homelessness and housing and food insecurity to artistic activities, Efren witnesses the power of art in people's lives and how many people think art isn’t for them prior to trying it out. He actively participates in watercolor and printmaking and has collaborated with the University of Miami School of Law Human Rights Program and Red Line Service to create impactful banners and slogans addressing houselessness. Efren emphasizes the importance of addressing the issue of housing for societal well-being.

Efren's connection with animals extends to dog walking and sitting, a venture that began with a chance encounter in the Gold Coast. What started as a spontaneous act of friendship turned into a recurring role of caring for pets and homes.  Efren's involvement with Red Line Service since 2019 underscores his dedication to using art as a tool for change. He believes that providing homes is a crucial step toward a better society.

 

Robert Scott, photo by Nolasco Giovanni Photography.

Robert Scott

Robert is deeply connected to public housing communities in Chicago. He currenly serves as the Vice Chair of the Central Advisory Council and President of the Senior North Advisory Council. In this capacity, he represents and advocates for over 6,000 seniors residing in 23 different public housing complexes on the north side of the city.

Having lived in public housing since 2009, Robert currently calls Maria Diaz home. His roots trace back to the West Side of Chicago where he grew up as a self-proclaimed "plain old guy." Robert is a proud Vietnam veteran and senior citizen who finds joy in his roles as a devoted husband and a father to his two adult sons, Elliot and Marcus. Robert is also an active participant in various aspects of community life including being part of a bowling league and Chicago Vikings, a motorcycle club composed entirely of seniors that traverse the open roads across the county.

Through his roles in various advisory councils, he actively works to address the needs and concerns of the seniors he represents. According to Robert, the importance of the Evicted exhibition lies in its ability to shed light on issues that affect not only Chicago or specific demographics but diverse individuals across the nation. Robert wants visitors to have access to essential information about eviction and knows that people and organizations are fighting on their behalf.


This exhibition is a partnership between the National Public Housing Museum, ART WORKS Projects, we all live here, Red Line Service, and the Chicago Housing Justice League. Evicted is supported by a generous grant from the Avangrid Foundation. The exhibition is organized by the National Building Museum, where it was made possible by gifts from Amy Falls, Ford Foundation, and the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. The Illinois tour is made possible by the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Supportive Housing Providers Association. Special thanks to btcRE LLC for additional support.


Walking Tours

Fire Fire Gentrifier Lincoln Park Walking Tour: Take this audio-based walking tour in Lincoln Park to learn about the history of activism and resistance from the Young Lords. Learn more about this tour here.

Inequity for Sale Englewood Walking Tour: Take a walking tour of Englewood to learn about the history of land sale contracts and displacement through the lens of artist and activist Tonika Lewis Johnson's Inequity for Sale landmarker project. Learn more about this tour here.

PAST EXHIBITIONS

Forest Cove: All of the Above


Forest Cove: All of the Above” is a long-form photo documentary story by Mark Anthony Brown, Jr., that chronicles the experience of residents living in a federally-subsidized apartment complex called Forest Cove located in the Atlanta neighborhood Thomasville Heights.

For years, residents of Forest Cove have lived in what they’ve described as “uninhabitable conditions,” including dilapidated buildings, pest infestation, faulty utilities, and overall mismanagement. In 2014, the complex was purchased by a development firm with promises to renovate the units and temporarily relocate residents during construction. It’s now 2022, and few steps have been taken to fulfill those promises. 

This project aims to amplify the voices of Forest Cove residents in hopes that it will evoke tangible improvements to their situation. While documenting the apparent disparities at Forest Cove is integral to this story, it’s equally imperative to highlight the spectrum of humanity and resilience of the residents. To be able to find joy, to smile and be positive, to take pride in their home while fighting for change is indicative of true resilience.

“I chose to document this story because I felt that it needed to be told, but not told by just anyone. It needs to be told with care and humanity, by someone who has the residents’ best interests, someone who is willing to be thorough and cover all bases, someone who looks likes them.”

Mark Anthony Brown, Jr.

Although this story is about a specific group of people living in a specific place, these images shed light on the types of severe housing disparities faced by many communities throughout the United States and beyond.

As a part of the exhibition, the NPHM presents “It Felt Like Home,” a curated selection from the oral histories of current Forest Cove resident, Felicia Turner and former resident of the Thomasville Heights Projects and current Relocation Advocate at Forest Cove, Gino Turner.

Felicia Morris, photo courtesy of Alphonso Whitfield

Photo courtesy of Gino Turner

Read Gino’s transcript.

This exhibition was produced as a part of the ART WORKS Projects’ 2021-22 Emerging Lens Fellowship Program. To launch the exhibition in Chicago, NPHM and AWP presented The Power of Storytelling: Illuminating Dignity in the Face of Gentrification and Displacement, a panel discussion on Friday, September 9, 2022.


Toward Common Cause: Njideka Akunyili Crosby

NPHM is partnering with Chicago Housing Authority to display artwork by MacArthur Fellow Njideka Akunyili Crosby as a part of Toward Common Cause, a multi-site exhibition organized by the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the MacArthur Fellows Program. The installations can be found at the future site of the National Public Housing Museum, 1322 W Taylor St Chicago, Illinois 60607 and Minnie Julia Riperton Apartments 4250 S Princeton Ave Chicago, Illinois 60609, now through March 1.

"Mother and Child",” Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2016). Courtesy the Artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner. © Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

"Mother and Child",” Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2016). Courtesy the Artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner. © Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

NPHM is excited to join the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) as a part of Toward Common Cause, a multi-site exhibition exploring questions of ownership and rights of access. Our mission — to preserve, promote, and propel the right of all people to a place called “home” — straddles the line between the public and the personal, the past and the present, and how all of the above inform our everyday life.

This collective work in service of personal belonging and security began with the Smart Museum of Art teens. These young folk have spent the year learning about the artwork of Njideka Akunyili Crosby, visual artist and MacArthur Fellow, which focuses on interiors of domestic scenes, family life, and social gatherings through photo-collage and painting.

“The Beautyful Ones” Series #9, Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2018). Courtesy the Artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner. © Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

“The Beautyful Ones” Series #9, Njideka Akunyili Crosby (2018). Courtesy the Artist, Victoria Miro and David Zwirner. © Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

“I almost want people to feel like the door is open and they’re walking by a scene into someone else’s life, because that really is what I’m doing… mining my life to tell a story that is global but really wanting people to feel like they’re getting a glimpse into my world.”

— Njideka Akunyili Crosby

The Smart teens selected two CHA sites for Crosby’s art installations: Minnie Riperton Apartments, one of CHA’s senior residence buildings, and NPHM, formerly the Jane Addams Homes. The Smart teens are also collaborating with NPHM to record interviews with Minnie Riperton residents, exploring intergenerational connections and our right to live and prosper at home and in the world. 

Minnie Riperton residents voted on the images which were installed.

On July 22, 2021, NPHM hosted a concert with esteemed blues and jazz singer and former Cabrini-Green resident Katherine Davis and her band to open the exhibit at 1322 W Taylor St. The musicians performed a celebratory set on the lawn directly east of the building. A recap can be viewed below on the NPHM YouTube Channel.

Shot by Alex Myung and Jose Leon and edited by Alex Myung. Music: "Crazy For Your Love" By Orkas.

Toward Common Cause debuts June, 2021. For more information about exhibition partners and artists, please visit towardcommoncause.org

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The NPHM receives program funding from a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, the Allstate Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Crown Goodman Family at Crown Philanthropies, the Illinois Arts Council Agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Kresge Foundation, the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince, National Endowment for the Arts, Landau Family Foundation, Terra Foundation for America Art, and Illinois Humanities.


INVITATION

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NPHM is thrilled about our new project with Artist as Instigator In Residence, Jen Delos Reyes. For her project, Invitation, we sent out broad-sides with poem fragments by June Jordan and Mary Oliver (pictured right) and letters reminding people to vote to over 1500 people. Two forty-foot banners with these poems will also flank the Museum’s courtyard located at 1322 West Taylor Street, installed on Election Day until the State of the Union, reminding us that we are the ones we have been waiting for.  (Let us know if you have not yet received one and we will send one to you!)

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Reyes' open letter to neighbors said, in part:

I want to share with you this recent work I made for NPHM. I hope that both sides of this poster will remind you that your voice is important and that it is crucial to continue to show up in this broken world. I hope this work offers you the strength you need to take resolute action towards justice for all.

Please, take it to the polls, mail it in, vote!

Jen told us why she wanted to work on this project for the museum and she said:

“The election is one of the only things that I can focus on, it is incredibly high stakes and will have wide reaching impacts. During my work this year with NPHM I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be a neighbor, and how that relates to the mission of the organization. I connected this idea of what it means to be a neighbor to our actions in this upcoming election and how our action or inaction impacts those around us felt like a perfect fit, especially since I am an immigrant in this country. As a Canadian and neighbor from the north I can't vote in this country yet I am deeply impacted by the results. For the poster that I mailed out along with a letter encouraging recipients to vote I called in the words of poets June Jordan and Mary Oliver, reminding readers that their voice is important and that it is crucial to continue to show up in this broken world and work for justice. Poetry is deployed as a call to action, as fuel for social movements, and as respite and sustenance to continue on.”

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Jen (pictured left) is a creative laborer, educator, writer, and radical community arts organizer. She is also the Associate Director of the School of Art and Art History at University of Illinois Chicago. 

William Estrada was the Museum's inaugural Artist as Instigator in Residence, and you can read more about his work here.


SOS Color Code 2020

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The NPHM is proud to be one of the partner sites participating in Luftwerk’s SOS Color Code 2020 project.

Beginning on September 15th, the International Day of Democracy, through the 2020 US Election Day on November 3, SOS Color Code 2020 will transform the international signal of distress into a sign of solidarity and connectedness. Using the universal languages of morse code and color theory, the three flag installation will appear in multiple locations throughout Chicago and the US, calling for humanity and a willingness to help one another. Visualizing morse code into dots and dashes a pattern forms with each flag representing the letters S (three dots) O (three dashes) S (three dots) allowing it to remain an effective visual distress signal, an ambigram that can be read upside down or right side up.

Follow this QR code for information on how to vote this November!

Follow this QR code for information on how to vote this November!

When the international distress signal SOS was adopted in 1908, its easily recognizable and unique code produced aural unity, a sense of calm in life or death situations. As the world adjusts to new norms in challenging times, SOS Color Code 2020 offers a reconsideration of how language, objects and symbols, and even color can help us find stable ground and safety no matter where we are. Situated in specific public and domestic settings, during the crucial time leading up to the US Election, SOS Color Code 2020 reminds us, as US Representative John Lewis said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself.” 

Luftwerk is the artist collaboration of Petra Bachmaier and Sean Gallero. With space as their canvas, they transform environments into immersive experiences. Since founding in 2007, Luftwerk has amassed a significant body of work ranging from site-specific installations to experimental projects that interpret data. In each project they are interested in the abilities of how light and color can be utilized to shift perception and enhance experience. http://luftwerk.net/

Normal is a multi-disciplinary graphic design practice based in Chicago. Normal believes thoughtful design and collaboration strengthens our collective knowledge and defines new ways of seeing, communicating and experiencing the world. Normal is Renata Graw, Tim Curley & Noël Morical. https://thenormalstudio.com/

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At Home: Ephemeral Monuments to Public Housing Residents

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Home can mean many things to many people. It’s the place where you rest your head, the table where you eat family meals, it’s the place where we have difficult conversations, painful experiences, and joyous celebrations. These memories are the ordinary, everyday activities that make up life At Home.

At Home is a projection installation, which acts as an ephemeral monument for the everyday lives and stories of public housing residents.

Do monuments matter? Must they be forever carved in granite and steel? Who is worthy of monumentalization and who gets to decide?

At Home is an artistic attempt to address some of these questions through projections that will begin in Chicago at the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes and future home of the National Public Housing Museum. Stories are being collected and added to the At Home collection, and future versions of the monument with different stories will travel all over the United States at sites of significance to those who live or have lived in public housing.

On view

The pilot monument will be on view October 7-10 (7-9pm) at 1322 W Taylor Street (Chicago). Come witness the first iteration of At Home from the street or sidewalk during the allotted viewing times. Social distancing and masks are required.

On October 7 (7-9pm) follow NPHM (@the_nphm) on Instagram to view the monument from home.

Livestream

On October 8 (7-8pm) join NPHM on YouTube for an interactive virtual conversation with some of the artists, historians, and storytellers who contributed to this monument and to learn how public housing residents can get involved.

EVENTBRITE

Do you live in public housing? Have you ever lived in public housing?

Short 3-sentence stories will continue to be collected and added to an online database. Submissions will be collected through the project website: www.athomemonument.org. Visitors to the website will be able to see documentation of the projection installation(s) and the collection of narratives as text.


Listed., Chicago Architecture Biennial 2019

Chicago Architecture Biennial opening featuring artists (seated, left to right): Jeff Kowalkowski, Malose Malahlela, and Jim Duignan

Chicago Architecture Biennial opening featuring artists (seated, left to right): Jeff Kowalkowski, Malose Malahlela, and Jim Duignan

Listed. is a built sound environment that shares hidden memories and collective experiences and their disappearances. Listed. is a collaboration between Malose Malahlela of Johannesburg’s Keleketla! Library and Jim Duignan and Jeff Kowalkowski of Chicago’s Stockyard Institute at the National Public Housing Museum’s future home on Taylor Street. Malahlela’s work addresses issues of heritage and the harm of exclusionary narratives. Come and explore a space where multiple stories and narratives can coexist, not at each others expense, but instead to each others benefit -- including yours.


Undesign the Redline

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The National Public Housing Museum hosted an important interactive exhibit connecting the intentional and systematic racial housing segregation of the 1930s to political and social issues of the time. Guests explored the history of housing discrimination and activism through the powerful narratives of the people and communities affected by redlining and its legacy.

The exhibition was presented by Enterprise Community Partners, Designing the WE, and Elevated Chicago.

A collection of the only known color photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King and the Chicago Freedom Movement, taken by Bernard Kleina during King’s visit to Chicago in 1966 and an installation by Celestia Morgan that explores the histories of racially-based housing discrimination exemplified in Birmingham, Alabama were also featured in the exhibition.


History Lessons: Everyday Objects from Chicago Public Housing

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History Lessons: Everyday Objects from Chicago Public Housing was an exhibition that featured ordinary objects from public housing residents that told extraordinary stories. The exhibition also featured labels written by residents themselves in workshops with poet Nate Marshall, author Audrey Petty, and curator Richard Cahan.

The exhibit ran from May 30th through July 30th, 2018.


Housing As A Human Right: Social Construction

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Women's Rights Are Human Rights

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House Housing & We, Next Door

House Housing, produced by the Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture at NYC's Columbia University encourages robust public conversation about the intersection of architecture and housing with real estate market forces. We, Next Door re…

House Housing, produced by the Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture at NYC's Columbia University encourages robust public conversation about the intersection of architecture and housing with real estate market forces. We, Next Door responds creatively to House Housing through the lens of NPHM's Youth Advisory Council teens, all current residents of public housing and their lived experience in Chicago. Together NPHM and Buell host House Housing with a response by We, Next Door as official program partners of the Chicago Architecture Biennial.

Installation view of House Housing, courtesy of Rich Cahan.

Installation view of House Housing, courtesy of Rich Cahan.

View of We, Next Door exhibition response by NPHM Youth Advisory Council.

View of We, Next Door exhibition response by NPHM Youth Advisory Council.


Collection, Building, Action.

Explore the stories behind NPHM's building site, the last structure standing of the historic Jane Addams Homes. Learn how the activism that led to this building's preservation connects to NPHM's story, history and object collections. Engage in the w…

Explore the stories behind NPHM's building site, the last structure standing of the historic Jane Addams Homes. Learn how the activism that led to this building's preservation connects to NPHM's story, history and object collections. Engage in the ways NPHM embodies the spirit of the public good as Collection, Building, Action. documents our work since 2007 to transform the "ruins" of 1322 Taylor Street into an innovative and impactful cultural common ground.

Collection, Building, Action. Installation view, courtesy Rich Cahan.

Collection, Building, Action. Installation view, courtesy Rich Cahan.


NPHM'S Chicago Architecture Biennial Exhibition

Collection, Building, Action. Photo courtesy Liz Chilsen.

Collection, Building, Action. Photo courtesy Liz Chilsen.


Reimagining Public Housing: Beyond the Bricks and Mortar

In October 2013 we joined the Ford Foundation in New York City for a symposium called "Reimagining Public Housing: Beyond the Bricks and Mortar." This interactive conversation featured the experiences and visions of current and former public housing residents, urban leaders, and policymakers from around the country.


History Coming Home

In 2010 “History Coming Home", our exhibit about home and shelter, triumph and resilience, inclusion and isolation, security and opportunity, opened at the Chicago Tourism Center Gallery. The exhibit revealed public policies, oral histories and artifacts from public housing in cities from Chicago to Boston, from New Orleans to Sacramento. Visitors were able to view artifacts donated from former public housing residents including Boy Scout paraphernalia of former Ohio Congressman Louis and a desk from Sunny Fischer, Executive Director of the Richard H. Driehaus. Visitors also learned of local public housing luminaries like Chicago’s Restaurateur Dick Portillo, NBA guard Tony Allen, Senator Mattie Hunter and Pianist Reginald Robinson and national luminaries including Lloyd Blankfein, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and President Jimmy Carter. The story of public housing is complex, but it starts with a simple truth- that all people need a home.