PROJECT chicaGO: the Poetry Foundation
“Chicago’s Little Black Dress”
Hi there. My name is Joanne Yj Kim and I’m a Chicagoan-in-progress, meaning I lived in the suburbs of Chicago for four years and now I’ve been officially living in the city for the last 7 months. I’m an arts journalist/grad student. I’m still getting a hang on Medium — it feels pretty weird for me to write so casually apart from all the academic and journalistic writings I do mainly. I think it’ll give me some breather. All that to say, I’m pumped ;)
PROJECT chicaGO
I will be reviewing places in Chicago that I think is worthwhile for you to check out. I’ve found many delightful places in the city so far and I know there are countless of more to be explored. FYI, I’m an introvert who’s conflicted because I often like spending time with people a bit too much for my introvert-ness can deal with. That being said, I go after places with good food, coffee, art, among others. I enjoy bookstores and walks on the streets. The places I introduce here will heavily reflect these tendencies/taste/personality/likings of mine. The reviews will keep a record of places that I think are good for the soul — locations I want to visit again, spots I do visit often, and/or hidden gems I think not many Chicagoans are familiar with. They’ll be good suggestions to where you may take your friend who’s visiting from out of town. Or simply, places you can just go on your own to check out (no shame, introverts). Every post will have its own angle to how I’ll be reviewing/commending/praising about the place. Some will focus on its architecture, while others might focus on the kind of people you can meet or the food you can get. I hope you have fun reading my gibberish on chicaGO!
*DISCLAIMER: I am writing these posts as part of my grad school work. In other words, yes, it’s homework. I know… But, that being said, you can be assured to check out weekly posts.
THE POETRY FOUNDATION
The beginning of the Poetry Foundation traces way back to 1912, when Harriet Monroe founded Poetry magazine in Chicago, a monthly publication that “print the best poetry written today, in whatever style, genre, or approach.” The Poetry Foundation became the name of the publisher of Poetry magazine, which still runs today after 100+ years. The publication has been an outlet for up and coming American poets. It carries out a remarkable reputation and legacy for publishing first poems of T. S. Elliot, Ezra Pound, and Carl Sandburg among many other distinguished poets.
Just. look. at. her/the building! Isn’t she stunning? They say Harriet Monroe dreamed to have a space in Chicago to celebrate the art of poetry for a long time. The space is her dream come true, a manifestation of her posthumous legacy and love for the art of poetry that still breaths in Chicago. I want to think this is Chicago’s little black dress.
The building opened in 2011 and was designed by the Chicago firm John Ronan Architects. Ronan designed the space in a way the visitors can feel like they are in yet at the same time away from the city when they enter Poetry Foundation. He did so by emphasizing the visibility of the garden from all spaces inside the building and also by creating the facade that looks black from the outside but looks transparent from the inside. You know the faux blinds? It kind of feels like the way faux blinds work is similar to how the architecture works to create a play on transparency.
Everything looks calm and gentle under lots of good lighting when you are indoors. If you want to hear Ronan talk about his thoughts behind the design in his own words, check out this Youtube video.
The Poetry Foundation doesn’t just look good, but does good. The library showcases collection of 30,000 volumes, and it’s open to the general public to browse through as many as they want. The foundation often host poetry readings (“The Open Door Readings” and “Poetry off the Shelf”), bringing in excellent contemporary poets — I was bummed to miss Joyce Carol Oats’ reading last fall. Not to mention, the Poetry magazine’s seasonal parties are just such a treat. Poetry reading, live music, fellow art-lovers, and wine inside a stunning building? I mean, YES. Plus, the parties are held in the evening and the building by far looks even more elegant at night time.
Ta-daaaaaa! Thus was the first chicaGO post. Readers, thanks for reading. I will catch you next week with another post. BYE.
Poetry Foundation
61 W Superior St, Chicago, IL
