Hagia Sophia | Gwendolyn Zabicki

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Closing Reception: Saturday, April 17th, 6 to 9pm

Open by appointment: April 11th to April 17th
Hours: By appointment. Contact us at spokechicago(at)gmail.com or gwensmail(at)gmail.com 

The Hagia Sophia Basilica in Istanbul, Turkey is famous for its history, beautiful dome, and the mystical quality of light that reflects inside of it. Built in 330AD, it withstood no fewer than 17 sieges between the time it was founded and 1204 when it finally fell to the Christians of the west (the Normans). In its long history, the Hagia Sophia has been home to Pagans, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, and is currently preserved as a museum.

Saturday, April 17th from 6 to 9pm, Spoke will be home to a miniature version of the Hagia Sophia. Complete with gold dome, marble floors, and 168 windows, this recreation is just big enough to seat one adult inside. Come hear about its colorful history, and enjoy the warm golden light of seasonal affective disorder therapeutic lamps housed inside its walls.

This project is supported by a Community Arts Assistance Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Read about Waiting Room

Check out the NEW CITY Article about Stephanie Nadeau's Performance Waiting Room.

Also, we hope to see you there for one day only on Saturday, March 27th.

Addition:  Also read the preview at Bad at Sports!

Waiting Room | Stephanie Nadeau

ONE DAY ONLY!

Saturday, March 27th, 2010

Hours of Operation: 12-8pm

Presented by Stephanie Nadeau, hosted by Spoke, and back by popular demand, Waiting Room invites you to come spend your time. Our mission is to allow you to contribute your time comfortably and productively while remaining completely idle. Wait for as little or as long as you like, it’s entirely up to you. Stop by anytime for your free timecard and we’ll get you started on a rewarding and enjoyable waiting experience. We look forward to seeing you!

 Join Waiting Room on Facebook

Waiting Room is a performance that operates much like a place of business. On March 27th, from 12-8pm, Spoke will be transformed into a waiting room, complete with comfy chairs, a variety of reading material, and soothing music. A camera will monitor the room, automatically capturing digital stills at regular intervals.

As a participant, you will be asked to sign and stamp a timecard, and we’ll set a timer for your desired wait time. This can be as short or as long as you like, minutes or hours*. Then relax and enjoy an aimless span of time. An attendant will call your name when your wait is over, and you’ll again be asked to stamp your time card to conclude the experience.

The images and minutes collected during the performance will be used as documents of the event, and presented together as a monument to moments lost in waiting. Nadeau is interested in how these performed instances of waiting function within the larger narrative of the mechanics of time, as well as how they engage the politics of production, and offer a new valuation of idle time.

*Refreshments will be made available to anyone wishing to wait for an hour or more.