The Love Language programs kicks off the summer season and will be projected on the Mart each throughout the month of June.
"Love Language is created in celebration of community of the values of joy and love and how art is how a love language and how we connect with each other which is so needed right now," said Cynthia Noble, Executive Director, Art on the Mart.
Noble says the program transforms The Mart’s 2.5-acre facade into a larger-than-life canvas of human connection and color in honor of Pride Month.
Since its debut in 2018, there have been more than 100 projections presented. Art on the Mart presents 6-12 programs a year.
"Looking back to 2018, it was such a highlight. We had 32,000 people come to see the four projections which were part of that inaugural group show. It was a moment of great tension in Chicago. It was the week of the verdict in the case of Jason Van Dyke, the police officer who was convicted of second degree murder. The racial tensions were very high in the city. At one point, I came from the Riverwalk up to LaSalle and saw the sea of people and it was a moment where I knew the power of art. People wanted to come to together around art and in a sense of solidarity and community and it was amazing," she recalled.
The Love Language program at Art on the Mart
Lisa Fielding/WBBM Newsradio
The facade of the The Mart is the projection surface. The 34 box projectors are installed across the river. They cast over a million lumens onto this facade which is a 2 1/2 acre face which is larger than 2 American football fields.
"It's not only bright but it's huge and really creates a sense of the sublime in the middle of our bustling city." she smiled.
"Our program has been so diverse intentionally. We want it to reflect the global position of Chicago. We want to show the world the emerging artists here and we also want to bring internationally known artists that bring that conversation from other places to Chicago. It's been a wonderful exchange." said Noble.
The digital art program is projected on the south side of the Merchandise Mart each evening at 9p. The free, 30-minute show is best viewed from the Jetty section of the Chicago Riverwalk, between Wells Street and Franklin Street. For more information about upcoming programs, click here.
The Art on the Mart program on the Merchandise Mart, vantage point from the Clark Street Bridge, looking West along the Chicago River
Lisa Fielding/WBBM Newsradio
