UIC Gallery 400 40th anniversary

Open 24 Hours prompts visitors to consider the nature of urban space, cross-cultural dynamics, the legacy of colonialism, and personal responsibility. The installation highlights our discarded culture through the presentation of liquor bottles collected in her East Garfield Park neighborhood. Reintroducing them to society calls upon their historic value and appeals to public reflection. The display formats are inspired by formal aspects of art, like still lifes,  grocery stores layouts, and advertising, all forms recognizable to viewers.

Edra Soto is a Puerto Rican-born artist, curator, educator, and co-director of the outdoor project space, The Franklin. Growing up in Puerto Rico, and now immersed in her Chicago community, Soto’s work has evolved to raise questions about constructed social orders, diasporic identity, and the legacy of colonialism. UIC Gallery 400 commissioned and presented Soto’s solo exhibition Documentation 2004: A Year in Review in 2005.