Articles of Faith, Works of Art

By Lauri Apple in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 17, 2009 5:00PM

If one could place the many different types of American churches on a graph, you'd end up with the suburban Jesus Christ SuperCenters at one end, with their food courts and corporate office architectural influences; and at the other end, human-scale, unpretentious places like the African-American storefront churches profiled by Chicago photographer and teacher Dave Jordano.
Articles of Faith, an exhibit of Jordano's color photographs currently on display at the Chicago Cultural Center, focuses on the interiors and select patrons of some of these churches while raising questions about the ideas of private vs. public space and what it means to "belong" to a place. No Starbucks or mechanized holy water dispensers in any of Jordano's shots: Instead, you'll find walls covered with photos of church patrons and their families, and personal touches -- a well-worn "prophet rug," a hand-made sign blessing all visitors -- underscoring the very private nature of these otherwise public meeting places and community gathering spaces.

Jordano has assembled a book of his church photos, and will be on hand at the Cultural Center Friday, April 17 -- that's this evening -- for a book signing and opening reception. 5:30-8 p.m. 78 E. Washington St. Articles of Faith will be on display in the Michigan Avenue Galleries until June 28.