Chicago And Detroit, Talking It Out Via Video

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 8, 2011 8:30PM

The two capitals of the Midwest. The epicenters of Rust Belt productivity. Two of the grandest final stops of the great migration. Focal nodes of 20th century musical heritage. Partisans in the sorts of impassioned sports rivalries that can only come from a fraternal intimacy. Since 1825, when the U.S. government ordered a road connecting Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit and Fort Dearborn, Chicago and Detroit have been connected by a lot more than mere geography. But what do the cities have to tell one another now?

The film exhibition Tale of 2 Cities: Chicago + Detroit aims to collapse the stretch of I-94 which separates the two great cities and get them into dialogue. Opening tonight at Chicago Urban Art Society and simultaneously in Detroit, currator Abbéy Odunlami has brought goether six filmmakers from each metropolis to contribute video installations whose subject matter and presentation intend to be a immerse visitors in a conversation between the cities.

The filmmakers on the Chicago roster include renowned experimental filmmaker Tom Palazzollo, Cabrini documentarian Ronit Bezalel, Carmine Cervi, James Gallant & Vern Cummins, Todd Lillethun and Sree Nallamothu. Filling out the Detroit side of the ledger will be Bill Brown, Jack Cronin, Orlando Ford, Oren Goldberg, Nicole Macdonald, Brandon Walley.

The opening reception for Tale of 2 Cities: Chicago + Detroit is tonight starting at 6 p.m. at Chicago Urban Arts Society, 2229 South Halsted Street. Take a sneak peek of the exhibition on their site right now.