CHICAGO—The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago is excited to announce its 2024 iteration of 21Minus, themed Love & Liberation, which will take place on June 15, 2024, from 1–6 pm. During 21Minus, museum admission is free for people ages 21 and under and their families.
“For over a decade, this art festival has empowered youth,” Lead Artist Miguel Limon said. “This year’s 21Minus, inspired by exhibitions such as Nicole Eisenman’s What Happened and Arthur Jafa’s work, reflects the teens’ needs, activating the MCA with their voices.”
A celebration of creativity curated by Chicago teens for Chicago teens, 21Minus is an annual takeover of the MCA that showcases performances, workshops, art installations, film screenings, and more. Organized by the MCA’s Teen Creative Agency (TCA), 21Minus invites visitors to engage with the museum and others in unexpected, exciting ways.
This year, participating youth artists will display work that considers different forms of love and care, and their impact. Visitors will be invited to explore art made by young people on all levels of the museum, watch performances, participate in giveaways of TCA merchandise, and engage in various art making activities including a photobooth, button making and paper weaving. Health-related resources provided by Lurie’s Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine and Asian Health Collective will also be available for families.
“The Teen Creative Agency has curated an exhibition inspired by feminist writer and thinker bell hooks. Urgently, the teens tell us that love and domination cannot co-exist, and that ensuring the freedom and dignity of all people is a joyous project that we are all invited to take part in,” said Lead Artist Olive Stefanski.
“As a former member of the Teen Creative Agency and participant in 21Minus, I am grateful that the MCA offers space and resources for young artists to express their ideas and artistic responses to contemporary issues,” said TCA Apprentice Ari Karafiol. “Cultural institutions must take the voices and perspectives of young people seriously to remain culturally responsive and responsible to their communities.”
The Teen Creative Agency is the Museum of Contemporary Art’s cultural leadership program for teens ages 15–19 years old. TCA members come together from all over the Chicago area to gain access to artistic resources and transform the MCA into a place that builds community, namely through events like Zinefest and 21Minus.
21Minus is a one-day showcase curated and produced by TCA with support from Lead Artists Olive Stefanski and Miguel Limon, TCA Apprentice Ari Karafiol, and Ahmad Bracey, Manager of Youth and Schools.
For media inquiries, or to schedule live, on-site coverage, please contact the MCA media team no later than June 10, 2024.
PROGRAM
1st floor & Edlis Neeson Theater
- 1:30–1:45 pm: Dimensions by Kayla Gilmore
- 4:45–5 pm: My Wonderous Gifts: Shadow Puppet Play by Daniela Loza
- Marisol Restaurant
2nd floor
2D art displays
- Crime of Passion by Amanda Giron
- Where She Stares by Sammi Caldera
- The Fool and The Tower by Maaha Webb
- Distress by Angela Lim
- Interwoven; Daydreams and Vulnerabilities by Indigo Field
- We Go On by Selah Payne
- Mind Eat Self Eat Mind Eat Me by Mac Rapach
3D art displays
- Old Hands, New Eyes by Amanda Smithivas
- Again by Charlotte Chilton
- Clowns by Olive Merrill
- SEAMLINES by Maggie Fan
- A Broken Record by Mimi Moore
- Embrace by Misa Yo
Installations
- Strands by Heaven Hill
- Absence of a Hug by Evelyn Hernandez
Performances
- 3–3:30 pm: Saw Dust Overdrive: Intuitive Audio, A Performance About Irene by Edana Lynch
- 3:45–4:00 pm: EVC Creations Fashion Show by Eliana Cano
Activities
- 2:30 and 4:30 pm: Giveaway of TCA merchandise
- 4:00—5:00 pm: Friendship Bracelet Workshop
- Free Button making
- Snacks
- Love & Liberation photobooth
- Gender-neutral bathrooms
3rd floor
- 1:30–2:15 pm: TCA Workshop: Shrinky Dinks
- 2:30–3:15 pm: Analog Meme-Poem-Collages: A Cyanotype Workshop by Emma Verano
- 3:30–4:15 pm: Intro to Paper Weaving Workshop by Hull-House Museum
- 4:30–5:15 pm: TCA Workshop: Letter Writing
- Gender-neutral bathrooms
4th floor (Community organizations and installations)
- Intro to Paper Weaving by Hull House Museum
- Resources from Lurie’s Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine
- Stories of Us by Asian Health Collective
Art installations:
- UR – PEACE FOR PROTEST by Guerrilla Art Collective at Curie HS
- UR PEACE IN PROTEST by Luzadale at SPACE/ARTivism
