Pilsen Arts & Community House is honored to present selected works of the Chicago Facades series by the late Inara Cedrins (1952 - 2015).
Inara was a first-generation Latvian born in Chicago in 1952. She truly was a multifaceted creative woman as a Poet, Writer, Translator, Teacher and Artist. She explored many mediums as a visual artist learning hands on through her worldwide travels. In this collection of “Chicago Facades” she focused on both iconic and neighborhood architecture throughout the city. They illustrate the depth of what a Chicago native cannot put into words. She also wrote a number of prose and stories for some of the pieces which served as a narration of the Chicago experience and essence left through these places we recognize as home.
The Chicago Facades collection was created during her residency at the Merchandise Mart awarded by the Chicago Artists Coalition in 2010. The works in this exhibition are selected pieces from a larger collection of prints, artist proofs, and varied linoleum block prints that were generously donated to Pilsen Arts & Community House. As we explored her work that were part of past series such as the Dolce Vita, Statements, and Architectural Ornaments, the Chicago Facades was the most prominent. As we learned more about who she was and her love to learn new mediums, we found that Pilsen’s beloved Carlos Cortez was an influence on her linocut printmaking as well. The ties to this creative community are broad and wide. We are honored to present this exhibition as a tribute to Inara Cedrins by revisiting Chicago through her eyes in these facades. Her printmaking was a medium learned and practiced later in life and with this exhibition we also aim to influence other womxn of all ages to learn this timeless artform.
All sales from this exhibition will fund programming and classes focused on printmaking at PACH, Spring, 2022.
