Refinery29 launches the popular NY, SF, and LA event, 29Rooms, in Chicago! The interactive art festival is FUN, beautiful, intentional, and all the more meaningful with what’s happening in our world today. Here’s to keeping our fingers crossed that this exhibition will be back again next year! It’s only for 4 days so don’t wait and grab your tickets now!
DATES: Thursday, July 26 – Sunday, July 29
TIME: 11:00am to 10:00pm
LOCATION: 1522 W Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL
General Admission ticket guarantees access for one three-hour session
Rooms part of the “Turn it Into Art” New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco exhibitions debuting in Chicago include:
ART HEALS In Collaboration with The Art of Elysium: This room will arm each guest with their own paintbrush and palette to add their individual contribution to a living installation that celebrates hope and highlights the healing power of art, created in collaboration withThe Art of Elysium, the non-profit artist driven organization dedicated to creativity and inspiration.
BECOME THE MASTERPIECE In Collaboration withAlexa Meade:In this double room featuring two contrasting artistic styles both painted byAlexa Meade, the walls are the canvas and the guests are the masterpiece. Grab a prop and get into character while channeling your inner muse. You’ll become part of the scene as you turn yourself into art.
BRIGHT FUTUREIn Collaboration with Planned Parenthood: This large-scale installation shines its bright neon lights on the importance of providing quality healthcare and accurate information to everyone — no matter who they are or where they live. Listen to the stories of those who’ve been touched by Planned Parenthood and pledge your support for the millions of people who the organization could continue to help.
COSMORAMARAMA In Collaboration With Wesley Allsbrook and HANDS:Step into a landscape imagined, drawn and animated in virtual reality in collaboration with San Francisco artist Wesley Allsbrook and HANDS. Press your face against a phantasmagorical picture window looking out on a world that does not exist. Peer into 100 megabytes of perishing paradise. A collection of panoramic perspectives that make up a geographically transcendent environment is known as a cosmorama. This is Cosmoramarama.
DREAMER’S DEN In Collaboration with Juno Calypso and Darby Walker:Enter this surreal speakeasy, grab a seat, and watch as this fiery and ethereal sirenDarby Walkerturns your thoughts into art. Surrounded by the imagery of British artistJuno Calypso, guests are welcomed into an interactive space featuring live singing fromParker, who will turn the dreams guests share into a song on the spot.
EROTICA IN BLOOM In Collaboration with Maisie Cousins:Inside this multi-sensory experience, artistMaisie Cousins blurs the lines between sex, art, and nature. Inspired by the age old sexual symbolism of flowers, guests will step inside life-sized pods for a provocative and playful thrill ride featuring custom content that engages all the senses.
THE FUTURE IS FEMALE In Collaboration with Madame Gandhi and Jen Mussari:Take out your frustrations on hand painted punching bags by illustratorJen Mussari. Fit with punching gloves and surrounded by the pumping sounds of the powerful single, “The Future Is Female” by electronic music artistMadame Gandhi, guests will create a beautiful stress-free symphony together.
GENDER NEUTRAL In Collaboration with Jill Soloway’sTopple: Recreating the refuge and familiar sanctity of a high school bathroom, this space invites guests to listen to first-person stories on their own of the first awareness of gender identity from Roberta Colindrez, Rhys Ernst, Alexandra Grey, Amos Mac, Bashir Naim, and Pigeon Pagonis. Created in collaboration with Emmy-winning director and creative forceJill Soloway and artist Xavier Schipani, the intimate space lets attendees share in these highly personal moments of self-discovery.
HARMONY In Collaboration with Chloe x Halle and Benjamin Shine: This sound and visual installation is a collaboration between British artist and designerBenjamin Shineand sisters and recording artists Chloe x Halle. Exploring the many intertwining layers that make up the bond of sisterhood, the space celebrates the duality of the physical and spiritual connection and the beauty of energies uniting.
HEAR OUR VOICE In Collaboration with Women’s March:Capturing the potent spirit of activism from the Women’s March, this space takes you back to that historic moment, asking you to channel your creativity to unite and use the power of our collective voices. Surrounded by the artwork created in collaboration with Refinery29 as well as work by Amplifier, guests can write a message to their national representative and continue to push that revolutionary energy forward.
JUST BE In Collaboration with Ashlee Haze, Jonathan Rosenand Wallplay: In collaboration with spoken word artistAshlee Haze, artist Jonathan Rosen and Wallplay, this space will surround guests with the words of Haze, while Rosen’s interactive mirror allows them to reflect and celebrate different aspects of their bodies without limit or judgment.
LOVE IS LOVE In Collaboration with Kate Moross: 29Rooms brings back the popular 2016 exhibition which celebrates pride and LGBTQIA+ love. Guests will be encouraged to join under a neon rainbow installation with Love Wins typography by artist Kate Moross. Each stripe of the rainbow flag is powered by a universal message, showing that love is love and you should always love yourself — and whomever else you desire.
MOVE AND BE MOVED In Collaboration with Lizzo:Both an intimate and collective experience all at once, be in your own head while feeding off the energy of attendees’ togetherness. Set to the pumping music of rapper-singerLizzo, we invite you to escape from it all for a short while, throw on some headphones, hit the dance floor and join us in this silent disco.
OCEAN OF CREATIVITY In Collaboration with Jee Young Lee:Courageous creativity is our biggest ally as we venture out into the world and hit the high seas. With the wind at our backs, we set sail on the open waters of potential, knowing no matter where we anchor ourselves our possibilities are limitless. Reflect on your own journey as you enter this ocean of creativity crafted entirely from salvaged materials, and welcome the unknown.
THE POWER PARLOR In Collaboration with Demi Lovato: We all have our own form of battle scars; a reminder of what we’ve overcome. Inspired by powerhouseDemi Lovato’s own tattoos that celebrate her resilience, step into this temporary tattoo parlor and turn your personal journey into art. Adorn yourself with a message of courage and self-confidence, and let your ink empower you to move forward in the face of any challenge.
SEEN & UNSEEN In Collaboration in JUCO:Though seemingly random, all things, seen and unseen, are connected. We are intrinsically linked to everything in the world around us, though we often can’t visualize the connections. Step into this space in collaboration with artistic duo JUCO, activate your aura and start to see the unseeable.
SHRED ITIn Collaboration with Jake Gyllenhaal:Through roadblocks and hurdles, challenges and setbacks, the true strength of the human spirit lies in our ability to persevere and overcome. Inspired by a universal message of resilience and renewal available to anyone, in this space, we invite you to take whatever is weighing you down, and turn it into art. Shred the past. Let it go, and come out stronger.
TALES WE TELL In Collaboration with Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss:A larger than life typewriter will set the scene in this space inspired byEmma Roberts and Karah Preiss’ Belletrist book community. Celebrating female authors and helping to keep the art of storytelling alive, you’ll be greeted by dozens of empty books that you can write in — whether crafting your own story or adding to someone else’s.
WHAT’S YOUR FREQUENCY? In Collaboration with Janelle Monáe:Through the weaponization of technology, mass surveillance, and cultural uniformity, many argue that modern society is waging an invisible war against us all. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we explore our own complex humanity, document injustice and fight for freedom. In this installation, step into the ranks of this surreal army of surveillance as you’re watched, recorded, and transmitted. Take creative control of their gaze, and turn your liberation into art.
THE WOMB In Collaboration with Cleo Wade: A fully immersive experience recreating the sensation of being inside a mother’s womb. Crawl into the giant enclosed bean bag, curl up, and soak in all the love while listening to a meditative poem written and recited by artist Cleo Wade. Replenish your love of self and others in this comfortable space so that you may re-enter the world with more love to give.