16 Aug documenting chicago movie palaces remains a top priority for 2017
for several years now, i’ve wanted to document chicago’s congress theater (1927). the opportunity finally arrived at the beginning of 2017, when a production company and the theater’s developers signed off on a contract, allowing me unabridged access to explore both the interior and exterior, while being chased around by a group of cameraman and sound guys. several months later, i’ve devoted a great deal of time documenting several other chicago-area theaters, where i’m finding objects left behind by tradesmen and moviegoers from the past. as of this writing, i’m deeply involved documenting the atmospheric avalon, completed in 1927 by architect john eberson. i hope to gain access to several more theaters in the coming months while i’m still locked in this seemingly unstoppable theater building obsession.
CHICAGO THEATER’S BALABAN & KATZ HIGHLY THEMATIC MASSIVE ART GLASS WINDOW
this experience has inspired me to revisit several theaters i documented and/or salvaged in the past, beginning with the nortown theater back in 2007. shortly thereafter, i found myself taking apart the lawndale theater (1927) before it was destroyed. in addition, i’ve written about several theater-related artifacts housed in the building 51 museum collection. last, i have been working on two books with the first see cover below), “lost and found,” nearly finished, while the second, detailing construction methods and materials of chicago movie palaces, is a work in progress.
access blog entries by clicking on the single image assemblages or “collages” located below.
HIGH NOON ENTERTAINMENT COLLABORATING WITH URBAN REMAINS ON DOCUMENTING THE DEATH OF BUILDINGS
THINGS CONGRESS THEATER’S PLASTER TRADESMEN LEFT BEHIND
MORE FORGOTTEN OBJECTS LEFT BEHIND BY CONGRESS THEATER’S UNION TRADESMEN IDENTIFIED AND DOCUMENTED
DEPRESSION-ERA CANDY BOXES DISCOVERED BENEATH CONGRESS THEATER’S BALCONY SEATS
PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF CONGRESS THEATER’S ORNAMENTAL TERRA COTTA FACADE
MORE ARTIFACTS RECOVERED FROM CONGRESS THEATER’S PLENUM DUCT WORK AND PLASTER-COVERED “IRON TENT”
PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF TRADESMEN REMNANTS, DISCOVERED IN AND AROUND CONGRESS THEATER’S PLASTER DOME
PHOTOGRAPHING CONGRESS THEATER’S VESTIBULE AND LOBBY FIXTURES DURING THE “GOLDEN HOUR”
FINDING FORGOTTEN OBJECTS IN CONGRESS THEATER’S CRAWLSPACES AND PLENUM CHAMBERS
DETAILED PHOTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF CONGRESS THEATER’S INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SURFACES, PART ONE
PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF CONGRESS THEATER’S LOBBY VICTOR PEARLMAN CHANDELIERS
UNCOVERING THE 1920’S BOOT OF A THEATER TRADESMAN IN THE CONGRESS THEATER ATTIC
BLDG. 51 MUSEUM COLLABORATES WITH DECORATORS SUPPLY COMPANY IN MAKING LIMITED EDITION OF RECAST AUDITORIUM THEATER PROSCENIUM VAULT VENTILATION DOMES
SULLIVAN-DESIGNED AUDITORIUM THEATER PROSCENIUM VAULT DOMES NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH BLDG. 51 MUSEUM
ORNAMENTAL TERRA COTTA PANEL FROM RAPP & RAPP’S SOUTHTOWN NON-EXTANT THEATER JOINS BLDG. 51 MUSEUM AMERICAN BUILDING ARTIFACT COLLECTION
HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT SCHILLER BUILDING PROSCENIUM VAULT “STAR-POD” JOINS BLDG. 51 MUSEUM COLLECTION
AN INTIMATE LOOK AT DETROIT’S LOST MAYAN REVIVAL STYLE FISHER THEATER THROUGH NEWLY DISCOVERED PHOTOGRAPHS
BLDG. 51 MUSEUM ACQUIRES “LOST” RECORDS OF ARCHITECTURAL FIRM GRAVEN AND MAYGER
GRANADA THEATER LIVES ON THROUGH FRAGMENTS RESCUED DURING ITS DEMOLITION
LOOKING BACK AT THE DOCUMENTATION AND DECONSTRUCTION OF THE NORTOWN THEATER A DECADE LATER
ARCHITECTURAL DECORATING COMPANY OUTFITTED MANY OF CHICAGO’S MAJESTIC THEATERS WITH PLASTER ORNAMENT
IMAGES OF A FORGOTTEN EARLY 20TH CENTURY NICKELODEON TAKEN DURING ITS TRANSFORMATION
PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF UPTOWN THEATER’S ORNAMENTAL TERRA COTTA FACADE
CENTRAL PARK THEATER’S ORNAMENTAL EXTERIOR ILLUMINATED BY HUB ELECTRIC’S BARE BULB SOCKET SYSTEM
A RARE GLIMPSE INSIDE RAPP AND RAPP’S CENTRAL PARK THEATER, CHICAGO’S OLDEST EXTANT MOVIE PALACE
UNCOVERING THE PAST AT CHICAGO’S ROARING TWENTIES ATMOSPHERIC PATIO THEATER
FORGOTTEN OBJECTS REDISCOVERED: WHAT THE PATIO THEATER’S TRADESMEN LEFT BEHIND
DOCUMENTING PORTAGE THEATER’S PORTALS TO THE PAST
DOCUMENTING CICERO’S HISTORIC OLYMPIC THEATER (1927) CUT SHORT BY HEAT EXHAUSTION
WHAT TRADESMEN LEFT BEHIND IN THE ATTIC OF JOHN EBERSON’S 1927 PERSIAN ATMOSPHERIC REGAL THEATER