An interview conducted in Japanese and translated into English by Kyoko Yoshida, Director, U.S./Japan Cultural Trade Network of Arts Midwest on behalf of Pomegranate Arts for the 12-City North American tour of __Kagemi. © Yoshida: All rights reserved Yoshida: Sankai Juku was founded in 1975, more than 30 years ago. For all these years, you have consistently created new works and toured extensively…

In September, as Marshall Field’s becomes Macy’s, the company reintroduces its corporate giving program as Macy’s Gives. While the store’s name changes and its green stripes become a chic new red star, Macy’s corporate giving philosophy will remain deeply rooted in diversity and inclusiveness, and it will continue Marshall Field’s long history of supporting the arts and cultural organizations such…

Headlining the 30th anniversary of Summer Music & Movies, Duluth’s Low is fronted by singer/guitarist Alan Sparhawk. He’s also a father of two (married to Low drummer/singer Mimi Parker) and runs the indie record label Chairkickers Union. Sparhawk took time recently to answer some of life’s most—and possibly least—pressing questions. Who is your favorite villain of fiction? The shark in Jaws. Relentless…

Time, as the saying goes, is of the essence, especially when it comes to Elevator Repair Service’s theatrical production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. But unlike traditional adaptations of Gatsby, which pay painstaking attention to the historical authenticity of flapper dresses and Rolls Royces, their GATZ instead focuses on another aspect of time—how long it takes to read every word of…

The artist recently took a moment to answer some of life’s most—and possibly least—pressing questions. What’s your most vivid memory from childhood? Receiving a metal motorboat made out of military meal cans, bought on a street somewhere in Korea; a gift from my father, returning from that war. If you could ask one question to every person on Earth, what would it be? Is joyfulness unbecoming? What is…

In 1995, artist/choreographer Ralph Lemon embarked on a 10-year odyssey of quest and discovery that resulted in the Geography Trilogy, a synergy of anthropology and history with movement, sound, and art. The Trilogy was a profound self-examination and a remarkably sustained inquiry into the social gravities of race and identity at the turn of the 21st century. During the process, the artist developed…

During times of national or global urgency, artists become bellwethers—many redirecting their energies in an attempt to respond to, or at least make sense of, political and social upheaval. From dancer Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker’s recent solo work Once, a stirring examination of American militarism set to the Vietnam-era music of Joan Baez, to theater artist Richard Maxwell’s rumination on today’s…

Punk drummer, producer, guitarist, artist, activist, comic-strip illustrator—British-born Chicago resident Jon Langford is a prolific creator. In his latest multimedia endeavor, he addresses the moral and political issues surrounding the death penalty. Taking time out of his busy schedule, Langford recently answered some of life’s most—or possibly, least—pressing questions. Describe a recent dream you…