CHICAGO LIGHTS By Abigail Zoe Martin
Hana Pietri, in association with Agency H5 is proud to present Chicago Lights, an audio and visual portrait of 81 Chicagoans by English photographer Abigail Zoe Martin. This exhibition presents a wide-ranging group of characters who contribute to the immense diversity, richness and originality of Chicago’s landscape. Each person was nominated by those previously photographed, chose their own shoot setting and
shared truths about themselves in raw and unrehearsed interviews.
Chicago Lights gives voice to both notable and unknown individuals throughout the city, providing a platform for intimate, free expression through pose and words. The combination of image and sound delivers transformative experiences that create heartfelt connections between the viewer and subject.
Chicago Lights reminds us that art has the power to help us better understand one another and build positive, long-lasting relations that contribute to a kinder world.
Chicago Lights made its debut at the Zhou B Art Center in Chicago.
The exhibition ran from November 18th to January 8, 2019 welcoming over 1,000 people at the opening.
ABOUT
Born in London, Abigail Zoe Martin has been taking photographs since she was first handed a vintage camera by her father in her teens. Her passion for photography grew when she studied at Miami University for a year in the 90s. After finishing her degree, she assisted art directors and photographers, eventually getting sponsorship for her exhibition "I Must Dance!" in 2002 at The Coningsby Gallery in London. The exhibition launched her career and was covered in Tatler and Time Out as well as on the radio. Since then her work has been published in a wide variety of magazines including Red, Tatler, Easy Living, Psychologies, Schon! Magazine, The Gloss and The Times, amongst others. In 2013 a selection of Martin’s images of BBC Radio 4 Presenters were exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery and are now part of their permanent collection. In 2015 Martin moved to Chicago, where she currently lives and blogs about her journey, leading to Chicago Lights.
WORD FROM THE ARTIST
“I arrived in Chicago in August 2015 from London via Madrid with my husband, our two children, our dog and whatever worldly possessions we could take. With all our life’s belongings on a ship somewhere in the Atlantic, my kids immersed in their new school and my husband in his new job, I felt profoundly displaced.
Our arrival coincided with the election and I found myself craving kindness and authentic connections. This led to my project, which was born out of a desire to find compassionate Chicagoans from all walks of life and highlight our shared humanity. My journey led me, sometimes by chance, to a wonderfully diverse and eclectic range of people, each threaded together by integrity and a sparkling inner light.
My subjects shared their open and unfiltered stories with me, which I have carefully curated for this show. I explored the City through them and the magic of each inspiring encounter lifted my heart and opened my eyes to a world of endless possibilities”.
THE EXHIBITION
The Chicago Lights Exhibition includes:
The Chicago Lights Exhibition made its world debut at the Zhou B Art Center in Chicago. The exhibition ran from November 18, 2018 to January 8, 2018.
Chicago Lights was published into a beautiful coffee table book.
81 portraits of different sizes, framed.
Each portrait has a caption with a barcode visitors can scan to listen to one minute of the conversation Martin had with that person. All the interviews can be heard on SoundCloud.
The texts introduce the project, include a word from the artist, the artist's biography and a "how to" experience the interactive exhibition.
81 portraits of different sizes, framed.
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