Meeting people face to face in a public setting will never lose its appeal. Those public settings were comprised of fraternal orders, churches and dive bars that once ruled the Ukrainian Village. But with new construction displacing old haunts, there are fewer and fewer places that remind residents of the off-beat community from which they reside.
Those dive bars are becoming extinct as establishments cater to a new demographic where trendy cocktails and amenities like giant TVs, WiFi and blaring music are the order of the day.
But there’s a little ray of hope within a small bar inside the unlikeliest of places — a supermarket. Without fanfare, that giant Chicago Avenue grocer opened a quaint six-seat bar in April 2018. In the past year, it’s begotten a community that includes teachers, artists, DJs, young professionals and seasoned craftspeople. These are people seeking a gathering place as their community transforms and who may need to do a bit of shopping as well.
These photos represent about 30 members of that budding community, capturing the acquaintances the artist made when visiting this tiny watering hole. For some, this was their first proper photo shoot. For others, the photo shoot reconnected old friends from the neighborhood. The shoot took place over four days at the Bridgeport Art Center. Complete with provisions to maintain the spirit of the bar. The studio transformed itself into a gathering place in its own right. The actual photo sessions were brief but many chose to hang out and enjoy the social aspect of the project.
The goal was to capture camaraderie, a vital ingredient that binds people and neighborhoods together. But in recent times, this quality has been taken for granted. These images serve as a sharp reminder of what made this neighborhood special, proving that these unique connections can and will endure.
This exhibition by long time Ukrainian Village resident, Joseph Nagle, represents many things ranging from a personal passion of black and white photography to a realization of how much this community and its people mean to him.
