Reviews
The Ad Man
All Flat Out reviews are written by the Ad Man, our advertorial freelancer of few words and an old hand in the business. Fiercely committed to airing an opinion. Omnivorous consumer of all things architectural. Considers self a “jaded enthusiast.” Displays flair for inventing punchlines.
Biennials
Chicago Architecture Biennial: … and other such stories
Yesomi Umolu, artistic director; Sepake Angiama and Paulo Tavares, co-curators
Chicago Cultural Center, Sept. 19, 2019–Jan. 5, 2020
As we predicted in Flat Out 3, the third edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial had very little to do with architecture.
Exhibitions
Bauhaus Chicago: Design in the City
The Art Institute of Chicago, Nov. 23, 2019–Fall 2020
In a year marking the Bauhaus centenary, it was no surprise that the Art Institute of Chicago launched its own Chicago-specific version of the great German school’s legacy.
Triennials
“A Certain Kind of Life,” Lisbon Triennale
Jimmy Carter, Abigail Chang, Francesco Marullo, and Agata Siemionow, with collaboration from the UIC School of Architecture
Cartuxa de Laveiras, Oeiras, Portugal, Oct. 5–Nov. 1, 2019
It was a familiar routine. Every night, Dean Martin would stagger on stage, stare blankly into the crowd, and woozily ask, “How’d all these people get in my room?”.
Buildings
Lideta Mercato
Vilalta Studio, 2016
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Clothes on Djibouti Street, construction materials on Ghana Street, automotive supplies on Mickey Leland Street, stationery on Zewditu Street, mobile phones on Namibia Street.
Exhibitions
Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech”
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. Jun. 10–Sept. 22, 2019
As we predicted in Flat Out 3, the third edition of the Chicago Architecture Biennial had very little to do with architecture.
Reviews
The Ad Man
All Flat Out reviews are written by the Ad Man, our advertorial freelancer of few words and an old hand in the business. Fiercely committed to airing an opinion. Omnivorous consumer of all things architectural. Considers self a “jaded enthusiast.” Displays flair for inventing punchlines.
Biennials
Chicago Architecture Biennial: … and other such stories
Yesomi Umolu, artistic director; Sepake Angiama and Paulo Tavares, co-curators
Chicago Cultural Center, Sept. 19, 2019–Jan. 5, 2020
Exhibitions
Bauhaus Chicago: Design in the City
The Art Institute of Chicago, Nov. 23, 2019–Fall 2020
Triennials
“A Certain Kind of Life,” Lisbon Triennale
Jimmy Carter, Abigail Chang, Francesco Marullo, and Agata Siemionow, with collaboration from the UIC School of Architecture
Cartuxa de Laveiras, Oeiras, Portugal, Oct. 5–Nov. 1, 2019
Buildings
Lideta Mercato
Vilalta Studio, 2016
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Exhibitions
Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech”
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. Jun. 10–Sept. 22, 2019