Footnotes, an animated projection focused on Chicago footwork, for Art on the Mart

Film projections displayed on Chicago's iconic Merchandise Mart forged connections between the iconic architecture of Chicago and the musical heartbeat of the city.

Footnotes was produced by artists and filmmakers Wills Glasspiegel and Brandon K. Calhoun, featuring original music by DJ Spinn, the Chicago Bucket Boys, Angel Bat Dawid, Elisha Chandler, and Amal Hubert from Hypnotic Brass Band. The projection featured footwork dancing from some of Chicago's leading footwork artists, including Sterling "Steelo" Lofton, Jamal "Litebulb" Oliver, Diamond Hardiman, and Crystal James.

[embed video of the installation?]

The installation followed the musicians and dancers as they built a new footwork track inspired by the classic blues song, “Sweet Home Chicago.” Hand-drawn animations by Calhoun emphasized the fact that Chicago footwork is both music and dance simultaneously.

Footnotes was awarded Time Out Chicago’s Best in the City Award.

NYT piece:

"At one point in the film, an animated DJ Spinn taps an MPC, the sampling device that is the main instrument of footwork music, and an animated dancer bounces on the keys. This image is important, Glasspiegel said, because it’s a metaphor. 'That’s a driving theme for us — that footwork is both music and dance — which people might not know if they don’t know the history.'"