May 21st 2019

As part of the Commons Artist Project entitled Parts of Speech, a series of experimental lectures take place at sites of assembly throughout Chicago and address the use of public speech to mold opinion, forge intimacy, marshal authority, and orchestrate movements.

Christopher Kulendran Thomas, in collaboration with Annika Kuhlmann, presents the corporate philosophy of New Eelam, a subscription-based housing service set to launch in 2019. In installations and promotional videos, Thomas, an artist and the CEO of New Eelam, has described how the company will provide millions with access to—and collective ownership of—housing. But he has never fully articulated the economic and technological vision for New Eelam: the embodiment of a new model that hinges on dramatic changes in how capital is raised, assets are owned, profits are prioritized, and companies are valued. He will argue that New Eelam can reshape the global real-estate market as well as the distribution of housing as an asset.

Parts of Speech is by Public Fiction (Lauren Mackler) with Triple Canopy. The Commons Artist Project is organized by January Parkos Arnall, Curator of Public Programs, with Christy LeMaster, Assistant Curator of Public Programs.

Lectures are presented by Steffani Jemison, Hari Kunzru, Tomeka Reid, Astra Taylor, Christopher Kulendran Thomas, and Julio Torres. The exhibition includes artwork by Rami George, Liz Magic Laser, David Levine, Nicole Miller, Rodney McMillian, and Videofreex.

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