This summer, Chicago’s public art landscape is witnessing a transformative project that challenges the conventional notions of memory and representation.
Created by the interdisciplinary collective Floating Museum, the installation titled “for Mecca” is a massive inflatable structure that drifts through the city, offering a dynamic exploration of public art and collective memory.
Honoring the legacy of the Mecca Flats, a once-vibrant cultural hub in Bronzeville that was demolished in 1952 to accommodate Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology, the project serves as a poignant reminder of the systemic displacement experienced by Black communities in Chicago.
Rather than reconstructing the physical building or idealizing its past, “for Mecca” draws on fragments of history—photographs, music, poetry, and community narratives—to create a platform for storytelling, performance, and reflection.
In a recent discussion, members of the Floating Museum team elaborated on the importance of reviving the Mecca Flats narrative as part of their Floating Monuments series, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these histories today.
Andrew Schachman highlighted that the Mecca Apartments epitomize a broader narrative of displacement and cultural significance.
The title “for Mecca” encapsulates both the specific historical site of the Mecca Apartments and the broader concept of a mecca—places that attract people with shared interests.
This monument does not seek to bring back the Mecca but instead gathers and celebrates the incomplete traces of Bronzeville, drawing from extensive research across various Chicago collections.
The inflatable’s surface is a tapestry of light, conveying images captured by photographers, lines of poetry born from the community, and a multitude of cultural broadcasts.
The team emphasized that this project is part of a larger body of ongoing research that includes cartography, writing, performances, and collaborations, all aimed at reviving what has been lost to time.
Schachman expanded on how the eradication of the Mecca Apartments for Crown Hall symbolizes broader patterns of displacement in Chicago.
He noted that the demolition’s significance is interpreted differently among various communities, and he hopes to invoke conversations around reconciliation and inspiration through this history.
Rather than presenting this history as merely a local concern, the Floating Museum team urges a national dialogue that recognizes Bronzeville’s influential cultural legacy.
As many of its vibrant spaces were erased due to urban renewal, the current landscape starkly contrasts the rich heritage recorded through sound recordings, literature, and activism from the neighborhood.
This dissonance serves as a reminder of the amnesia that often accompanies urban development, particularly in Chicago, where systemic racism intersects with capitalist endeavors.
The project poses an interesting contrast to traditional, permanent forms of public art, prompting consideration of how monuments remember, especially in the realms of history, loss, and resilience.
Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford remarked on how cities themselves can be viewed as evolving monuments, perpetually changing in form and meaning.
The act of building—and later, demolishing—structures speaks to societal ideals and the ongoing challenges of urban development.
By creating a floating monument that conjures memories of the past, the Floating Museum raises critical questions about who participates in the processes of city-making and who remains excluded.
This new form of public art is not just a monument; it is a space for dialogue, community engagement, and artistic collaboration—challenging the typical materials such as bronze and stone.
The project’s collaborative nature is evident in its engagement with poets, musicians, archivists, and designers, and Faheem Majeed emphasized the delicate balance of bringing together various voices and perspectives.
The anticipation for what new stories and histories will emerge as “for Mecca” traverses Chicago neighborhoods remains palpable.
Majeed expressed optimism that the monument would absorb new narratives and facilitate fresh collaborations, paving the way for future artistic endeavors.
The importance of inclusion within the artistic community is underscored by the commitment to elevate voices from queer, disabled, femme, and trans artists through the Center for BLK Verse.
Avery R. Young articulated a desire to center these artists within their practice, ensuring that diverse experiences and perspectives are heard and valued.
As they engage with the project, the Floating Museum team hopes that audiences will leave with a richer understanding of Bronzeville’s history and be inspired to honor the stories of communities that have faced erasure.
Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford articulated the hope that visitors would recognize that development does not have to lead to displacement and that, where it does occur, there will always be individuals preserving memories and histories.
Ultimately, “for Mecca” stands as a contemporary reflection on the past, urging people to engage with the vibrant legacy of a once-thriving community and encouraging the creation of art that honors those who have been displaced by development.
image source from：design
