It’s finally time to go, leave Chicago and head back to Europe. I’m sad: I loved it here, I had fun, I met great people, I learned a whole lot of stuff, I produced interesting work and I have reasons to believe I helped others produce some more. All this wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of a number of persons whom I’d like to name here – bear with me:
SAIC: all professors, faculty and staff who put up with my lack of academic experience and helped me to do a good job. All my undergrad students in both classes, talented and smart folks who made exciting for me to go to class. My graduate advisees Morgan Gliedman, Ye Mimi (Chiao-Hsiang Lin), Shirin Mozaffari, Beau C. & Lily R. Sage and Carolyna Weath: all great souls, fantastic artists and now good friends. The grad students and alumni whose work I’ve seen, sometimes critiqued and often loved, and especially (in no particular order): Oli Rodriguez, Stephanie Burke, Dave Murray, Steve Daly, Jessica Hyatt, Alan Strathmann, Elise Goldstein, Ting Xu, David Lakein, Daniel Everett. My T.A. Bret Petersen, who indeed went beyond the call of duty. Daniel Dietzer, Karina Natis and the NY Armory Show expedition crew. The Parlor Room Lectures Committee. Razvan Botea, who filmed the Realcore performance at the Columbus Auditorium and gave me a copy of the raw footage. Rob Drinkwater and Lou Mallozzi at the Sound Department. Bruce Jenkins, Lisa Wainwright and of course the person who originally thought I could do all this, the fabulous Barbara DeGenevieve: thank you, it was a blast.
John Thompson, who gave me some crucial tips on this city and took me to very cool places.
Claudia Hart & Kurt Hentschlager, welcoming and kind folks.
The Swimming Pool Project Space, Liz Nielsen and Josh Kozuh, for hosting the Boleros live premiere, and Tom Mamola for the PA system.
Clarisse Thorn, Teri & Kevin and everyone @ the Pleasure Salon: such a welcoming, nice and sophisticated bunch of perverts ;)
Yana, Luca, Nicola & Matteo for making my stay in L.A. absolutely unforgettable.
Everyone at IED Milano for putting up with my disappearance with a smile, and especially Rossella Bertolazzi, Painé Cuadrelli and Federica Colombo.
Harold’s Chicken Shack on south Wabash, Zemsky’s family clothing store (south side rules!) and Sears (whatever happened to Roebuck). Plus of course the city of Chicago: friendly, funny, scary and endlessly marvelous. I’ll miss you.