Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video centers an exhibit at Wholesome Roc created by the Architecture Gallery and entitled “Image of Home,” which contains a collection of postcards sent from around the world.
![[Wholesome Roc Gallery & Cafe, Poetry Tostada 9/19/87]](https://mediaburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1697445304-5b77ac885b2bebba493f05193780da736e8f261ead0cb3eb2a57eedccd226115-d_295x166-228x160.png)
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video features one of Wholesome Roc’s monthly “poetry tostadas,” an open mic dedicated to poetry, music, and other performances.
Opened in 1987, Wholesome Roc Gallery and Cafe was an alternative art space that hosted exhibitions and events with and focused on queer Black artists in Chicago. This video documents the grand opening of Wholesome Roc’s new space in 1990. It features footage of people performing at their open mic and general footage of the new gallery space.
![[Wholesome Roc Performance Art, 5/7/88 tape #1]](https://mediaburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1696871975-7498257219c94f842e91b519026bbc6b90315753a13d5056a33fcb29f10b1cbe-d_295x166-228x160.png)
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video contains footage from the first half of the Wholesome Roc First Anniversary Show, celebrating Wholesome Roc Gallery and Cafe’s first year in operation and featuring various types of performance art.
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video contains footage taken by Stephanie Coleman, co-founder of Wholesome Roc art gallery and cafe, featuring a news crew filming a segment on Wholesome Roc.
Opened in 1987, Wholesome Roc Gallery and Cafe was an alternative art space that hosted exhibitions and events with and focused on queer Black artists in Chicago. In this video, it appears to be opening night for an art show titled “The Flesh & Spirit Show”. Ken Hartmann and his video camera document the buzz happening in this space on opening night. A few artists showing their work are interviewed and share their creative process along with their work.
![[Poetry Tostada with Pat Smith]](https://mediaburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1694815623-071247b08439e4685220cbb40ce09569af1cd975a27ce186773ececa9fe17373-d_295x166-228x160.png)
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video contains footage from two separate nights of Wholesome Roc Cafe’s “Poetry Tostada” events, both hosted by Pat Smith. The “Poetry Tostadas” include an open mic, one or more featured readers, and a “Pocket Rocket” limerick contest.
![[Wholesome Roc Performance Art, 5/7/88 tape #2]](https://mediaburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1694358481-8f09ae4b633bc3a409256385480f4fec252cee785209245b7a0f86aeacecad35-d_295x166-228x160.png)
Wholesome Roc Art Gallery and Cafe, an alternative art space opened in Chicago in 1987, provided a place for artists, particularly black queer artists, to display their art and engage with one another. This video contains footage from the second half of the Wholesome Roc First Anniversary Show, celebrating Wholesome Roc Gallery and Cafe’s first year in operation and featuring various types of performance art.