Mama’s Milk, a neon sculpture
by Theaster Gates:

“Mama’s Milk”, a neon sculpture by Theaster Gates, consists of a reclaimed sign that was originally mounted over a former Rothschild Liquors store on the South Side of Chicago. Rothschild Liquors is a signature chain of liquor stores that has an emblematic significance within Black neighborhoods in Chicago. In many ways, Rothschild’s offerings have been the lifeblood, or the ‘milk’, of immigrant and Black and Brown communities over the past 75 years. Gates acquired the sign from the Rothschild family in 2018, restored it and added an intervention in white neon that reads, “MAMA’S MILK”.

Gates’ neon sculpture alludes to the pervasiveness of liquor stores in impoverished minority neighborhoods. As the artist has described, “people in poorer communities are being comforted either by the Lord or a 40 on Sundays.” This juxtaposition, equating alcohol and nourishment, highlights the mutual dependency of the once-widespread chain and economically depressed communities.

Revolving Video Series:
Bob Faust - Wander/Wonder

“Wander/Wonder” is a digital text work about the beauty and strength of entanglements heard through your eyes. It’s title words came from Faust’s first site visit where the concepts of “wander” and “wonder” presented themselves as central to The Mews’ vibe. Formally the letters themselves and their positions relative to one another become an instrument, like the keys of a piano, to annotate, animate, contextualize and amplify the word sequence.