Chicago artists get Graphic!

Our most visual festival yet deserved equally visual design. Thanks to the talent of Chicago-based artists Sam Kirk, Cody Hudson, Dmitry Samarov, Ryan Duggan, Chema Skandal, and Jay Ryan—we got just that, in a special series of exclusive poster art.

1) Sam Kirk

Graphic! by Sam Kirk

Sam Kirk's representation of Graphic! left us feeling nostalgic. The poster hints at classic educational programming from School House Rock and Reading Rainbow, Zoom and Bill Nye the Science Guy, and speaks to our commitment to insightful programming for Chicagoans of all ages. This poster art gives us:

Mimi Ito: Youth, Technology, and Media Literacy

Manuel Lima: Visualizing Knowledge

Danielle Wood: Space and Equality

2) Cody Hudson (Struggle Inc.)

Graphic! by Cody Hudson

Cody Hudson's representation of Graphic! gets straight to the point with a list of headliners supported by some innovative architecture. Here are just a few of the pillars of our particular time and place in society, politics, and popular culture:

Esther Perel: The State of Affairs

Rebecca Traister: Good and Mad

Jessica Hopper: Night Moves

3) Dmitry Samarov

Graphic! by Dmitry Samarov

Dmitry Samarov's representation of Graphic! places Chicago at the center of its universe. Whole continents—and even the cosmos—cozy up to iconic Chicago landmarks. The bold color, heavy lines, and sense of connectedness gives us:

Graphic Memoirs of Hannah Arendt

Özge Samanci: From Ego to Eco

Eric Klinenberg: Palaces for the People

4) Ryan Duggan

Graphic! by Ryan Duggan

Ryan Duggan's representation of Graphic! inspired some movement. Bright. Fun. Classic. Sometimes the most painstaking art can inspire the simplest of pleasures. This poster art gives us:

Alex Ross and Chip Kidd: Marvelocity

Chris Ware: Monograph

Living Color

5) Chema Skandal

Graphic! by Chema Skandal

Chema Skandal's representation of Graphic! combines both the visual and textual definition of the theme. The color and lack thereof, explicit text, and secret messages (Legend of Ska!) gives us:

Chicago Street Art History

On the Border: John Moore with Francisco Cantú

Yvan Alagbé: Yellow Negroes and Other Imaginary Creatures

6) Jay Ryan (The Bird Machine)

Graphic! by Jay Ryan

Jay Ryan's representation of Graphic! is the epitome of the fall festival. The temperature has dropped, and so have all the leaves (but the endless rain prevents any good leaf crunching). It's a reminder that we're moving forward in time but we still have a lot of work to do, much like:

José Andrés: We Fed an Island

Eve Ewing: Ghosts in the School Yard

Jill Lepore: These Truths