Fulton Market welcomes SVNGRN: An art center promoting cultural unity for all

CHICAGO (WGN) — A new art center dedicated to making the art world more accessible while sparking creativity is now up and running in Fulton Market.

From as early as he can remember, Gary Green has possessed the gift of expressing himself creatively while highlighting other’s artistry.

“The power of art is immeasurable,” said Green, who is also a community advocate. “Art was the first love of mine, the thing that I always gravitated towards. It was the anchor that kept me from getting into a lot of things we hear about going on around the city.”

That anchor provided Green inspiration, and after years in the making, that inspiration came to fruition Friday, as Green officially opened SVNGRN (pronounced “Seven Green”).

SVNGRN is a brand-new art center at 310 North Peoria Street in Fulton Market, whose mission is to connect communities and cultures while fostering creativity, according to Green.

“I want to inspire people to find the art within themselves and create the best version of themselves and never limit themselves,” Green said.

A captivated crowd joined Green on SVNGRN’s opening night. The inaugural exhibition, called “Conversations in Color,” showcased artists from countries like Nigeria, Swaziland, South Africa and Columbia.

“Art is more about just what you see at first glance,” Green said. “These artists speak with textures and tones and different hues to communicate things underneath the surface level so, we want to bring people around the conversation.”

One of the first installations by patrons when they walked into SVNGRN was created by Swaziland artist Judith Reissmann. It showed a determined warrior derived from one of her pieces called “Soon to be King.”

“This is a transport into a small space of Swaziland that has beautiful soil, beautiful people and beautiful colors,” Green said.

Along with immersing audiences in different cultures through art, another one of Green’s goals is to make art more accessible.

“It’s about beautiful workshops and building a community that makes the art space feel safe because it’s always been an elitist world,” Green said. “I feel we should all have a hand in it because it can save lives like it saved mine.”

To help build those bridges, Green said SVNGRN will offer programs geared toward wellness, creativity, curating and talks with industry pros down the line. In the meantime, Green said the art center will announce its next event in mid-May.

“This right here is an introduction to say, ‘We’re here and we are here for you all,’” Green said.