proceed to the Burkhart Underground
"All Aboard!"
photo: Erica Gannett
New Views from The Burkhart UndergroundThe All New & Improved Burkhart Underground: Next Generation Opened a Portal to the Future on December 28th 2007
Click to see more photos! 3 Floors of Living Art Ecstasy & Weekly Sunday Night Coffeehouse
And if you want more information: please phone 773 348-8536
1228 N. Noble Street Rear Coach House! Lower Wicker Park Chicago 1 Block west of I-94, Divison Street exit 4 Blocks east of the Blue Line: Ashland/Division/Milwaukee stop (go east on Division) 1 Block north of Division Street in lower Wicker Park
Keep your eye out for the Burkhart Bus... On a Streetcorner near you!
The All New & Improved Burkhart Studios Mobile Van
photo: Rachel Bergman
Parked in front of the former Burkhart Studios on Halsted!
View Original Artworks in Continually Changing Natural Light CHICAGO PHONE: 773 348-8536
__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Read the Latest Press: 1: Northwestern Medill Reports "Rebirth of the Underground" November 15th, 2007
and 2: National Public Radio Interview November 8th, 2007
and 3: Time-Out Chicago "Get On The Art Bus" November 1st, 2007
and 4: A Night at the Underground "Freak Chic" January 23rd, 2008
__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ NEW BEGINNINGS:
Thanks and Blessings to all of you that do keep in touch with me. I love you more than I am capable of expressing. I hope you can feel that. Please pray for me -- and especially for my daughter, Trinity Valentine, who just this past Father's Day (June 17th, 2007) gave birth to her very own daughter Kiley Ann, with the proud father Steve Ederer.
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And Old Endings:
Photo by ANGELA ZEEDYK 6/2005
The Original Burkhart Underground Halsted Street, Lakeview, Chicago Photo by Stacee Droege May 2005
The Original Burkhart Underground closed on May 6th, 2005. Fred Burkhart left most everything intact and walked out the door on June 16th... First they boarded it up with the leftover artworks...Then they demolished the vacant shell in August...
The tree was chopped down and left in the alley to die
The dirt was finally mixed in with the blood & bones of unnamed Indians who used to live on the lot before me
In order to make way for Golf-Tec.....
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I lived in that 112-year old house for nearly 20 years, until it was finally sold out from under me to condo developers. Sadly, I never owned it - I just maintained it as my home and studio for all those years, acting as custodian and archivist for the new art & expression of a blossoming generation, as well as guraranteeing my own regeneration from year to year.When I left in June, I left the place in a state of chaos... let someone else wash the coffee cups from now on! I also left my complete photo darkroom (and its 10-foot stainless steel sink) standing just where I built it. It was not a wise move; as a result I've needed to replace everythig piece by piece. Although I've worked with digital in the iterim, after 40 years of dedicated printing, I'm still in love with the old ways.In the meantime I've rented a 140-year old coach house - built int 1865, at the close of the Civil War! - and have begun to devote myself once again to painting and drawing - and to solitude, going still deeper underground to examine my twisted roots, rediscovering and reinventing myself yet one more time!
And now, like the Ghost of Christmas Past, I have returned to the neighborhood in my All New Portable Art Studio, parking when I can in front of the very facade that was once Burkhart Studios! If you want to drop by, I'll send you my schedule and a map to my door...
Fred, 773 348-8536
The End of An Error
Photos by CLAUDE CALESINI 3/13/2005
and before you go any further, please allow me to introduce you to Mister Beau GlazarThe Cosmic Dragon www.CosmicDragonArt.com Remember... Beau painted the colorful floor you walked on everytime you entered Burkhart Studios Main Gallery and he produced both Underground CDs and his Spirit helped maintain the place for at least 10 or 12 years
Send Some Love...
Illustration by Jane Diamond
Not everyone loves me. Not everyone sends me loving thoughts. But fortunately there are enough of you that do!Click the Illustration Read what people say Send an E-Mail to:
Sundays, 7pm-Midight (or later) - and by appointment 1228 N. Noble Street, Rear Coach House, Chicago 60622 (773 348-8536)