Human Intervention by Wallo Villacorta in Chicago, Illinois

I have found myself obsessed with details lately. More-so with the human intervention of what I photograph and why something is the way it is. These are photographs of human interventions from my surroundings here in Chicago. From a beautiful pile of salt rocks to the products (and product waste) being stored on a window sill. These question the materials, the objects, the interventions, and more importantly, why they came about existing. I think people have seen too many photographs of the skyline and chicago city streets.

Name: Wallo Villacorta

Place you live: Chicago, Illinois

Can you sum up Chicago? Chicago is a bitter sweet place. I love it because it will always be my home since I basically grew up here (I was born in Peru). The city has so many amazing things to offer from it’s great gastronomy to great brutalist architecture. Everyone is mostly pretty wonderful and laid back since it is the midwest. Unfortunately, Chicago has fallen off the map as a leading city in terms of art, architecture, and culture (when compared globally). Don’t get me wrong, historically, it has immense depth however, it has grown into a pretty conservative place where innovative ideas cannot be produced and executed so easily. I think this is largely due to the fact that there is a lack of constructive criticism in those fields. People are too quick to settle and lack the motivation to push things further. However, I do see a shift in this especially through the younger generations. People are become more and more aware of their placement in global terms and there sure is a passion that is slowly turning things around from great new emerging artists to amazing new galleries in alternative spaces. I’m trying to be optimistic for the future.

Occupation: Photographer, designer, and director/curator of an art and design gallery

Preoccupation: Photography, Architecture, Design, Music.

What is a perfect day in Chicago? Summer time just hit so the best thing ever is bike riding to the amazing city beaches here, riding around the city, going to outdoor festivals or bbq-ing with your friends. = The entire summer

If someone was visiting, what must they do? So many things! If you’re an architecture buff, there are so many great Mies buildings all over the city. Amazing brutalism at the UIC campus. Eat a ton of mexican food and hotdogs. Oh, and the pizza. Eat everything. There’s so much good food here!

A perfect meal? I can eat tacos every day. There are so many great spots to do so but my favorite is this small mexican restaurant called Taqueria Moran right in Logan Square (cool area). Mr Moran is this small mexican man who runs it with his wife. Great place!

What is the best thing about your spot? I live in the Wicker Park neighborhood where you can do some great shopping at interesting boutique shops. There are a few really great galleries and restaurants right in the immediate vicinity.

What is the worst? Gentrification eventually brings in the worst people ever.

A little known fact about where you live? Chicago has the largest polish population aside from Warsaw.

Human Intervention by Wallo Villacorta in Chicago, Illinois

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