Documented artwork / audio-room installation
An Extended Song of Our People
Credit as documented: Theaster Gates
An Extended Song of Our People is Theaster Gates’s artwork and working audio room in the north terminal of Chicago’s 95th/Dan Ryan station. Conceived through conversations with artists, activists and South Side residents, it connects African American musical history with the daily life of transit passengers. CTA describes programming broadcast through both terminal buildings, with Theaster Gates Studio and the Rebuild Foundation engaging local DJs. The room was unveiled on April 8, 2019 alongside a separate Gates tapestry work in the south terminal.
Already working on a project?
Adds directly to your existing saved project and keeps its brief intact.Documented work. Current availability, ownership and installation requirements must be confirmed with the artist.
At a glance
- Year / version
- 2019; unveiled April 8
- Materials
- mixed media, Arthur Elrod furnishings and carpeting for Johnson Publishing Company, repurposed slate blackboards, wooden Wrigley production trays, vinyl records from Dr. Wax Records
- Documented setting
- indoor
- Dimensions
- 200 square feet
- Dimensions apply to
- Dedicated audio-room floor space, not sculpture envelope dimensions.
- Availability
- Unconfirmed
Places & versions
Installation history
Historical presentations. A past installation does not establish the current location or suitability for a new site.
April 8, 2019 unveiling
North Terminal Building, 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station, Chicago, Illinois
Materials and construction
The 200-square-foot room incorporates Arthur Elrod furnishings and carpet from Johnson Publishing, St. Laurence School slate blackboards, Wrigley production trays and Dr. Wax vinyl records.
Presentation and site context
The measurement describes occupied interior floor area. Historical programming is documented; current broadcast schedules and staffing were not established.
From a reference to your project
Keep the idea.
Shape the brief.
Save this reference to your shortlist while you explore. Review your selection, then carry the references you choose into a commissioning brief for your site, audience, timing and open questions.
Your shortlist is saved on this device. Saving a reference does not contact the artist or reserve a work. Participation, availability, price and site suitability need confirmation.
Plan the next step
Sources
- www.transitchicago.com ↗ · Checked 2026-10-17
- www.transitchicago.com ↗ · Checked 2026-10-17