The Society of Smallness

Behold! The various projects and underachievements of the Society of Smallness.

The Open Soapbox at the Annual Bughouse Square Debates – July 2014 to present
The Best Summer Spot to Spout off. In a tradition as old as hobos and tramps, the Newberry Library’s Bughouse Square Debates celebrates Chicago’s past as host to “the finest soapbox culture in U.S. history.” The humble and portable soapbox stage offers just the right amount of space, time, and distance from which to practice minor acts of disruption. It takes place in Washington Square Park in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood.

Documents Bureau – June 27, 2014 to present
Documents Bureau takes the boredom and bewilderment out of bureaucracy and instead solves everyday problems using the blunt tool of official language. Our clerks and functionaries guide clients through a slow-moving line, ensure the proper intake forms are completed, and type up a document under close supervision of the concerned party. As a final step, the document is garnished with very persuasive and official looking stamps.

Gateway to Hobohemia, A Roving Séance
February 1, 2014
Our Roving Séance conjured up 1920s Chicago, and cultural hotspot The Dil Pickle. The SOS traveled with a coterie of clerks whose steadfast commitment to keeping the bureaucracy intact summoned spirits from the jazz era.

Mini-Exhibitiothon ii: Arts District – December 8, 2013
Building on the underachievements of the year that was, The Society of Smallness humbly presented Mini-Exhibitiothon ii: the Duchess Credenza Arts District. Located throughout the nooks and crannies of the residence at 2536 W. Thomas, the district comprised a smidgen of up and coming, thimble-sized visual art venues and fledgling research bureaus. In addition to incredible art in impossibly small places, Mini-exhibitiothon ii featured cartographers, a nature guide, and not one, but two pseudo Napoleonic scholars. Twelve hours of events ran from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Clutch Gallery – January 1, 2013 to September 30, 2016
Clutch Gallery was a 25-square-inch space located in the heart of Meg Duguid’s purse, and which over a span of three years served as the headquarters for Society of Smallness. The gallery was dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art of all media since 2009. For more information, see Clutch on Facebook or visit Clutch Gallery’s blog.

Unsuspicious Activity Around an Attended Package February 9, 2013
As participants in  2FR Festival, the SOS rode the rails with Clutch on the CTA Blue Line between Division and Logan Square. Our good looking and moderately talented docents provided guided tours of Clutch. Periodically, we grew distracted and wandered off the El to get drinks, type an edict or pardon, or visit other 2FR exhibitors.  Through these seemingly idiosyncratic tics the SOS kept Clutch in the heart of the action and create a frolicsome roving experience.

Yard Sale February 3, 2013
Annie Morse and Kevin Pierce hosted the SOS Yard Sale — a 36″ x 36″ lot of finery. A farrago of trinkets, charms, orphaned buttons, odd mementoes, and miscellaneous bric-a-brac as well as mini muffins. Each item for sale fit in the palm of your hand.

Inaugural Mini-Exhibitiothon And Member Tryouts November 4, 2012
Ten Tiny Shows in Five Hours at Casa de Arte y Cultura Calles y Sueños in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. All ten events took place in a steel object (aka, NBP) which was on loan to the SOS from the Logan Arts Center as part of its exhibition “Would you like to participate in an artistic experience?” by Ricardo Basbaum.