The Center for International Exhibition and Performance since 1987
Our origins in a 616 West Adams loft.
The origins of HotHouse were seeded in the loft at 616 West Adams. The third floor of the. industrial building was leased to Marguerite Horberg and D. Shigley who were creative partners in the 11,000 square foot space from 1981-1986.
D. Shigley was a renowned photographer whose seminal images of Blues artists, Maxwell Street, and Chicago have graced US postage stamps and countless chronicles of music. D. was an amateur pool player and a friend of good times. His hospitable approach to breaking the ice for his photo subjects would include inviting friends to shoot pool and to hang out 24/7. Soon “the loft” became known as an epicenter for all sorts of interesting people – from politicians to poets, from bricklayers to hooligans.
In the same space, Marguerite opened her Salon d’ Modalisque as an atelier for hand-made clothing. The quirky out- of- the- way boutique was the next step for Horberg after a successful run with the retail space STUDIO V, the antique clothing store she created with finds from a trip around the world when she was 19.
In the loft, Shigley and Horberg staged electric happenings, including fashion shows organized by Horberg and FACTION Xlll, a collective of artists forwarding textile design. The colorful antics of M’odalisque were well chronicled by Marla Donato and the Chicago Tribune and many iconic artists and designers (J. Morgan Puett, Robin Richman, Amy Yoes, Roger Price, Tommy Walton) enjoyed substantial notoriety as they launched their careers.
Coincidentally, 616 West Adams was also across the street from US Studios – arguably one of the birthplaces of HOUSE music. Horberg and Shigley spent many a night enjoying the booming bass emanating from the club in their mutually deserted area of the west loop- long before both buildings were razed.
In 1986, when D. Shigley died, Horberg tried new ideas to keep the loft afloat. In 1987, with friend Jim De Jong, The Center for International Performance and Exhibition (CIPEX) was created as a non-profit organization to keep the multi-arts creativity moving forward.
Horberg and De Jong both admirers of the first Black mayor Harold Washington, were part of the campaign to get him elected.
In November of 1987, “The All Chicago Memorial Tribute to Harold Washington” marked the first program produced by “HotHouse”.
