Susan Dobinsky Collection
Preservation Sponsor
Larry Shulman
Susan Dobinsky
Inclusive Dates
1988 – 1990
Abstract
The Susan Dobinsky Collection primarily consists of 16mm elements from an unfinished film made about murals in Chicago shot during 1988-1991. The footage captures murals in the neighborhoods of Pilsen, Little Village, West Town, and Humboldt Park during this time; accompanying audio features interviews with local artists.
Description
The main subjects of the film were artists José Guerrero and Sandra Antongiorgi, photographer Ivàn Justiniano, and psychiatrist Olga Nuñez. Much of the footage shot includes street scenes, interviews with muralists and community members, and close-ups of murals, many of which no longer exist. The unfinished film was spearheaded by Dobinsky and Julia Kurtz and funded primarily through a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and supported by filmmakers Ronn Bayly and Susan Regele's then Chicago-based company Lightbound, which was active from 1980-1990.
Collection Items
![8/6 - Murals RL #1 Sandra at [Benito Juarez]](https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/media/cfa/images/7/1/32189_ca_object_representations_media_7153_large.jpg)
![Murals - 8/6/89 RL #2 Sandra at [Benito Juarez]](https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/media/cfa/images/7/1/50915_ca_object_representations_media_7154_large.jpg)
![Olga/Loyola 12/30 Sandra/[?] 1/17](https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/media/cfa/images/7/1/98174_ca_object_representations_media_7158_large.jpg)
![8/6/88 [Fiesta del] Sol](https://collections.chicagofilmarchives.org/media/cfa/images/6/8/98643_ca_object_representations_media_6807_large.jpg)
Audio
"Murals" 10/29/88 José - Off Camera Interview at Ban Plan 21 Wild Street Snds at Ban Plan 21
October 29 1988
Audio
"Murals" 1) José - 10/8/88 - Describes Boys/Girls Club Mural 2) José - 3/20/89 - Talking to Friends at Park Service Mural - Sc 6, 7 + 8
October 8 1988 – March 20 1989
Audio
"Murals" 1) Olga - 12/11/88 - Describes Lawndale Bank Mural 2) Sandra - 1/13/89 - Describes Cooper School Mural
December 11 1988 – January 13 1989
Audio
"Murals" 1) José 10/29/88 Describes "Ban Plan 21" Mural 2) Olga - 11/13 - w/ Sis on Walk at Ben. Juar. Sc 1, 2 + 3
October 29 1988
Audio
Ivan For Film Reel 2 + 3 / Non-sync Wild Sound "Migration" Inverview / Ivan-Audio RL 1 10/16/88
October 16 1988
To request more information about the items in this collection, please contact the archive at
info@chicagofilmarchives.org.
Items with Viewable Media
- 3/12/89 Sandra - Painting
- 3/20/89 José Interview Roll 4
- 3/20/89 José Painting Roll 1
- 3/20 José / Ext - Field House / Murals
- 3/20 José On Cam Interview #1 + Wild RL #2 Sync (Audio)
- 3/20 José Painting RL #2
- 3/20 José Rl 3 Interview
- 8/6/88 [Fiesta del] Sol
- 8/6/88 Fiesta del Sol (Audio)
- 8/6 - Murals RL #1 Sandra at [Benito Juarez]
- 8/12/89 José Interview #2 Roll 1
- 8/12/89 José Interview #2 Roll 2
- 10/16/88 Ivan RL 4
- 10/26/89 Misc. Murals; Sandra Describes Mural Roll 1
- 10/29 RL B1 Murals Little Vill
- 10/29 - RL B3 / Murals / Little Vill. Plan 21 - Cutaways
- 11/18 Murals Reel #1
- 11/18 Murals Reel #2
- 12/17 - Murals / Sandra B Roll Murals / Sc1 Olga/Loyola
- Curie 1/13/89 Reel 1 - Division (Audio)
- Final trims
- Interview RL #1 - Murals 9/18/88 - "Lurides" - Olga (Audio)
- Isela RL #1 - Murals 10/8/88 - Interview #1 (Audio)
- Ivan 1/13 Dark Room RL #1 Non-Sync
- Ivan - 10/16/88 Photographing Murals - RL 1
- Ivan 10/16/88 Photographing Murals - RL 2
- Ivan 10/16 Describing Mural Sync RL 3
- Ivan + Darkroom 1 / Sandra Painting - Day / 3/12 / Murals
- Ivan For Film Reel 2 + 3 / Non-sync Wild Sound "Migration" Inverview / Ivan-Audio RL 1 10/16/88 (Audio)
- Ivan Interview #1 9/18/88 Murals Off-Cam (Audio)
- Ivan - Interview #2 9/18/88 - Murals (Audio)
- Ivan - Interview #3 9/18/88 Murals (Audio)
- Ivan RL 1 3/12 Interview Sync
- Ivan Trims
- Jose Painting Boy/Girl 17.
- Jose RL #1 10/8/88 José Painting / Non Sync
- Jose RL #3 10/8/88 "B" Roll of Murals From Descriptions
- Jose RL #3 Murals 10/8/88 Non Sync B Roll of Mural Desc.
- José 3/20 On Cam Inter #1 RL #1 Sync (Audio)
- José 10/15/88 - RL #2 Interview - Murals (Audio)
- José - at P.D., at B.J.H.S.
- José Bernal - 7/14/88 (Audio)
- José Int. / Sync Pix
- José Int. / Sync Trk
- José Inter #2 8/12/89 (Audio)
- José - Interview RL #1 Murals 10/15 (Audio)
- José - Murals 10/8/88 RL #3 - Wild Sound - Area around where José's painting (Audio)
- Little Village Street Scenes + Smash Plan 21 Cutaways / Murals 10/29
- Mirroring Hispanic Culture: Murals in Chicago (Edit Master July 1988)
- Mural Sample 1/23/93
- Mural Sample [R...?] 11/5
- Murals 1/13 Sandra. Curie + Cooper
- "Murals" 1) José - 10/8/88 - Describes Boys/Girls Club Mural 2) José - 3/20/89 - Talking to Friends at Park Service Mural - Sc 6, 7 + 8 (Audio)
- "Murals" 1) José 10/29/88 Describes "Ban Plan 21" Mural 2) Olga - 11/13 - w/ Sis on Walk at Ben. Juar. Sc 1, 2 + 3 (Audio)
- "Murals" 1) Olga - 12/11/88 - Describes Lawndale Bank Mural 2) Sandra - 1/13/89 - Describes Cooper School Mural (Audio)
- "Murals" 3/12/89 Ivan On-Cam Interview (Audio)
- "Murals" 3/12/89 Sandra On-Cam Interview Film RL #1 Part of #2 (Audio)
- "Murals" 3/12/89 Sandra On-Cam Interview Film RL #2 (rest of) (Audio)
- "Murals" 3/14/89 Olga On-Cam Interview Film RL #1 + 2 (Audio)
- "Murals" 3/14/89 Olga On-Cam Interview (Rest of) Film RL #2 (Audio)
- Murals - 3/14/89 Wild Sound Sandra Art Class (Mural) Hall [?] / Curie (Audio)
- Murals 3/14 / Sandra Art Class/Curie Rl #1
- Murals 3/14 / Sandra - Art Class w/ Mural RL 2
- Murals - 8/6/89 RL #2 Sandra at [Benito Juarez]
- Murals - 8/6/89 RL #3 Sandra at Fiesta Del Sol
- Murals 8/6/89 Wild Sound Sandra at BJ (Audio)
- "Murals" 8/12/89 José On-Cam Interview #2 Film RL 1 + 2 (Audio)
- Murals 10/8/88 José Sync Describing Mural / José RL#2
- Murals 10/26/89 Sandra Describes Mural RL #2
- Murals 10/26/89 Sandra Describing Drug Mural (Audio)
- "Murals" 10/29/88 José - Off Camera Interview at Ban Plan 21 Wild Street Snds at Ban Plan 21 (Audio)
- Murals 11/25/89 Selected Wild Sounds (Audio)
- Murals - 12/11 Olga - Describ. Lawndale Bank
- Murals I
- Murals II
- "Murals" Ivan - 10/16/88 - describes "Youth Indecision" mural Film RL #3 (Audio)
- "Murals" Ivan - 10/16/88 Wild Sounds "Youth In Indecision" Mural (Audio)
- "Murals" Off-Cam Comments Ivan Sandra Olga (Audio)
- Murals Olga 3/14 Inter RL #3
- Murals Olga 3/14 Inter RL #4 Plus Pics
- Murals - Olga - Describing Lawndale Bank - "B" Roll 12/11
- "Murals" R# AFV 1
- "Murals" Sandra - 1/13/89 Wild Sound, Cooper School Office (Audio)
- New Murals I
- Nikko - Banquet Time Lapse 7-14-88
- Olga 3/14 Inter. RL #1 / Murals
- Olga describing Mural/HD
- Olga - Inter. RL #2 3/14
- Olga/Loyola 12/30 Sandra/[?] 1/17
- Olga Murals RL #1 11/13/88
- Olga RL #2 11/13/88 Murals
- Olga - RL #2 - Interview - 9/18/88 Murals (Audio)
- Olga - RL #3 - 9/18/88 Interview Murals (Audio)
- Olga's Murals 12/4
- Olga's Murals 12/4
- Oscar Martiínez - His Home - 7/5/88 (Audio)
- RL #4 - Olga - Murals 9/18/88 (Audio)
- Sandra 1/12/89 - RL 2 Interview
- Sandra 1/13 Curie
- Sandra 3/12 Interview RL #2
- Sandra at School
- Sandra / Cooper 1/13 / Ivan - Dark Room 3/12
- Sandra - interview - off-camera 11/19/88 (Audio)
- Sandra - Trims
- Snd Effects for [slate?] 11/18/89 (Audio)
- Street Signs: Murals in Chicago - Rough Cut 4/90
- Sync Test 9/24/88 (Audio)
- [Untitled] (Audio)
- [Untitled] (Audio)
- [Untitled] (Audio)
- W/P - Reel #1 8/6/88 Festival De Sol
Collection Identifier
C.2021-10
Extent of Collection
60 reels of 16mm film totaling approximately 24,700 feet; 40 open reel audio tapes; 3 cassette tapes; 4 video tapes.
Language Of Materials
English
Subject
Custodial History
The films and many of the audio elements were transferred to CFA in 2021. Additional audio and video elements were donated in 2024.
Access Restrictions
This collection is open to on-site access. Appointments must be made with Chicago Film Archives. Due to the fragile nature of the films, only video copies will be provided for on-site viewing.
Creators
Dobinsky, Susan
(was created by)
During her time as a graduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago earning her Master's degree in Spanish, Susan Dobinsky became interested in photographing murals and talking to community members about them. She then worked with colleague Julie Kurtz, a translator with a background in Spanish language and folklore, to try to "decode" the visual language of images depicted within murals, producing several articles for academic journals on the subject.
One of the articles, published circa 1986, caught the eye of then Chicago-based filmmakers Ronn Bayly and Susan Regele, who became interested in working on a film about the topic. The group received a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and began filming soon after. In 1990, the group ran out of funding, and were thus unable to finish the film.
One of the articles, published circa 1986, caught the eye of then Chicago-based filmmakers Ronn Bayly and Susan Regele, who became interested in working on a film about the topic. The group received a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, and began filming soon after. In 1990, the group ran out of funding, and were thus unable to finish the film.