In 1985, Fred Burkhart took a photo – wait, let me re-phrase that in Burkhart-ese – in 1985, a picture was given to Fred of JoJo Baby, a Chicagoan who would come to be as famous as Fred (if not more so) as a fixture of the Chicago nightlife scene, as a world-renowned drag queen and as a dollmaker.  JoJo was seated on a curb across from the Chicago Diner, and Fred snapped an image of JoJo enjoying his very first veggie burger, clad in silver Docs, with short hair and tiny earlobes, and about 20% of the ink he now sports.

Now, twenty-nine years later, JoJo is a fixture at the Flatiron Arts Building, and his incredible space (part salon, part buildspace, part doll museum) is just down the hall from Pen, Ink & Song, where a collection of Burkhart’s work is displayed. Included is a drawing Fred made from the original photo in 2007.

Much like Fred, JoJo has lived an outlaw artist lifestyle, completely dedicated to his crafts. He has assembled a group of followers and famous friends, and his vision lives on in the Flatiron!

Come through the Flatiron and visit both spaces! Open studios every first Friday of the month, 6 -10pm.