Roman Susan, a beloved artist-run nonprofit gallery in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, is preparing for its final closure on September 30 after 13 years of operation. The 280-square-foot gallery, housed in a wedge-shaped space on the ground floor of a nearly century-old flatiron building at 1224 West Loyola Avenue, must vacate as Loyola University Chicago plans to demolish the entire structure.

The gallery, founded by Nathan and Kristin Abhalter Smith in 2012, has been a vital community space offering free programming and exhibitions. In one of its final performances, artist Zachary Nicol presented "Nether," a 30-minute dystopian piece featuring three dancers moving with glacial slowness, illuminated only by streetlights, before finding hope in their final connection.

The closure has sparked controversy as the building housed 30 apartments filled with long-term tenants, many on social security who had lived there for over a decade. Three beloved community spaces occupied the ground floor: Archie's Café, Edge Art, and Roman Susan. Despite protests by residents, neighbors, supporters, and elected officials including Illinois State Senator Mike Simmons and 49th Ward Alderwoman Maria Hadden, the university proceeded with its demolition plans.

Critics point out the irony that Loyola University, as a Jesuit institution, professes deep responsibility to the surrounding community and environment, yet its actions displace residents and small businesses while destroying viable historic property. The university cannot even develop the site immediately due to future renovations of the adjacent Red Line El station. This pattern of growth at the expense of neighborhood diversity has been repeated throughout Rogers Park and Edgewater, with three vacant lots on this block alone sitting unused for years except as employee parking.

To commemorate its 13 years on Loyola Avenue, Roman Susan is presenting "Open Hours," a series of 13 days of final programming running from September 18-30. Each evening will feature free events starting around 5 PM, maintaining the gallery's tradition of accessible programming. The series begins September 18 with a tribute to the physical space led by Siobhan Leonard and founder-director Kristin Abhalter Smith, who will cast the storefront's distinctive columns in papier-mâché and adorn walls with drawings.

September 22 will feature ritual celebrations of the Autumnal Equinox, possibly involving food and decorated with artist-designed flags from a series Roman Susan displayed on the flagpole outside the former Rogers Park Woman's Club from 2018-20. On September 28, self-publishers will showcase zines, books, and other materials in an event hosted by Marc Fischer of Public Collectors, one of the great champions of such endeavors.

Throughout its tenure, Roman Susan has presented 185 projects by 917 artists in its small triangular space. Notable past exhibitions included "Pink Moon" in April 2023, featuring ceramics by Peter Ronan and paintings by Cassie Tompkins, and "Burst" in April 2014, an early solo show by Mia Capodilupo. The gallery's floor-to-ceiling windows allowed neighbors to view art by happenstance while passing by, embodying the pleasure of living near a community-minded creative space.

Beyond its physical location, Roman Susan has developed numerous off-site programs over the years. The site-responsive ANNEX projects collaborate with local nonprofits, such as a recent Land Acknowledgement with the American Indian Center and Lucky Pierre's "In the Future Something Will Have Happened," a speculative performance for one person at a time at Berger Park Cultural Center. Their Navigations series considers public space, including Christa Donner's "Dear Human," where visitors to West Ridge Nature Preserve can listen to monologues by a tick, a tree, and other non-human residents.

While Rogers Park loses much more than one old building, Chicago isn't losing Roman Susan entirely. The Abhalter Smiths' extraordinary energy, creativity, generosity, and capability, along with their extended community, will likely continue these endeavors with more to come. Their resilience offers hope even when powerful, wealthy institutions dismiss their efforts and contributions to the community.