The Chicago gay bar, Sidetrack, features so prominently in Mercedes Kane’s documentary Art and Pep that it’s basically a character itself. By tracing the history of the bar and its owners, Kane delivers a powerful message of hope and equality.
We soon meet Sidetrack’s proprietors Pepe Peña (Pep) and Art Johnston. Pep was a bartender in Chicago in the 1970s, and after meeting Art, who moved to Chicago to continue his academic career, they fell in love but also found out the power of community. Opening Sidetrack wasn’t only a passion project for the couple: it was a chance to create a safe haven, a sanctuary for those who felt as if they were on the outskirts of society at the time.
You witness the evolution of the bar, and one particularly gleeful moment Pep discovers the power of themed nights and show tunes. You see Art becoming a pivotal figure for LGBTQ rights in the city, including his role in “The Gang of Four,” a group that fought for LGBTQ rights and helped pass an anti-discrimination ordinance in 1988. One thematic element Kane does very well is tying in the AIDS epidemic with the current pandemic, signifying the great uncertainty of each period while maintaining a focus on the two eponymous stars.
The bar’s significance in the film is always at the forefront, yet Art and Pep don’t seem like larger-than-life figures. They run a bar, and a lot of people over various decades found safety and comfort there. It’s a beautifully told, sweet story. Art and Pep is a testament to the power of community, resilience, and activism. By documenting the evolution of Sidetrack and the couple's pivotal role in LGBTQ rights activism, the film becomes an essential resource for understanding the intersection of social progress, community building, and personal courage.
Educators can use this documentary as a powerful teaching tool, delving into topics such as LGBTQ history, the socio-political landscape of the late 20th century, and the development of progressive movements in the Midwest. Furthermore, it provides a poignant opportunity for students to explore themes of resilience, love, and the importance of safe spaces in society.
By making this documentary accessible, libraries can ensure that the stories of marginalized communities, their triumphs, and their struggles are preserved and shared. For patrons, it offers not just knowledge but a chance to empathize, connect, and appreciate the profound impact of individuals like Art and Pep on the broader fight for equality.
Additional Production Details
Director: Mercedes Kane
Executive Producer: Kevin Hauswirth
Producer: Nate Freyman
Cinematographer: Sanghoon Lee
Editor: C.J. Arellano
88 minutes | DVD release 2023 | SDH Subtitles in English
About Sidetrack
Art and Pep's iconic gay bar, Sidetrack, has helped fuel movements and create community for decades in Chicago’s queer enclave. What most people don’t know is that behind the business and their historic activism exists a love unlike any other. America’s popular telling of queer progress largely comes from the coasts – Stonewall, the Cooper Do-Nuts Riot and Harvey Milk’s legacy. Art and Pep is a story of equality born in the heartland. The first state to decriminalize homosexuality, Illinois was on the front lines of the AIDS epidemic, anti-discrimination laws and marriage equality. But long before government officials would utter the words “HIV,” it was gay bars that transformed into community centers and became ground zero in the fight. While Art and Pep never set out to be activists, for them inaction was never an option.
Mercedes Kane | Director
As a storyteller, Mercedes Kane is forever fascinated by the human experience and the many ways to explore and express that experience. She most recently directed the feature films Art and Pep (2022), More with Less: The Power of HBCUs in America (2022), and What Remains: The Burning Down of Black Wall Street (2021, the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture) about the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. Art and Pep premiered at OutFest in Los Angeles, before winning the Audience Award at the Chicago International Film Festival. Her third feature length documentary, the award-winning Breakfast at Ina's, premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival before screening at 50+ international film festivals, then being acquired by American Public Television.
Reactions to Art and Pep
The film also nicely conveys the story of Art and Pepe, both in terms of their love for each other and for the community that they have served, figuratively and literally, for so long. The result is a real charmer. - Peter Sobczynski | RogerEbert.com
Sidetrack spreads the love, Chicago's legendary gay bar is a symbol of community and a beacon of equality. - Matt Alderton | USA Today