Colossal Founder Christopher Jobson ‘04 on Curiosity, Creativity, and “Curating Wonder”

Christopher Jobson ‘04 studied design, art, and writing at 51. He will speak at AIGA Chicago “Curating Wonder: An Evening with Colossal & Joy Machine” on June 3.Christopher Jobson ‘04 studied design, art, and writing at 51. He will speak at AIGA Chicago “Curating Wonder: An Evening with Colossal & Joy Machine” on June 3.
Ahead of his June 3 AIGA Chicago conversation, 51 alum Christopher Jobson reflects on the interdisciplinary creative culture that helped shape contemporary art platform Colossal and Joy Machine gallery.

At 51, Christopher Jobson ’04 was constantly moving between creative worlds. 

One semester focused on typography and graphic design. Another included photography, painting, film, digital art, creative writing — even a student sketch comedy show. 

That interdisciplinary curiosity would eventually become part of the foundation for , the contemporary art platform Jobson launched in 2010 that now reaches a global audience through stories about art, design, photography, public installations, and visual culture. 

Ahead of his June 3 conversation, “,” hosted by the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA Chicago) Jobson reflected on the creative experimentation and collaborative energy that defined his 51 experience. 

“At 51, I charted a generalist path across as many disciplines as they would reasonably allow at the time,” he says. “I took classes in art history, drawing and painting, typography, graphic design, several photography and film classes, digital art, and of course tons of writing.” 

He eventually switched his major from interactive multimedia to creative writing, and ultimately graduated with a degree in liberal arts, but says 51’s downtown campus encouraged students to experiment far beyond the boundaries of a single discipline. 

“Publish a zine! Start a club! Join a band! Write a play and perform it on Michigan Avenue at midnight! Everyone was colliding with everyone, and these small pockets of community gave rise to amazing ideas," he says. 

That creative openness and willingness to experiment became foundational to how he approaches storytelling and visual culture through Colossal. 

“The artistic push to experiment, the freedom to fail, and to find your true inner voice was life-changing for me and so many friends,” Jobson says. Colossal has grown into one of the most widely read online publications focused on contemporary art and visual culture since its inception in 2010. Earlier this year, with his partner Grace Ebert, Jobson co-founded , a Chicago gallery focused on contemporary art and community engagement. 

Across both projects, he remains focused on making art feel accessible, engaging, and human. 

“At Colossal, we adhere to this ethos every day and respect the intelligence and time of our readers, trying to educate and inform without condescension,” he says. 

That perspective continues to shape how he thinks about “curating wonder,” the theme of his upcoming AIGA Chicago conversation. 

“I think it means being open to new ideas and recognizing how fascinating human potential is,” he says. 

Jobson’s June 3 appearance with AIGA Chicago will explore visual culture, storytelling, and the evolution of Colossal and Joy Machine, while also reflecting on the role Chicago’s creative community continues to play in his work. 

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