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Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Murals and Mosaics

A series that aims to capture, catalogue and celebrate the beauty of Chicago’s streets, as seen through its public art.

An Elgin mural completed in November by artist Javier Pretelin Sanchez.
Murals and Mosaics
Elgin artist uses Rosie the Riveter, ‘Si se puede’ to create a mural about achieving dreams
Javier Sanchez, who goes by Azuna, says his painting is intended to convey ‘empowerment no matter who you are or what you do’ and that ‘you can do your dreams.’
By Sun-Times staff
 
Matthew Mederer, also known as Cool Disco Rich, completed this Logan Square mural in 2019.
Murals and Mosaics
Logan Square mural offers a nod to Puerto Rico with a 3D touch
Matthew Mederer made the brick facade of the building at 2600 W. Fullerton Ave. seem to fall away to reveal frogs inspired by the coquís of Puerto Rico.
By Katie Anthony
 

Interactive map of Chicago’s murals and mosaics

Each point on the map is clickable, with a photo, description and sometimes a link to a story about the mural. You can zoom in to focus on a particular neighborhood or suburb.

Winning mural at the Salt Shed. Eleven-year-old Lucy Holloway’s drawing was transformed into this mural at the Salt Shed as the grand prize in a student art contest sponsored by the Chicago Sun-Times, WBEZ and Vocalo.
This 100-foot mural at the Salt Shed was created by an 11-year-old Buffalo Grove girl: ‘Kind of crazy seeing it that big’
By Sun-Times staff
 
The mural “Libertad,” which went up at Barrett Park in 2008, restored in 2022.
Artist Ruth Garcia came to Barrett Park as a little girl to play. Now, she has restored a mural there.
By Sun-Times staff
 
Whales adorn a mural artist Eddaviel painted in 2019 on a Lake Barrington business that sells water-purification systems.
Whale mural at Lake Barrington business is artist Eddaviel’s statement on the environment
By Sun-Times staff
 
A detail portion of artwork by Cora S., 15, a freshman at Northside College Prep on the North Side, that’s one of the runners-up in our student art contest.
These are the runners-up in our student art contest
By Sun-Times staff
 
“All in Harmony,” 11-year-old Lucy Holloway’s winning artwork in the student art contest sponsored by the Chicago Sun-Times, WBEZ and Vocalo.
Chicago-area sixth-grade artist’s winning entry from our student art contest will be a mural you can see at the Salt Shed
By Sun-Times staff
 
The Bridgeport artist who goes by ZorZorZor painted this mural in an alley off Harrison Street between Michigan and Wabash avenues.
Bridgeport artist ZorZorZor’s South Loop alley mural won her a distant fan and a paid commission
By Sun-Times staff
 
Pablo Serrano stands in front of his mural “Creative Cultural Chemistry of Democracy” at Ashland Avenue and Hubbard Street in the West Loop.
Pablo Serrano wants you to get closer to this West Loop mural
By Katie Anthony
 
A new mural at 5131 W. Madison St., by artist Barrett Keithley to help promote a new Lyric Opera production.
With West Side mural, Barrett Keithley aims to reflect positive vibe from Black barber shops
By Vanessa Lopez
 
“Semilla,” a mural in Pilsen by Mexican artist Raul Sisniega, stretches across a wall of All Care Dental, 1918 S. Blue Island Ave.
The seed in this Pilsen mural is meant to signify the neighborhood’s growth
By Katie Anthony
 
A mural on Avondale Avenue in Logan Square done in October by artist Chloe Becky.
Why are those eyeballs floating? That and more about Logan Square mural near Kennedy Expressway
By Sun-Times staff
 
This mural in the Taylor Avenue pedestrian tunnel was done by Pilsen artist Juan De La Mora.
Glen Ellyn pedestrian tunnel is filled with trees, thanks to Pilsen artist’s mural
By Sun-Times staff
 
This mural by the “Pop Art Rabbi” is at the Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie in the 4000 block of Dempster Street.
At Skokie Jewish center, this mural by the ‘Pop Art Rabbi’ aims to convey the essence of a ‘mitzvah’
By Sun-Times staff
 
The recently restored “Tree of Life” mural, painted by Frederick Clay Bartlett in 1903, is seen at Second Presbyterian Church in the South Loop, Friday, Dec. 30, 2022. The mural was restored by Parma Conservation Ltd. Co-Director and Sr. Painting Conservator Peter M. Schoenmann, Director Elizabeth Kendall, who is also his wife, and their team.
Murals and Mosaics
Historic mural restored at Second Presbyterian Church
After more than 100 years, the vibrancy of the windows and the mural were hidden by dirt, leading supporters of the church to embark on a campaign to restore the artistic treasures to their original glory.
By Bob Chiarito | Special to the Sun-Times
 
A painting of the Vasa outside the Swedish restaurant SVEA at 5236 N. Clark St. in Andersonville, the once-heavily Swedish neighborhood.
Andersonville mural features 17th century ship that was the pride of the Swedish navy (just very briefly)
By Sun-Times staff
 
This mural, titled “Wakanda Forever,” was painted by artist Rahmaan Statik and features characters from Marvel’s “Black Panther” movies.
For Chicago artist Rahmaan Statik, painting ‘Black Panther’ murals was ‘a childhood dream come true’
By Mary Norkol
 
A viaduct on Lawrence Avenue just west of the Kennedy Expressway includes numerous murals that are replicas of Ed Paschke paintings. The mural at left is based on his 2000 “Orange Bird” painting.
Ed Paschke’s artwork still dazzles even in mural reproductions in a Northwest Side viaduct
By Sun-Times staff
 
A mural by Humboldt Park native Antonio Beniquez facing the intersection of California Avenue and Division Street, near the West Side neighborhood’s namesake park.
Humboldt Park building will block mural — so artist was asked to create new one
By Michael Loria
 
This mural by artist Richard Wilson on a building managed by the University of Chicago that houses the Small Cheval restaurant at 1307 E. 53rd St. honors the late singer Donny Hathaway.
Singer Donny Hathaway inspired Hyde Park mural celebrating his music, promoting mental health
By Sun-Times staff
 
Artist Kaitlyn Beiriger’s 2021 mural “Time Piece” at 1014 S. Michigan Ave.
‘Twilight Zone’ and the pandemic inspired artist Kaitlyn Beiriger’s South Loop mural
By Austin Hojdar
 
Part of a series of murals along a CTA Orange Line retaining wall that spotlights video game and comic book characters. The image at left, painted by the artist Rawooh, shows “Angela,” who originated in the Spawn comic book series. The gamer image in the middle was done by Viril the Mouse. Many Super Mario Bros. images at right were done by members of the CAB crew of graffiti artists.
Donkey Kong, Mario, Spawn make South Side stretch of murals a retro video game, comic book celebration
By Sun-Times staff
 
Langston Allston painted this mural in September 2021 at 20 S. Campbell Ave.
Fleeing Hurricane Ida, Langston Allston came to Chicago and created this mural
By Austin Hojdar
 
Sergio Maciel’s “Ice Cream Break” mural at 2100 W. Cermak Rd. in Pilsen, which he painted in August.
In Pilsen mural, Sergio Maciel uses masks to celebrate the neighborhood’s diversity
By Austin Hojdar
 
“The Radiance of Being,” a 180-foot-long mural artist Kate Lewis painted in 2020 along the Chicago River downtown.
For Riverwalk mural, artist Kate Lewis drew inspiration from classic Chicago architecture
By Austin Hojdar
 
Orlando artist Christian Stanley painted this mural, which he titled “Chance,” in August on Hubbard Street just east of Ashland Avenue.
For West Loop foundry, artist painted a mural of a fiery gator
By Sun-Times staff
 
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