Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Amelia Ickes2022-01-14T10:00:00-06:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/amelia-ickes/rss2022-01-14T10:00:00-06:002022-01-14T16:26:17-06:00Chicago murals: Mural Mafia brings its graffiti-oriented take on public art to Chicago
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<img class="Image" alt="The mural titled “Home,” done by the Mural Mafia at 16th Street and Ashland Avenue. " srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/426e31f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1450x814+0+61/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FQgxmi_qu1Cjt6lHbh7nx07Cy-A8%3D%2F0x0%3A1450x935%2F1450x935%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28725x468%3A726x469%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23164228%2Fhome.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/16051c6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1450x814+0+61/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FQgxmi_qu1Cjt6lHbh7nx07Cy-A8%3D%2F0x0%3A1450x935%2F1450x935%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28725x468%3A726x469%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23164228%2Fhome.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The mural titled “Home,” done by the Mural Mafia at 16th Street and Ashland Avenue. </p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Vittoria Benzine</p></div></div>
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<div class="LargeTextEnhancement">To the Mural Mafia, a traveling group of muralists, a “piece” isn’t a weapon. It’s short for an artistic masterpiece.</div><p></p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-hangRight><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-6e0000" name="module-6e0000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Murals</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h3>Chicago’s murals & mosaics</h3><br>Part of a <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics" target="_blank" >series</a> on public art. More murals added every week.<br></div>
</div><p>On recent visits to Chicago, members of the group created a series of pieces, including one, titled “Home” and completed this past summer at 16th Street and Ashland Avenue, that depicts Mother Earth holding a globe to send a message about environmental sustainability.</p><p>Another mural, called “Power to the People,” completed last summer near Grand and Chicago avenues, features images of five racial justice figures: Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Davis and Nelson Mandela.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullBleed>
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<img class="Image" alt="The Mural Mafia’s piece “Power to the People,” at Grand and Chicago avenues, features images of five people who fought for racial justice: (from left) Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Davis and Nelson Mandela." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4a03360/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x898+0+151/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fke2p2Cp4fvXy39Elc6pgL8MYb2Y%3D%2F0x0%3A1600x1200%2F1600x1200%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28800x600%3A801x601%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23164201%2FMURAL_copy.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/62a461c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x898+0+151/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fke2p2Cp4fvXy39Elc6pgL8MYb2Y%3D%2F0x0%3A1600x1200%2F1600x1200%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28800x600%3A801x601%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23164201%2FMURAL_copy.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The Mural Mafia’s piece “Power to the People,” at Grand and Chicago avenues, features images of five people who fought for racial justice: (from left) Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Angela Davis and Nelson Mandela.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
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</div><p>“We are trying to put out positive messages of hope, love and equality,” says the Mural Mafia member who goes by Menace.</p><p>Some of the group’s other works are just for fun. Like the mural in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue that includes images of singers Jennifer Hudson and Aretha Franklin, also completed last summer.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="Singer Jennifer Hudson in a mural in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue by the graffiti art crew known as the Mural Mafia." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e1aa735/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4624x1927+0+773/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FJZl6bnzbNr5d_GRhYK26GlHV9kU%3D%2F0x0%3A4624x3472%2F4624x3472%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282312x1736%3A2313x1737%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23161269%2FJENNIFERHUDSONMURAL.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ec7b4d1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4624x1927+0+773/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FJZl6bnzbNr5d_GRhYK26GlHV9kU%3D%2F0x0%3A4624x3472%2F4624x3472%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282312x1736%3A2313x1737%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23161269%2FJENNIFERHUDSONMURAL.jpg 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Singer Jennifer Hudson in a mural in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue by the graffiti art crew known as the Mural Mafia.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
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</div><p>The group did another mural on a railroad viaduct along Hubbard Street at Aberdeen Street, in a stretch that includes dozens of murals, some dating to the 1970s. That Mural Mafia creation, done in December, features an underwater scene and showcases the styles of Mural Mafia artists Menace, Resa, Lindsay and another muralist, who goes by Task 2, who has worked with the group in Chicago. Each took on a different section of the wall.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="The Mural Mafia did this an underwater-themed mural at Hubbard Street at Aberdeen Street. Among the artists who worked on it were (from left) Task 2, Menace, Resa and Lindsay." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/15f2ea0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x1680+0+672/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FrdDN5JC7a4OBCeojGgswRzWNTgg%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23143194%2FIMG_2783.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1875edf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x1680+0+672/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FrdDN5JC7a4OBCeojGgswRzWNTgg%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23143194%2FIMG_2783.JPG 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The Mural Mafia did this an underwater-themed mural at Hubbard Street at Aberdeen Street. Among the artists who worked on it were (from left) Task 2, Menace, Resa and Lindsay.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Amelia Ickes / Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Menace and Resa got their starts with graffiti art in New York before moving to Los Angeles, Lindsay is from Chicago, where she says the graffiti scene is more community-oriented than it is in other cities where the group has worked.</p><p>The Mural Mafia is aiming to have murals in every state.</p><p>“We want to be a community service for people in every state or small town we go to,” Resa says. “The first thing all American schools cut from their funding is arts education, but we believe it is so pivotal for child development.”</p><h5>Click on the map below for a selection of Chicago-area murals</h5><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2022/1/14/22865900/chicago-murals-mural-mafia-graffitiAmelia Ickes2021-12-03T11:00:00-06:002021-12-03T12:37:02-06:00Chicago murals: Thomas Melvin pays homage to Louis Sullivan with murals in Fulton Market
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<img class="Image" alt="Thomas Melvin says he aimed with his mural at 205 N. Peoria St. to let people see the city, in effect, through famed architect Louis Sullivan’s eyes." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8f1ec4f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+381/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F888t-0dmu2-YOtu7ZittwUvKlac%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23054523%2FIMG_2513.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c27553d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+381/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F888t-0dmu2-YOtu7ZittwUvKlac%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23054523%2FIMG_2513.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Thomas Melvin says he aimed with his mural at 205 N. Peoria St. to let people see the city, in effect, through famed architect Louis Sullivan’s eyes.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Amelia Ickes / Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<div class="LargeTextEnhancement">Chicago muralist Thomas Melvin is paying homage to pioneering Chicago architect Louis Sullivan in two murals he created for a development in Fulton Market.</div><p></p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-hangRight><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-690000" name="module-690000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Murals</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h3>Chicago’s murals & mosaics</h3><br>Part of a <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics" target="_blank" >series</a> on public art. More murals added every week.<br></div>
</div><p>Sullivan is renowned for his work during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, designing buildings including the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., and the former Carson Pirie Scott department store building at 9 E. Madison St., now known as the Sullivan Center.</p><p>In one of Melvin’s two untitled murals, at 205 N. Peoria St. next to the Fulton East building, he offers a glimpse of the Chicago skyline through an eye-shaped lens. Melvin says that was inspired by the Sullivan Center and that the aim was to give the effect of seeing the city through the renowned architect’s eyes.</p><p>The design incorporates greenery, paying tribute to nature and, according to Melvin, giving another nod to Sullivan, whose work often drew on the connection between architecture and growth.</p><p>“He had a beautiful sense for proportion,” Melvin says. “It can be traced to organic, plant and geologic forms, which are the building blocks of our world. Painters recognize that as well in the way that they compose their paintings.”</p><p>Melvin, 69, who lives in Albany Park, did another new mural nearby. It features larger-than-life ivy vines that appear to be crawling up the west side of the building at 220 N. Green St.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullBleed>
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<img class="Image" alt="Thomas Melvin’s ivy mural at 220 N. Green St., seen from the alley behind the Fulton East building at 215 N. Peoria St." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc438eb/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+381/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FwU_GLQRobs8tdGGbo5om-4z9EzU%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23054529%2FIMG_2520.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/bce4be9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2263+0+381/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FwU_GLQRobs8tdGGbo5om-4z9EzU%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23054529%2FIMG_2520.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Thomas Melvin’s ivy mural at 220 N. Green St., seen from the alley behind the Fulton East building at 215 N. Peoria St.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Amelia Ickes / Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Both murals, painted in 2020, were commissioned by Bob Wislow, chairman and chief executive officer of Parkside Realty, who developed the 12-story Fulton East building, 215 N. Peoria St.</p><p>“We built the building around the thought of health and wellness well before the pandemic,” Wislow says, “on the principles of biophilic design — bringing the outdoors in. So we thought, ‘Let’s do something that helps do even more.’ ”</p><p>Melvin got his start as a sign painter. He says he draws inspiration from early American folk art and the painted scenic backdrops that often were used in early photography.</p><p>“I became attracted to decorative attempts by everybody,” Melvin says. “Those were my original inspirations. Some of those things were very naive and self-taught, and I love the spirit of that.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="Chicago muralist Thomas Melvin on scaffolding to paint his ivy mural in Fulton Market." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/66a58da/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x1680+0+672/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fbl7WSlZ5tPcCcV2I61uz-7nLo94%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23054538%2FIMG_4679.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3759989/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x1680+0+672/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fbl7WSlZ5tPcCcV2I61uz-7nLo94%3D%2F0x0%3A4032x3024%2F4032x3024%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282016x1512%3A2017x1513%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F23054538%2FIMG_4679.jpg 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chicago muralist Thomas Melvin on scaffolding to paint his ivy mural in Fulton Market.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided.</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Melvin takes some of his technique from what he learned from Richard Haas, a muralist who specializes in the <i>trompe-l’oeil</i> style that aims to “deceive the eye” by making an object appear in three dimensions.</p><p>Melvin, who grew up in New York City, says he started doing more pictorial work in the 1980s, working with developers to create canvases in his Albany Park studio for malls and food courts across the country.</p><p>Throughout his more than 40-year career, Melvin says he’s seen public art become more political but says that’s not his style.</p><p>“I, for one, was never involved in it as a political movement,” he says. “I was much more involved in it for the architectural, decorative, graphic aspects of it, the addition that it could make to the livability of our world and, dare I say, beauty of certain structures.”</p><h5>Click on the map below for a selection of Chicago-area murals</h5><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2021/12/3/22797446/chicago-murals-thomas-melvin-louis-sullivan-fulton-marketAmelia Ickes2021-10-29T11:15:00-05:002021-10-28T21:30:28-05:00Chicago murals: Mauricio Ramirez’s ‘Pilsen Warrior Mural’ features an iconic Aztec eagle warrior figure, symbolizes stages of life
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<img class="Image" alt="Mauricio Ramirez combined images of a young boy and an Aztec eagle warrior in his “Pilsen Warrior Mural.” The mural at 1541 W. 18th St. is meant to portray evolution and to honor the iconic figure." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7565ca7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+3/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F8qNmZ6eTugFHPu10LVVtwWql76A%3D%2F0x0%3A4000x2250%2F4000x2250%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282000x1125%3A2001x1126%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22925396%2FRemoteMediaFile_6553692_0_2021_10_13_11_32_04.JPG 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/eccdcc0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+3/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F8qNmZ6eTugFHPu10LVVtwWql76A%3D%2F0x0%3A4000x2250%2F4000x2250%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282000x1125%3A2001x1126%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22925396%2FRemoteMediaFile_6553692_0_2021_10_13_11_32_04.JPG 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mauricio Ramirez combined images of a young boy and an Aztec eagle warrior in his “Pilsen Warrior Mural.” The mural at 1541 W. 18th St. is meant to portray evolution and to honor the iconic figure.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
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<div class="LargeTextEnhancement">“It’s all about the evolution,” Chicago muralist Mauricio Ramirez says of his latest work, titled “Pilsen Warrior Mural.”</div><p></p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-hangRight><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-490000" name="module-490000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Murals</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h3>Chicago’s murals & mosaics</h3><br>Part of a <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics" target="_blank" >series</a> on public art. More murals added every week.<br></div>
</div><p>The mural, which spans the side of an apartment building at 1541 W. 18th St., features three brightly colored figures at different stages of life.</p><p>A young child gazes up at a teenage boy wearing a Mexican serape. And there’s an Aztec eagle warrior — a figure from the ancient culture, seen in an eagle headdress and carrying a decorated shield, who collected sacrifices for the gods, including Huitzilopochtli, the Mexican god of war, also often depicted as an eagle.</p><p>“I remember growing up, as an adolescent and toddler, I always looked up to my older cousins,” says Ramirez, 32. “I thought of them as my heroes. I was always wanting to be that age.”</p><p>The mural “talks about evolution and generations, how certain traditions get passed down,” he says.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="Artist Mauricio Ramirez at his studio at Mana Contemporary in Pilsen." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6a0af98/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5578x2324+0+697/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fy54AUpAKQdx73JlA26xKx5_5Y8E%3D%2F0x0%3A5578x3718%2F5578x3718%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282789x1859%3A2790x1860%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22957134%2Fmauricioinstudio.jpeg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f88a68d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5578x2324+0+697/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fy54AUpAKQdx73JlA26xKx5_5Y8E%3D%2F0x0%3A5578x3718%2F5578x3718%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282789x1859%3A2790x1860%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22957134%2Fmauricioinstudio.jpeg 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Artist Mauricio Ramirez at his studio at Mana Contemporary in Pilsen.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Starting out, Ramirez says, he leaned heavily on a graffiti-like style. He says he picked up other techniques from working side jobs as an industrial painter, doing things like painting planes.</p><p>Because the Aztec eagle warrior is common in Mexican culture — and as the logo of the airline Aeromexico — Ramirez says he was aiming to put his own spin on the image.</p><p>“I wanted to update it, to see what it would look like in 2021,” he says. “There’s a lot of mural artists out there that are doing cartoon-like artwork with hard lines or painting stuff very literally. I wanted to switch it up.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="Mauricio Ramirez says he used his signature “poly-wave” style for his “Pilsen Warrior Mural.”" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7868d0f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x800+0+240/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F-DJIdwdFA0mWHa1ZT-oFfUVyzw4%3D%2F0x0%3A1920x1280%2F1920x1280%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28960x640%3A961x641%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22957462%2Fimage00009.jpeg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c04be38/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x800+0+240/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F-DJIdwdFA0mWHa1ZT-oFfUVyzw4%3D%2F0x0%3A1920x1280%2F1920x1280%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28960x640%3A961x641%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22957462%2Fimage00009.jpeg 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mauricio Ramirez says he used his signature “poly-wave” style for his “Pilsen Warrior Mural.”</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Provided</p></div></div>
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</div>
</div><p>Ramirez says he divided the mural into triangular sections and left some of those spaces at street level open for passers-by to help paint.</p><p>“A lot of my approach to public art is getting the community involved,” he says. “For this mural, I wanted them to come out, to ultimately give them ownership of the work that’s going up.”</p><h5>Click on the map below for a selection of Chicago-area murals</h5><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2021/10/29/22725548/chicago-murals-mauricio-ramirez-pilsen-warrior-mural-aztec-eagle-warriorAmelia Ickes2021-10-01T11:00:00-05:002021-10-02T01:52:51-05:00Chicago murals, mosaics: Chicago Mosaic School’s Edgewater mosaics along Devon Avenue aim to reflect the mosaic of people living nearby
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<img class="Image" alt="“Prairie Hyacinth” by Laura Marie Sanchez, at 1324 W. Devon Ave., is one of three mosaic installations that make up the Edgewater Garden Project." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/839bd22/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1500x842+0+301/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FroKriulKKER7Ugnm1TsCZQz77MM%3D%2F0x0%3A1500x1443%2F1500x1443%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28750x722%3A751x723%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22892343%2Fmosaic.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e321d18/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1500x842+0+301/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FroKriulKKER7Ugnm1TsCZQz77MM%3D%2F0x0%3A1500x1443%2F1500x1443%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28750x722%3A751x723%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22892343%2Fmosaic.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>“Prairie Hyacinth” by Laura Marie Sanchez, at 1324 W. Devon Ave., is one of three mosaic installations that make up the Edgewater Garden Project.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Mosaic School</p></div></div>
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<p>Ever since the <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2019/12/20/21030245/murals-chicago-mosaic-school-edgewater-roman-byzantine-mosaics" target="_blank" >Chicago Mosaic School</a> moved from Ravenswood to Edgewater four years ago, its faculty has been looking for ways to spruce up the new neighborhood.</p><div class="RichTextSidebarModule Enhancement" data-module data-align-hangRight><a class="AnchorLink" id="module-340000" name="module-340000"></a>
<div class="RichTextSidebarModule-title">Murals</div>
<div class="RichTextModule-items RichTextBody"><h3>Chicago’s murals & mosaics</h3><br>Part of a <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics" target="_blank" >series</a> on public art. More murals added every week.<br></div>
</div><p>Its latest effort: the Edgewater Garden Project, flower mosaics installed on Devon Avenue between Lakewood and Glenwood avenues.</p><p>“Edgewater, as a community of people, is definitely a mosaic,” says Karen Ami, executive director of the school at 1127 W. Granville Ave., which put together the project with the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce. “There are all these wonderful ethnicities and cultures. I believe that we emulated that idea.”</p><p>Among the three mosaics installed so far: a piece titled “Lotus” by artist Casey Van Loon at 1259 W. Devon Ave outside Ellipsis Coffeehouse.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="Chicago Mosaic School faculty member Casey Van Loon installs her piece “Lotus” at 1259 W. Devon Ave." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/80e418c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x667+0+364/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FIkEKgmmIxfmAKakDv8i2sX51fuQ%3D%2F0x0%3A1600x1394%2F1600x1394%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28800x697%3A801x698%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22892336%2FVan_Loon.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/59ae048/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1600x667+0+364/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FIkEKgmmIxfmAKakDv8i2sX51fuQ%3D%2F0x0%3A1600x1394%2F1600x1394%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28800x697%3A801x698%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22892336%2FVan_Loon.jpg 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Casey Van Loon installs her piece “Lotus” at 1259 W. Devon Ave.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Mosaic School</p></div></div>
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</div><p>“I wanted to make something uplifting and inspiring,” says Van Loon, who lives in Irving Park.</p><p>She says she also wanted to “give nods to a Christian rose window and an Eastern mandala. The idea was to merge these spiritual imageries into one.”</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
<div class="RelatedList-title">Related</div>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2019/12/20/21030245/murals-chicago-mosaic-school-edgewater-roman-byzantine-mosaics" target="_blank" >Making mosaics ‘goes a lot deeper than breaking glass and putting it together’ </a>
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<p>So she featured geometric designs as a connection between circular stained-glass windows and mandalas — spiritual symbols found in Buddhism and Hinduism.</p><p>The project also includes work by artists Etty Hasak and Laura Marie Sanchez.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-fullWidth>
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<img class="Image" alt="Etty Hasak’s “Wildflowers” mosaic at 1401 W. Devon Ave." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ed3339c/2147483647/strip/true/resize/1440x600!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F2dvehLsYINc93lQ7rBDDFXgjoVE%3D%2F0x0%3A2736x3648%2F2736x3648%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281368x1824%3A1369x1825%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22871215%2FHasak_Wildflowers1.png 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f14f0a3/2147483647/strip/true/resize/2880x1200!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2F2dvehLsYINc93lQ7rBDDFXgjoVE%3D%2F0x0%3A2736x3648%2F2736x3648%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281368x1824%3A1369x1825%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F22871215%2FHasak_Wildflowers1.png 2x" width="1440" height="600"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Etty Hasak’s “Wildflowers” mosaic at 1401 W. Devon Ave.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Chicago Mosaic School</p></div></div>
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</div><p>Two more flower pieces are in the works. And Ami says the aim is to expand the mosaic effort “so that they’re all over Edgewater.”</p><p>“I used to come to Edgewater as a little girl to visit my grandfather,” she says. “He lived on Winthrop and Sheridan, and I used to walk by where the [school] is now when I was 5 years old. It’s kind of a full-circle thing for me.”</p><h5>Click on the map below for a selection of Chicago-area murals</h5><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2021/10/1/22684617/murals-chicago-mosaic-school-edgewater-garden-project-devon-avenueAmelia Ickes