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Sunday, January 12, 2025

Murals and Mosaics

A series that aims to capture, catalog and celebrate the beauty of Chicago’s public art.

Molly Zakrajsek stands in front of the Edgewater mural she designed and painted.
Murals and Mosaics
Edgewater mural, inspired by nature and folk art, brightens dilapidated lot
The huge painting next to a vacant lot and behind a chain-link fence gets more notice, says artist Molly Zakrajsek, than any other work she’s done.
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This mural by artist Chris RMK of New York in the alley behind the home at 1509 W. Fry St. in Noble Square.
Murals and Mosaics
Noble Square robots greet alley cutters in Chris RWK's mural
The New York artist did this mural last summer when a homeowner who admired his work asked him to paint his garage.
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 

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.

This new mural by artist Tomokazu Matsuyama is on Chicago Public Library's Edgewater Branch, 6000 N. Broadway.
Edgewater library sheds drab image with colorful mural
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This black-and-white mural by artist Mac Blackout is on the side of Sleeping Village music venue, 3734 W. Belmont Ave., Avondale.
Avondale mural on Sleeping Village aims to draw in music lovers
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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Giant floral bunny tangles with thorny branches in mural over Wabash Arts Corridor
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This mural featuring athletes of Italian-American descent is on the new home of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, which will open in the fall of 2025 at 3417 N. Harlem Ave. in Dunning.
Italian American athletes grace sports Hall of Fame mural in Dunning
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
Mural painted on an outdoor brick wall uses red, white and blue images of people to create an American flag.
American flag mural in Pilsen shows the United States as a nation of immigrants
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This mural, "The Future Is in Our Hands," is on the South Chicago Learning Center, a satellite campus of Olive-Harvey College.
South Chicago mural unites Black and Brown communities in old steel plant neighborhood
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This mural by Darius Dennis is visible on the CTA Red Line between the Wilson and Argyle stations.
Civil Rights Movement sit-in photo in Uptown is the subject of Darius Dennis' Red Line mural
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
A mural titled “Woven Together” adorns a railroad viaduct and walkway at South Ashland Avenue and 49th Street in Back of the Yards.
Lighting a dark viaduct, Back of the Yards mural creates beauty and safety
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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Northalsted mural inspired by RuPaul aims to get out the vote
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This mural, by Erick “ROHO” Garcia and students in the After School Matters program, is at the South Shore Community Center, 6720 S. East End Ave.
South Shore mural reflects student artists' vision
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This new mural dedicated to the sex workers on West Madison Street by artist Blake Lenoir was inspired by Tupac Shakur's poem "The Rose That Grew From Concrete.”
Rose mural on West Side dedicated to sex workers
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This recently completed mural by Ryan Tova Katz is on the 1400 block of Morse Avenue in Rogers Park.
New Rogers Park mural features beloved farmers market
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
Megan Kind's mural of a baby seeping through an hourglass is one of three works that adorn this garage in a Logan Square alley.
Murals on Logan Square garage might slow your alley shortcut
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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Albany Park 'Octopus Alebrije' mural peers at waiting bus riders
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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Uptown's new mural is a tribute to historic music venues
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
The Three Senators mural in Chatham celebrates a trio of Illinois' former U.S. senators: Carol Moseley Braun, Barack Obama and Roland Burris.
'Three Senators' mural celebrates Illinois' Obama, Braun and Burris — all from the South Side
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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While painting Berwyn mural, artist thought about opportunities he didn't have as a kid
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
The "Raise the Day" mural seen at Lake View’s Wendt Park is two murals in one, painted by artist Ryan Tova Katz on two buildings next to the park.
In Lake View mural, the kids in the park really do play there
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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Brighton Park mural by students shows the bungalows they have, the greenery they want
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
This billboard, with photos by Isiah ThoughtfulPoet Veney, is titled "Throwin Hands With My Shadow" and can be found on the northeast corner of South May and West 63rd streets in Englewood.
Englewood billboard features photos of Chicago artists, musicians
By Genevieve Bookwalter
 
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