CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Dozens of established, Chicago-based muralists and graffiti artists will be taking over a viaduct in Pilsen for a weeklong mural project starting Tuesday, and organizers said local youth and emerging artists have been invited to assist.
The Pilsen-based Mural Movement partnered with the nonprofit Connecting4Communities to bring around 50 artists to the viaduct, located at 16th Street and Racine Avenue, for a project dedicated to transforming the narrative surrounding what organizers described as Chicago’s “dark, damp, dirty and intimidating viaducts.”
“It’s always been kind of scary and not so welcoming,” said Mural Movement Founder Delilah Martinez.
Martinez told WBBM that the aim this week is to beautify the viaduct with vibrant murals and showcase the creativity of muralists and graffiti artists.
“Every project we do, we love to empower the youth,” she said. “We love to empower aspiring artists or anybody that’s interested in the art world, we just love to empower them and invite them out to come and assist with us.”
The final product will leave the viaduct with an illuminated gallery of 50 murals, which organizers hope will make the walk from one neighborhood to another feel safer and more exciting.
Martinez said the project will culminate in a festival to celebrate the final unveiling of the murals at 16th Street and Racine Sunday.
“The families will be able to come out and check out the final murals, and people from the community — whether they’re youth or just neighbors — will be able to come assist on a community wall,” she said.
Ald. Byrn Sigcho-Lopez (25th) green lit the project earlier in 2023, though Martinez added that Nancy Plax was instrumental in making it a reality.
“She’s the founder of Connecting4Communities, and she has done the majority of the fundraising to fund all the materials for the artists for this project,” she said.
The Mural Movement Festival will kick off at noon on Sunday.
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