Chicago Public Art Group

Last updated
Chicago Public Art Group
Founded1971
Founder William Walker and John Pitman Weber
TypeIndependent public art organization
Location
Productspublic art in a variety of media
ServicesDesign, organization, education
MethodProduce public art
Key people
Chantal Healey, Executive Director
Website chicagopublicartgroup.org
Formerly called
Chicago Mural Group

Chicago Public Art Group (originally, Chicago Mural Group) is a non profit cultural organization in Chicago that organizes and promotes creation of community public art. The Group was founded in 1971 and has been involved in the creation of hundreds of artworks in and around the city. CPAG supports the production of public murals, mosaics, sculptures and space designs in collaboration with community participants. CPAG also educates artists and the public about the history and possibilities of collaborative public art. Several of its works have been large bricolage mosaics in city underpasses.

Contents

History

Founded in 1971, the Chicago Public Art Group began as a cooperative of artists to enhance Chicago communities through the creation of public murals. Concerned with societal relationships to art, the group wanted to establish communication and working creative partnerships between artists and city residents. Muralists William Walker and John Pitman Weber were among the co-founders of what was then called the Chicago Muralists Group. [1] [2] [3] From the beginning, a focus of the cooperative was turning some of the most neglected of urban spaces into artistic canvasses. [4] It was influenced by the past work of individual artists working in the city. [5] The group-created Fabric of our Lives, by Miriam Socoloff and Cynthia Weiss in 1980, lays claim to being the first community-based mosaic in the United States, according to executive director emeritus Jon Pounds. [6]

Artwork

There are hundreds of significant artworks associated with the Group in various public places, mostly within the City of Chicago. [6] [7] These include murals, mosaics, sculptures, and space or landscape designs. [8] Most projects have included community organizations, residents, or schools in the creation of these art pieces. Some public artworks may cost as much as $100,000 and more to create. [9] [10] These include large mosaics placed on the walls of highway underpasses, or murals on buildings or train viaducts. The artworks are often community, local history, or environment themed.

The large glass mosaic "Aqua Interlude & Reflection" (2011), in a pedestrian underpass, was created with the help of a youth project and explores light and water. The large tile and glass mosaic "Indian Land Dancing" (2009) in a highway underpass, was created with the help of the American Indian Center and illustrates local Native American history and modern experience. [10] [11] Another large underpass mural and mosaic, "Growing" (2008) is based around the theme of local community and growth. [1]

Several of these artworks, which may be 10 to 12 feet high, and 120 to 160 feet long, [12] have employed a type of bricolage technique. [13] Reporter Geoffery Bear described this as the "technique of taking broken pieces of ceramic tile, and other three dimensional objects, pieces of mirror, actual photographs, and putting it all together." [14] According to Sue-Lyn Erbeck and Marty Bach, this technique can be "loose and improvisational" and describe a representative process involving: "1. Photos ... transferred to acetate, projected onto the wall and traced with acrylic paint. 2. Broken pieces of mirror applied to the outline. 3. Loose elements, such as the clouds and words, attached. 4. Buckets of various broken elements such as ceramic tiles, china and porcelain, filled in around outlines. 5. Spaces between the tiles grouted and painted. 6. Paintings . . . attached to the wall." [15]

Organization

Chicago Public Art Group's mission includes designing public art, enhancing individual artistic skills and expression, educating professional artists concerning issues of public art, and building community appreciation with respect to the benefits of public art creation. [16] The Group's board of directors includes artists and community leaders. It provides artistic leadership and professional management to public and private organizations in the creation of art. [17] The organization is centered on an elected group of "Core Artists," who have previously worked on or led its projects. Its "Senior Artists Circle" is an invitation only group that recognizes prominent public artists. [18] [19] The Group also promotes the restoration of artwork. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mural</span> Piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a large permanent surface

A mural is any piece of graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage.

Public art is art in any media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Public art is visually and physically accessible to the public; it is installed in public space in both outdoor and indoor settings. Public art seeks to embody public or universal concepts rather than commercial, partisan, or personal concepts or interests. Notably, public art is also the direct or indirect product of a public process of creation, procurement, and/or maintenance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhoby Ghaut MRT station</span> Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore

Dhoby Ghaut MRT station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) interchange station on the North South, North East and Circle lines in Singapore. Located beneath the eastern end of Orchard Road shopping belt in Dhoby Ghaut, Museum Planning Area, the station is integrated with the commercial development The Atrium@Orchard. The station is near landmarks such as The Istana, the MacDonald House, Plaza Singapura and Dhoby Ghaut Green.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Millard Sheets</span> American artist, teacher, and architectural designer.(1907–1989)

Millard Owen Sheets was an American artist, teacher, and architectural designer. He was one of the earliest of the California Scene Painting artists and helped define the art movement. Many of his large-scale building-mounted mosaics from the mid-20th century are still extant in Southern California. His paintings are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Whitney Museum in New York, the Chicago Art Institute, the National Gallery in Washington D.C.; and the Los Angeles County Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art on the Underground</span> Public art programme on the London Underground

Art on the Underground, previously called Platform for Art, is Transport for London's (TfL) contemporary public art programme. It commissions permanent and temporary artworks for London Underground, as well as commissioning artists to create covers for the Tube map, one of the largest public art commissions in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virgil Cantini</span> American sculptor (1919–2009)

Virgil David Cantini was an American enamelist, sculptor and educator. He was well known for innovation with enamel and steel and received both local and national recognition for his work, including honorary awards, competitive prizes and commissions, along with a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1957. Cantini long served as a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh, where he helped to create the Department of Studio Arts. A longtime resident of the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cantini died on May 2, 2009, at the age of 90. Today, many of his large scale works are on display throughout the city of Pittsburgh.

Visual arts of Chicago refers to paintings, prints, illustrations, textile art, sculpture, ceramics and other visual artworks produced in Chicago or by people with a connection to Chicago. Since World War II, Chicago visual art has had a strong individualistic streak, little influenced by outside fashions. "One of the unique characteristics of Chicago," said Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts curator Bob Cozzolino, "is there's always been a very pronounced effort to not be derivative, to not follow the status quo." The Chicago art world has been described as having "a stubborn sense ... of tolerant pluralism." However, Chicago's art scene is "critically neglected." Critic Andrew Patner has said, "Chicago's commitment to figurative painting, dating back to the post-War period, has often put it at odds with New York critics and dealers." It is argued that Chicago art is rarely found in Chicago museums; some of the most remarkable Chicago artworks are found in other cities.

William Walker was a notable muralist from Chicago. He was one of the founders of the Organization of Black American Culture (OBAC) and one of the leaders in the project involving the Wall of Respect. He was also one of the critical founders of the mural movements in Chicago during the 1960s. He has cited Jacob Lawrence, Charles White, and Chicago painter William McBride, as well as the work of Mexican muralists Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Jose Clemente Orozco as important influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arts on the Line</span> Greater Boston subway public art program

Arts on the Line was a program devised to bring art into the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) subway stations in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Arts on the Line was the first program of its kind in the United States and became the model for similar drives for art across the country. The first twenty artworks were completed in 1985 with a total cost of US$695,000, or one half of one percent of the total construction cost of the Red Line Northwest Extension, of which they were a part.

<i>Here I Grew Up</i>

Here I Grew Up, is a public artwork by American artist Garo Z. Antreasian, located on the lower level of the Indiana Government Center North building, which is near Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. This mosaic depicting five stages of Abraham Lincoln's life in Indiana between the ages of 7 and 21 can be found on the west side of the building by the escalators leading down to the tunnel to Indiana Government Center South. The mosaic is located between the cafeteria's entrance and an automated teller machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philadelphia's Magic Gardens</span> Folk art environment in Pennsylvania, United States

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is a non-profit organization, folk art environment, and gallery space on South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To date, it is the largest work created by mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar. The Magic Gardens spans three city lots, and includes indoor galleries and a large outdoor labyrinth. The mosaics are made up of everything from kitchen tiles to bike wheels, Latin-American art to china plates. The space is open for public view, from 11:00-6:00 Wednesday through Monday and closed on Tuesdays.

<i>Chartist Mural</i> Mosaic in Newport, Wales

The Chartist Mural was a mosaic mural designed by Kenneth Budd and created in 1978 in a pedestrian underpass in Newport, Wales. It commemorated the Newport Rising of 1839, in which an estimated 22 demonstrators were killed by troops. It was 115 feet (35 m) long and 13 feet (4.0 m) high. The mural was demolished in 2013 amid considerable controversy and misinformation. The original decision to remove the artwork was taken in 2005 by the Labour-controlled Council to allow Modus development company to build the Friars Walk shopping centre. Modus were removed by the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition Council after taking control in 2008 and replaced with Queensbury Development Company Friars Walk.

<i>Sutton Heritage Mosaic</i> Public artwork in London

The Sutton Heritage Mosaic is a large mural in the form of a mosaic situated in Sutton High Street in the town of Sutton in Greater London, England. One of the largest examples of wall art in Britain, it was commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton to celebrate the borough's heritage.

Olivia Gude is an American artist and educator recognized for community public art mural and mosaic projects, and as the founding director of Spiral Workshops. Gude was a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and was on the visual-arts writing team for the Next Generation National Core Arts Standards. She is now the Angela Gregory Paterakis Professor of Art Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is a Senior Artist member of the Chicago Public Art Group and author of the book Urban Art Chicago: A Guide to Community Murals, Mosaics, and Sculptures.

Calvin Bell Jones was an afrocentric visual artist and a Black Arts Movement activist from Chicago. He is known primarily for his nine murals and paintings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art of Francisco Narváez in the University City of Caracas</span> Art in Venezuela

Francisco Narváez was commissioned to create pieces for the University City of Caracas campus in 1949, initially working between 1950 and 1953, with other pieces added later. The artworks include stone and metal statues, busts, reliefs, and various material of murals. Three of the statues are made of Cumarebo stone: El Atleta, a large statue in the sports complex, and La educación and La ciencia in the medical complex. The Cumarebo stone is a favourite material of Narváez. Two sculptures of the esteemed doctor José Gregorio Hernández and President José María Vargas grace the campus grounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Drostle</span> British artist (b1961)

Gary Drostle is a British artist specialising in public art, sculpture and mosaic as well as mural painting and drawing. He was also President of the British Association for Modern Mosaic, a lecturer at The Chicago Mosaic School. and is on the editorial board of Andamento the Journal of Contemporary Mosaics.

Natasha Moraga is an American-born Mexican tile artist who specializes in the trencadis technique. She has created a number of murals in Puerto Vallarta, and is currently working on a project to completely cover the Lázaro Cárdenas Park in tiles. Her work method is community-based, and she started Mosayko Vallarta to organize volunteer participation in projects.

References

  1. 1 2 Berger, Philip (2008-08-19). "The latest tile - Art & Design". Time Out Chicago . Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  2. ↑ "About CPAG— History". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  3. ↑ "John Pitman Weber - Biography". Jpweberart.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  4. ↑ Viera, Lauren (November 21, 2011). "Taking over underpasses". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  5. ↑ Kiela. "The Big Picture". The Chicago Weekly. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  6. 1 2 "Chicago Public Art Group celebrates its 40th birthday with celeb". Time Out Chicago. 2012-11-07. Archived from the original on 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  7. ↑ "Public Art Map". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2013-06-25. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  8. ↑ Lara, Alison Neumer (December 7, 2005). "City's rich culture blooms in mural". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Your Chicago: Ornate Underpass Murals". CBS Chicago. 2012-06-29. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  10. 1 2 Weinberg, Lauren (2009-07-20). "Lake Shore thrives - Art & Design". Time Out Chicago. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  11. ↑ "Vast mural will depict Chicago's Indian roots". Chicago Tribune. 2009-06-05. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  12. ↑ Interview of John Pounds (November 15, 2011). Underpass Art (Video). 2:06: WTTW.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  13. ↑ "Nick Rabkin: Installation Starts on New Bricolage at Foster Viaduct". Huffington Post. 2009-06-15. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  14. ↑ Geoffrey Baer (August 5, 2011). Ask Geoffrey (Video). 5:33: WTTW.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  15. ↑ Erbeck, Sue-Lyn and Marty Bach (September 21, 2006). "Canvas the city". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "About CPAG — Mission and Goals". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2013-08-11. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  17. ↑ "CPAG — What We Do / Producing Public Art". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2012-11-10. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  18. ↑ "About CPAG — Artists". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2013-12-25. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  19. ↑ "Core Artist Portfolios". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2013-07-31.
  20. ↑ "Restoration Initiative". Chicago Public Art Group. Archived from the original on 2013-08-11. Retrieved 2013-07-31.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.