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It Was Written: The Foundation Documentary Review
Chicago graffiti legend C-3PO brings decades of street-writing history to the screen with It Was Written: The Foundation. Created with filmmaker Joshua Conro and executive producers Hiram Villa and Mark McKenzie, the documentary chronicles Chicago’s graffiti scene from 1967–1989 through firsthand stories, rare home footage, and immersive visuals.
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Every Flower That Blooms Had a Bee That Believed in It – Kari Black
For Kari Black the environment has never been an afterthought; utilizing his platform and work as an artist to bring awareness back to the original and irreplaceable creations of our planet.
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Heavy Hitters in the Second City: ANGER and the CMK Crew
Let’s take it back to the early graffiti scene in Chicago. Back before CTA train lines were color-coded. Back when feuds were battles between set tribes, and the street was the sole midwife of graffiti culture.
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Melrick Steele: Points of Connection
Melrick Steele’s style bridges the gap between real life and abstract, mixing traditional Afrocentric elements with the reality of the Black American experience. “Culture is sometimes misinterpreted or misrepresented, so my work celebrates the complexity in a good way.”
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Battle Bandera – Humboldt Park’s Newest Mural Is a Knockout for Community and Culture
Battle Bandera demonstrates the resilience of its Puerto Rican heritage through art and community.
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Englewood Art Center Showcases Expressive Summer Group Exhibition
A fresh art space on the South Side of Chicago opened in February this year. The Art Center of Englewood has been bustling with youth, art, and passionate programming this summer. The art center served as a second home for five young artists over the last six weeks. The group of artists who worked closely with The Art Center of Englewood found a new voice for themselves. What they could not say with words they said in the language of art, poetry, community, and leadership.
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The Blooming Transformations of Trotter Alexander
Alexander, 24, is a Chicago-native and has been painting since an early age. Alexander was introduced to art through his parents and influenced by his imagination, experiences, and the movie adaptation of the children’s picture book Where the Wild Things Are. Alexander began to use art as a form of escapism. In many of his early illustrations, he would tell his own story when others would not listen. Pulling concepts from significant artists like Hebru Brantley and Kerry James Marshall, an impressionable Alexander would rework them into his own original, meaningful pieces of art.
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Words I Never Said: Exploring Mental Health with Anthony Bartley
With ‘Words I Never Said,’ Chicago artist and mental health advocate Anthony Bartley created a space where people can put down the burdens they’ve been carrying. Rooted in being an interactive, welcoming space for the community, the show challenges our conceptions of men’s mental health.
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Galleries Across Chicago: An Art Lovers Guide to Seeing Contemporary Urban Exhibits this Summer
Chicago boasts an unmatched arts scene. Housing native creatives and painters who are called to the inspirational city there is diverse artwork from neighborhood to neighborhood. For years, the artistic community in Chicago has provided spaces for many to gather, create, and grow together. Galleries and art spaces across Chicago add to the art scene in their own way. Whether you are an avid art collector or just looking to browse these are a few galleries to add to your must-visit list.
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Feral Heart: ZeyeOne
“I love the way wolves move. They travel in packs, so the ones who are first in line are the elderly, then it’s the mamas and babies, and then the troop. The alpha is all the way in the back, watching everyone and making sure everybody’s good. If you’re in charge of this pack, you’re out here making sure everybody here is good, and that’s how I am.” – ZeyeOne
