Collaborative Mural

For the unit 3 AP in If These Walls Could Talk students were put into groups and asked to collaboratively design and execute a mural in GCE's new space. Group members evaluated the murals made by students in unit 2 in order to find both visual and conceptual elements we wanted to include in our mural. Over the course of a few weeks, we all worked together towards finalizing the prep work necessary for the completion of the mural. We cut and tested stencils, took pictures and complied collages, and prepared the wall. The process at times was frustrating but a continued forward pushing effort allowed our group to remain on task. All the time and effort we put forth began to pay off when our ideas began transforming into realities. Following weeks of prepping and planning our mural had finally come together. The final mural was both a beautiful piece of art that captivated the viewer as well as a tool that contained a deeper message.

The mural my group created depicts a diverse group of people spanned across the length of the wall. Interspersed cracks throughout the wall contain collages depicting different realities, treasures, and gems Chicago contains but aren’t known for. The intention and purpose of the mural is call attention to and shed light on the many beautiful and amazing attributes Chicago posses. The media and techniques used to carry out the mural include spray paint, stencils, and wheat paste. The process to create the stencils began with images of different people varying in size and gesture being transferred to the wall via projector. The images were traced on paper then attached to cardboard to be cut out. The spray paint was misted over the stencil to transfer the image onto the surface. Original photographs from group members were compiled and transformed into collages each containing a central theme. The three collages represent the hidden gems of Chicago found in Art, Architecture and Culture. The digitally produced collages were printed out in sections and to be assembled by the group. Laser ink images and a natural adhesive comprised of four parts water to one part starch are the two integral components of wheatpasting. The adhesive was applied to the surface via a rolling tool called a brayer. The laser ink images were applied over the initial coat of adhesive and then covered with a top layer of adhesive to seal the image. The background of the wall is grey. All stencils, both people and cracks were done in black spray paint. The black is bold and allows for the stenciled sections of the mural to pop out from the grey base. The mural’s color comes from the collages.The collages are where the piece’s core theme lies, the hidden gems of Chicago, and the use of a variety of colors helps to draw the viewer's attention towards it. The mural transforms and impacts the space it occupies by providing it with a visually pleasing and stimulating piece that also contains a deeper message. The mural acts as a tool which allows viewers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of Chicago and its many treasures and gems. The mural impacts the space by providing an important message which is directly related to GCE’s mission. The mural transforms the space by taking bits and pieces of art, culture, and architecture from different areas and neighborhoods of Chicago and compiling them to create a visual representation of Chicago hidden gems.

Each day in class group members claimed certain roles which were essential in staying on track and working towards the completion of the mural. The four roles included artistic director, director of operations, mule, and documentarian. The artistic director was in charge of making sure the work being done aligned with the proposed mural and all work was good quality. The director of operations was a logistical position where the group member would keep time as well as be aware of and reiterate deadlines/due dates. The mule was in charge of retrieving materials necessary for the execution of the mural. The documentarian was in charge of documenting the work period through photo and video. The photos and videos were then shared with the group to then be later used for the making of each students video. My favorite of the four roles was documentarian. I enjoy capturing moments in time and documenting work processes. I was quite effective at documentarian due to my ability to take high quality photos and videos while still working and remaining on track with the project. My least favorite of the four roles was the mule. I didn’t particularly enjoy being the mule as it was boring and time consuming. The constant need to retrieve materials prevented me from fully diving into my work for that particular work period. While I didn’t enjoy the role, I understood the importance of it in completing our mural. If I could change something about the process and experience I would allow for more time in the space to execute the murals. The short window of time we were granted to work in the space prevented us from experimenting more which would have allowed for a better end product. The final mural we created achieved our original goal of creating a beautiful and aesthetic piece of art that contained a powerful and significant message. Our continued hard work and perseverance during the creation process allowed us to create a final mural that transformed and impacted the space in the way we had envisioned.

Collaborative Mural Sketch

I just completed unit 2 which examined the significance and uses of materials/techniques in murals by studying murals from both the 20th and 21st centuries. The murals we examined provided me with a stronger understanding of the materials used to create murals and how they act to enhance the message and or story of a piece. For this action project, we were put in small groups and asked to create a sketch. The purpose of this project was to take visual and conceptual elements from our proposed murals in unit 1 and create one group mural. We collaboratively worked and took the essential components of each of our individual murals to form our new group mural. I'm a worker who prefers to go at a project solo so working amongst others provided some difficulties for me. I really enjoyed being able to experiment with a medium of my choosing. I enjoyed the freedom we had when making our medium/technique decision. I am looking forward to continuing my exploration of history through murals as well as expanding my knowledge of the materials and techniques utilized to create murals.

MS
“Chicago’s Reality”
12/14/2015
3.5” X 11”
Coarse Pumice Gel and Acrylic Paint

The sketch my group created depicts the realities of Chicago. The sketch shows Chicago’s skyline and lakefront and includes interspersed cracks which contain imagery portraying both positive and negative realities of Chicago. The skyline and lakefront were common symbols that my group associated with Chicago’s positive characteristics and qualities. The cracks and rips found throughout the sketch symbolize different realities and truths of Chicago. Some cracks symbolize positive realities of Chicago, such as the culture and art, while other cracks represent and symbolize the negative realities of Chicago such as governmental and political corruption. The cracks in the sketch were inspired by Trompe L’oeil, a French artistic technique which utilizes optical illusions to alter visual perception. Additionally, my group drew inspiration from realism in the sense that we wanted to create a realistic depiction of Chicago’s skyline and lakefront. My group came to our final sketch through a series of collaborative conversations regarding both the conceptual and visual components of each of our proposed murals from unit 1. We examined in detail each group members mural and determined the elements that we wanted to carry over into our groups mural. We collectively agreed upon including Chicago’s skyline and lakefront because we felt that they were a good representation of the City, its overall beauty, and positive qualities. The completion of the sketch came after we determined to include the Trompe L’oeil used by a group member in their unit 1 mural. We decided to included it because of its visual stimulating qualities and ability to carry a powerful message.

Group, "Chicago's Realities". (2015) 

MS,"Swatches".(2015) 

Following the completion of the sketch, we divided it into five sections/swatches. Each group member was to select two sections to recreate using a medium of their choosing. The medium I chose was Coarse Pumice Gel and Acrylic Paint. I was immediately interested in coarse pumice gel following its introduction in class. Its rough textured appearance as well as its ability to create an earthy look interested me and initiated a desire to further experiment with it. The medium would enhance the sketch by providing the skyline with a bold and textured appearance as well as the water with a texture that resembled waves and movement. The process of using the coarse pumice gel and acrylic paint to complete the swatches was difficult due to the gels inability to produce fine details and easily make clean looking lines. The final look of the swatches resulted in a skyline comprised of black textured buildings that lacked detail past their silhouette. Dark blue swirly brush strokes filled the area around and above the buildings to represent the sky and clouds. A lighter shade of blue is found below the buildings to represent the water. The final swatch confirmed my previous ideas regarding the medium. It created a textured look, it was bold, but it lacked the ability to effectively create detail. The coarse pumice gel and acrylic paint wasn’t selected by my group for use in the final mural. We chose to not include the medium because of its difficulty to be manipulated and its inability to produce detailing and fine lines.

JM, "Swatch". (2015) 

AJ, "Swatch".(2015) 

Following each member's presentation of their final swatches, we discussed what materials and techniques would be most effective in carrying out the final mural and collectivity decided on using wheat paste and stencil with spray paint. Wheat pasting is the process of using a laser ink image and a natural adhesive made from boiling water and starch to paste images on surfaces. We felt that wheat pasting helped to tell the story of our piece because of its ability to transfer any image to any surface. Our intention was to create a realistic depiction of Chicago and by using wheat pasting we are able to take the photograph that originally inspired us and transfer it to the surface where the final mural will be executed. Stenciling and spray paint was the medium and technique used by the street artists that inspired the trompe l'oeil portion of our piece. We felt the use of stenciling and spray paint would help to make the cracks pop out from the wheat pasted background. The combination of stenciling and spray paint allows for vivid and bright colors with extreme precision and detailing. We intend for the final mural to be a wheat pasted image of Chicago’s skyline and lakefront that appears as real as possible and includes scattered spraypainted cracks throughout which depict various realities of Chicago.

Come Together

In this Unit 1 action project we created a sketch that addressed a specific need of a community and wrote an artist statement that explained the mural we made. The purpose of this action project was to utilize the power of images to address the needs of a community. In this action project I learned about how disconnected and segregated Chicago is and the full ability and potential murals have in regards to empowering and educating individuals. The most challenging aspect of this action project was figuring out how to visually represent my thoughts and ideas in a non literal but rather abstract form. I am most proud of my perseverance throughout the entirety of the process.

Artist Statement:
MS
Come Together 11” x 14”
11/2015
Digital drawing

Pilsen is a neighborhood located on Chicago’s lower west side. For over 150 years, Pilsen has acted as a point of entry for immigrants. Early on it was primarily Eastern European immigrants that were arriving in Pilsen. In the late 19th century, Pilsen was mostly inhabited by Czech immigrants who named the neighborhood after the city in western Bohemia in the Czech Republic called Plzeň. The population during this time also included other ethnic groups such as Slovaks, Slovenes, Croats, Austrians, Polish and Lithuanians. Beginning in the early 1970’s a shift occurred and the incoming immigrants had become predominantly Latino. Mexicans were forced to move from their previous neighborhood slightly north of Pilsen in order for the construction of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Pilsen’s new residents brought with them a culture and lifestyle that would go on to shape the neighborhood into an integral part of Chicago that it is known for today.


Today, Pilsen acts as a major cultural hub for Mexicans and Latinos alike. Culture thrives in Pilsen and includes artistic treasures nearly everywhere. Murals are one of the most popular and utilized forms of art in Pilsen and have become a major form of communication and beauty for the neighborhood. Murals are found all throughout Pilsen. Common mural locations include public and private walls, sides of homes, and train stations/platforms. There is an overall artistic vibe that is present in the neighborhood. The neighborhood of Pilsen beats with a youthful spirit and is constantly evolving and transforming. The powerful cultural heritage and artistic history Pilsen possess is primarily contained within the small surrounding area. While being a very diverse and large city, Chicago is still extremely segregated. Chicago is a melting pot of a variety of ethnicities and cultures. People tend to gravitate to what is familiar to them while staying away from the unknown. The mural I created is aimed at attempting to bring Chicago closer together and more united. Interconnectivity is an essential component for Chicago’s future. Unity and connection between all 77 Chicago communities allows for the doors of possibility to open. The invisible walls that divide the different neighborhoods need to be demolished and the notion that we are one unit has to be understood and implemented. Chicago is the sum of its neighborhoods. The disconnection of these essential parts greatly reduces Chicago’s potential for success and improvement.


My proposed mural is meant to inspire the reconnection of Chicago one viewer at a time. The use of hand prints was inspired by the hand prints and carvings found in parts of the Chauvet Cave murals in Southern France. The hand prints are also symbolic and representative of connectedness and coming together. The overlapping of the fingers was constructed in order to form a central shape representative of a star which acts as a symbol of wishful thinking and hope for the future. The colors used on the hands all represent a different CTA line which is a powerful and useful resource the city has that literally connects different areas and neighborhoods. The blotched look to the color and the slight appearance of greys on the hands reveals that regardless of what particular neighborhood an individual is from everyone is still the same on the surface and from Chicago. Thin lines from each hand travel across and around the mural until they travel through an abstractly designed ‘weaving machine’ which is representative of the initiative individuals must have in order to begin to create a connected Chicago. The once thin and curvy lines come through the opposite side of the machine transformed into bold intertwined lines. In addition to taking inspiration from the Chauvet Cave mural, I was also inspired by the use of pattern motifs in ancient Egyptian murals. The intertwined lines create a pattern motif that represents a strong, united and connected Chicago. My murals themes include both revolt and tribute. The theme of revolt is present in the sense that I am hoping viewers of the piece will want to uprise against the current situation in our city and make an effort to change something about it. The mural will be next to the 18th st train station in order to paying respect and homage to Pilsen and its wonderful history of murals. It will also be next to the train station to act as a reminder for people coming and going that there is more to Chicago than just their neighborhood and area because the train can literally place you in any off the 77 neighborhoods in Chicago. My goal is that people will be visually stimulated by my mural and impacted in a way that creates a drive within themselves to go out and be proactive about connecting and unifying Chicago one person and one neighborhood at a time.