Murals and Mosaics

Murals and Mosaics

A series that aims to capture, catalog and celebrate the beauty of Chicago’s streets, as seen through its public art.

Artist Jason Messinger stands with the murals he created hanging in the Ogden stationhouse at the Illinois Medical District stop on the Forest Park branch of the CTA Blue Line.

Murals and Mosaics

Chicago muralist hopes to ease patients arriving at Illinois Medical District CTA station through his art

Chicago artist Jason Messinger created the murals in 2018 during a Blue Line station renovation and says his aim was for “people to look at this for 30 seconds and transport them on a mini-vacation of the mind. Each mural is an abstract idea of a vacation destination.”

By Genevieve Bookwalter

At the Croatian Cultural Center in Rogers Park, this mural panel depicts the Mirogoj Cemetery in Zagreb, Croatia.

Murals and Mosaics

Croatian landscape murals on North Side honor Chicago-based diaspora

The Croatian Cultural Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary with murals that Glenview artist Ivan (John) Mikan created last year.

By Genevieve Bookwalter

Newsletters

Artist Daryl Harris.

Murals and Mosaics newsletter

This Berwyn mural features aliens, monsters and ... a chicken wing?

This week’s murals and mosaics newsletter features a sci-fi mural in Berwyn, mysterious penguin paintings and public art in nearby Milwaukee.

By Sun-Times staff

A mural by the artist Ladie One near Hubbard and Morgan streets.

Murals and Mosaics newsletter

Creating this West Side mural was a spiritual exercise of sorts

A sprawling mural on Chicago’s Near West Side, viaduct art inspired by Aztec and Mayan art and public art in Kansas City are all featured in this week’s newsletter.

By Sun-Times staff

Everett Reynolds’ mural on Racine Avenue near 16th Street.

In dank locale on outskirts of Pilsen, this painting aims to bring light

This week’s newsletter features a viaduct mural that brings something beautiful to a gloomy viaduct, religious murals and mosaics and revitalized South Side art.

By Sun-Times staff

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.

"Argyle-O-Rama" by Mayumi Lake

Murals and Mosaics

Art at CTA Red Line stations in Edgewater, Uptown unveiled as part of reconstruction

The artwork will be featured in the Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr stations, set to reopen next year after years of construction.

By Mary Norkol

Artist Erick Chavez painted this mural on the viaduct at North Elizabeth and West Hubbard streets in West Town during the pandemic in 2020.

West Town mural was painted in 2020 to bring color during the pandemic

By Genevieve Bookwalter

This Pilsen mural was done by Humboldt Park artist Raul "Rawooh" Ramirez.

Stars on her cheek, the woman in this Pilsen mural is all Chicago

By Sun-Times staff

Historic murals at Palmer Park on the South Side.

Native Americans, settlers, colonial figures are focus of historic South Side fieldhouse murals

By Sun-Times staff

A mural at 21st and Paulina streets by artists Miguel Del Real and Diske Uno.

Big cat prowls wall of historic Pilsen building in sprawling new mural

By Sun-Times staff

This mural of a squirrel was created by Andersonville artist John Airo.

People are going nuts over this North Side mural

By Sun-Times staff

SUAREZMURALSCOMPOSITE

Up-close experiences with birds of prey inspire Justin Suarez's Chicago murals

By Katie Anthony

This artistic creation, celebrating the rodent imprint on a North Side sidewalk that's captivated the city was done by McKinley Park artist Don Mega. It's for sale at a Lincoln Park gallery.

Chicago artist celebrates famed 'rat hole' with mixed-media sculpture

By Sun-Times staff

Historic union mural to be saved from wrecking ball on Near West Side

By Sun-Times staff

A Megan Kind mural in Douglass Park that features a woman with purple hair set on a blue floral background. The character is missing a mouth, a signature of Kind's work.

Eyes are the window to the soul in Megan Kind's West Side mural

By Katie Anthony

A mural by Pilsen artist Caesar Perez done in 2023 at Chicago and Marshfield avenues.

Harmony, not hunting, for this dozing cat mural in West Town

By Sun-Times staff

This mural outside the Ogilvie Transportation Center was painted by students from the Yollocalli Arts Reach program with artist Chris Silva.

Mural at Ogilvie Metra station downtown aims to show off the Chicago River’s improving ecology

By Sun-Times staff

Rodney Duran painted this mural earlier in January 2024 month at 4700 N. Racine Ave.

In his North Side murals, Rodney Duran first went big with cats, now has turned to ducks

By Sun-Times staff

Jasmina Amalya Cazacu, who goes by Diosa, created this mural, titled “Among the Stars,” which adorns a garage door at My Cheer Now, 12002 S. Doty Ave.

In Pullman mural at cheerleading gym, the artist puts her model’s head in the clouds

By Katie Anthony

Spanish artist Lula Goce painted this mural in August on a commercial building at Ashland Avenue and Hubbard Street.

In West Town murals, ‘divine empowerment’ and an industrial feel

By Sun-Times staff

Daryl Harris created this mural at a Berwyn bar and restaurant.

Aliens, monsters dominate Berwyn mural, but what’s with the chicken wing shooting a laser?

By Sun-Times staff

A mural at North and Springfield avenues Humboldt, done more than 40 years ago.

How do we find the great murals we feature? Often, just by driving around

By Robert Herguth

A mural on the Near West Side by the Los Angeles artist who goes by Ladie One.

This Near West Side mural — about ‘transformation’ — was a spiritual exercise for the artist

By Sun-Times staff

Chicago artist Everett Reynolds

Once studying to become a forensic pathologist, Everett Reynolds pivoted hard — into the art world

By Sun-Times staff

A mural by Debbie Peterson featuring the signature lips image associated with the Rolling Stones on a building she co-owns at 412 N. Peoria St. She’s loved the band since high school.

Hey, Mick Jagger, this artist pays homage to the Rolling Stones with her Near West Side murals

By Sun-Times staff

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