Galleries

Artists of the Wall 2022

For some reason long since obscured by time, the southern end of the beach in Loyola Park is bordered by a broad promenade and, for some 600 feet, a concrete retaining wall and bench. Just the place to gather graffiti like flies on a cow pie. Back in 1993, somebody decided to pre-empt the scrawls with artwork from the Rogers Park community that would be laid on the wall in June during a two day festival with music and vittles.

This year’s event was held over the Fathers’ Day weekend. The theme was The World of Tomorrow, I understand. I did not attend but several days later I came by to view the results and to photograph what I liked. The images below are the images that I preferred, not necessarily the “best” wall panels in the show no matter who is the judge.

Also, the wall is never finished in just two days. A few of the artists will be tinkering with their work for a while yet.

2022 wasn’t a bad year but I think there’ve been better. See for yourself.

(Recommended: Click any image below to enlarge it.)

Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
You were expecting Elon Musk? Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Detail from a somewhat dystopian panel. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel, hanging in there… Photo by Roman.
Interesting mix of pop tropes… “Further” was the destination board on Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters bus. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Not actually a painting, true, but part of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
A warm future… Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Winnie the Pooh, of course. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Interesting details. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.

I should add that while the photography is not bad mostly, this was not a best effort. The photos were taken in the late morning, not far from Noon, and the wall generally faces east with little shade. My camera is smarter about such things than I am, but even it had problems. It wasn’t made easier by the new paint that had something of a gloss to it, the reflected light complicating matters even more. It was a situation that inspires gratitude for digital over film… Lots of discards… Late afternoon or maybe a bright overcast day might be better for someone like me. Or if you have a better camera that allows for more manual control, maybe the time of day is not so important… Just sayin’…

Artists of the Wall, Year 2009

The “Artists of the Wall” is an annual event held in Chicago’s Loyola Park, usually in June, whereat members of the Rogers Park community decorate a 600 foot concrete retaining wall / park bench. While I’ve missed about half the years of this century so far, I’ve habitually taken photos of the work I like. The gallery below contains the photos that I like from the year 2009.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2009 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.

If you want to see other images from other Artists of the Wall years, click on the AotW tag.

Artists of the Wall, Year 2007

Since the early 1990s, there has been an annual Artists of the Wall event in Chicago’s Loyola Park wherein folks from the Rogers Park community sign up to decorate a portion of a concrete retaining wall / bench that runs along the Lake Michigan shore. Since the turn of the century, I’ve often taken photos of the parts that I like. To see all that I have posted of them, click on the AotW tag.

The photos below are the photos from 2007 that I like, sometimes of an entire panel and sometimes of just a detail. These were also not taken with a digital camera but with a largely automatic Pentax. The prints were scanned about a decade later.

This article is being posted on April 23, 2022. The 2022 Artists of the Wall event will be held on the weekend of June 18 and 19. Registration to paint one of the 150 spaces available will be online and take place over three days: May 1, May 3 and May 5, 50 spaces each day. For more information, visit the Loyola Park Advisory Council’s website.

Click on any photo below to enlarge it.

2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2007 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.

Artists of the Wall, Year 2003

This is another series of images captured from the annual “Artists of the Wall” event in Chicago’s Loyola Park. These are from the year 2003 and they are the images that I liked the best. Like the earlier “Artists of the Wall” posts this year, these were taken with a largely automated Pentax film camera. The prints were scanned a few years ago. A regular visitor to this blog might have been wondering if I had skipped 2003. So was I, but I found the files eventually.

2003 was the 10th Artists of the Wall event. Each year the organizers suggest two topics or themes for the artwork. Generally, people end up doing whatever they please, including sometimes addressing one or the other theme. My impression of 2003 is that people may have paid closer attention to the suggested themes than in most previous years but maybe not by much. But people here in the States do have a fascination with the odometer’s rolling zero.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2003. Photo by Roman.

Artists of the Wall, Year 2006

Every June (with a COVID break) since the early 1990s, folks from the Rogers Park neighborhood decorate a 600 foot concrete retaining wall / park bench. What I do, not every year but frequently, is wander along the wall some weeks later and photograph whatever I happen to like. Or in the case of actual film photography, whatever I could afford.

These 2006 photos were done using film and a largely automatic Pentax camera. The prints were scanned several years ago. The photos below are the images I like. It was a pretty good year, but judge for yourself.

For more artwork from the Artists of the Wall program, click on the AotW tag.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
I love the diver’s expression. 2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
2006 Artists of the Wall, detail. Photo by Roman.

Artists of the Wall, Year 2004

“Artists of the Wall” is an annual event in Loyola Park where various folks from Rogers Park decorate a stretch of wall / bench; unfortunately I know none of the artists though a few are professional. These are some photos I took of the artwork in 2004. They were taken with a very automatic Pentax camera. The prints were scanned several years ago.

Did I not take photos of the 2003 artwork? I don’t know. I’ll keep looking. For photos of artwork from other years, click on the “AotW” tag.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, detail, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, detail, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, detail, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, detail, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2004 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.

Artists of the Wall, Year 2002

Here are my selected photos from the 2002 Artists of the Wall event that is held annually in Chicago’s Loyola Park. These are scanned film prints once again and, once again, I know nothing about the artists except that there are a set of regulars over the years. 2002 was, I think, a pretty good year. Judge for yourself:

Click on any image to enlarge it.

Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall, 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, detail, Photo by Roman.
Artists of the Wall 2002, Photo by Roman.

Artists of the Wall, Year 2001

These are scanned photos of the annual Artists of the Wall event that is held in the Chicago Park District’s Loyola Park. I have no knowledge of any of the artists so this is hardly represents “documentation” of the event, but the artwork posted here is all the stuff that I thought was worth sharing. Some times it’s a full panel. Other times it is but a detail.

Click any photo to enlarge it.

2001 Artists of the Wall, detail, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
Woof: 2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, detail, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.
2001 Artists of the Wall, Photo by Roman.