Chicago is known for its public art. At the DNC, local artists will be in full force
Those visiting Chicago’s United Center for the DNC next week won’t have to go far to get a taste of the local arts scene.
As part of a new project called “Track(ed) Changes: Democracy is all over our place,” eight local artists have installed large-scale murals on the city’s train cars (called “L”), which are sure to bring thousands of city train rides. visitors to and from the United Center. The murals express the idea of democracy through the lens of an artist.
For a project that starts during the DNC and focuses on the topic of democracy, “Track(ed) Changes” does not go directly into politics. Rather, according to Bob Faust, a Chicago artist and curator of the exhibit, that’s part of the point—instead, it draws attention to Chicago’s local communities and artists.
“Many of the new creators in our city don’t get nearly as much attention as the new creators on the east and west coasts, so I wanted this project to be an opportunity to highlight amazing artists throughout our city,” Faust said.
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Adding new names to Chicago’s history of public art
While the approach is new, public art is not new to the Chicago area. “Track(ed) Changes” is the latest addition to Chicago’s long history of influential public art, such as Amish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate” (pronounced “The Bean”), Ojibwe artist Andrea Carlson’s 2021 Riverwalk mural , “Bodéwadmikik ėthë yéyék/You are from Potawatomi Land,” and Vornado Arts’ Art on the Mart.
Faust used a multifaceted selection process to select artists for Track(ed) changes. He has drawn several names through his network as a graphic designer in the city’s art community, including running a creative non-profit called Place with his partner, fellow artist Nick Cave. He rounded out the list by adding people who will document their work “outside the traditional gallery approach,” with a special emphasis on new artists.
Then, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events of Chicago, partnering with this project and the CTA, helped narrow the list down to six: Faust himself, Brandon Breaux, Kristoffer McAfee, Noel Mercado, Carlos Rolón, and Esperanza Rosas, as well as two creative collectives new (Territory and Urban Gateways).
“Because this was about democracy, I wanted the selection process to do the hard work of conveying that essence,” he adds. “If we get artists who are very diverse—both in who they are and where they are in their career—we’re going to focus on what democracy really is, and that’s about uplifting everyone.”
Artists also focus on different mediums. Faust, for example, does his work entirely digitally. Mercado has created a new design with woven fabric. Rosas drew his piece in human scale with just charcoal and paper. Rolón’s foundation is made from recycled tiles used after hurricanes in Puerto Rico. To transfer it to the trains, all the works were photographed and digitized.
Rosas told New York Times that his design, which includes the word “Esperanza” in a broad text, is intended to point to a more hopeful future. “‘Esperanza’ is Spanish for ‘Hope,'” she said. “I wanted to talk to people who looked like me and talked like me—Latino people.”
Art as community building
For Faust, the project is about building a community over political alliances. “We hope it will affect us to think about not being political when we make decisions, but understand how our political decisions affect everyone,” said Faust. “That’s as close as I get to the Democratic National Convention—it’s a reminder of being human. Being part of the community; for the most part.” The art mode itself—on the CTA trains—will also bring art itself throughout Chicago outside the city, most notably at Faust.
Besides “Track(ed) Changes,” Faust is working on other art projects directly related to the 2024 election. In collaboration with Mana Public Arts, he is working on Project 270, which is an initiative to have “world-renowned artists” create voting posters that will be displayed online and in public—especially in skating rinks. He is also involved in the Chicago art fair called In actionwhich will open during the DNC and explore topics including climate change and women’s autonomy.
“At the end of the day, art and design are two of the greatest tools for social change,” Faust said.
