A changing gallery of original artwork created by our neighbors is on display in Alderman Ameya Pawar’s office at 4243 N. Lincoln Ave.
Instead of showcasing maps or institutional posters, the office walls are curated by Open Wall, artists who came together to create a gallery for neighborhood artists.
Every three or four months, a new collection is hung on the walls of the 47th Ward Service Office.
Alderman Pawar believes that the walls should be used by artists — artwork created by his constituents is the perfect solution.
The current show, “Welcome Home,” features artwork about and by U.S. military veterans. The image on this page is an oil portrait of Al Weber by Jeanine Hill-Soldner. Weber, a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, served two tours in Vietnam between 1968 and 1970.
Over the past two years, Open Wall has curated art created by artists associated with the American Indian Center of Chicago, Senior Artists Network/Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists, Chicago Mosaic School, The Chicago Weaving School, Lillstreet Art Center, and the Chicago Photography Academy. The walls have also displayed art by Lake View and Lane Tech high school students and area grade school students.
Please stop in Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to see this ever-changing gallery of artwork.