Map of Murals

Due to the large sample size of Latine muralists interviewed, not all of them or their work were featured in the final documentary. This section serves as a mini-portfolio of the artist's history and a selection of their work, with the neighborhoods where the paintings were created specified. 

Here's what to expect from this page:

First, there is an interactive map that lets you view murals across different Chicago neighborhoods. Click on the upper left-hand corner arrow to see all of the neighborhood sections, and click on the upper right-hand extension button to enlarge your view. 

Second, below the map are details on which murals belong to whom, including the short bios about each artist and their mural. Click the arrow-down button next to each name to view their short bios.

“There’s No Place Like Home” (2020) mosaic created through the collaboration with the affordable housing company Bikerdike Redevelopment Corporation and the Chicago Public Art Group. It was made to both honor the author of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” L. Frank Baum (whose house is right next door) and to address affordable housing concerns in the city. This mosaic is located in Humboldt Park.

“Gulliver in Wonderland/Gulliver en el país de las maravillas” (1986)  is a large mural painted on the building where Duarte’s home and studio are located. Described as a “Latino Gulliver” that is bound by the border, representing those who cross and can’t return home. The hat worn represents the common dress of migrant workers, whether in factories or in fields. Duarte plays with the styles popular with Siqueiros, emphasizing movement (dynamism) and using light and dark elements (chiaroscuro) to create a dramatic effect. This mural is located in Pilsen. 

“Fight to Stay” (2022) painted on a building in Pilsen, is meant to represent the neighborhood’s plight against gentrification. The tornado symbolizes the destructive forces that displace families and destroy culture. Also featured is Mario Castillo’s “Metafísica”(1968), the first Mexican mural in Chicago. 

“Loteria” (1994) is painted on the side of the Swap-O-Rama and, similarly to Gulliver’s Travels, uses the building to complement the mural's elements. It has amazing depth, placing the popular symbols of the traditional Mexican board game both within the floating spheres and in the falling cards. This mural is located at the Back of the Yards. 

“Ice-Cream Dream/Sueño de un Carrito de Paletas” (2004) is another visually stunning mosaic meant to represent the community; its unique architectural qualities, with the vein-like buildings and the butterflies, are a metaphor for the many travelers who pass through this station, which also represents migrants. Duarte says the monarch butterflies are known to travel through generations from Michoacan (his hometown) all the way to the North, and that this mural is to portray those earlier migrants, particularly the paleta cart, which were common in his hometown and are now prevalent in this Chicago neighborhood as well. This mural is located at the “L” train stop in Pilsen. 

“Untitled” (2021) is a mural completed for the First Lutheran Church of the Trinity in the Bridgeport area of Chicago. This piece is meant to portray the religious tale of Moses, who was abandoned by his mother at a young age; you can see here that she is feeding him his last meal before sending him adrift in the water. In addition to showcasing this story, it is meant to address food justice for women and children. 

“Alas de Frida”(2018) was commissioned by two Mexican-American owners who wanted it to complement their Frida-themed restaurant and bar (it was painted on the side of the building). Valadez says the wings represent not only the immigrant experience but also Frida’s story; after she lost her leg, she wrote that she no longer needed feet when she had wings to fly. 

“Untitled”(2023) was a mural painted in the interior of Leyden High School located in the northside of Chicago. This piece, and the common thread amongst Valadez’s murals, have clear symbolic aspects that are easily digestible for viewers. This is located on the north side of Chicago, in the O’Hare area, and was done in collaboration with the Chicago Public Art Group, the Chicago Transit Authority, and the Chicago Public Art Program. 

“Our History/Nuestra Historia” (2016) was a “reimagined restoration” project in collaboration with artists Salvador Corona, Fausto Ruiz, Adriana Frage, Victor Lopez, Alejandro Medina, Lupilla Ponce, Paola Zamora, Gabriel Villa, Julio Reyes, Cesar Ruvalcaba, and Salvador J. Vega. I originally planned to include only the original work of each artist, but since this restoration project introduced new modifications, I am featuring it here. This work was commissioned by the Second Federal Savings Bank (this is painted on their building in Little Village). This work features the Aztec calendar and various Mexican historical figures, including Cuauhtémoc, Frida Kahlo, Morelos, Zapata, Hidalgo, and labor leader Cesar Chavez. It also features local community members including activist Rudy Lozano, and World War II veteran and war hero Manuel Perez Jr. Some new features added to the original mural include memorializations of Robert’s friend Diana Galicia’s son (who was an artist) Gabriel, who passed away earlier that year from a drug overdose, Vicente and Francisco Mendoza who were two local muralists and brothers (positioned on either side of the Aztec Calendar). 

“Viva La Cultura,” (2018) 

“Dia De Los Muertos” (2019)

“Viva La Cultura”  is a mural she painted on the Pink Line CTA train in collaboration with AARP. The success of this piece led to a second collaboration with AARP to paint the “Dia De Los Muertos” mural on the side of the Nuevo Leon Mexican restaurant located in Little Village. She wanted to celebrate the heritage of the predominantly Mexican community through the shared celebration of Day of the Dead; she included traditional foods, music, and the names of deceased loved ones, as requested by community members. She used spray paint for this piece. 

“Mariposas” was created for a client’s trailer park in Little Village. This piece features similar Day of the Dead themes to those in her previous murals. 

“Untitled” was painted in Pilsen and is no longer there. It depicts calaveras emerging from colorful flowers. 

“Weaving Cultures” (2016) was completed in collaboration with fellow Latina muralist Sam Kirk, supported by the Chicago Public Art Group. It celebrates underrepresented women, including a transgender Latina. As stated in the Chicago Public Art Group bio, it was meant to show the process of focus, determination, and future perspective. This mural is located in Pilsen. 

“The Love I Vibrate'' (2018) was completed in collaboration with Sam Kirk and Andy Bellomo. Painted on the side of the  LGBTQ+-friendly Howard Brown Health center, it is a portrait of the gender-nonconforming artist Kiam Marcelo Junio. Sandra said that one time, while she was painting it, a person with their family in a car yelled at her that she had to paint white people. This mural was one of a series of tribute murals in Chicago that aimed to foster an open dialogue about queer culture and honor non-binary residents. This mural is located in Boystown, a historic queer-friendly neighborhood that Sandra would frequent as a youth in the 80s and 90s. 

“Logan Square” (2017) was created with Sam Kirk to celebrate the neighborhood showing its culture, history and identity. Additionally, as requested by community members, it portrays their concerns of gentrification impacting the area. Sandra says that the people featured in the mural took inspiration from real community members and her niece. This is located in Logan Square. 

“Untitled” (2023) is a mural in progress in the Uptown neighborhood and a collaborative piece with other artists. On the side of the Heartland Alliance health center, the art is painted on panels meant to represent the community's diversity. Since there is a large immigrant community, Sandra says the mural is intended to welcome them to the clinic and help them feel it is a safe place. This work is not done in the traditional style; instead, they paint on a parachute cloth pasted on circular panels. 

“Es Tiempo de Recordar” (1992) was created in collaboration with artists Marcus Akinlana and Rolf Mueller, who worked with the community's youth to conceptualize the mural. Despite being more one-note in color (brownish, tan), it is vibrant and full of life, drawing on elements of Puerto Rican culture and featuring signature Taino features, as well as musical elements with visible brush strokes, as if to portray sound/in playing motion. Unfortunately, this mural is no longer standing, as it was whitewashed by the city (Department of Street and Sanitation) in 2018, a process called a “blitz,” which is usually used to remove graffiti in various parts of the city. Sandra said there were only a few tags on the mural, and she was deeply disheartened to hear this news, since they had just restored it. After much backlash, the city apologized, claiming it was an accident, about a year after the mural registry was instated as an initiative to prevent an incident like this from happening again. This mural is located in Humboldt Park. 

“Casa Aztlan” (1975-79) Raya, along with Salvador Vega, Aurelio Diaz, Carlos Barrera, and others, repainted the mural; below is their version. The facade of this center has continuously changed over the years, with each artist having a different approach. The original mural was painted by Ray Patlán in the early 70s, then Raya repainted it, and then it experienced its last change in the early 2000s by Patlán, Roberto Valadez, Gerardo Cazares, Hector Duarte, Mark Nelson, and others.

“Prevent World War III” (1980) was painted in collaboration with Mark Rogovin, Roman Villareal, Gamaliel Ramirez, Jose Guerrero, Aurelio Diaz, and Carlo Cortez. The 300-foot mural features a film-reel style depicting a post-nuclear war cityscape, underscoring the dangers of nuclear warfare. It features the Sandinistas (a resistance group in Nicaragua) and the local concerns of the surrounding Pilsen neighborhood. Raya says that at the time, it was facing issues of violence, corruption, and gentrification. An addition to the mural was recently added, shadows of Latino youth murdered by police: Miguel Vega, Adam Toledo, Marc Nevarez, and Anthony Alvarez. According to Raya, he did not give them permission to paint this on the mural and is hoping to remove it soon. This mural is located in Pilsen. 

“Untitled”

“Untitled” 

“Untitled”

These three murals are located in Pilsen

“Latinos Progresando” (2010) is a fusion of traditional muralism and graffiti. This project was in collaboration with muralist Pablo Serrano and with youth graffiti artists in the neighborhood. This mural is located in Pilsen.

“Rio de Bienvenida” (2023) was created in collaboration with Cynthia Weiss to symbolize the community members’ hope for a future with cleaner air and water, a restored Chicago river ecosystem, and greater local access to the riverfront. This art piece is located in Pilsen. 

“Modern Warriors” (2021) was created in collaboration with fellow Latina muralist and Mujeres Mutantes co-founder Gloria “Gloe” Talamantes with the support of The McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University (McCain Institute), in partnership with the Chicago Public Arts Group. This was part of a “R.E.A.L Friends Don’t” campaign promoting online safety for youth in Little Village. 

“Chicago-Cool” (2021) was created in collaboration with artists Damon Lamar Reed and Dorian Sylvain, following the $500,000 donation by The Chi to the City’s Greencorps Chicago green job training program and the Chicago Public Art Group. The Chi is a popular TV show on SHOWTIME that tells fictionalized stories about the Black community on the south side of Chicago. This mural is located in the North Lawndale side of Chicago. 

“Sepia” (2016) was created in collaboration with Rahmaan Statik and Max Sansing, Elizabeth Reyes, Lisa Han, Miguel A. Del Real, Epifanio Monarrez, and Bobby Price. This was meant to celebrate and promote the unity of the neighborhoods of Little Village (predominantly Mexican) and North Lawndale (predominantly Black). This was created in Little Village. 

“Untitled” (2021) was created with the assistance of Pedro Pablo, Alisa Scott, and Rebel Betty. Surrounded by Taíno symbols, it features a Puerto Rican woman in traditional dress worn during bomba y plena dances. She is positioned so it appears she is laying the trash cans. This mural is located in Humboldt Park, painted on the side of a Puerto Rican grocery store called “¡Wepa! Mercado del Pueblo.” 

“Untitled” (2016) serves as a sort of journey through Puerto Rican history from the island to their presence in the U.S. To the far left are the Spanish ships that invaded the island. As you move towards the middle, you can see the conquistadors committing genocide against the Arawakan (Taíno) people. Pieces of tobacco products are featured as a reference to the labor the Taíno and African enslaved people had to endure during both the Spanish and U.S colonization. However, amidst all this chaos, you can see moments of resistance in the Grito de Lares flag waved by one of the figures; this is a reference to the Lares rebellion against Spanish rule. Additionally, you can see the forms of resistance in the diaspora in the Chicago area via the Division Street riots, where Puerto Rican residents were protesting against the harsh police brutality they experienced. Similarly, in his 2021 mural discussed above, Taíno petroglyphs replace the stars on the Chicago flag; they symbolize the Coquí (associated with female fertility and children), the sun, the child, and another sun. This mural is located in Humboldt Park. 

“Whitewash” was done in collaboration with artists A. Scott and Jarrika. This was sponsored by the local community, such as Cafe Colao, the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, and Abuelitos Construcción, among others. Once again, this mural features a bomba y plena dancer alongside the musician. Additionally, it features not only more Taíno petroglyphs but Taíno masks that represent resistance against colonization and are known to ward off evil spirits. These figures appear to be holding up the mural against the backdrop of the Chicago skyline, while white figures attempt to whitewash it, covering it with blocks symbolized as money. This mural is located in Humboldt Park, painted on the side of a Puerto Rican Liquor store called “Boriken.” 

“Legends” (2018) was created as a memorialization of historical Puerto Rican figures and community members in Chicago: Salima Rivera, David Hernandez, Julia de Burgos, and Gamaliel Ramirez. Rivera (1946-2004) and Hernandez (1946-2013) were both born in Puerto Rico and were prominent poets and activists in Chicago during the 60s and 70s. Julia de Burgos (1914-1953), born in Puerto Rico and later moving to New York, was a fellow poet, known for her participation in the women’s branch of the Puerto Rican independence movement, as well as her civil rights activism for women and African and Afro-Caribbean writers. Lastly, Ramirez (1949-2018) participated in earlier Puerto Rican murals in Chicago, known for works such as “The Sea of Flags” (2004) and “Birds of Latin America” (1980). This was completed at the home of long-time Puerto Rican Chicago resident Edmee Cappa Velez; she is an avid follower of the mural work in Humboldt Park. 

“79th” (2009) depicts the Humboldt Park flag created by Vergara. Originally, a design meant for posters and shirts to be shared at the annual Puerto Rican festival in Chicago became so popular that it was recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as the 79th municipality, the first municipality to be located in the U.S. 

“Wheels of Chicago Mural” (2023) is an ongoing art production intended to create a sense of welcome. A familiar place for customers at the car shop. It features Chicago-related landmarks and symbols, including a room (decorated like a Chicago theatre) meant to serve as a waiting area where customers can watch movies while their cars are attended to. Lastly, reflective of Vergara’s graffiti background, the lettering style also appears. This production is located in West Ridge, Chicago. 

“Little Village Dreams” (2023) was created in collaboration with LVEJO, Edith Tovar, Jocelyn Vazquez-Gomez, and community members. The mural design was developed through many talks with the community, with much inspiration coming from the community-created LVEJO coloring book. It addresses environmental injustices in Little Village, including pollution from trucks and industrial zones, as well as the shutdown of crucial bus lines that take residents to school and work. This mural is located at the Semillas de Justicia community garden in Little Village.  

“Black Trans Lives Matter Mural” (2020) was created in collaboration with 20 other Chicago artists, each dedicated to one letter. This was painted, amongst others, across the city and the U.S. during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. Ivan was in charge of the “S” in “TRANS” and, although it has faded now, originally depicted his signature line work and the profile of soul-funk Black female artist Sade.

“Don Bucio Mural” (2023) was painted in the interior of a vegan Mexican restaurant. It depicts popular symbols associated with Mexico and its environment, including nopales and an Aztec mask. The two figures kneeling out of the nopales seem to be chefs wearing aprons and religious jewelry reflective of the predominantly Catholic Mexican population in Chicago. This mural is located in Logan Square. 

“Home” (2020) was created in collaboration with youth from the local Yollocalli Arts Reach center in Little Village. The library is known as the connector of the North Lawndale and Little Village communities, with youth from both areas taking part in its creation. The mural serves as a message of hope and portrays the potential worlds to be explored through books. 

“Untitled”was done in collaboration with the youth from Yollocalli Arts Reach, with permission from the building owner. Joseph says that the vent is supposed to represent the jail bars to your heart, and the smoke coming out is your spirit flowing out. This mural is located in Pilsen. 

“Chicago Fire” (2021) was created on the side of a bank, in collaboration with the Chicago soccer team “Chicago Fire.” It is supposed to represent and inspire the local youth who desire to become professional soccer players. This mural is located in West Town, which neighbors Humboldt Park. 

“Untitled” is painted on the side of a private building, depicting Sentrock’s usual bird icon, but in this case, the figure interacts with a snake and smaller birds in flight; the masked bird figure appears to be in chains and wears green, hand-molded gloves. This mural is located in  Little Village. 

“Las Flores de las Almas Muertas” (2017) was created in collaboration with the youth from Yollocalli Arts Reach. It overlooks a community garden, with the foreground of the piece filled with cartoon-like multicolored flowers, some of which contain skulls. The bird-masked youth holds a skull with a flower growing from it, perhaps a symbol of the cyclical nature of death, nurturing life. This mural is located at Yollocalli in Little Village. 

“Chicago Love” (2022) was created in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Department of Public Health as part of the city’s Vax-Chi-Nation program, which encourages Chicago residents to get vaccinated. Shortly after, it was removed due to community outrage that the mural resembled racist caricatures of Black people with features like big lips, teeth, and round monkey-like faces. Perez was saddened by this reaction, which was not his intention at all, given that the characters' exaggerated features are just his signature style. He is even more saddened that now the wall is back to being blank again, once again an eyesore in the neighborhood. This mural is located in the Austin neighborhood. 

Collaboration Murals Between the Selected Muralists

“Honor Boricua” (1992)

 - Hector Duarte and Sandra Antongiorgi. 

This mural was painted on the side of a three-story building in Humboldt Park to represent the Puerto Rican diaspora in Chicago. The flag is a common technique used by Duarte (as seen in works such as his “Loteria” piece in the Back of the Yards), which creates great depth and dimension. Sandra says the flag almost looks like a path from El Moro that leads across the waters to the Chicano skyline. Castillo San Felipe del Moro is an iconic landmark, originally a Spanish fort, located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This project was coordinated by the Chicago Public Art Group Lucha-Mural. 

“Comunidad Si, It Takes Vision” (1991)

- Hector Duarte and Robert Valadez. 

This was completed in collaboration with Chicago mural artists Marcus Akinlana, Nina Cain, Olivia Gude, and John Pitman Weber. This portrait of Chicago portrays various elements: homelessness, education, communication, agriculture, food autonomy, and industrialization. It features conflict, which is apparent in arguing neighbors and particularly evoked by an ominous hand controlling the youth’s future, but it also includes positive elements, including community members helping to improve neighborhood buildings and a garden tended in a united effort. One interesting aspect that stood out to me is the picture of the girl with a sacred heart on her chest, a not-uncommon theme in Mexican/Chicano murals; religiously regarded by Catholics as the heart of Jesus and symbolizing divine love for humanity. Sacred heart is a notable theme in both Duarte's and Valadez’s works. This mural is part of the City of Chicago Art Collection and is located on the top floor of the Harold Washington Library in Downtown Chicago. 

 “Mexico del Norte” (2023)

- Robert Valadez and John Vergara. 

This mural is located inside Colores Mexicanos, the first Mexican cultural store to open on the Magnificent Mile (a luxurious shopping district in Downtown). To the far left is a bust of an Aztec figure with more Aztec symbols from the Aztec tile and Mexican embroidery on the other end. At the center seemingly looking down at customers is the Virgin of Guadalupe wearing a crown reminiscent of the nun portraiture that would depict incoming nuns into the covenant with certain artifacts in 18th century Mexico (crown, flowers, religious booklet, etc) including often passive posture (head down, eyes often looking off to distance but not directly at viewer, hands passive, holding an artifact or in prayer position, rarely in action). Butterflies and flowers seem to burst outward on both sides of the Virgin, leading you to other elements of the mural. One particular landmark of Chicago is the Cloud Gate art piece, more popularly known to Chicagoans as the Bean or “El Frijole”; here, it looks more like a pinto bean than its silver, mirror-like appearance. Each aspect of this very Mexican mural complements the items provided at the store. 

“A La Esperanza”(1977)

- Robert Valadez and Marcos Raya. 

This mural was created in collaboration with artists Malú Ortega, Jimmy Longoria, Salvador Vega, and Oscar Moya. This piece was painted right after Benito Juárez High School first opened. Pilsen at the time lacked a high school, so community activists, particularly mothers (including Valadez’s mom), protested and urged the Chicago Board of Education to build one. This movement was generated from the 1968 walkouts by African American and Mexican American students demanding changes to the curriculum and against discrimination. Before this bilingual school opened, they had to travel to the Little Village neighborhood to go to the high school there, which was dangerous, given they had to cross gang territory. This mural is abstract and interpretive, meant to honor the legacy of the school and community’s activism. In addition to the history of the pursuit of education in Pilsen, it also depicts the violence of the area as well, seen with the devil-like figure and a figure with a gun; perhaps a symbol of the influence of gangs and of police brutality. According to Raya, they got permission from local gangs to create the mural so they would not deface it. This mural is located on the outside of the Benito Juárez High School in Pilsen.