Top 25 Chicago Street Art and Graffiti Spots

Several thoughts come to mind whenever people think of Chicago: Pizzas and hot dogs, jazz, and renowned criminals are just a few. But, if you haven't been to Chicago, you may not be aware that you might be losing more than just fantastic food and baseball pleasures. The Windy City is home to almost 40,000 sq ft of Chicago graffiti murals and Chicago street art unlike anything else on the planet.

Chicago street art murals and Chicago graffiti murals are at odds with Chicago police departments. So many Chicago street culture artists are now forced to keep their identities hidden under new restrictions and regulations. Spray paint has been prohibited for 2 decades, while graffiti and tagging have been prohibited for much longer. The cleanup of Chicago street art takes up a large portion of the Roads and Cleaning fund, roughly five million USD. Certain Chicago street art spots have become well-known and are retained, although it is unknown who decides what would be safeguarded.

Where can you find Chicago street art and graffiti murals ?

Although Chicago street art may be seen all around the city, the Wabash Arts Corridor or South Loop, Milwaukee Avenue, Logan Square, and Pilsen are the most well-known Chicago street art spots. While it is feasible to see all 3 neighborhoods on the same day, it is recommended that you dedicate a minimum of one day per area.

Every Chicago graffiti murals community seems to have its unique form of art that has evolved through time. The Chicago street art in WAC was created as part of a Chicago street culture initiative. In contrast, the Chicago street art murals in Pilsen were created as part of the resistance against urbanization and the eviction of the locals. Hip-hop culture dramatically influences the Chicago street culture in Wicker Park. You must be ready to see what you will see, whether you explore all 3 Chicago street art spots across several days or only one in a few hours. Although Chicago street art is intended for the general public to witness, it frequently gives observers an intimate experience. The Chicago graffiti murals are not only "pretty." Instead, Chicago street art is enthralling since its intrinsic elegance communicates words that appeal to a person's spirit and existence in so many cases.

1. Greetings From Chicago - Victor Ving & Lisa Beggs

The Greetings from Chicago graffiti mural is undoubtedly one of Illinois' best-known public artworks. New York City street artist Victor Ving and Lisa Beggs, a photographer born in Ohio collaborated to create this Logan Square-based 'postcard mural' that was the first of its kind. The talented duo, traveling in a 24-foot RV, has visited 20 states and displayed approximately 40 different postcard artworks. The pair slept in an RV for days adjacent to the Chicago street art, protecting the scaffold nighttime and working during the day. The Greetings from Chicago street art is among the most well-known postcard murals to this day, and it has served as a matter of pride for residents and a distinctive sight for tourists.

Address: 2226 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, USA

2. Robin Williams - Jerkface and Owen Dippie

One of the most excellent Chicago street art murals of the wind city depicts the legendary comedian and actor accompanied by blue genies from the Children's movie Aladdin, the character Williams played in one of his most notable performances.

Jerkface and Owen Dippie collaborated on the Chicago street art mural, with Jerkface renowned for his comic figures and Dippie for his realistic close-ups. The Chicago graffiti mural was completed in 10 days. Many observers believe the Chicago graffiti mural was made to promote awareness about suicide prevention. One person said the Chicago street art had touched him so deeply that he has returned on many occasions.

Address: 2047 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647, USA

3. Urban Oasis - Leah Tumerman

With this vibrant Chicago street art named Urban Oasis, California-based painter Leah Tumerman brightened up the typically drab Roger's Park underground tunnel near Touhy and Glenwood. The Chicago street art murals blend playful natural themes with prominent examples of the town's historic structures (including Frank Lloyd Wright's Emil Bach House). Branches, flowers, and fern sprout from doors and windows bringing structure and nature together.

Address: 1405 W Touhy Ave, Chicago, IL 60626, USA

4. Paint the Fence - Amy Couey

This newly finished Chicago graffiti mural in Rogers Park replaces the destroyed Heartland Cafe that, for further over 40 years, functioned as a diner and a hub for society-based art, performance, and political engagement. Artist Amy Couey cooperated with neighbors on the wooden fence bordering the vacant property. She employed a paint-by-number plan that encouraged the community to contribute to the Chicago street art construction. As a result, the Chicago street art mural commemorates the Chicago street culture of the North Side community.

Address: 7000 N Glenwood Ave Chicago, IL 60626, USA

5. Vivian Maier - Eduardo Kobra

Perhaps one of the most iconic Chicago street art murals, the Vivian Maier mural, can be found a short stroll down Milwaukee Ave and then into Wicker Park, a famous Chicago street art spot. In 2017, Eduardo Kobra, a Sao Paulo native, collaborated with Beauty and Brawn to create a Chicago graffiti mural depicting the late Vivian Maier, a photographer from Chicago, whose work only became well known after her death.. Due to financial difficulties, Maier was compelled to sell her photographs, which became a viral sensation and a highly desirable collector's piece years later.

The Vivian Maier Chicago graffiti mural was defaced in 2019, but Wicker Park locals rallied to pay for its renovation, demonstrating its significance to the community!

Address: 1651 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA

6. Muddy Waters - Eduardo Kobra

Vivian Maier isn't the only Chicago figure included in Kobra's Chicago street art murals. His art can be found in over 3,000 sites throughout the globe, and now he is recognized for creating prism paintings of famous people like Bob Marley and Abraham Lincoln. Another one of them, and one of the most delicate Chicago street art murals, may be located on N State Street at State and Washington. The 100-foot Chicago street art is another product of Beauty & Brawn's partnership with Eduardo Kobra. The Muddy Waters Chicago street art murals, drawn in Kobra's signature colorful fashion at the Festival of Big Walls in 2016, in May, honor Muddy Waters, the "founder of contemporary Chicago blues."

Address: 17 N State St, Chicago, IL 60602, USA

7. Marilyn Monroe - Jeffrey Zimmerman

Whereas Eduardo Kobra had drawn local heroes across Chicago's sidewalks, this other prominent artist, Jeffrey Zimmerman, seems to be the guy behind such a Chicago street art depicting one of popular culture's best iconic figures. A spectacular replica of Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe Chicago graffiti mural covers a wall larger than a tennis court 150 feet above Magnificent Mile, where Michigan Avenue intersects Erie Street. This Chicago graffiti mural was implemented as part of the Institute of Art's Andy Warhol exhibition in Chicago, running from late 2019 to mid-2020. The Marilyn Diptych, a silk artwork from 1962, is among his biggest famous works, integrating the famous Warhol subjects of grief and celebrity worship. Marilyn Monroe's visage is instantly identifiable thanks to Warhol's work, and the Chicago street art mural is confirmation of just that for Magnificent Mile!  

Address: 663 n Michigan ave Chicago, IL 60611, USA

8. Piccolo Sogno - Eric Skotnes

Eric Skotnes' latest Chicago street art on the Piccolo Sogno Italian restaurant within Fulton River District at the crossroads of Halsted, Grand, and Milwaukee completely transformed a white wall. Like most of the painter's previous Chicago graffiti murals, the brilliant green and blue Chicago street art take a modern approach to classical subjects. Two classic Renaissance sculptures inspire Skotnes. Those are Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus with the Head of Medusa and Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Ratto di Proserpina.

Address: 464 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60642, USA

9. Rushmore - Kerry James Marshall

The gigantic 132 by 100-foot Chicago street art situated behind the Chicago Cultural Center may be challenging to recognize. However, riding down the Chicago street art spots at the end is well worth it. Kerry James Marshall's tallest Chicago street art mural to this date is Rush More on the South Side. He profiles Twenty women who helped shape Chicago street culture, entertaining, political, and cultural landscapes. Maggie Daley, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sandra Cisneros, Oprah Winfrey and Ruth Page are honored. Unfortunately, it took up to late 2017 to finish this Chicago street art.

Address: 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602, USA

10. Moose Bubblegum Bubble - Jacob Watts

The Moose Bubblegum Bubble Chicago street art may not be as well-known as Michelle Obama or Marilyn Monroe. However, it is an influential figure to Chicago locals, particularly those who attend Chicago's WAC (Columbia College) branch.

The stunning Chicago street art mural is the outcome of a contest organized in the spring of 2014 by Columbia College Chicago's WAC Branch. Painter Jacob Watts was chosen as the winner after beating out opposition from students and graduates. Shortly afterward, a massive replica of his Moose Bubblegum Bubble was placed on the side of the university building and became one of the best-photographed Chicago street art.

Address: 33 E Congress Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60605, USA

11. Alas de Frida - Roberto Valadez

The Chicago street art mural by Pilsen portrays one of the most well-known Mexican figures of all periods. The Frida Kahlo with angel wings is undoubtedly among the most remarkable of the Chicago street art of Pilsen, very captivating in effect that, indeed, Frida would've been delighted. Just on the exterior of a Frida Room, a Frida-themed Mexican bar and restaurant set to debut shortly, are a fascinating depiction of Frida Kahlo with angel wings. With the help of Traz Juarez, painter and founder of Art-O-Parts within this neighborhood, the restaurant hired Robert Valadez to create a Chicago graffiti mural of Frida Kahlo just on the building's outer side.

Address: 1713 West 18th Street, Chicago, USA

12. The Declaration of Immigration - Sal Jimenez

The Pilsen Chicago street art spot is known for its graffiti, more than just about any other Chicago street art spot. Although several of the Chicago street art murals in this exhibition deal with political and social issues, few are as aggressive as Sal Jimenez's Declaration of Immigration from 2009. The picture doesn't include representations of individuals and situations but relies on words to convey its message. The Chicago street art is not just to address Pilsen's present Mexican-American community but also its history as a transit point for numerous European ethnic communities.

Address: 1401 W 18th St Chicago, IL 60608, USA

13. Bear Champ - J.C. Rivera

Several Chicagoans are familiar with J.C. Rivera's infamous Bear Champ. The Chicago street art mural of Bear Champ devouring a piece of Wicker Park pizza is one of the best Chicago street art spots to go and get a picture with something iconic to Chicago's food business while also snapping one of the city's best-recognized painters J.C. Rivera.

Address: 75 E Lake, Chicago, IL 60601, USA

14. Blue & White Flowers - Andy Bellomo, Chester Chow, and Anna Murphy

This Chicago graffiti mural in the riverfront Ping Tom Park in Chinatown was damaged just a few days before it was finished the previous year. Unfazed, community residents banded together and raised enough money to rebuild the Chicago street art. It has since become a favorite backdrop for candid photos and portraits. Andy Bellomo, Chester Chow, and Anna Murphy created the blue and white ceramic chinoiserie-inspired Chicago graffiti mural.

Address: 1700 S Wentworth Ave Chicago, IL 60616, USA

15. Bird Mask Murals - Sentrock

Often known as Sentrock, Joseph Perez is another painter whose art has long been seen around Chicago street art spots. The iconic bird mask worn over a human figure may now be found in every Chicago street art spot. Perez said the bird mask, which resembles Illinois' state bird, signifies independence and escaping while also telling viewers that "there will always be someone behind it." The 240-by-24-foot Chicago street art mural is on the wall of an 11-story luxurious condominium built close to a garden the previous year near the Kennedy Expressway in River West. Nevertheless, this is among the many Sentrock Chicago street art mural that presently graces the outer part of the building.

Address: East side of the Westerly apartments,740 N Aberdeen St,Chicago, IL 60642, USA

16. Great Wall of Chicago - Rahmaan Statik

The Great Wall of Chicago runs 900 feet across an elevation near 87th Street and Vincennes Avenue in Auburn Gresham. Rahmaan Statik finished the South Side Chicago graffiti mural in 2018 to honor community seniors while also making people aware of mental health difficulties, according to Bronzeville Life. The Chicago graffiti mural was painted as a component of Chicago's 50x50 initiative, which intends to promote new Chicago street art to every one of the city's fifty zones.

Address: 839 W 87th St Chicago, IL 60620, USA

17. The Last Aztec Emperor - Lopez & Macias

A stunning assortment of murals may be found a short distance from the Wabash art alley in the diversified cultural neighborhood of Pilsen. Stunning, bright graffiti and street art adorn the walls of several clubs and businesses across the neighborhood. El Popocatepetl Tortilleria, for example, has a magnificent Chicago street art that gives honor to the family's company and Mexican ancestry.

A mural depicting the face of various Pilsen inhabitants was drawn during a movie shoot in the neighborhood over a decade earlier. However, Julian Rodriguez with his family ordered a completely new one in 2019 after it had been destroyed by tuckpointing repair. Manuel Macias and Brenda Lopez, a married couple, were selected to create the new mural portraying Cuauhtémoc, the final Aztec Ruler. Residents were initially alarmed seeing the original Chicago graffiti mural being erased. Then they saw Lopez and Macias' Chicago street art mural, which has become one of the beloved Chicago street art spots.

Address: 1854 W 21st St, Chicago, IL 60608, USA

18. The Black and Brown Unity

Following the initial rallies after the killing of George Floyd, the Mural Movement decided to establish a Chicago street art mural that represented community solidarity. A group of artists created the Unity Wall (Black and Brown) on the Near West Side. Unfortunately, the Chicago street art was wiped off the next day. Some weeks later, the Revolution replicated the idea with a prominent Chicago graffiti mural on the Pilsen Antique and Thrift shop. As a response to the original Chicago street art mural's demise, Delilah Martinez, the founder of the Mural Movement, established a Go Fund Me website to support the development of artworks throughout Chicago and the beautification of regional groups. 

Address: 1430 W 18th St.Chicago, IL 60608, USA

19. SkyArt Mural - Jeff Zimmermann

Artist Jeff Zimmermann created this Far South Side Chicago street art mural in the 50x50 program. As a result, this Chicago street art has abstract shapes accentuated by expressions, a Chicago-style hot dog with all fixings, and a heart constructed of a chain. This theme appears in several of Zimmermann's recent projects. The Chicago street art extends all around SkyArt center's outside, offering free fine arts programs to young folks.

Address: 3026 E 91st St, Chicago, IL 60617, USA

20. Fred Hampton Mural - Andre Trenier

Bronx artists Andre Trenier created a mural in Garfield Park last October celebrating the heritage of activist and rebel Fred Hampton.

In 2010, Hampton's child Fred Hampton Jr. and the Chilean revolutionary rap music group Rebel Diaz produced a unique Chicago street art mural of the Illinois Black Panther Party leader. The team that organized the Chicago street art of the first Hampton graffiti 10 years ago believed this was the right moment to breathe fresh life into the incredible Chicago graffiti mural because it had decayed throughout the last decade. The mural is faced westward, far from Downton, to emphasize that Fred Hampton's heritage goes to the citizens of Chicago's West Side.

Address: 2746 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60612, USA

21. Another Time's Voice Remembers My Passion's Humanity

Mitchell Caton & Calvin Jones constructed this Bronzeville Chicago street art in 1979, and it has been beautifully restored to its previous beauty. Fabric designs, African masquerade, plus portrayals of the city's modern African-American community are all featured in the Chicago street art mural. When you're there, look out for Marcus Akinlana's The Great Exodus, an adjacent 1995.

Chicago graffiti mural depicts events from the great migration of African Americans following World War 2.

Address: 3947 S Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60653, USA

22. Michelle Obama - Royyal Dog

The Chicago street art mural at the Korean American Perilla diner on N Milwaukee Avenue features another instantly recognizable figure. Michelle Obama, a South Chicago native, is depicted standing in the front of the moon in the Chicago graffiti mural. This was painted by South Korean painter @royyaldog, who is recognized for his realistic murals of African American ladies dressed in traditional Korean hanboks. The Michelle Obama Chicago street art, which adorns Perilla's patio area, had drawn a lot of interest when it was created in 2019. Perilla said they needed a Chicago figure who embodied optimism and drive.

Address: 401 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60654, USA

23. Essential Workers - Sam Kirk

Whereas works by J.C. Rivera and Sentrock have been around for a long, Sam Kirk's Chicago street art mural in the Fulton Market District is much more current. The National Employees Alliance sponsored the new Chicago graffiti murals in September 2020, paying tribute to the nation's thousands of household and vital employees. The Chicago street art mural includes four photographs of real people who work in Chicago who are vital to the town's vibrant economy despite the Covid 19 pandemic.

Juan Burrell, a Chavez Primary school cafeteria supervisor; Carilla Hayden, a Worker of USPS Postal; Veronica Sanchez, a Latino Union of Chicago Member and Babysitter; a Household Worker Maggie Zylinska are among the laborers shown in this Chicago street art.

Address: corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Hubbard Street - The B_Line, 1030-1044 West Hubbard Street, Chicago, USA

24. Sol Rise - Mauricio Ramirez

The latest inclusion to the list is part of a growing series of Chicago street art murals at Pilsen Flats. Mauricio Ramirez's Sol Rise is the most striking of the new dazzling Chicago graffiti murals. His Chicago street art uses bold and vibrant geometric colors and shapes and fractured motifs to promote variety and the intricacies of ethnic features within areas.

A BIPOC female figure seems to be the center focus of the observer in this mural, with a forceful stare. The one is staring into the future – the envisioned possibility and even beyond – and another immediately confronting the audience as though beckoning for interaction – wanting both acknowledgment and an emotional engagement.

Address: Blue Island & 15th Street, Chicago, IL 60608, USA

25. Turquoise Titan - Oscar Joyo

Oscar Joyo, a Malawian-born Chicago painter, is known for their explosive portraits with color and designs that explode outwards. His most recent Chicago graffiti mural is also his best to date, and this is another legendary Chicago street mural on the B Line. The Turquoise Titan, just like most of Joyo's creations, seems to have an "X" covering each pupil, producing a mysterious and stunning set. Your gaze is drawn away from the subject's window, and, as with earlier Joyo pieces, there is something about it that we will not ever comprehend. In Oscar's terms, the idea is no one can colonize a dream. This B Line Chicago street art is as vivid and energetic as intriguing and forceful.

Address: 426 n peoria st chicago, IL 60642, USA

Conclusion

This article looks at the Chicago graffiti murals found on Chicago's bridges, structures, basements, and walls. Chicago street culture is indeed not vandalism; it is free voice. Unfortunately, Chicago is among the places with the most under-appreciated Chicago graffiti mural. Hopefully, by the time you've finished reading this post, you've realized the beauty and significance they hold. The rebels have always owned Chicago street culture. Because of Chicago's background of discrimination, unemployment, and working-class battles, traditional art was well out of reach for a large portion of the people. Instead, these folks used the Chicago street art murals in the shape of wall-painting, drawing, and writings to communicate concepts about justice and unification to their diverse communities.