UPTOWN — A local artist now has his perspective of Uptown displayed at City Hall for all to see.
Jeffrey Littleton answered a call put out by City Treasurer Kurt Summers's office through Chicago Artists Resource asking for art representative of different communities. Three of his pieces: "City with a Bean (Transit Edition)," "City with a Bean" and "Redline to Aragon" were chosen and now hang around the Treasurer's Office, Room 106 at City Hall, he said.
According to Katie Hickey, Director of Communications for the office, Littleton was one of the first to respond. Pieces of work from 15 different artists are on display at the Holiday Pop Up Art Show, which is open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. until Dec. 23.
"[Littleton]’s pieces really capture the vibrancy of our City," Summers said. "Chicago is brimming with tremendous talent in every corner of every neighborhood. The pop-up gallery is a way to promote local artists at a location that sees hundreds of visitors daily. It’s inspiring to bring in the creative spirit of Chicago’s residents and share it with all of City Hall."
City with a Bean is one of three paintings hanging in the Holiday Pop Up Art Show. [Jeffrey Littleton]
Littleton, who works out of his studio at the Uptown Arts Center, 941 W. Lawrence Ave., chose to submit two paintings featuring The Bean, which is officially named "Cloud Gate," because "it's City Hall."
"These paintings are way out but Chicago-centric, first and last," he said. "The Bean is at the core of the same transit system. Its a visual thing I am still working through — The Bean as a tourist in its own city."
The two pieces are part of his project "Chicago: City with a Bean," a visual manifesto to the assimilation of The Bean. For more information on the project or to buy some of the art click here.
"The Bean is perched at the focal point of a well appointed plaza, upon a people plinth for all to see. The Bean attracts the people from far and wide ... with few exceptions they approach closely for a better look only to see a version of themselves," he explains in the manifesto.
Redline to Aragon is one of three paintings hanging in the Holiday Pop Up Art Show. [Jeffrey Littleton]
Littleton also chose to include "Redline to Aragon" because the tall Aragon sign and the "L" represent Uptown "abstractly yet is instantly recognizable."
"The bands of color representing the energy of a good performance. It has a positive vibe [and] some movement," he said. "The heart of Uptown is hard-wired to the Loop, this art [is] like a resident took the Red Line to the Loop."
He's been focusing on trains and the transit system since 2013 with his "Reimagined Rail Maps" project.
"I draw the trains often. I am drawn to the system as a design — the beauty in the transit system as the connective tissue of a city. It's something I've spent an inordinate amount of time on," he said.
More of his work is for sale on his website.
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