Community Art

Mosaic on the Underpass to the Lake

Community art breathes life into the lives of neighbors, reflecting the joy and hope of the neighborhood it represents. After years of living in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, I made the move away from the cookie cutter walk-ups, and made my way to my new neighborhood, one that I've come to love and appreciate to no end. Each day as I jog (albeit, verrrrry slowwwwwly) past, it's a comforting feeling I get from seeing the heart that was poured into creating this art.

I wish more that our "western" culture would incorporate art into our lives. Many Muslim countries incorporate art into the most minute of details of their buildings, really bringing all viewers into a scared space of exaltation of the space.

My favorite activity when I was studying in Morocco was seeing all the different patterns of buildings, sidewalks, doors, ceramics, which is incorporated in really every aspect of Moroccan urban living. Here are a few of my favorites:

I loved hearing from guides, shopkeepers, my host sister (or really anyone in ear shot of my aloud-wondering) about the history and significance of each design. How one famous person or another commissioned one piece and the next. How the numbers used in these intricate tile designs were exaltation to Koranic verses. It was all so breathtakingly beautiful.

But I a fool, and always a goof:

Tile, tile, everywhere!

All about the art!
♡M