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May 25, 2021 - The 13th Annual Art Banner Exhibit titled Take Flight, coordinated by the West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission is now on display. The Commission hopes the artwork, hung on 23 street lamps along Main Street and West Washington Street, will inspire spirits to soar this summer.
The choice of theme is well timed as communities everywhere begin to recover and emerge from the isolation and sense of despair caused by the more than yearlong pandemic.
Hopeful photographic images of the determined faces of horse and rider attempting a challenging jump, an exuberant skateboarder in midair, or a young girl playing with shadows as she dreams of her own flight, capture a sense of success in meeting the moment.
Then there are the images, originally created through assorted media including watercolor, acrylic or oil that depict the resilience of the natural world. Eagles reaching unfathomable heights over land and sea, the grace and beauty of a heron in flight, or the intuitive drive of a robin settling into its nest as it prepares for two new lives, are among this collection. Pollinators in flight, including butterflies, bees. dragonflies, and hummingbirds remind us of perseverance and the power found in the smallest activities that result in things of great consequence. |
 Graphic artist and West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission member Uwe Gsedl, created map of banner locations so people might easily navigate the outdoor banner exhibit and vote for their favorite art banner. Voting is online at https://form.jotform.com/211434815981155. |
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More than 30 artists submitted work for the juried art show. Those chosen by an independent juror for their work to be included are:
Cultural Arts Staff Liaison Rosemary Mackey acknowledged the recurrent sentiment that the past year and half of living through a pandemic has been hard in so many ways for so many people. “Yet, art reminds us there is beauty all around us and that life goes on. Take Flight validates life’s limitless possibilities,” she said. “When the call for art went out last year the Commission hoped the theme would spark a host of creative ideas from rising above the unique challenges of 2020, to breaking new barriers or experiencing the joy and exhilaration of nature.” The resulting exhibit, now on display through September in downtown West Chicago, brings to life those ideas and more. Many of the participating artists included a statement about their work which will provide insight on their inspiration or interpretation of the theme, which may be found on the City’s website. |
The public is invited downtown to explore the body of work in this exhibit with a downloadable map designed by graphic artist and Commission member Uwe Gsedl, and/or by using an interactive map found on the City’s website in the Maps Portal.
The Commission encourages everyone who views the exhibit to vote for their favorite banner in the People’s Choice Award. The winning artist will receive their banner at no charge and have other of their works featured in a future exhibit at City Hall. There is a limit of one vote per person and ballots may be found online at https://form.jotform.com/211434815981155.
