Public art can be really hit or miss, and I’ll be totally honest: If I see another ho-hum statue of George Washington on my travels, I may try to throw myself across the Rapahannock.

So, with that in mind, when I came across a tremendously beautiful and glorious piece of public art when researching my latest book, I knew it had to single it out for special attention. It’s located in the Edgewater neighborhood in Chicago’s North Side, and it represents a collaborative effort between two members of the Chicago Public Art Group (Tracy Van Duinen and Todd Osborne), who worked together with 29 local young people to create this engaging and urbane mosaic/bricolage/assemblage/mural.

This piece is titled Living 2007, and it reflects the rich diversity and historical development of the community through pieces of ceramic tile, mirror and concrete. There are even a few tiles that feature quotes from giants who used to walk the sidewalks of Chicago, including Carl Sandburg and Nelson Algren.

Enough from me…please take a look at a few clips I took of this piece:

Let’s move to a bit more detail of the mosaic:

And one last clip of the south side of the mosaic:

If you want to visit Living 2007, jump on the CTA’s Red Line and jump off at the Bryn Mawr stop. Walk three block east until you’re walking right underneath Lake Shore Drive. Bam, you’re there! (Hard to miss as it’s 185 feet long and 15 feet tall…) Enjoy!

Looking for more information on the Living 2007 piece and the Chicago Public Art Group? Look no further!

A profile on Living 2007 from Chicago Tonight

Official homepage of the Chicago Public Art Group