Stories of two new works of public art on Noyes Street

The underside of the new ‘Above & Below’ sculpture on Noyes Street. Loan: gay Riseborough

Six years ago, in 2018, the owner of the building at 824-828 Noyes St. (Stacked & Folded is located on the first floor, with residential tenants upstairs) donated $10,000 to the city of Evanston for so-called “neighborhood benefits.” That owner, Greg De Stefano, previously spoke with the Evanston Arts Council’s Public Art Subcommittee about his hope to use the money for public art.

Now, in September 2024, there are two new public art in this block of Noyes. One is a sculpture that has been “planned” for six to seven years, the other is a large mural that preceded the sculpture by two months, surprising many – if not most – of the community. Their backgrounds are interconnected.

CTA Garage at 837 Noyes St. Loan: gay Riseborough

De Stefano’s first wish was to beautify the view across the street with a pleasant mural at the “painful” CTA substation at 837 Noyes. In 2019, the Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG) was contacted about creating a painted mural for the unattractive facade.

But CTA said no, they don’t want to his building was painted.

Sculpture

Therefore, a public art group proposed and designed colorful acrylic a mural that would sit about an inch from the surface of the CTA building, attached to it with nearly invisible fasteners. The roller garage door would still need painting.

But CTA responded that no, it didn’t want anything attached to its substation.

Suggested places for art installations on Noyes Street.

Well, maybe something could be done to improve the appearance of the old CTA station entrance located under the tracks. But this is CTA’s property too, so he’ll definitely say no. Maybe something at the Noyes Center for Culture and Art?

Judy Fiske, then council member of the First Ward (which includes the Noyes Center), liked the idea, expressing interest in having some sort of visual acknowledgment of Daniel Burnham, the noted architect of the Noyes Building of 1892. Perhaps some type of plaque.

Noyes Cultural and Art Center – This facade was the original Noyes School. Loan: gay Riseborough

Noyes was designed by Burnham as a primary school. (Two new ones have since been added). In 1980, it was transformed into a cultural arts center. To please Fiske, a sculpture was sought that would combine tribute to Burnham and document the building’s landmark status, but the idea was unpopular with the Public Art Commission.

Jennifer Lasik, the cultural coordinator at the time, proposed a light installation on the ceiling of the viaduct in this block. The company was called upon to appraise such a work of art. A rippling rainbow of neon lights was proposed, but the cost was $70,000. At that time, there was no funding beyond that initial donation.

CTA underpass at Noyes Street in Evanston. Loan: gay Riseborough

A public art group that was unaware of the light installation investigation then proposed a mural on the west side of the De Stefano building – but not a painted mural. It would be one of the colorful acrylic shapes, mounted about an inch from the wall, similar to their earlier design for the CTA garage area.

However, the “city” parking lot, partially under the tracks, actually belongs to the CTA, not the city of Evanston, which would move the mural a full inch into CTA airspace. CTA said no.

The empty west wall of 824-28 Noyes Street and adjacent parking lot Loan: gay Riseborough

Evanston resident Denise Barreto, CTA’s new director of equity and engagement, looked at the denials, starting with the substations. She learned that, although it was never mentioned at the time, the CTAs were most concerned about damage, maintenance, and who would take responsibility for any of the artworks – not an unreasonable concern, especially in light of current issues.

Because it turned out that until the mural was rejected, the AP subcommittee was engaged in cooperation with CPAG, which was then asked to design a standing sculpture that would be placed on city property. This would avoid contact with the CTA.

The public artists created a vibrant and colorful design of overlapping acrylic cutouts that stayed within budget and seemed to please almost everyone.

The project was presented to the artist-tenants of Noyes. There was a meeting of tenants, the new Department of Public Art, CPAG and Evanston representatives. But it didn’t go well.

“The problem was that Noyes tenants were not consulted about the commission at the beginning of the process. They are artists themselves and, quite sensibly, they wanted to have a voice in the process,” said Toby Sachs, then president of the Arts Council. The tenants really didn’t want the sculpture in front of “their” building.

Work on the artwork has stalled, and in the meantime the city has placed colorful, plastic Adirondack chairs on a grassy avenue in the north park next to the Noyes building, across the street from the former Al’s Deli at 914 Noyes and the busy Coffee Lab at 910 Noyes.

Nice Adirondack chairs on Noyes Street. Loan: gay Riseborough

The chairs were and are a successful attempt to make the street more friendly and welcoming, said Paul Zalmezak, Evanston’s economic development manager.

Perhaps the sculpture could be placed there, on the city avenue, at the corner of the Noyes parking lot and the CTA property? Near the chairs? Ah, yes, it was the final decision. Evanston will pour the necessary cement base and perhaps provide some landscaping around it – maybe even lighting to make it visible at night.

The sculpture was installed on September 11. It’s called “Above and Below” and the artists are Andy Bellomo and Caesar Perez of the Chicago Public Art Group. There is minimal landscaping and no lighting.

Mural

Mural by “Pose” on the west side of 824-28 Noyes St., Evanston Loan: gay Riseborough

De Stefano died in 2023. Before his death, he sold the building 824-828 Noyes.

Bill Nash of Farnsworth-Hill is the current property manager. The new owners declined to be interviewed, so there is no way to know whether they knew about De Stefano’s $10,000 gift. However, Art Encounter’s Evanston Mural Arts Program said the new owners covered the cost of the new mural.

The mural team saw this large, blank west wall, thought it would be perfect for a mural, and approached the city, building management, and artist Jordan Nichols (known as “Poza”) about it. The new owners were contacted and the mural concept was approved.

The new painted mural cost approximately $30,000 and was ordered through Art Encounter. Pinsky calls it a “gateway” mural.

“Twenty thousand of that funding came from Evanston Thrives/ARPA funds. Art Encounter secured the remaining grants,” said Paul Zalmezak, Economic Development Manager for the City of Evanston.

The mural is visible from the CTA above and is large and bright enough to catch the eye of anyone walking or driving east on the street. It was painted by renowned pop painter and muralist Nichols, a native of Evanston, with support from Dustin Harris, a local artist and DJ.

“Pose”, i.e. Jordan Nichols, painting in his studio in Chicago. Loan: Jordan Nicholos

Artist Nichols grew up “with the CTA” and “what a saving grace the train was for me as a kid,” he said. He lived first on Brummel near the Howard Street station, and later on Sherman, between the Foster and Noyes street stations. He graduated from King Lab and attended Chicago Waldorf High School.

“I came to art through graffiti,” Nichols said. “So my informal training in street painting (in the early 1990s) exposed me to not only large-scale public painting, but also the rich history of murals in Chicago.”

Nichols holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Kansas City Art Institute and considers himself primarily a painter, not a muralist, although he is also a printmaker and sculptor. He maintains a studio on Chicago’s North Side, but “loves the opportunity to work outdoors whenever the opportunity arises.”

As for the content of the project, residents were consulted, said Lea Pinsky of Art Encounter.

Nichols’ statement reads: “This mural project is a personal tribute to the energy of the Noyes Street neighborhood – Evanston is a place that nurtures the human spirit and where creativity thrives.”

“The images on the mural refer to growth and development, intellectual pursuits, and the energy of creativity,” his statement reads. There is an obvious homage to comic books and superheroes, references to the Midwest and Northwestern University, with lots of purple. The aim is to bring positive energy to the Noyes Street area.

It was largely well received by residents and businesses in Noyes.

A mural by “Pose” at Washington Street and Chicago Avenue before it was destroyed. Loan: Posing studio

In 2016, Nichols completed another large, colorful mural in Evanston, at 600 Washington St., on the CTA underpass there, paid for by Main-Dempster Mile. The mural peeled off in stripes shortly after it was painted. Pinsky said it happened because CTA didn’t prime the wall properly.

Mural by Ben Blount, replacing damaged mural by “Pose”, Washington Street, Evanston. Loan: Bernard Friedman

The Washington Street mural was removed and replaced in 2021, and the walls were first properly primed as part of the mural program. The new design was created by Evanston letterpress artist Ben Blount and painted with the help of several Evanston artists, including Daniel Burnett, using the initial wording of the city’s 2019 resolution that pledged to end structural racism and achieve equality racial.

“Placemaking” is the most important issue in urban planning today – the effort to revitalize local centers, attracting diverse people by offering a variety of attractions, places to socialize and host works of art. These two new works of art on Noyes Street certainly bring energy and attention to the Noyes business district and its public spaces.