BUILDING THE BLACK PRESS
  • BUILDING HISTORY
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • BLOG
  • STORYMAPS
  • BUILDING HISTORY
  • PUBLICATIONS
  • BLOG
  • STORYMAPS

BLOG

ALL THE BLACK PRESS NEWS THAT'S FIT TO PRINT...

A mural for for 820 South Michigan?

4/24/2016

 
Picture
Big Walls Project. Tara Vock
Will the old Johnson Publishing headquarters at 820 South Michigan be getting a make-over?

Columbia College, which now owns the building, recently announced plans for a "Big Walls" event as part of the Manifest urban arts festival. Now entering its 16th year, Manifest showcases some of the best new art and design talent coming out of Columbia. Its an eclectic assortment of gallery exhibitions, live performances, fashion shows, literary readings, and other creative endeavours, with three outdoor stages featuring student bands and DJ sets throughout the day to keep the party going. Chi-town favorites including Twin Peaks and Chance the Rapper have previously graced the Manifest stage, and back in the day Manifest played host to artists such as Lupe Fiasco and Common. For full listings and events happening this year, CLICK HERE.

The "Big Wall" event, set to run between the 1st and 13th May, will lead to the creation of 20 brand new street murals on Columbia buildings and other spaces within the Wabash Arts Corridor. Its not yet been confirmed whether 820 South Michigan is one of the buildings scheduled to undergo a street-art facelift, although Columbia has confirmed they are partnering with Chicago Loop Alliance to create an alleyway site next to the building which will showcase alumni work.

We have already seen how mural artists have transformed black media buildings such as the offices of the New York Amsterdam News in Harlem. Will the Johnson building be next on the list? If 820 South Michigan is to be a mural site, it is hard to envision a mural which doesn't explicitly reference the company's rich history. More news as and when we get it.

    ARCHIVE

    January 2021
    October 2020
    August 2020
    January 2020
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    March 2017
    January 2017
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015

    TAGS

    All
    20th Century
    21st Century
    Afro-American
    Alexandre Keto
    American Newsreel
    Arthur Elrod
    Baltimore
    Chicago
    Chicago Bee
    Chicago Defender
    Columbia College Chicago
    EBONY
    Exterior
    Interior
    John H. Johnson
    Johnson Publishing
    Johnson Publishing Company
    Lee Bey
    Los Angeles Sentinel
    Marina Zumi
    Muhammad Speaks
    NEWS
    New York
    New York Amsterdam News
    Palm Springs
    Pittsburgh Courier
    Public Art
    Revel Motor Row
    Teenie Harris
    The Obsidian Collection

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License 
​
© 2020 Building the Black Press