Trip to see WPA Murals

In May I was Part of a group from the NIU Art Museum who went to Chicago to view murals done as part of the WPA project.

At Lane Tech. High School we saw 9 frescoes in the lunch room called "Epochs in the History of Man'" the beautiful memorial garden, and a whole series of murals painted on canvas hung above the lockers in the hallways.

The murals in the hallways depict industries from various states, are landscapes or representations of the indigenous people. I believe these were from the Chicago Worlds Fair 1932-34. Some may have first been displayed at the Columbian Expodition held in Chicago in the 1890s. This was the "White City" which was the beginning of GrantPark.

Nettelhorst School holds the only mural done in the "Cubist" style, and has reciently been restored. There is a frieze-like mural illustrating fairy tales in the kintergarten room.

The final stop was Chopin School where Chopin and Stephen Foster are each honored in an 80 foot long mural painted in the auditoerium.

A June trip is planned to see Chicago Architecture on land and on the Chicago River. I can't wait for June 25th.