West Town includes several sub-neighborhoods, including Wicker Park, Humboldt Park and Ukranian Village.
I took a ride out to Wicker Park yesterday specifically to see the mural in the auditorium of the
Pulaski Park fieldhouse. I had been to the park last year, but since it was a Sunday when I visited, the fieldhouse was closed. This time, the fieldhouse was open, but I couldn't find the auditorium. It's a big building! I went searching around and finally found the attendant who knew about the mural and was willing to show it to me. He opened up the auditorium and turned the lights on for me. I had to take pictures without flash and since it was close to sunset, there wasn't much natural light, so my photos didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. In any case, the mural is in fantastic condition and it's very beautiful. It underwent
restoration by the Chicago Conservation Center in 2006. Here's the description from
Explore Chicago:
Completed in 1914, Pulaski Park was designed by architect William Carbys Zimmerman and renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen. In 1919, Jensen met with officials at the Art Institute of Chicago to discuss the idea of a competition for art students to paint a mural on the semi-circular proscenium above the stage in the field house auditorium. The West Park Commissioners provided the prizes of $100, $50, and $25 and instructors at the School of the Art Institute selected the winners. The first prize went to James G. Gilbert, who received $200 for materials as well as the $100 prize. In 1920, Gilbert painted his mural composed of a dramatic series of allegorical figures. Gilbert graduated from the School of the Art Institute and went on to teach painting at the University of Chicago. The Chicago Conservation Center fully restored this exquisite mural in 2007.
A second mural, hidden in the upper tower room of the Pulaski Park field house portrays Polish themes. A Chicago Park District arts and crafts class created this painting in the late 1930s.
I didn't know about that second mural, so it looks like I'll be going out to Pulaski Park again. :)
I took a ride out to Wicker Park yesterday specifically to see the mural in the auditorium of the Pulaski Park fieldhouse. I had been to the park last year, but since it was a Sunday when I visited, the fieldhouse was closed. This time, the fieldhouse was open, but I couldn't find the auditorium. It's a big building! I went searching around and finally found the attendant who knew about the mural and was willing to show it to me. He opened up the auditorium and turned the lights on for me. I had to take pictures without flash and since it was close to sunset, there wasn't much natural light, so my photos didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. In any case, the mural is in fantastic condition and it's very beautiful. It underwent restoration by the Chicago Conservation Center in 2006. Here's the description from Explore Chicago:
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