Chicago Mural Nominated for Assessment

Photos by Will Shank.

Under City Stone by Caryl Yasko was recently nominated to Rescue Public Murals for assessment. The mural spans 200 feet of an underpass below the METRA commuter rail tracks at 55th Street and Lake Park Avenue on Chicago’s South Side. The viaduct will be renovated as part of transportation improvements, which provides an opportunity to bring much needed attention to this neighborhood treasure.

Painted in the summer of 1972, Under City Stone is among the first community murals painted by a woman. Yasko became a founder of the Chicago Mural Movement Group, whose work to involve artists and communities in mural making led to the formation of the currently active Chicago Public Art Group. She designed the mural to incorporate input from neighborhood residents, and more than 40 volunteers participated to paint or pose for the artists. The mural depicts 133 life-sized figures of all ages, races, and classes. Across the top of the mural run the words of the James Agee’s 1937 poem, “Rapid Transit,” which begins

Squealing under city stone
The millions on the millions run,
Every one a life alone,
Every one a soul undone:

After 35 years of exposure to pollution, damp, and temperature fluctuations, the mural has degraded significantly. Rescue Public Murals will be coordinating an assessment of the mural by the artist and a conservator. The treatment plan they develop will help lead the way to bringing this beloved member of the community back.