photography – John Unwin Photography

This is part of a project to photograph some of what was the Hubbard Street mural project initiated in the 1970’s by Ricardo Alonzo, an Art Institute of Chicago graduate.

Over an eight-year period, Alonzo and volunteers from the West Town Community Art Center painted murals along a mile-long stretch of Hubbard Street, from Des Plaines to Ogden, until their funding ran out in 1979.

I first noticed the murals out my Metra train window while I was looking to produce a project influenced by Wabi-sabi, and how it translates to an urban environment outside of Japan.

They provided an ideal way to explore how time and decay have affected these artworks. The originals would have been vibrant and colourful, time, paint overs, weather and construction have taken their toll on the work.

Most people will not see the murals because they are in an obscure place, where most people wouldn’t ordinarily have a chance to view them.

I want to raise awareness of this still-vibrant, if fading, original community project, and to introduce some of my work locally.

After producing some shots in monochrome, I decided to reshoot the set in color to have a better record of the original work.

walrus

Original notes

A mural depicting a walrus is painted on a wal

Description for the visually challenged

A mural depicting a walrus is painted on a wall. The walrus is primarily blue with white accents and is positioned against a dark background. Green leaves from a nearby plant partially obscure the top of the mural.

woodpecker

Description for the visually challenged

The image features a mural of a woodpecker on a wall. The woodpecker has a red head, black and white body, and is depicted in profile. There is a vertical crack running through the mural, and the background is dark with some blue elements.

leaping frog

Description for the visually challenged

A colorful mural of a frog is painted on a dark wall. The frog features green, yellow, and purple colors, with visible details like its limbs and webbed feet. The wall shows signs of wear and decay, with cracks and dirt present around the mural.

reptile

Description for the visually challenged

The image shows a mural of a large, stylized reptile’s face, featuring blue and green tones. The reptile has sharp teeth and a textured skin pattern. The mural is partially obscured by a vertical crack in the wall, with some dirt and grime visible around the edges.

bird of prey

Description for the visually challenged

A mural of a bird, possibly a falcon, is depicted on a textured wall. The bird has a light blue head, a yellow beak, and a body with intricate patterns in shades of beige and blue. The background is dark with visible wear and peeling paint.

butterfly

Description for the visually challenged

The image features a mural of a butterfly with predominantly black wings adorned with yellow spots and blue outlines. The background is a mix of blue and textured surfaces, with hints of pink and green elements nearby. The mural appears to be weathered and partially obscured by dirt.

busy bee

Description for the visually challenged

A colorful mural depicting a stylized insect, possibly a bee, is partially obscured by green foliage. The insect features blue, yellow, and black colors, with a textured background of pink and gray. The foreground includes various green leaves and plants.

elephant

Description for the visually challenged

The image shows a mural of an elephant’s head on a textured, dark background. The elephant is depicted in shades of gray with white tusks and hints of color on its body. The surface is worn and shows signs of aging and dirt.

rhinoceros

Description for the visually challenged

The image features a mural of a rhinoceros, predominantly in shades of gray and white, set against a dark background. The mural shows the rhinoceros’s head and part of its body, with visible texture and wear on the surface. In the foreground, there are green leaves partially obscuring the bottom right corner.

a couple of ducks

Description for the visually challenged

A mural depicting two ducks is visible on a weathered wall. One duck is shown in profile with a green head and a light-colored body, while the other duck appears to be resting with a grayish body. The background features muted colors and textures, with visible cracks in the surface.

places, usa, illinois, chicago, hubbardstreet, photography, photo, genre, mural, street, streetart, texture, mood, community, walrus, art, nature, woodpecker, color, wall, crack, background, black, white, blue, frog, colorful, urban, decay, vibrant, illustration, reptile, design, publicart, creativity, expression, falcon, butterfly, insect, foliage, greenery, elephant, gray, dark, wear, aging, signs, rhino, ducks

the time for blue sky thinking is long gone

Original notes

picture of meeting room in a disused meeting room

Description for the visually challenged

A glass wall reflects a tree and a parking area outside. The wall features a whiteboard with faint markings and a sign labeled ‘1NW1 145-113’. Light creates shadows on the floor, and the overall setting appears empty and unused.

Embracing Impermanence and Sustainability

Original notes

This photo series captures the eerie tranquility of a once-bustling corporate campus, now an abandoned conference center. Emphasizing the impermanence of structures and the need for adaptive reuse, the images remind us of the environmental impact of construction. Cement production, the third-largest contributor to climate change, necessitates a shift toward repurposing existing buildings rather than creating short-lived, expendable office spaces. The series highlights the urgency of sustainable practices in architecture and urban planning.

Description for the visually challenged

The image shows a large, modern building with a glass facade and a reddish frame. Two bare trees stand in front of the building, one on the left and one on the right. The ground is paved, and there is a street lamp near the left tree. The sky appears overcast.

pretty vacant

Original notes

The image is intended to explore the intersection between the built environment and the emotional experiences of people who once worked in these spaces. It invites viewers to reflect on the fleeting nature of human existence, the impact of societal changes on urban landscapes, and the emotions tied to forgotten spaces.

Description for the visually challenged

The image shows a wide, empty road lined with bare trees, leading towards a pair of large, modern buildings. A glass skybridge connects the two buildings at the center of the frame. The buildings have a pink and beige facade with large windows reflecting the sky.

veni vidi vici

Original notes

ssssssss

Description for the visually challenged

A wide view of an asphalt parking lot with circular tire marks on the ground. In the background, there are several bare trees and a building with multiple stories. The sky is mostly clear with some clouds.

once a shangri-La

Original notes

Capturing the essence of faded optimism and impermanence, this photograph portrays a disused picnic nook, a once well-intentioned addition for employee wellbeing, now standing as a relic of a bygone era. Although the bustling highway is unseen, its constant noise lingers, reminding us of the transient nature of our attempts to create a “Shangri-La.” This abandoned corporate campus scene evokes feelings of loneliness and decay, highlighting the inevitable transformation of utopias.not know

Description for the visually challenged

The image shows a disused picnic area surrounded by bare trees. There are several green picnic tables arranged on a paved path, leading to a circular concrete structure in the center filled with tall, dry grass. The sky is mostly clear with some clouds.

for sale

Original notes

Picture of an unused office building awaiting sale

Description for the visually challenged

A large, rectangular brick office building with multiple windows is shown. The facade features a symmetrical arrangement of windows, some reflecting the sky. In the foreground, there is an empty parking lot with marked spaces and a few trees on the side.

no idling zone

Original notes

picture of an lonely loading bay

Description for the visually challenged

The image shows a loading bay with a large, arched overhead structure painted in pink. In the foreground, there are two blue metal ramps positioned on a rusted platform. Surrounding the area are several yellow and gray cylindrical posts, and a wall with a sign is visible in the background.

unexpected installation art

Original notes

picture of unused office interior where someone painted graffiti

Description for the visually challenged

An empty office interior features large windows on the left side and a wall with graffiti on the opposite side. The floor is carpeted, and there are doors on the right side. The image is in black and white, highlighting the architectural lines and reflections.

places, USA, illinois, photography, canon, eosr5, photo, urban, office, meetingroom, urbanex, Other, postcapitalist, mood, redundant, acceptance, genre, reflection, whiteboard, window, fixture, rectangle, building, shade, tintsandshades, wood, facade, glass, ceiling, Deerfield, meeting room, glass wall, reflection, tree, parking area, whiteboard, shadows, abandoned