While Trump was celebrating his birthday reviewing a military parade, the people of Rogers Park were celebrating their commitment to living together in harmony with works of mural art on the Loyola Park seawall.
Every Father’s Day weekend since 1993, Rogers Park residents celebrate the richly diverse people and cultures that make Rogers Park a colorful and engaging place in which to live and work. The theme for the 2025 murals is All Together Now.
In the number one position of the 160 artist spaces on the Wall, Carolen King painted a mural of a hand placing a flower in the muzzle of a rifle to remind us of what happened in Kent State when you command national guard troops to act as police in civilian matters. In that tragic 1970 event, when four students were killed by guardsmen, a young woman student placed a chrysanthemum in the barrel of a rifle held by a National Guardsman. This iconic moment was photographed by John Filo.
One of the most intriguing murals presents various animals working together to complete a puzzle of themselves living together. The piece is titled Puzzle/Tessellation because it involves repeating patterns of geometric shapes that fit together without gaps or overlaps, an interlocking tiling creating a seamless design. The design was created and painted by Jan and Jen Concepcion, Joehn Concepcion-Revives and Jake Anderson. The artist Maurits Cornelis Escher employed this method in his works.
The philosopher in me could not help but meditate on this mandala of the human experiment trying to understand itself.
Kelly Cassidy, who lives in Rogers Park and represents the 14th District of the Illinois House of Representatives, painted a mural affirming our commitment to welcome, protect and include rans children in our community.
Hope Wright and Shayla Sotelo painted a mural of colorful sneakers grounded into the earth with roots and sprouting flowers to show how we humans participate in the life force as a community of sisters and brothers.
“Three Crows” by Laura Abbruzzese caught my attention because, for almost 20 years as I walk through Loyola Park, I have been attended regularly by three crows. They were probably first attracted by my red beret, but now they (and their offspring) seem to recognize me. I write poems about them.
Finally, no Rogers Park Artists of the Wall event would be complete without a mural from the Berek family: Diana Berek, Courtney Berek, Thomas, Tea, and Zaelen Swift. Their mural depicts the human community as an orchestra of many diverse talents playing a grand musical theme together in harmony and friendship.
The Rogers Park Loyola Beach seawall extends north 600 feet from Pratt Pier to where it bends west for a few extra feet into the park. The murals contribute to the joy of our walks and conversations in the park and attract tourists from all over the world. Until next June, when we start all over again to describe a community that strives to include everyone…
June 2025 © nicholas.patricca@gmail.com
Nick Patricca is professor emeritus at Loyola University Chicago and a member of San Miguel PEN, MX.