Visitors to OPEN Center for the Arts are greeted by a set of large, rustic wooden doors—one of the last pieces of original infrastructure repurposed after a fire in 2010. When the center reopened in 2014, the founding collective of artists originally intended to bring community-based art to other parts of the city. However, as Program and Outreach Manager Clara Byczkowski explains, that goal evolved when they realized it was more impactful for community members to see their own art within their neighborhood. Today, OPEN’s space reflects this vision and has grown into a vibrant community art center.

During a recent visit, Clara showed CCA several local pieces on the first floor, notably two floor-to-ceiling pieces – Alejandro Rosado’s Out Enjoying Day and Juana Duran’s Native. On the lower level, the walls are lined with sketches and memorabilia from the ongoing Wild Sculpture project, including images of the project’s excursions to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Initiatives like the Wild Sculpture project make community public art a reality. Through this program, children from local schools can see their drawings transformed into metal sculptures displayed in parks and along sidewalks in Little Village. Clara, whose parents are immigrants from Brazil, grew up in the neighborhood and attended primary school in Little Village. She reflects on how validating and inspiring it is for children and the community at large to see their creativity celebrated in their own neighborhood. Outside of her work at OPEN, Clara finds community through Brazilian literature classes at the University of Chicago and recommends the Brazilian restaurant Sinhá for Sunday brunch.

In the Wild Sculpture Project, drawings from local children in the North and South Lawndale communities are transformed into life-sized sculptures of animals and displayed in the Lincoln Park Zoo. The project unfolds in three phases: learning, drawing, and voting. Kids first learn about the endangered animal they will draw (past animals include polar bears and chimpanzees). Next is the drawing phase, where children create their own interpretation of the animal, imagining it freely and without the constraints of an adult perspective. In the final phase, community members, OPEN staff, and Lincoln Park Zoo animal specialists vote on which drawings will be transformed into metal sculptures.

The winning sculptures are unmissable when visiting the center. They are made by Omar Magaña, OPEN’s Executive Director, who brings the children’s designs to life through metalworking. The finished sculptures, installed as public art, allow local children to see their own creativity reflected in their community. Metal, Omar’s material of choice, carries its own symbolism. The strength of the material reflects the resilience of the community, a direct connection to perhaps the resilience of the building and the organization itself as well.

You can view photos from OPEN Center for the Arts on our social media @chicagocultural