I’ve been working all summer 2024 on a mural project that I’m really excited to share with you guys …Although the mural hasn’t been installed yet (the building is still under construction, shout out to the team at UJAMAA) it’s a piece I’m extremely proud of …. When I was asked to do the project, I was given full & free creative control over the content of the art …. which means, I included a family portrait, images of my favorite sports and recreational activities, images of the neighborhood of Bronzeville with references to the Great Migration and cowboys on horseback trotting through the city, and of course, the barber shop, which refences the days of long ago when my grandfather Harold Eulien Sr. owned and operated Bronzeville’s own Eulien Barber College on 35th and Michigan Avenue, creating artistic and employment opportunities for Black men from all around the city of Chicago. And since it’s a mural commissioned by Northwestern Medicine, I included images of a community dedicated to being healthy. It’s been an excellent opportunity to shed light on some of the inspiration behind my work and I hope the city enjoys the art work as much as I do!
original sketch design of “Bronzeville” for Northwestern Medicine and UJAMAA construction mural at 48th and Cottage Grove, (Bronzeville, South Side of Chicago
photography by Alexy Irving - “Bronzeville”
Barber College sketch
photography by Alexy Irving - painting “barber college”
cover story of BronzeTown magazine, highlighting Eulien Barber College
In addition to working on the mural, I was fortunate to have Dorian Sylvain & Tony Smith film a short documentary while in process of painting …. the mini documentary premiered at the Logan Café during my City of Gold artist talk in August 2024. Check it out on YouTube!