AntBen's Stunning Chicago Tribute Mural

Back in November 2017, Chicago artist Antonio Beniquez was responsible for the calligraphy letters that defined the West Side Neighborhood "Humboldt" as in Humboldt Park. 

More recently the artist set his sights on higher grounds with a rooftop dedication piece to the City of Chicago.

"The point of this new project is to be able to see it looking out of your window. While you're flying in or out of the city and try to spot it. It engages with people to create a hunt." 

When asked how he feels differently about this mural compared to the one in Humboldt Park he had this to say:

"The 'Humboldt' mural is special to me because those were my stomping grounds as a kid. It was a rough neighborhood growing up. It definitely helped shape who I am today so it's a little more near and dear. The Chicago mural was meant to show love to the city that raised me. The technical side of the mural itself posed a big challenge. I had to measure it all out on a rooftop while there. No guards were in place to protect me from falling off if I didn't stay alert. I had to make sure I really paid attention every minute I was up there. I also wanted to make sure the entire piece itself was nice and straight. Otherwise, it could've been a disaster and I would've never shown it. I can be anal about the straightness and scale of a piece. That stems from my engineering background."

"This piece was a very interesting part of my development as an artist. It really allowed me to work in a way I'm not used to. It allowed me to work outdoors and not be seen. So I spent a lot of time reflecting on everything in my life. I like to think that when people spot it flying overhead that it puts a smile on their faces."