Note: Wrote this story for a class. It’s been through one edit by a friend of mine.

Try to paint bright colors outdoors in Lincoln Park and you’ll be accosted by either a community association or the police. Visit Pilsen and you’ll see painting after painting of people working, laughing, crying. On outdoor walls. With bright colors.

Several muralists have contributed to Pilsen’s reputation as a place for public art, but the most prominent working there today is Jeff Zimmermann. He’s been putting community ideals on display for communities for years—but Zimmermann also has some thoughts about the dark side of existence, which tend to work better in galleries than on your commute.

A creepy work he calls The God Particle is his newest project in the city, nestled in a gallery at Chicago Cultural Center. The Center will celebrate its completion tonight with a reception.

Like the old guard of muralists, Zimmermann researches his subjects thoroughly and uses the likenesses of real people; he includes pop culture references; and generally he uses his symbolism to evoke political messages–thoughts about a group of people.

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