Our Survival; Xakriabá Mural
Location: 23’x 73’
Location: Back of the Yards
Year: 2021
Contributing organization: Back of the Yard Neighborhood Council, One Summer Chicago,
Inspired by the 2020 Amazon Rainforest Fires Holiday Gerry felt the urgency to use the platform of public art to communicate the impassioned message of indigenous Brazillian activist Artemesia of the Xakriaba Tribe which gave her impassioned speech at the 2019 climate strike in New York City. Previous mural work explored themes of indigenous identity and working class solidarity which is unified in this work representing the worldwide indigenous resistance to the environmental destruction of Capitalism. Artemesias message emphasis that the Global North is not shielded from impending climate disaster that the Indigenous peoples have been fighting for 500 years therefore “Our survival is your survival”.
Pride of Back of the Yards Mural
Size:14’ x 63’
Location: Back of the Yards
Year:2020
Contributing Organization: Back of the Yard Neighborhood Council, One Summer Chicago
Pride of Back of they yards asks what makes a community strong? It is a collaborative Concept with Helen Sanchez, Yesenia Villa, and Alexee Aitken, which began with Helen Sanchez’s design of children playing and a merging U.S. and Mexican flag symbolic of 1st generation Immigrant heritage in Chicago. Summer 2020 in Chicago was a historic and tumultuous time which was captured in real time as the mural developed. The mural includes local figure Lupita wearing a protective covid mask, Black Lived Matters Flag, and rebuilding with Plywood in a show of Black and Brown Solidarity in our shared communities. This Mural features people from the neighborhood and the Virgen de San Juan de los Lagos a beloved symbol of the motherland.
Xōchipili: Ancestral Symbol Mural
Size: 25’ x 66’
Location: Back of the Yards
Year: 2021
Contributing Organization: Back of the Yard Neighborhood Council, One Summer Chicago,
2019 Xochipili is Holiday Gerry’s intro to Public Art in Back of the Yards and Yesenia “Dannys Sister” Villa’s first Mural painting. Collaborating with Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council and One Summer Chicago Chicagobility program this mural project was the beginning of the following years of a classroom structure where Lead Artist Holiday Gerry and 1-4 mentees of 18-24yr olds would be youth leaders to the classroom of 15 youth from the neighborhood. The goal of the program is to give real-world public work and classroom experience to future educators and creative professionals starting their academic and professional careers. This Living Mural Concept is an in-progress work that incorporates suggestions of the youth featuring flora and fauna related to the indigenous Deity of Xochipili representing life abundance fertility and beauty. This living mural is continually added to using a special mural pasting technique adding beautiful flowers birds butterflies and indigenous symbols hand painted by young children students and volunteers.
Living Mural
Casa Aztlan Mural Historic Restoration
Size: 20’ x 40’
Location: Pilsen
Year: 2017
Contributing Organization: Pilsen Alliance, Chicago Public Art Group
The Casa Aztlan mural restoration project breathed new life into the iconic mural that had been covered in gray paint by a luxury housing developer. The act of erasing this symbol of the Chicago movement in the Midwest angered the residents of Pilsen, who saw it as a representation of the displacement of the Mexican community from the area. The new owner, City Pads LLC, agreed to repaint the murals but refused to construct affordable housing. Despite the loss of the community center, the community rallied together, led by artists like Ray Patlan, to restore the murals. They created a new mural depicting local heroes and completed it with a pre-colonial "rebirth" theme. The project became a symbol of resilience and the preservation of community history through art. The involvement of artists like Salvador Vega, Robert Valadez, Héctor Duarte, Mark Nelson, and Holiday Gerry, who participated in the restoration, highlights the significance of generational community art and its ability to leave a lasting impact on the neighborhood.
Don Quixote Mural
Size: 12’x8’
Location: Pilsen
Year: 2017
Contributing Organization: National Museum of National Art, iHeartMedia Market Group, Modelo
Logan Square Dog Park Mural
Size: 300’ x 23’
Location: Logan Square
Year: 2015
Contributing Organization: AnySquared, Logan Square Dog Park Committee, Renegades of Funk, ABC, CMW, Xmen
The Logan Square Dog Park Mural, a project that involved over 50 artists and numerous community members. The mural was created as part of the park's one-year anniversary celebration and serves as a symbol of the community's hard work and dedication. The Logan Square Dog Park Committee, along with volunteers and local businesses, have been actively involved in maintaining the park and organizing events to bring the community together. The mural, measuring 300 feet long and 23 feet high, features various elements related to dogs and aims to unite different artistic styles. Notable artists like Holliday Gerry have played a significant role in the project, contributing their skills, resources, and support. The completion of the mural highlights the collaborative efforts and artistic talent within the community, making it a source of pride and celebration.
