A Bohemian Enclave of Hispanic Proportions
We went south of Chicago's Loop into the Pilsen neighborhood on Friday evening to
participate in the Chicago Arts District's, 2nd Fridays art walk.
The 30 or so galleries that take part in the event, keep their doors open until 10:00pm
in loft spaces that often double as the artist's home.
designslinger]
Pilsen is the name of the capital of West Bohemia in the Czech Republic, as well as the
region known for its Pilsener beer. When Czechoslovak immigrants first settled into this community in the 1870s, their home country was known as Bohemia, and for years Chicagoans called the neighborhood Little Bohemia. The area is packed with architecture dating from the mid-1870s to the 1890s, from simple 2-flat apartment buildings, to large halls, created by different Bohemian social clubs. Thalia Hall, constructed in 1893, was a mixed-use property which contained a theater, offices and apartments, an innovative concept in those days.
Images & Artwork: designslinger]
Directly across the street from the Thalia building is St. Procopius Church, once considered
the "mother church" of Chicago's Bohemian community. Constructed in 1883, the church's design is somewhat inspired by the mid-19th century, ecclesiastical architecture found in eastern Europe, and is built from simple, locally obtainable materials.
Some of the most interesting art found in the neighborhood are in the murals that cover
the walls of some of Pilsen's brick facades. Created by Mexican-Americans who began moving into the area in the 1930s, the wall art defines this immigrant groups cultural and historical heritage in the way that the architecture reminds us of Bohemian community life 100 years ago.
Unfortunately, paint on plaster over brick, doesn't hold up well under extreme weather
conditions. Many of the murals have aged along with the population, which has been the dominant ethic group here since the 1950s.
However, there is a new generation of people carrying on the religious and political
traditions of provocative, mural artwork. We found these on a large piece of metal covering a gate opening, and the alley wall of a youth center.
Artists discovered cheap live/work lofts for rent in Pilsen in the 1970s, and this stretch of
East Pilsen has thrived and declined through the years as a home for artists in search of inexpensive studios. The neighborhood's largest landlord has organized this monthly event as a way to draw attention to the work being produced by the current enclave of bohemians. But, I couldn't help but feel that it was also a way to market the empty residential and commercial space we saw available in a number of buildings. Ah, the inevitable fine-line between art and commerce.
Posted by designslinger at 8/17/2009 1:30 AM 
Categories: Architecture, Art, History
Tags: art walks 18th Street Chicago artist communities Pilsen
Categories: Architecture, Art, History
Tags: art walks 18th Street Chicago artist communities Pilsen
Great article. Especially exciting is that the current owner of Thalia Hall, Dominick Geraci (Ristorante al teatro, Caffe Gelato) is facing federal action for stealing the theatre and committing all sorts of frauds. His friends are getting sued too. The Flavor of Fraud!
It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
Thanks for the compliment, and for the update on Thalia Hall. This is the kind of information that continually makes a building's history interesting and vibrant.