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West Chicago picking artists for annual banner exhibit

Chicago-based artist Matthew Hoffman has agreed to jury submissions by area artists for "Love," West Chicago's 2019 Community Art Banner Exhibit.

Hoffman created the You Are Beautiful art phenomenon and produced West Chicago's most recent piece of public art called loveevenmore.

"The announcement of Matthew Hoffman as juror of our annual outdoor gallery of Main Street art banners, adds an exciting element to the project," said Rosemary Mackey, Cultural Arts Commission staff liaison.

With close to 30 outdoor installations of his own currently in the Chicagoland area, including large scale public pieces installed for the city of Chicago, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Albright Knox Gallery and corporate art installations for the likes of Apple, Facebook, Zappos and more, Hoffman brings a level of artistic cred to West Chicago.

Yet, the humbling messages contained in his body of work, which contain simple, uplifting affirmations of hope, encouragement, and love, resonates well in the community.

"Who better than artist Matthew Hoffman, creator of loveevenmore, the nine-foot-tall steel message that was dedicated on the grounds of the West Chicago Public Library in the summer of 2018, to select the artists to be included in the commission's 2019 display," Mackey said. "Matthew understands the creative link to the subject of this year's art banner theme."

Artwork accepted for the exhibit will be transferred to 30-by-60-inch vinyl banners and placed along Main Street from May through September.

The exhibit is highly promoted through a walking tour brochure and a People's Choice Award for favorite banner, and last year received positive attention from America in Bloom judges who were in West Chicago as part of the national program that judges communities for efforts in community beautification and overall vitality.

To view the banners that have been included in past annual exhibits since 2009, visit https://westchicago.org/arts/banner-art/.

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