Public Art in Downtown Skokie
The Village of Skokie is working hard to develop a public collection of artwork to disperse throughout the community, with an initial focus in Downtown Skokie. The Village of Skokie Public Arts Advisory Committee was established to assist with this task. Below is a listing of public sculptures currently located in Downtown Skokie. For more information on public art in Skokie, please contact the Village Manager's Office at 847/933-8257. If you are professional artist interested in submitting your information for review for future art commissions and installations, please complete the Artist Application Form.
The Glowing of Such Fire by Richard Taylor
Made of Iron and aluminum and painted vibrant red
Approximately 11 feet tall
Installed October, 2008
Taylor's sculpture was the first sculpture chosen and purchased by the Village of Skokie Public Arts Advisory Committee. The Glowing of Such Fire was installed in October 2008 in the Village Green, located between Skokie Village Hall (5127 Oakton Street) and the Skokie Public Library (5215 Oakton Street).
Richard Taylor has artwork commissioned and exhibited throughout the midwest, including the Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park and the City of Chicago.
To view photos from the installation, please click here.
Holocaust Monument
Made of bronze and marble
Approximately 13 feet tall
Installed May, 1987
The Holocaust Monument was a gift to the Village of Skokie by the Sheerit Hapleitah of Metropolitan Chicago on behalf of the survivor community. The Monument was designed by Bert J. Gast; sculpted by Edward Chesney, a Detroit-based artist; and the contractor was Fred Kornick of Kornick Monuments of Chicago. The Monument depicts a Jewish family during the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto uprising. Skokie was selected as the site for the Monument because of its affiliation with Jewish causes throughout the years and because Skokie has been home to more than 7,000 Holocaust survivors. The Monument is located in the Village Green, located between Skokie Village Hall (5127 Oakton Street) and the Skokie Public Library (5215 Oakton Street).
Mooney Light Sculpture
Made of steel and fiber optic light
Approximately 20 feet tall
Installed in 1978
The Village of Skokie Board of Trustees commissioned the SkokieLight Sculpture from artist John David Mooney in 1978. The Sculpture features changing illumination and was the Village's first piece of commissioned public sculpture. The Sculpture is located in the Village Green, located between Skokie Village Hall (5127 Oakton Street) and the Skokie Public Library (5215 Oakton Street). Mooney is an internationally recognized artist for his large-scale, public sculptures that have been showcased from Chicago to Australia to the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo, Italy.
Journeys of the Imagination
Made of bronze
Approximately 4 feet tall
Installed in 2005
The Skokie Park District installed Journeys of the Imagination in 2005. The artist is Gary Lee Price. The artist's vision behind the sculpture is freedom and joy for life.
Gourd Man by Shen Cheng Xu
The second sculpture chosen and purchased by the Village of Skokie PAAC is Gourd Man by Shencheng Xu.
The sculpture was installed in late-April, 2009 in the Village Green, located between Skokie Village Hall (5127 Oakton Street) and the Skokie Public Library (5215 Oakton Street).