Major League Soccer ( MLS ) celebrated All-Star week in Chicago last weekand, as part of the festivities, commissioned Sam Kirk to create a mural in Pilsen depicting four All-Star players playing against a Chicago backdrop.
The mural, which is at 18th Street and Ashland Avenue, will remain up for at least the next three years.
Kirk is currently exhibiting work in the National Museum of Mexican Art and recently was celebrated for creating Chicago's Mural of the Year.
Regarding how the mural came about, Kirk told Windy City Times that MLS's advertising team reached out to her. "They came across my work through the nonprofit organization the Chicago Public Art Group," she said.
Kirk added that doing this particular mural was a labor of love for her because it involved the community ( and one that appreciates soccer ) and because there's an element of diversity.
She is currently working on a mural connected to women of color for the ACTIVATE event "Network: Pulsing with Power" on Thursday, Aug. 24, 5-10 p.m., at Couch Place Alley, 170 N State St. Kirk is also working on a couple more pieces for Chicago Public Art Group.
As for the Aug. 2 game, Real Madrid ( playing without its biggest star, Cristiano Ronaldo ) defeated the MLS All-Stars. After the teams battled to a 1-1 tie in regulation, Real Madrid won on penalty kicks 4-2.
Andrew Davis