18th Street, the main artery of Pilsen, has its fair share of street art, from a towering “Declaration of Immigration” to a rendition of Fozzie Bear peeking out from an alley. But the real center of Pilsen street art lies slightly north, on the stretch of 16th Street spanning from Halsted to Wood. The path follows a set of train tracks and the concrete wall that guards them, creating a perfect canvas for murals of every style—detailed portraits next to futuristic scenes next to geometric abstractions next to simple cartoons in a long corridor of vibrant images. 18th has a certain intoxicating bustle, but for a calmer and far more colorful route, take a step north and watch the city’s artistic side unfold.
