Andersonville already received a self-esteem boost earlier this year, being named one of the nation's hottest neighborhoods by Redfin. If a new Kickstarter campaign featuring the work of local artist and designer Matthew Hoffman gets funded, it'll be reminded of its good looks every day. Working in tandem with eco-Andersonville, the project seeks to raise funds for four installations, an outdoor residency of sorts featuring Hoffman's You Are Beautiful project. The big sets of block letters, to be installed on fences around the area, with one covered in chalkboard paint for community interaction, will be a new addition to the artist's long-running campaign, which started in 2002 and just printed its two-millionth sticker.
"We can get going as soon as we hit our goal," says Hoffman. "Everything is mapped out."
Brian Bonanno, Sustainability Programs Manager of eco-Andersonville reached out to Hoffman about the project last August. The artist already had a history with Andersonville; it's where he met his girlfriend, and his son walked the Halloween parade on Clark Street a few times. Bonanno and Hoffman scouted the area last fall, found potential sites and have already secured permission from property owners.
Hoffman, who also has murals in Rogers Park and on Chicago Avenue, gets asked to do projects like this all the time from cities around the world, but says they often fall apart due to funding issues. He feels this pre-approved process may become a model that can be easily replicated, since he's ready to start and all the rewards are already made. In addition, if the project goes past its $5,500 goal, it will potentially be able to fund more murals in Andersonville and elsewhere.
·Andersonville...You Are Beautiful [Kickstarter]
·Previous Public Art coverage [Curbed Chicago]
·Previous Andersonville coverage [Curbed Chicago]