Meander

Jim Bachor covers the contemporary urban fabric with the ancient technique of mosaic. Known for filling potholes with glass-and-mortar in Meander the artist elongated his scale to the width of a viaduct. He ordered over 1,000 pounds of ceramic tile from Italy to be set in a 90-foot mosaic. Cut and laid out in the artist’s studio, the intricate but simple design shows three tulips—orange, yellow, and red—with their stems undulating along the mosaic’s expanse. From a distance, the flowers seem to be blowing in the breeze against an abstracted, rolling landscape. Up close, the incredible variety of tones and craftsmanship is apparent. Tiles that make up the orange tulip, for instance, include subtle differences of beige, yellow, and brown. Whether seen strolling by on foot or witnessed at the speed of a moving car, Bachor’s Meander enlivens the sterile space of a viaduct underpass. Jim Bachor covers the contemporary urban fabric with the ancient technique of mosaic. Known for filling potholes with glass-and-mortar in Meander the artist elongated his scale to the width of a viaduct. He ordered over 1,000 pounds of ceramic tile from Italy to be set in a 90-foot mosaic. Cut and laid out in the artist’s studio, the intricate but simple design shows three tulips—orange, yellow, and red—with their stems undulating along the mosaic’s expanse. From a distance, the flowers seem to be blowing in the breeze against an abstracted, rolling landscape. Up close, the incredible variety of tones and craftsmanship is apparent. Tiles that make up the orange tulip, for instance, include subtle differences of beige, yellow, and brown. Whether seen strolling by on foot or witnessed at the speed of a moving car, Bachor’s Meander enlivens the sterile space of a viaduct underpass.

Where to find it

938 East 87th St. Location data: Chicago Open Data. Get directions