Naperville Century Walk

Naperville Century Walk Visit the Century Walk website today and send us your comments/suggestions!

08/15/2021

Dick Tracy is always on the lookout for bad guys in Naperville! This is just one of many remarkable pieces brought to Naperville by the not-for-profit organization Century Walk.

Check out this wonderful article about Century Walk that was published in Friday February 19th Naperville SUN
02/21/2021

Check out this wonderful article about Century Walk that was published in Friday February 19th Naperville SUN

Naperville is home to more than 50 pieces of public art available to view anytime, any day of the year, free of charge.

Century Walk’s response to the Change.org petition. Century Walk is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bri...
06/04/2020

Century Walk’s response to the Change.org petition.

Century Walk is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing public art to Naperville, adding to the beauty of the town and building community. It’s mission is simple: “To create significant and diverse public art throughout Naperville in the 21st century.“


The recent events in Naperville the last few days have brought to the attention of Century Walk a petition that has been circulating on social media about the lack of diversity displayed in the “Naperville Loves a Parade“ Mural. While not as inclusive of as many ethnicities as people might wish, we believe that it is inclusive as to the artists that created this public art starting in 2011 as well as the subject people (over 300) and the 80 plus businesses portrayed.

Our three artists are gender and ethnically diverse, hailing from the Czech Republic, Philippines and the United States. So too are 32 people painted on the wall: Korea, Pakistan, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, the Philippines including African Americans numbering six in total.

Also represented in this unique public art are other nationalities such as Italian, Irish, Polish, German, Hispanic and Native American. This is true as well for the businesses represented who are owned by many ethnicities as well.

We would also call attention to other nationally known artists who have created art in our 50 location collection that are of other ethnicities such as Emmanuel Martinez, Giorgio Gikas, and African-American artists Shirley McWhorter – Moss and Faith Ringgold.

Most recently in 2017 we dedicated five ceramic murals entitled “Streaming History” at the Water Street Project, two of which specifically call attention to diversity as our community has grown. See www.centurywalk.org

We have constantly involved our populace in our 25 years of creating public art and intend to continue to do so. We understand and respect the richness growing diversity adds to our community. Inclusion of all interests is something we will continue to focus on as we move forward with the city’s recently created task force.

We invite all residents to engage with us as we pursue our mission to bridge generations by paying permanent artistic tribute to almost 200 years of Naperville history through a diverse collection of murals, mosaics, sculptures and more.

W. Brand Bobosky, President
Century Walk Corporation

Century Walk is a public art initiative featuring murals, mosaics, reliefs, mobiles, and sculptures throughout downtown Naperville, Illinois.

Symbiotic SojournLocated on Van Buren St on the outdoor patio of the Promenade, artist Jeff Adams sculpture relief is de...
06/01/2020

Symbiotic Sojourn
Located on Van Buren St on the outdoor patio of the Promenade, artist Jeff Adams sculpture relief is dedicated to recycling and conservation. The statue was inspired by Barbara Ashley Sielaff who founded the Naperville Area Recycling Center in 1973. The background represents commonly recycled materials. Sheltered by these materials, a spirit of the earth figure emerges. Water flows from her hand into the pool. The young boy who is pulling the wagon represents the humble beginnings of recycling -- collection of cans. The young girl show the relationship we need to have with the earth, which is beginning to fracture. The girl holds the planet together, showing the symbiotic relationship we have with the earth and how conservation is an important part of that relationship: https://www.centurywalk.org/impact/art_details.cfm?artID=23

Pillars of the CommunityLocated on the Sullivan Restaurant building, Chicago Ave and Main St, artist Diosado "Dodie" Mod...
05/30/2020

Pillars of the Community

Located on the Sullivan Restaurant building, Chicago Ave and Main St, artist Diosado "Dodie" Modero created strong, bold images on three murals in American Art Deco style to honor important people, places, and events in Naperville's 20th century history. The west mural portrays Peter Kroehler and his furniture manufacturing company at a time when it was contributing to the war effort, a man delivering ice blocks cut from the DuPage River, Stenger Brewery from where it's rumored Adolph Coors once labored, engineers surveying a limestone quarry, a diver at Centennial Beach, the Burlington Zephyr and locomotives, and two noted photographers Eli Stark and Charles Koretke. The center mural includes the Pre-Emption House, where Gertrude and Frank Wehrli raised a family of 13 children. The dramatic horses are pulling a heavy load of wood for the C.B. Moore Lumber Company, while a man is washing his car in the DuPage River near Eagle Street. Artist Lester Schrader is honored for his oil paintings that beautifully preserve the history of Naperville. The Beach Inn and the original Nichols Library are also represented. To honor our military, a Marine and WAVE are shown bringing a doll to head librarian Mary B. "Matie" Egermann who received dolls from serviceman around the world and shared her collection with the children of Naperville. On the East mural, the Edward Sanatorium, a tuberculosis treatment center, and an iron lung for polio patients remind us of medical concerns in the last century. Leading efforts to ensure good medical care were Grace Fredenhagen, who was instrumental in acquiring land and cash for Edward Hospital, and Dr. Donald Carducci, who was among the first doctors to work there. Business legend George Martin, who built the Victorian mansion, and his daughter, Caroline Martin Mitchell, who donated the mansion and her 204-acre estate to Naperville are also honored. Judge Win Knoch, was a key individual in acquiring land for Edward Hospital, obtaining donations from Martin Mitchell estate, and building Centennial Beach: https://www.centurywalk.org/impact/art_details.cfm?artID=14

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34 W Chicago Avenue
Naperville, IL
60540

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Naperville’s Public Art Program

A unique and captivating public art project, Century Walk has been a part of Naperville since 1995 – first as a concept and then as a growing gallery of public art throughout the City. Residents have watched the daily progress of artists painting murals on the sides of buildings and passersby have stopped to chat with the artists about their works while they were being created with their canvas being concrete walls and their studio the adjoining public right of way. Volunteers have cut tile and placed small pieces in mosaics and contributed from $5.00 to $75,000 in monetary donations toward the project pioneered by this 501(c)3 corporation. Schoolchildren and others have learned Naperville’s history through its art. This exciting cultural attraction now encompasses 48 locations of art and has become part of the fabric of the community.

Starting only with a borrowed concept, a mission to honor significant people, places and events of twentieth-century Naperville, and no monies, Century Walk has become a noteworthy success. The art that exists today has a replacement value of over $3.8 million, funded almost evenly by the private and public sectors. The Century Walk Board would like to thank our City Council and residents for supporting Century Walk throughout our 23 years, most recently through allocations made possible via awards from the Special Events & Cultural Amenities fund (S.E.C.A.). We ask for their continuing support as we move forward on our mission to create culturally significant and diverse public art throughout Naperville in the Twenty-First Century.

Century Walk Corporation invites you to embark upon the “Century Walk” by visiting the nearby environs of downtown Naperville and the South Naperville public art locations at the Y.M.C.A., the Park District Knoch Knolls Nature Center and the Naper Boulevard and 95th Street Public Libraries. Let the murals, mosaics and sculptures tell you the story of Naperville’s incomparable past. Our artists have used paint, ceramics, bronze, clay and glass to depict some of the city’s most important people, places and events. “It’s art with a story”, a story you won’t be disappointed you encountered. And best of all because its public art – it’s free – 24, 7, 365!