“It’s an outlet to express ourselves,” he said. “It was some of the best graffiti artists at that time that I pied pipered to come in,” he said. we were just caking walls and inviting people to come paint.” He brought it to the silo grounds and “we used it to roll out all the brick walls. “Before there was no security, there were open gates and people could just walk in, it was a public underground street art gallery,” Werm says, adding security has definitely tightened up since.Īnother veteran street artist who goes by Emte said a number of years ago a construction company he worked at was getting rid of hundreds of gallons of old paint, and he said, “I’ll take it.” Part of the allure of the place, Werm says, was that “there’s a lot of walls and it’s abandoned, it’s a place where anyone can go practice, and there’s no rules, and you can take your time.” The Chicago graffiti artist who goes by Werm is shown painting inside the Damen Silos. Nevertheless it remains a popular spot for street artists to ply their colorful trade, whether considered art or an eyesore.Ī street artist who goes by Werm has painted at the silos over the years - including on the roof in the mid-1990s when he says it wasn’t such a well known spot.
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Mark Capapas / Sun-Times The old grain silos are dormant - except for activity from graffiti artists and “urban explorers.” Mark Capapas / Sun-Times A close-up of the high point of the silo complex near 29th Street and Damen Avenue. Not exactly the safest place to roam - and not a legal place to visit, either, as the “No Trespassing” signs inform.
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That includes the silos themselves, adjoining structures that are as tall as 15 floors and a series of cavernous tunnels snaking below.