All photos is piece are by John Greenfield.
With apologies to Charles Dickens, when it comes to Chicago and U.S. politics, it is the best of times, it is the worst of times. Or maybe just the latter?
At any rate, this obviously an intense era we're living through. So it was only appropriate that many works at the 28th annual Bike Winter Art Show, which opened last Saturday, directly addressed recent issues.
The exhibit, hosted by Agitator Galley, 3851 W. Fullerton Ave. in Logan Square runs until the end of the month. There will be an artist talk on Wednesday, February 18, from 7-9 p.m. The closing reception is Friday, February 27, from 7-10 p.m., and it will be a proposed destination for the annual Chicago Critical Mass bike parade/protest/party.
"See creative artworks, iconography and object ephemera from Chicago's ARTS and ADVOCACY communities that celebrate, revere, lionize, criticize and focus on THE BICYCLE as symbol of activism, invention, agency, community, strategy and sustainable transportation," the show's webpage states. "This exhibit presents works in all media – paint, print, drawing, sculpture, photography, video, audio, installation, craft and fashion. The curatorial theme—and only content restriction—is that the work should be bicycle themed or inspired."
Chicago Bike Winter is a longtime spinoff of CCM. It promotes the fact that all-season cycling really isn't that difficult. You just need appropriate clothing and gear (which don't have to be expensive), and a positive, "cold weather can be fun," attitude.
Saturday night, as I cycled from SBCHQ in Uptown to the the Logan Square opening I passed by a controversial new sustainable transportation-related artwork. The mural, at the southwest corner of Montrose and Western Avenues in North Center, depicts Iryna Zarutska, 23, a Ukrainian refugee who was randomly stabbed to death while riding light rail in North Carolina.
Zarutska's alleged killer is a man with mental illness. This tragedy has parallels with the horrific transit attack in Chicago last November 17, when Bethany MaGee, 26, was doused with gasoline and set on fire at random, also allegedly by a man with severe mental health issues. McGee was recently discharged from the hospital and issued a statement thanking her supporters
The Zarutska mural is one of several murals recently painted in large U.S. cities to memorialize her. Some Chicagoans told the Tribune's Madeline King they hope the work will draw attention to the need to improve public safety on trains and buses. But others argued that because Donald Trump ally Elon Musk helped fund the project, it's actually a cynical ploy to raise support for "tough-on-crime" transit enforcement strategies. The Trump administration recently cited the McGee case as justification to slash $50 million in CTA funding if the agency does not satisfy its demands for more policing of the system.
When I arrived at Agitator, I was greeted by the sight of another memorial of sorts. Parked outside was the chopper cycle built by Chicago cycling advocate Travis Duffey, known as "Flip Bike Travis," who recently passed away. His mother donated the vehicle to West Town Bikes the Humboldt Park nonprofit bike shop where Duffy used to volunteer. Read more about his life here.
The center is led by Alex Wilson, who curates the Bike Winter Art Show. Here's a (non-brick-and-mortar) gallery of images from the opening, with a focus on works with a political theme.
Read more about the Bike Winter Art Show here.
On November 12, SBC launched our 2026 fund drive to raise $50K through ad sales and donations. That will complete next year's budget, at a time when it's tough to find grant money. Big thanks to all the readers who have chipped in so far to help keep this site rolling all next year! Currently, we're at $21,332 with $28,668 to go, ideally by the end of February.
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– John Greenfield, editor
