New commissions advance the Chicago Monuments Project, uplift Indigenous histories and the city’s commitment to inclusive commemorative public art
CHICAGO — The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), in partnership with the Chicago Park District, today announced two major public art commissions by Native artists that further the City of Chicago’s commitment to inclusive public art and commemorative works through the Chicago Monuments Project (CMP).
Following a competitive national call, artists Leah Mata Fragua (Northern Chumash) and Cliff Fragua (Jemez Pueblo) were selected to create a major new public artwork for the future DuSable Park as part of the Honoring Native Voices commission. In addition, artist Jason Wesaw (Potawatomi) was selected for a large-scale banner mural installation for the Chicago Riverwalk Public Art Program near Michigan Avenue.
“Public art helps tell the story of our city and the communities reflected across our public spaces,” said DCASE Commissioner Kenya K. Merritt. “Through the Chicago Monuments Project, these new commissions honor Indigenous histories, celebrate Native artists, and help create a more inclusive public landscape that fosters connection and belonging for generations to come.”
The DuSable Park: Honoring Native Voices commission is a partnership between DCASE and the Chicago Park District and will serve as a site of remembrance and celebration of Chicago’s early history. The permanent artwork will uplift Native voices, honoring Indigenous inhabitants’ continued presence and recognizing their foundational role in the origins of Chicago. The artwork is anticipated to be installed in summer 2027, with a public unveiling planned for fall 2027.
“DuSable Park presents a meaningful opportunity to create a space rooted in reflection, history and inclusivity,” said Chicago Park District Superintendent and CEO Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. Through our partnership with DCASE, we are proud to help bring forward Leah Mata Fragua and Cliff Fragua’s artistic vision that honors the enduring presence and contributions of Indigenous peoples while creating a place for Chicagoans and visitors to engage with our city’s layered history in a powerful and lasting way.”
The artists were selected through a national Request for Qualifications process that yielded 97 applications from across the country. A multidisciplinary selection panel comprised of artists, historians, Indigenous leaders, arts professionals, and community stakeholders helped guide the process and select the final artist team.
Leah Mata Fragua is a Northern Chumash artist and educator whose multidisciplinary work explores Indigenous material traditions, environmental change, and relationships to land. Cliff Fragua is a nationally recognized sculptor and stone carver and the only Native American artist with a sculpture installed in Statuary Hall at the United States Capitol.
Jason Wesaw is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and enrolled member of the Potawatomi Nation whose work emphasizes relationships between people, land, and the natural world through ceramics, textiles, painting, and public art.
“My work is deeply connected to relationships between people, land and memory, and I’m honored to bring that perspective to a space as visible and dynamic as the Chicago Riverwalk,” said artist Jason Wesaw. “Public art creates opportunities for storytelling and reflection, and I hope this installation encourages people to consider the histories and connections that continue to shape the places we share.”
The commissions build upon the City’s broader work through the Chicago Monuments Project, launched in 2020 to address inequities in Chicago’s monument landscape while supporting new monuments, memorials, and public artworks that reflect the city’s diverse histories and communities.
Supported by $6.8 million in funding from the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project, ongoing initiatives include a monument honoring gospel singer and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson; a memorial to victims of police violence; and a new public art intervention by artist Amanda Williams at the George Washington Monument in Washington Park exploring the contradictions of American founding narratives and their connections to Black history.
DCASE and the Chicago Park District are also partnering on a new Italian Heritage Monument in Arrigo Park dedicated to Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini following an extensive community engagement process.
More information about the Chicago Monuments Project, artists, selection process and related initiatives is available at Chicago Monuments Project – New Monuments and Memorials. Follow @ChicagoDCASE on social media for the latest updates.
