Chicago Flag Fest is a public art installation presented by the Design Museum of Chicago as part of Art Design Chicago, a citywide collaboration celebrating the city's artistic heritage and creative communities. I was selected as one of the designers to create a flag that would fly along Ida B Wells Drive at the Taste of Chicago, where thousands of visitors would see it throughout the festival.
photo by Ceninye
Chicago heart flag blowing in the breeze
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Client: Design Museum of Chicago
Event: Flag Fest at Taste of Chicago
Project Type: Public Art Installation / Flag Design
Year: 2024 - 2025
Exhibited: Ida B Wells Drive, Grant Park, Chicago
Also Featured In: Neighborhood Taste Events 2025
Project Brief: Create an original flag design celebrating Chicago's artistic heritage and creative spirit for a public art installation viewed by thousands of festival attendees.
Design Concept: "Chicago is unique in that it is a city where urban architecture seamlessly intertwines with natural beauty. Amidst the concrete jungle, the city's many river trails, parks, and green spaces offer a sanctuary that rejuvenates my spirit and fuels my artistic vision."
Outcome: Flag was printed by PrideFlags.com and displayed prominently at Chicago festivals. The design was also featured on my 2024 holiday cards and continues to hang in my office as a reminder of this milestone project.
Presented by: The Design Museum of Chicago with Art Design Chicago, a collaboration initiated by Terra American Art
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The concept for this flag came from something I think about constantly: how Chicago balances concrete and nature in a way that feels uniquely magical.
Living in this city, you're surrounded by towering architecture and urban energy, but you're never far from a river trail, a hidden park, or a green space that makes you pause and breathe. That duality—the way the city and nature coexist—is what keeps me creatively energized.
I wanted the flag to capture that feeling visually. The Chicago flag's iconic stars anchor the design, but instead of stark geometry, I softened them with flowing, organic shapes that represent the river trails, parks, and green spaces woven throughout the city. The blues and greens reflect water and foliage, while the movement in the design mirrors how these natural elements flow through our urban landscape.
The result is a flag that celebrates Chicago's unique character: a place where urban architecture seamlessly intertwines with natural beauty, offering sanctuary in the middle of the concrete jungle.
Seeing it fly at the Taste of Chicago, (watching it ripple in the wind alongside other designers' work) was surreal. Thousands of people walked past it. Friends sent me photos when they spotted it. I even overheard people at the Taste of Albany Park saying it was their favorite. That kind of public recognition for something so personal still makes me emotional.
A HUGE thank you to the folks at the Design Museum of Chicago for giving me the opportunity to be included in their project.
