#StillSearching | Painting The Missing

A graduate of Chicago’s prestigious School of the Art Institute, Damon Lamar Reed is a portrait and inspirational mural artist whose pieces can be spotted throughout the Chicagoland area. His work – centered specifically around the theme of communal upliftment – portrays the Black experience in the United States.

“I bring the gallery to the neighborhood and the neighborhood to the gallery,” Reed said about his work, which masterfully reflects the urban environment that influences him on a daily basis. 

Reed’s work bridges the gap between “the gallery” and “the neighborhood” by exposing aficionados of art to a side of life with which they may be unfamiliar, while beautifying inner-city neighborhoods with gallery-quality artwork. 

“Good public art creates culture. It feeds the soul, it uplifts,” Reed explained. “Not everyone is going to a gallery, but if they walk by something I’ve created, it’ll have the same impact.”

Reed’s pieces are among the best murals in Chicago and are highly recommended destinations for those visiting the city. The locations of the inspirational mural artist’s nearly 100 public works can be found here.