Inking a Map of N Milwaukee Ave
When I think of Chicago, I think of history. People are the history of a city, as they are the ones who occupy it. Buildings come and go over time because people come and go over time. Everything is temporary. History does not have to come from a textbook or a city plaque. The past can live on people’s skin in the form of tattoos. This form of art is living, breathing history. All the people with tattoos who occupy Chicago are contributing to the city’s background in an atypical way.
My map’s purpose is to dip into the group of people with tattoos in the artistic area of Wicker Park. The story of my map is that people’s body art represents who they are and their history, which in turn makes up North Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. It is currently an affluent street, rich with artists and unique little shops where people want to walk around, which is because “by simply changing the appearance and physical structure of a building’s bottom three metres, they [city planners] can exert a dramatic impact on the manner in which a city is used” (Ellard). All of the shop buildings have windows and fun designs on the bottom nine feet, making it a better place to walk. However, Milwaukee was not always this way, as “After the Depression, Wicker Park became a hub for low-income housing” (The History of Wicker Park). One day, I took an Uber to North Milwaukee Avenue and my driver told me the area used to be full of prostitutes, saying, “People used to not want to come here after dark.”
Today, no one is afraid to walk along North Milwaukee Avenue, as it is bursting with life thanks to multiple restaurants popping up alongside the shops. Through time and gentrification, the neighborhood has completely changed since the 1990s: “Chicago artists and students moved into the area, lured by its affordability and proximity to the Loop” (Wicker Park/ Bucktown — A Chicago Neighborhood Guide). The abundance of artists led to the increase in number of tattoos in the area, as they appreciated the form of art. The tattoos I saw on my walk reflect the artistic group of people who continue to flock to Wicker Park in the sense that they are unique like the shops of the neighborhood, adding to the history and charm of N Milwaukee Ave.
My map is more realistic than a regular city map in the way that people, including those with tattoos, come and go. The city is temporary because the people are. Individuals determine the fate of a place. Nothing in Chicago stays forever, but the history does — like tattoos.
A major influence on my map was Krygier and Woods’ maps, as they prove that usually unmappable things can tell more about a place than the buildings’ placement can. I found this to be the case with tattoos, as they are history that is alive, adding to the city’s history. I was influenced by homesickness to walk in Wicker Park. There is a similar trendy area in Minneapolis called Dinkytown. I wanted to find a place like that here in Chicago, complete with charming shops and restaurants along a street that was pleasant to walk. I have come to love North Milwaukee Avenue, and I will definitely be visiting often.
The map’s time frame starts on Tuesday October 17th from roughly 5–6 p.m. It ends when I walked on Friday October 20th from around 2–3:15 p.m. I never went past Reckless Records because after that it becomes boring. There are not any interesting shops to walk past or go into.
DAY 1 — October 17th
5:29 p.m. I was waiting to cross over to the other side of North Milwaukee Avenue. The air was chillier, so I was having a hard time finding people with exposed tattoos. I was also experiencing difficulty finding inked individuals who were not talking on the phone, engaged in conversation, or on a bike. Then this woman and her boyfriend stood next to me at the crosswalk — hallelujah! I had to talk loudly above the cars whizzing past and honking, but I managed to get my message across and she let me take a photo before we crossed the street and parted ways. If the street had no cars, it would have been much easier to talk to this woman. I wish that North Milwaukee Avenue would become pedestrianized like Argyle Street. Jane Jacobs says it well: “The removal of the cars is important only because of the great opportunities it opens to make the streets work harder and to keep downtown activities compact and concentrated” (Tseng). Taking cars out of the equation would make Milwaukee much quieter and even more pleasant to walk along.
5:38 p.m. This busboy was wiping down the outdoor patio tables outside The High Noon Saloon. I had spotted the tattoo from afar, as the placement was more unique. The restaurant was not busy, and the outdoor tables were empty. The busboy’s uniform was an all-black ensemble. The sun was not shining.
5:45 p.m. I took a deep breath and walk into Metamorph Tattoo. To my surprise, the receptionist was a man. He looked grumpy, and asked what he can help me with. I explained our project and he asked the artists and clients if I could take their photos. The artists barely looked up from their work, but agree. All three clients happily obliged. I went into each cubicle and took a photo before thanking everyone and leaving. It was nerve wracking going into such a small, open space but I am happy that I did. These tattoos will soon be among the countless others that wander up and down North Milwaukee Avenue.
5:47 p.m. I was on Milwaukee crossing Honore when I spotted a woman with a small noose tattoo near her wrist. She was walking the opposite way as me across the street carrying a frozen yogurt. I turned myself around in the middle of the road and approached her. I explained the project to her on the corner of Milwaukee and Honore, in front of the restaurant Fonda Frontera. I mentioned how I had noticed her noose tattoo, and she responded by saying she had many others. I told her to pick her favorite. She looked to the sky as she thought for a second before lifting up her shirt. “I’ll do this one, it’s my hometown.” I took a photo and thanked her before we parted ways. I researched and found that Salinas is a town in California.
5:52 p.m. I walked past Jimmy John’s, and then backtracked. In the window I could see the sandwich maker’s arm, and I spotted a tattoo. I went in. The store was dead. The man’s coworker was about to go deliver a sandwich, and the buzz of the lights swallowed all sound. I asked the sandwich maker if I could take a photo of his arm. He said yes and I thanked him before leaving. Outside the deli meat-scented store I was embraced with the smell of autumn. The sun was setting and the air was a bit colder. Cars honked and people walked by. People were ducking into the little book shops and thrift stores. The Jimmy John’s sat empty. I realized that the unique people who inhabited this lovely neighborhood want their space to reflect them, which is why all of these tattoos are here. A chain sandwich place was not going to cut it — it is too generic. I walked on.
6:05 p.m. I wandered into a Dr. Marten’s store, the shoes momentarily distracting me from my mission. I was approached by an employee and I noticed that she had tattoos on her arms, so I explained my assignment and asked if I could take photos. She even pulled up her pant leg so I could photograph her cupcake tattoo. A male employee jumped in, showing off his neck tattoo and then pulling his long sleeve shirt halfway off to expose his favorite tattoo on his arm. I thanked them and left the shop. I then took the L home.
DAY 2 — October 20th
2:02 p.m. I walked down N Milwaukee Ave and the sun was shining. It was a beautiful day, and to top it off it was Friday. People were milling about everywhere along the street. Shops kept their doors and windows open. I spotted a man leaning against the window of a shop with tattoos all up his arms and on his neck. He kissed his girlfriend before she went into the store. He had a to-go lunch in his hand and a fork in the other. Before he could take a bite, I explained the project and asked to take a photo. His eyes lit up and he suddenly pulled down the collar of his shirt. He had gotten the tattoo in Amsterdam, by the same artist who inked a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He was very proud of it. I thanked him and left him to eat his lunch.
2:20 p.m. A homeless man was strumming a guitar in a small doorway, away from the sunlight. I spotted a tattoo on his arm. When I initially approached him, he asked if I was needed him to move to get through the door behind him. I said no and briefly explained the project and asked if I could take a photo. He said yes and stuck out his arm. I gave him six dollars, which made him happy. I thanked him and walked on.
2:21 p.m. A woman walked out of a shop wearing holographic, cat-eye sunglasses. I noticed two tattoos across from each other on her chest. I stopped her to explain the project and asked to take a photo. She asked if I wanted her to pull her shirt outwards to further expose them. I told her she could do whatever she was comfortable with, and she left the shirt in place since she thought it would be strange to pull it farther out. I took the photo and thanked her before we parted ways.
2:25 p.m. Two Hispanic women were walking the opposite way as me, shaded by the trees. I spotted a tattoo on one of their arms, and stopped them to ask if I could take a photo. The woman happily obliged. We were stopped in front a store called “Emma.” I thanked her and kept going.
2:31 p.m. I was meandering along the sunny side of the street, the heat beating down on me. I passed Taco Bell when I saw a woman with short brown hair in a black tank top walking towards me. She seemed intimidating because she was super muscular and carrying a motorcycle helmet, but she was very sweet. I explained the project and she found it interesting. I took the photo and thanked her before I kept walking.
2:35 p.m. In front of Cash America, I stopped a man and asked if I could take a photo of his tattoos. He was very nice and told me he was from Austin, Texas. He made Spiderman hands a lot. I took pictures, thanked him, and walked on.
2:40 p.m. Fonda Frontera was coming up, and I saw a red-haired woman changing out the display menu posted outside the restaurant. I noticed a tattoo on her wrist as she locked the little door. I walked up and told her about the project, and asked if I could take a photo. “Here, let me show you my favorite tattoo,” she said, unzipping her sweatshirt and pulling it down to expose her freckly shoulder blade. I took a photo and thanked her before I left.
2:44 p.m. I was thirsty, so I walked into Red Mango Smoothie. The first thing I noticed was that the guy behind the counter had a tattoo on his arm. The second thing I noticed was that the store had a Walmart cooler for drinks, which made me wonder how it got there. I was the only one in the shop. Sunlight spilled onto the tables. He made my smoothie and when I went up to get it, I explained the project. He was very laid-back and let me take a photo. I thanked him for both the delicious drink and the picture, and walked out of the store.
3:13 p.m. I was about to walk to the Damen stop and ride home when I saw a an activist holding an iPad who had a shoulder tattoo. I walked up to her and asked if I could take a photo of it, telling her about the project. She told me that tattoo was her least favorite, and had me take a video of the ones on her arms instead. She said a lot of people liked the ruler one. She introduced herself as Nora. She wore a red shirt and black tennis shoes. People were walking past us at a rapid pace. I felt like Rebecca Solnit when she says, “Wandering without a clear purpose or sense of direction, I have often disrupted the fast flow of passersby intent on some clear errand or commute, as though I were a butterfly strayed into the beehive, a snag in the stream” (Solnit). Nora and I shook hands before I headed for the L.
Works Cited
Ellard, Colin. “Streets With No Game.” Aeon, https://aeon.co/essays/why-boring-streets-make-pedestrians-stressed-and-unhappy. Accessed 22 October 2017.
“The History of Wicker Park.” Wicker Park Committee, http://wickerparkcommittee.squarespace.com/wicker-park-history/. Accessed 22 October 2017.
Solnit, Rebecca. Wanderlust. Penguin, 2000.
Tseng, Nin-Hai. “Downtown is for People (Fortune Classic, 1958).” Fortune, Time, 18 Sept. 2011, http://fortune.com/2011/09/18/downtown-is-for-people-fortune-classic-1958/. Accessed 22 October 2017.
“Wicker Park / Bucktown — A Chicago Neighborhood Guide.” Chicago Traveler, https://www.chicagotraveler.com/neighborhoods/wicker-park-bucktown-feature.htm. Accessed 22 October 2017.
