CHICAGO, IL.- 360 CHICAGO, the iconic observation deck on the 94th floor of the former John Hancock Center in Chicago has selected Coleman Smoll as the 2025 artist to exhibit at CloudWalk – the city’s highest open-air terrace located on 360 CHICAGO’s observation deck. Smoll's concept, titled "Guiding Light," was selected by a board of Chicago-based art and community leaders from over 50 submissions and will be on-view for a year until the next artist is selected. The installation will be officially on-view starting June 24.

Inspired by Monet’s “Stacks of Wheat,” Smoll’s work features eight hand-painted murals that shift through seasons and times of day, featuring views of the Hancock building from Chicago neighborhoods like Garfield Park, Lakeview East and Roscoe Village, relaying a theme of interconnectivity. Floor tiles will depict an aerial view of the Hancock, celebrating the city’s abundant green spaces.

“From vantage points throughout the city, the Hancock is an iconic monolith that acts as the North Star for many Chicagoans,” said Smoll. “It’s a constant in our city’s skyline; something familiar that quietly connects us, no matter which neighborhood we call home.”

Smoll, who was born in Chicago and currently lives on the city’s north side, is the second artist to have their work featured in CloudWalk, which has become a permanent rotating art exhibit serving as a platform for emerging local artists to exhibit original, Chicago-centric work to the hundreds of thousands of visitors to 360 CHICAGO each year. The program was launched in April of last year when local artist Katie Chung became the first artist to transform CloudWalk into an art installation with a mural on glass depicting Chicago's diverse neighborhoods titled "Locals Only."

Katie Chung now sits on the current CloudWalk Art Board, which consists of Chicago-based art and community leaders including 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins, Art Institute of Chicago Executive Director of Civic Relations and Partnerships Nora Gainer, 360 CHICAGO Managing Director Nichole Benolken, Photojournalist Vashon Jordan Jr. and more.

“The response to our call for local artists was inspiring and speaks to the talent that makes Chicago such a creative city,” said Benolken. “This installation invites visitors from around the world to see Chicago from the everyday perspective of a local, through the familiar streets, sights and moments that make this city feel like home.”
Tickets to 360 CHICAGO are available at 360CHICAGO.com. You can follow Smoll on Instagram at @colemansmolldesigns.