Artist David Lee Csicsko uses bright colors, a dash of cubism and a touch of folk art in his portraits of LGBTQ+ icons like Alvin Ailey, Freddie Mercury, Keith Haring, Josephine Baker, and more.
"[I'm] trying to sort of make that person as lively as I can make them so that you want to read about them," Csicsko said. "Because the further we get from those people, they can fade away, and I'm trying to keep them alive."
An exhibit of Csicsko's work is open through July 27 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S. Ashland Ave. It's called “Mr. Fancy Pants: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Icons).” It features several decades-worth of art made by Csicsko, whose work you may have seen before, at the Belmont CTA station) or even on your reusable Mariano's grocery bag).
On today's episode, Csicsko tells Rundown podcast host Erin Allen about his young life in Hammond, Indiana, getting inspired as a kid at Chicago's free museums and how his work has evolved over time.
"Getting my work out there, and the fact that almost anybody can enjoy it, that to me that's incredibly satisfying and a job I take very seriously," he said.
