CHICAGO — Chicago is home to some of the best street art in the world. A new film called “Tagged” is a love letter to Chicago’s public street art and the artists that remain on the fringe of mainstream recognition.
Grant Troyer is the founder of local production company, Kernel Productions, and he said he made this film to try and give praise to the underground scene.
“I was inspired by the shops in Logan Square. I’d see them commission artists to paint murals in support of the issues facing the community at the time,” Troyer said. “I wanted to do something. I needed to tell their story and this was the best way I knew how.”
Troyer wrote and produced the film and spent months scouting Chicago’s mural landscape in search of the perfect muse.
Set against the backdrop of Chicago’s neighborhoods, the impetus for “Tagged” came from a book entitled “Urban Art Chicago: A Guide To Community Murals, Mosaics and Sculptures” which chronicles the city’s rich history of community art.
Taking their cues from some of Chicago’s most significant murals, Kernel Productions shot portions of the film mainly in Logan Square and Wicker Park with 37 other shoot locations from Pullman to Pilsen.
“That’s an unheard of amount of locations for a gritty, independent film with this kind of budget during a pandemic,” Troyer said. “This crew was running and gunning all over the city. It was an insane logistical undertaking, but no one ever complained. The commitment shown by this cast and crew was amazing.”
To learn more about the film and its premiere on June 28, click here.
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