Poor Man’s Paradise: Honoring the Legacy of Maxwell Street Market
- Project Onward Staff
- Sep 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 27
As Poor Man’s Paradise comes to a close, we reflect on what this exhibition has meant to the larger story of Chicago’s working-class ingenuity, creativity, and survival.
Maxwell Street was never just a market, it was an oasis for immigrants, a mixture of cultures blending together to catalyze Chicago culture, bringing it to the forefront of the American zeitgeist. For over a century, it served as a launchpad for newcomers and outsiders looking to make their way in the city. From its humble roots with immigrant pushcart vendors, to the birth of electric blues in postwar Chicago, to its controversial demolition in the name of "urban renewal," Maxwell Street represents a uniquely American mix of struggle, hustle, and reinvention.
“Everything has value on Maxwell Street, but the price is not fixed.” -Louis Wirth
In Poor Man’s Paradise, that spirit is brought to life through the work of nine of our artists: Michael Bryant, Bill Douglas, Andrew Hall, David Holt, R.J. Juguilon, Fernando Ramirez, Sereno Wilson, Ricky Willis, and George Zuniga. Their paintings, drawings, and sculptures depicts a place and time as well as a lifestyle where resourcefulness, resilience, and rhythm were daily necessities.
The artwork is shown alongside more than 50 historic artifacts loaned by the Maxwell Street Foundation, including hand-painted shop signs, well-worn bird cages, and handmade musical instruments. These objects are witnesses.
South Side Weekly’s 2025 article, Poor Man’s Paradise: The Forgotten History of Maxwell Street, takes a deeper look at our exhibition and the history it celebrates. The piece captures the essence of the Maxwell Street Market as both chaotic and liberating, a place where street vendors and musicians often overlapped, each offering something of value, whether it was a harmonica solo or a screwdriver set. The article situates our show within this vibrant legacy, highlighting how our artists and the accompanying artifacts bring new life to the story.
Community, Connection, and Polish Dogs
On September 6th, we hosted a special celebration at our Bridgeport studio. Visitors got a guided tour of the exhibition, heard stories from the artists themselves, and listened to the rich oral histories shared by the historians and activists from the Maxwell Street Foundation. Musician and street legend Vince "Lefty" Johnson performed classic Maxwell Street blues and recounted his own memories of performing at the Market.
The event was capped off with a shared meal of 100 Polish dogs and fries, generously donated in honor of the iconic Jim’s Original, a longtime staple of Maxwell Street’s flavor and spirit.
As the Maxwell Street Show Closes
With Poor Man’s Paradise closing, we invite you to take a final walk through this tribute—not just to a market, but to a mindset. To those who find value in what others overlook. To those who create something out of almost nothing. To those who, like our artists, know that the best things are sometimes found on the margins.
This exhibition wasn’t just about history. It was about resonance. Maxwell Street lives on within the stories, the songs, and now, the art.
Check out our ongoing Gallery for the show with all the artwork from the exhibition HERE.
