IPMM x adidas Originals: A New Collaboration That Supports Local Artists!

Since 2017, IPaintMyMind has been working with the adidas Originals Flagship Store on Milwaukee Ave to celebrate local artists and connect communities through art. Over the years, we’ve exhibited dozens of our Partner Artists on their art gallery wall, which run the length of the store on the right hand side. adidas Originals has been truly committed to supporting Chicago artists from the very first day the store opened, and they’ve been in it for the long haul! 

Today, we’re excited to announce a brand-new kind of partnership with adidas Originals Chicago! We’ve been working with their team to curate a special activation display wall in the front right corner of the store, to feature statistics about IPMM’s mission, as well as 8 of the artists who have previously or will be exhibited in the store. 

We also worked with adidas and dear old friend Sonny Kay to design a really dope Limited Edition Chicago Artist Zine about our mission and our artists to hand out with each purchase over $100. 

The installation went live on 2/25, and will be up for a limited time! Be sure to stop into the adidas Originals Flagship Store at 1532 N. Milwaukee in Wicker Park to grab some gear and a zine!

The New Installation 

adidas Originals reached out to IPMM with an idea for a new kind of installation, one that would connect with a larger artistic community based around Chicago. The display would showcase a piece from 8 local artists, all IPMM Partner Artists that had previously displayed their work at the adidas Originals Milwaukee Ave Store. The pieces would be tiled in a grid, with information and statistics about IPMM’s impact and mission sandwiched between.

The installation structure fits in perfectly with the feel of the Milwaukee Ave. store, decked out in smoky industrial metal with spots to hang merchandise. It’s placed right next to the door, just to the right of the entrance, and is immediately eye-catching. We included a flowcode to find out more about IPMM via our website, and some important statistics about art education. 

Finally, when any customer in the store makes a purchase of over $100, they get a custom-made IPMM x adidas Originals zine, detailing IPMM’s mission and origin story, and including interviews with each of the 8 featured artists. We’re super excited about how the zine turned out, so if you’ve been waiting to make a big sneaker purchase, now’s the time! 

In this display, we chose a piece from 8 artists who have been with IPMM from the beginning, and who represent what we hope to bring to the city. Check out each of the artists below!

IPaintMyMind by Sam Kirk

Sam Kirk 

We’ve been working with Sam since 2016, featuring her prints, collaborating on T-shirts drops and print releases, and most recently, working alongside her to execute a mural at PepsiCo’s Chicago offices. Her piece for this installation was actually created as part of an IPMM print drop, and is called “IPaintMyMind”. It so perfectly animates what IPMM is all about: artistic opportunity, community, access, and equity. It also expresses her artistic philosophy, that “each piece is a narrative that uplifts marginalized communities, celebrating culture and identity.”

Delicious Design League

Jason Teegarden-Downs of Delicious Design League was one of the first IPMM artists exhibited at adidas Originals, and we’ve been obsessed with their bold, graphic style since way before then. The piece in this installation is taken from an alphabet series that they composed for us. In this case, A is for adidas! DDL has long been cranking out great art prints, logos and collateral for top brands.

Bee Harris 

Bee has been working with IPMM since 2019, and we love her colorful images that center the lives and narratives of black women. Her art seeks to empower and give voice to those often unheard in the mainstream art world, something that we wholeheartedly support! Bee’s vocal activism comes through loud and clear in her iconic “She The People!” print. 

Check out an interview with Bee Harris here. 

Dan Grzeca

Dan Grzeca is one of the iconic voices of Chicago printmaking, and has been a long time friend and supporter of IPMM. He was one of the first wave of artists to have his work shown in CPS schools through our arts programming! Dan’s piece in this installation embodies his work’s tendency to provoke curiosity and exploration.

To learn more about Dan, take a look at this interview!

(Also, be sure to check out his collection of prints currently hanging on the gallery wall to the left of this installation!)