Howard Tullman’s bird’s eye view
Howard Tullman’s face is among a half dozen or so featured on a new mural by Jeff Zimmermann along The 606. | Courtesy of Howard Tullman.
That’s Howard Tullman peering at you from a building alongside the 606 Trail.
His face is among a half dozen or so featured on a new mural by Jeff Zimmermann, who was struck by how “annoying” the blank wall looked when he first saw it on the building at 1813 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The artist talked to property owner Mark Fishman, whose M. Fishman and Co. property-management company had been considering billboards for the empty space. “When Zimmermann approached him, it was a no-brainer and he donated the wall,” said a spokesman for Fishman.
After some months looking for a sponsor to cover costs, Zimmermann got help from Tullman, who connected him to ConAgra. The company recently opened headquarters in the Merchandise Mart and liked the idea of sponsoring the wall.
Tullman is a fan of Zimmermann’s work and is CEO of 1871, a hub for entrepreneurs that’s also headquartered in the Mart.
Zimmermann says it was “good timing” that Tullman’s face would be included on the wall. “I ran into him when I had my camera and was out taking pictures of people on the street,” he says.