Artist Bob Faust Launched Ways & Means Art Project
The installation features reimagined American flags and processional performances to explore civic belonging.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Fine Art
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Artist Bob Faust debuted his Ways & Means project at Navy Pier in September 2026 to offer a visual meditation on American civic values. The project includes double-sided fabric flags and 8,000 polysilk bandanas designed to reframe the national symbol.
Why it matters
Faust created this work in response to the American flag being increasingly claimed as a symbol of the political right. The installation aims to reclaim the imagery as a broader, inclusive representation of the values shaping American civic life.
The project features 8,000 polysilk bandanas and flags printed on double-sided fabric to withstand lakefront conditions. Faust previously demonstrated his public-facing style in 2021 by wrapping 8 CTA Green Line cars.
The players
Bob Faust
The 59-year-old artist uses public spaces and installations to facilitate conversations about civic identity and shared values.
Nick Cave
A renowned artist and educator who previously collaborated with Faust on the 2021 public transit art installation.
The details
The installation incorporates rotating groups of dancers who carry the flags during processional performances. These displays are intended to exist alongside the traditional American flag in public spaces to challenge its singular political association.
Timeline
Faust conceived the project following the 2016 election.
Faust and Nick Cave wrapped CTA Green Line cars in 2021.
The installation debuted at Navy Pier in September 2026.
The flags will be at the Illinois Governor's Mansion from Oct. 22 through Election Day 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The Ways & Means project builds on the artist's history of public-facing installations, continuing a trajectory of social practice art. It follows a pattern set by the 2021 CTA Green Line car wrapping, which leveraged municipal infrastructure to engage the public directly.
Chicago residents can view the installation at the Illinois Governor's Mansion between Oct. 22 and Election Day 2026. Visitors at these public exhibitions may also encounter the distribution of the project's printed polysilk bandanas.
The takeaway
Faust's work serves as an example of how artists are using portable, fabric-based media to challenge the perception of national symbols. Viewers can reflect on these objects by considering how visual arts influence discussions of belonging in public spaces.
Further reading
For more on local exhibitions and installations, see the Fine Art section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chicago Sun-Times.
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