Giant Olmec heads getting attention in Chicago's suburbs
CHICAGO (CBS)—Massive heads are turning heads in the western suburbs and they can be considered clues to a part of North American history that isn't widely discussed, but they're on display in the western suburbs as part of a journey for Hispanic Heritage Month.
"I don't know what it is, but it's amazing," said visitor Kathy Solan. "I had to pull over and take a look."
The colorful faces are particularly placed to pique curiosity, and it's working.
"We saw about five so far," said visitor Mary Mufti. "We went to Elgin, West Chicago."
After visiting multiple stone heads out in the wild, it was time for a history lesson in Glen Ellyn.
These friends, who met in grammar school, always want to learn. They discovered the sculptures and have been toggling replicas of the Olmecs' creations.
"The Olmecs are actually often referred to as the mother civilization in Mexican culture. A lot of what we know about them first sprang from the discovery of these monumental Olmec heads. Some of them are 11 feet high, and some of them are 50 tons," said Justin Witte, curator from the College of DuPage.
The McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage began showcasing this part of education, a part art project, in June. The Olmec Trails are free to visit and will stay open through mid-October, the end of Hispanic Heritage Month.
It was Fernando Ramirez from the Mexican Cultural Center DuPage who thought of a public art display. It's a way to honor very, very old Mexican roots that are less talked about than the Mayans or Aztecs.
"The Olmecs gave us a lot. Corn, chocolate, spices," Ramirez said.
Olmec Trails takes people on a physical and historical journey with 33 installments outdoors and indoors across multiple towns. Each piece, painted by artists like Sergio Gomez, contains a deep meaning.
"You'll find a map of Mexico, specifically the central region in Mexico where the heads were found," Gomez said.
Gomez, formerly of Chicago, explains the spiral trail in his design.
"(It) goes all around the head and ends in the forehead (and) it's a way of connecting the past with the present.
Speaking of the present, thousands of people have scanned for the details so far.
"At the bottom, there's a label. Each one has info but also has a QR you can scan which will bring you to our website," Witte said.
"The whole idea is to get inspired to be able to learn about the history," Ramirez said.