Chicago

Artwork of Chicago's Worst Intersections Go Viral

“It’s funny because people will see things in these shapes that I’ve never thought of,” he said

A graphic artist has been the talk of many large cities after creating map designs of some the worst intersections across the nation—including Chicago.

Peter Gorman was just 27 years old when he turned his apartment keys in and packed his life away. After giving notice at a non-profit where he worked in Boston back in 2014, Gorman embarked on a yearlong, 11,000-mile bicycle journey across the U.S.

“It was crazy, it was really scary,” Peter Gorman said. “I didn’t know what to expect. The whole trip was incredible.”

Four years later? Gorman gained inspiration from the risky adventure he said he always wanted to experience and has since become a popular graphic artist.

“After the trip finished I started basically making these map designs based on places I went,” he said.

Gorman said it started in 2016 when he moved to the West Coast and noticed how large cities tend to have weird intersections. His first drawing was a map design of Seattle.

When he posted the design online, the feedback was so overwhelmingly positive that within a week, a total of 700 prints were placed to order.

Five days after sharing his design in the cyber world, the Seattle Times featured Gorman’s design on their front cover.

Then cities like San Francisco and Chicago reached out—they too, wanted to see what crazy designs the artist would come up with after taking a look at their unique intersections.

Known as “BarelyMaps,” each abstract art piece contains 20 mini graphics of intersections that arguably resemble the shape of a popcorn.

“It’s funny because people will see things in these shapes that I’ve never thought of,” he said.

Gorman has since opened an Etsy store where he sells his Minimalist prints; three different types of sizes, with a cost ranging anywhere from $25-$38.

Gorman said his new goal is to create a map every week.

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