Mr. Ríos

We stumbled upon Mr. Rios's wonderland of a backyard the first time we stepped into the alley from Silent Funny's rear exit. Although not formally a part of Silent Funny, Mr. Rios's permanent exhibit is a serendipitous extension of our permanent collection. Rios began collecting toys from the trash about 20 years ago as a way to make up for the lack of toys he had (but desired) as a boy in Puerto Rico. To this day, Mr. Rios scours the alleys in West Humboldt Park for old toys and other oddities to continue growing his collection. His wife and son help him install the pieces, which become more engrossing and brilliant the longer one looks. Mr. Rios was named a Chicago Artists Month featured artist in Fall 2015. Photographs by Evan Cutler Wattles.