Chicago artist Hebru Brantley brings new 'FlyBoy' mural to Fashion Outlets of Chicago

ROSEMONT, Ill. (WLS) -- A well-known Chicago artist returned to the Chicago area Friday for the opening of a new exhibit.

Hebru Brantley is known for his "FlyBoy" figures. He has a new installation in an unlikely place, and it's free to view.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Brantley has revealed his latest work, "Midnight Blue." It is a mix of murals and his signature "FlyBoy," inspired by the Thelonious Monk classic "Round Midnight."

"There's a narrative going on but there's also so much more surrounding it, and to do something which I haven't done before with is incorporate a painting with an actual sculpture," Brantley said.

The installation location: a mall. Specifically the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, and the spot Brantley chose was the escalator near the food court.

"Whether it's husbands who don't want to shop with their wives or families coming to get a little nosh for the kids, but I think they way in which the place is laid out you are drawing on eyes from different sides," Brantley said.

The piece is among 25 installations at the mall. The campaign "Where Art Meets Fashion" connects well-know artists directly to shoppers.

"It creates more, they are going to stay longer, they are going to enjoy their experience here more, and at the end of the day we want to make sure they are coming back," said Katie Walsh with Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont.

While the mall has always had art, continuing to add more artwork is also an attempt to add more for shoppers to see and do in a climate of more e-commerce.

"I think it's beautiful," shopper Alexander Vega said. "I love art. I think it's amazing. I think it's good. He's a local artist. It's nice that we support him."

Seeing Brantley's work and the rest of the collection of art is free charge.

"It welcomes people in. There's more foot traffic," shopper Wendy Ha said. "If you're interested in the art, you will come in, and it also helps out the stores, right, because window shopping becomes real shopping."

Brantley plans to return to Chicago for a show of his new work in the spring.

"I came from graffiti culture, which grew into street art culture, so the idea behind that is simple there's thousands more people who will walk by this piece in a day then would go see it in an institution," Brantley said.