Ongo

“Ongo” | ONGOSF

Milwaukee, WI

Tucked into Black Cat Alley is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Danny DeVito’s unforgettable character Ongo Gablogian, the self-declared "art collector, critic, and patron" from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This small but striking mural was created by the elusive graffiti artist known as @ongosf, a Milwaukee-born street artist now based in San Francisco.

Unlike the more common depictions of Ongo with orange skin and green sunglasses, Black Cat Alley’s version sports green skin, black-and-blue shades, and a neon orange wig, adding an extra surreal twist to an already absurd character. It’s one of many playful, irreverent pieces by @ongosf that have popped up across the streets of San Francisco and Milwaukee since the artist began this series during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

ONGOSF

Known for placing stenciled Ongo figures on everything from metal grates to transit maps, @ongosf merges pop culture satire with the unpredictability of street art. The artist was recently profiled in the short film ONGOSF: Derivative Bullshit, which premiered at the 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival.

To explore more of their work, follow @ongosf on Instagram.