In downtown Chicago there is a fairly new park called Millennium Park. When I worked in Chicago back in the late 90's and early 2000, my contract ended before this park was complete. It wasn't until I went back a few years later that I got to see all the wonderful things this park holds.
The above is a sculpture by Indian-born, British artist Anish Kapoor titled "Cloud Gate" but locals loving call it "The Bean". It's made of 168 stainless steel plates welded together. The surface is highly polished exposing no seams. It's quite large measuring 33 X 66 X 42 feet (10 X 20 X 13 meters) and weighs 110 ton. The artist state that it was inspired by drops of mercury.
It reflects and distorts the Chicago skyline as well as all the people who gather around to photograph it.
The underside was most interesting, reflecting multiple distorted scenes. Sometime when I go back for another visit, I'm going to photograph it at night.
5 comments:
These are such fantastic and fun shots! I had never even heard of this park until recently but we lived in Chicago/Maywood/Glenview back in the mid-60s to 1970 and from what you say, it wasn't around then.
I can certainly see the "drops of mercury" connection.
What a fun thing to photograph. I tried to find you in the reflection but couldn't pick you out.
What a fun object for photographers. I live in Hyde Park as a swinging single, but haven't returned for awhile. I LOVE that city!
Fantastic! Chicago doesn't get the press that New York and San Francisco and L.A. get, but I think it is a wonderful city. I don't know the bean. It looks like I need to go back and find it.
I would love to see this! Outstanding reflections in the bottom shot. Love Anish Kapoor. You migh enjoy his works I've seen in London last time I was there: http://mendoncajose.blogspot.pt/search?q=anish+kapoor
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