CHICAGO PUBLIC ART #18 - "I WILL"

Erected in 1981 on the northeast corner of Fullerton Avenue and Cannon Drive in Lincoln Park. By Ellsworth Kelly, who created those geometrical colored forms that grace both sides of the upper hall outside of The Art Institute's Regenstein Hall.

Now it's funny, this art, because for decades now, I have turned that corner to look for parking along Cannon Drive because I frequently go to the Landmark Movie Theater up on Clark Street, and most always park on Cannon and walk up. And probably somewhere in my subconscious if you had asked me, I might have recalled a something on that corner, but could not have told you what.

But yesterday on a day that definitely had a taste of spring in the air, I did go to a movie at Landmark, did park on Cannon, and before the movie, walked down to the corner to look at and admire this piece.
All the articles call it a column; I'm not sure I'd use that word. According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, a column is "a supporting pillar; esp: one consisting of a usu. rounded shaft, a capital, and a base". This is not that at all, as you can see from the pictures. It is a geometrical form, very slightly bulging in the middle, and almost invisible from the sides, it is so slender.

Also, according to the sign embedded in the facing rock formation, Kelly calls it "Curve XXII", not "I Will".
Artner says this is stainless steel and calls it a "minimal column". It is most certainly minimal, but beautiful in its starkness, I think. It is situated at the farthest point north of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and yesterday, at a little before 1 pm, the form reflected that fire in my pictures. Serendipity? Purposeful by Kelly? Who knows? The form faces southwest, and at that time of day in February perfectly both absorbs and reflects the sun. The red spray at the top is only in my picture. Doesn't it look like a flame shooting up?

















Supposedly, the form relates to our skyscrapers that were built after the fire, but here, to me, it seems to have been sculpted to be a shooting flame. At least at a certain time of day in the year. and I was lucky enough to have caught it. (This is not the same picture, lest you think it was a fluke; I even have a third.) And if you look very close, the ground in front seems to be reflecting that light.
Apparently the "I Will' comes from the fact that that was the motto adopted by Chicagoans after the fire. And they certainly did.
Other literature says it's hollow, although when I touched it, and even gave it a rap, it didn't seem hollow. It is totally flat, and so slender, it is almost two-dimensional. I loved it.

CHICAGO PUBLIC ART # 17 - BATCOLUMN

This one, done in 1977, is by Claes Oldenburg, and is located at 600 West Madison Street, just a block or so west of Ogilvie Transportation Center. And on the same side of the street. It is clearly visible as you cross the bridge over the Chicago River by the Lyric Opera Building. Especially at sunset. From a distance is looks like very lacy lattice work, but up close it is seen to be what it is, painted Cor-Ten steel.

Artner - "wryly gives the American obsession with sports the same status as an ancient obelisk or imperial column" Absolutely.
Note to the city. The large sign in front is fading badly, and very difficult to read.
This one taken from the base, in front of the Social Security Administration Building.

CHICAGO PUBLIC ART # 16 - CELEBRATION OF THE 200TH ANIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF THE REPUBLIC

Another one that will have to wait til spring. This one is right at the east door of The Art Institute, and unfortunately, is the recipient of all the detritus from the construction work going on there. It is a fountain, and the cement pool and surrounds are chuck full of boards, litter, pipes, etc. As that construction is due to be finished by May 16th, I will return around then to see both it and the newly refurbished Buckingham Fountain. Both are fountains. Hmmmm. Season for fountain renewal?

March 27, '09 - It has occurred to me that this is a piece of public art, and hence, not owned by the Art Institute. Why then is it being trashed by their construction crews?

May 25, 2009

Hurrah!! It's up and working. Last Wednesday, May 20, I went to the Art Institute, and ( I thought) on the off chance the fountain is working and cleaned up, I took my camera. And LO and Behold! it was. Will wonders never cease?

Unfortunately, since all this time has elapsed, I have lost or thrown away my notes, although I'm sure I could google it. I do remember that the granite used to construct these two pieces is something like two or three million years old. Is Noguchi trying to say something about the endurance of our nation? It was erected in 1975 and looks like it was done yesterday, water cascading down from both the tall piece and the long, log-like piece. It is right at the east door of the Art Institute. It's OK, but I think it needs more land around it to fully appreciate it. It backs right up to the east windows of the AI, and is reflected in them. Again, his purpose?

















Here you can see the log part reflected in the windows. The pictures do not show too well the water flowing, but it is. And see how the obelisk mirrors the building behind it?

CHICAGO PUBLIC ART # 15 - FLAMINGO

Well, who doesn't know this famous Chicago sculpture? By Alexander Calder of mobile fame. Done in 1974, it stands immense in the Federal Center Plaza, Dearborn Street near Adams Street.
According to Artner, "In form, size, scale, materials, color [hence this type color] and placement this stabile - a fixed sculpture as opposed to mobiles - is the best of the Loop outdoor masters." I cannot disagree with any of that, although I might have, until I actually saw it on foot. And he further says that it looks equally good at night, although I haven't seen that, yet.
Actually I rather liked it. There's something, don't know what. I do think Flamingo refers to it's color, rather than shape, as it certainly does not resemble a bird, but then again, flamingos are pink, and I have seen those.
Personally I think it looks like an anteater. A giant anteater. Which raises the perennial question - why do we feel the need to relate art to that which is familiar?

CTA BUS ROUTE #X4 - COTTAGE GROVE EXPRESS

Another express bus. Phooey. Those only run during rush hours, which means I have to go down one afternoon, spend the nite, and return the next morning. Oh well.
I see I haven't done any since October, so I might as well get to it before gardening season hits.

On a bright sunny late afternoon, a Wednesday, January 28, I left for the big city, and the next bus route. This one leaves from Chicago and Mies Van der Rohe Drive ( right on the south side of the Museum of Contemporary Art), and I took the very first one of the afternoon, which left promptly at 3:27 pm. It was 22 degrees. I had been putting off and putting off doing another route because of the cold, but finally I figured "Hey, all those commuters have to get out in the cold to go to work; maybe I should share that experience. And sorry about these dark pictures. It wasn't dark; I don't know what happened.
The Cottage Grove Express covers the exact same route as the Cottage Grove, just less stops.
The bus had rather dirty windows (although nothing compared to the one I took back up to Hyde Park; I couldn't even see out of those - literally. But I managed some fairly nice pics. We went down Michigan Avenue again.


And here let me pose a question. What exactly is the point of the openness of the bus shelters? Yes, they shield you from rain and sun, but not cold or more importantly, wind. Basically, they are open on all four sides, street side being wide open of course, but those plastic walls on the other three sides are open at the tops, bottoms, and sides. Why?
And this time I noticed all the flags blowing in the courtyard just north of the Wrigley Building. I had never noticed those before. Maybe because they were blowing so hard in the wind. It was 19 degrees at Lake and Michigan, but toasty warm inside the bus.
Everybody is dressing in black now - a sign of the dreadful economic times? And everything along Boul Mich looked dour and gloomy, dirty snow everywhere. It was all so tired looking, and I noticed that many other buses had even filthier windows. But then, at that time, so did my own car, and just maybe my view is altered by these dirty windows, because it really is a
beautiful day out. I don't think our city should be seen this way, through dirty bus windows, but I do appreciate the enormous task of keeping them clean in winter. Lots of yellow "falling ice" signs on the sidewalks.

Again through McCormick Place which was very well shoveled and cleared. The sun is blinding on the west side of the bus when it breaks free of buildings. I couldn't take a picture if I wanted to. (I am sitting on that side.)

This picture was taken at 29th and MLK Drive.











And the quirky bench was at 35th and MLK Drive. I don't think they're too bad, considering the state of the windows.

The bus turns east at 35th to Cottage Grove. Past the James R. Doolittle, Jr. Public School, the West Point (?) Missionary Baptist Church, and still the mysterious (to me) Abraham Lincoln Centre at Pershing "since 1905". Especially the spelling of that "centre". French.
Now the playgrounds and courtyards and empty lots are all footprintless (probably not in the dictionary, but it says what I want). And I can't take any pictures because of the blinding sun. Those empty lots are beautiful now.

Washington Park at close of day.



Past the Hale Franciscan High School. It is 20 degrees at 51st Street at 4:15. Now into Hyde Park, past the Illinois National Guard Armory, that beautiful Art Deco Building. Past the Du Sable Museum, well worth a visit.



Here you get some idea of the state of the windows. Still Washington Park

There are lots and lots for "For Rent" signs now. But on a recent trek down Howard Street on the north end of Chicago, I saw the very same thing. And here I feel a need to confess. There had been a woman sitting in front of me all the way from the start who had very long, light brown dreadlocks that looked exactly like wool. They were lovely, but like the Chinese when they first saw red hair, I had this terrible urge to reach out and touch them. I resisted successfully.

In an area that I think is called Park Grove are simply the most gorgeous old buildings. And way down south, looking down the side streets (because now there are no leaves to obstruct the view), most of the homes look just like the one I live in, bungalows.
I couldn't resist this - "Founded by God" Oh, Really?





This building is called ( I think) The Brookline building. Lovely. ( below)




I did not note the time we arrived at the last stop, unfortunately, but I don't think a whole lot of time is saved between this express and the regular Cottage Grove run.
Next morning, the bus I took down from 67th, was going to turn into the express bus going back, so all I had to do was get out and take pictures. That was nice. It left at 8:15, exactly one hour after I had left those relatives' house, walked to 67th and Cottage Grove, and waited for the regular #4 to arrive and take me down to 94th. And as you can see from the pictures, the bus sign was snapped the day before, in bright sunshine.
















This express was really crowded by 90th Street already. Now on the east side of the bus, I do see poverty and unkempt homes. Burnside? Not sure. A cloudy, overcast morning. Low sky. 22 degrees, same as yesterday pm. Again past the See Thru Chinese Kitchen. One day I'm going to have to go in there. All the young men, both yesterday and today, look so angry. At the world? At 77th, at 75th, there are magnificent buildings. The bus was so crowded that I didn't have the nerve to raise my camera from my lap and take pictures. It didn't feel like the time or place to play the tourist. By the time we got to the south end of the Oak Woods Cemetery, the bus was totally crammed. The bus driver had to keep asking people to move back. The thought occured to me that there would be more room if we all weren't so large, myself included. It is nice to see, though, that the cemetary has plowed the sidewalk all along its perimeter. Unfortunately, people still were walking in the street on the other side because they couldn't see over the snow banks to that plowed sidewalk. I only knew it was there because I had driven by it in my car. At 67th at 8:37 am.

Another incredible building at 64th. (This bus has limited stops between 94th and 14th Streets.) North of the University of Chicago the bus finally unjammed. The South Shore Bank at 47th is a real beauty. At 43rd, I saw outside a child so bundled up in an orange snowsuit that he (she) actually was wobbling as he (she) stood. Reminded me of the kid in "The Christmas Story".

By 32nd, it's really getting emptier, and there is one of those neat benches here. At 14th by 9:12. And looking out, it seems very windy now. It certainly wasn't when I was standing, waiting to go south from 67th earlier.

Agora in the snow.











Right above - if you look very close, you can see the worker in the tree at the Art Institute, at 9:20 am.


I just liked the outlines of this bare tree in the garden just north of the AI.











Chicago in winter. The lights are still on the trees in Millenium Park. Do they stay on all year?

A question in the window of the McCormick Freedom Museum, which is taking its act on the road soon.
"Would freedom fall without democracy?" Food for thought.

9:30 am. Back at Chicago and Mies. I am sooo glad to be done with these rush hour routes, at least for a while.

Sixth one down

Postscript - I will not be doing the next route, the N5, South shore night bus. It runs basically during the wee small hours, and even I am not that obsessed. What could I see out the window anyway?

CHICAGO PUBLIC ART - #14 - TWO FORMS - 1969

Done in 1969 by Barbara Hepworth, it is subtitled "Divided Circle". To be found behind Northwestern University's Mary and Leigh Block Museum, as part of the Sculpture Garden. In Evanston, at 40 Arts Circle Drive, it is a stone's throw from Lake Michigan. It is a little taxing to find, as there are many sculptures around the grounds behind the museum, but once you know it's two circles, it's a snap. (Don't forget to visit the museum also. Last Wednesday, they had Robert Maplethorp Polaroids, and two (honest to god) small sketches by the Master, Michelangelo.) There is ( or would be if the parking garage was not in the way) a wonderful view of "Sweet Home Chicago" from the circle.

I loved this one. Even though it was hovering around 15 degrees and I thought my fingers would fall off. This is cast bronze, large, and it wonderfully suits the space. According to Artner, ". . . its display here bring [s] us close to her ideas about abstract art in the natural environment". Yes, totally. I can't really tell you why I liked it; I just did.

The pictures were taken around 3 pm, on a bright, cold sunny day.

CHICAGO PUBLIC ART - #13 - NUCLEAR ENERGY

This one, done in 1967 by Henry Moore, is on Ellis Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets, smack dab in the middle of the University of Chicago, where an awful lot of construction is going on. South of the Midway, just a block south of The Court Theatre building, their parking garage, and the Athletic Center.

Alan Artner of the Tribune thinks this form is "perfect for the site of the first self-sustaining chain reaction that began the Atomic Age".

Not me, nor my friend. Hey, I'm not against modern art, I love some stuff, but this one leaves me cold - no pun intended. You can see the snow in the pictures. I though It looked like nothing so much as a football helmet, and my friend did that one better, saying it resembled Darth Vader's helmet. I hear that the scuttlebutt around the campus says that it is supposed to be a skeleton topped by a mushroom cloud. Whatever.


I have taken pictures from all sides to try and give you an idea.

So, what do you think?