As I say, this is my first visit to Chicago that ventured outside the museum walls. Well, to be fair, one year we crossed Grant Park all the way to Navy Pier, which held no appeal for me. On the other side of the Art Institute (Here There be Dragons) lies the Millennium Park, circa 2004.
It is a “park” chock full of metal, that’s what it is. I suppose they wanted to have all the metal sculptures and installations be a counterpoint to the lush nature.
I’m sure that’s a fine idea when nature is lush, but in February it’s like a metal and glass park in a metal and glass city, with faces of Chicago citizens trapped in carbonite like the child above.
Another cold rectangle.
Of course, no one could complain about Cloud Gate (“The Bean”).
Great place to see if the Eggplant Fox makes your butt look big.
Cloud Gate must look incredible on a summer’s day when no one’s around, or at night.
There’s another sculpture I felt a connection with, the one on top of the pavilion. What does this look like to you?
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St. Louisans will recognize it as a tangled version of the Gateway Arch. A vision of the Gateway Arch blown up by resentful Chicagoans who are sad Ernest Trova didn’t choose to live there? Yes.