Chicago Photo Album
Chicago - Outdoor Art
We continued exploring the city by heading towards the Art Institute of Chicago. Famous in our minds for two things: it's the home of American Gothic, and was visited in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Both good reasons to visit.
The park next to the Art Institute has this large unique public art display. I honestly don't know what it's technically called, but I've heard it called "The Bean" and you can see why.
Much public art is, in my opinion, rather dull -- maybe it tries too hard to tell a point, is too abstract, or just too separate from humanity. This piece, however, seems to blue those boundaries (whether the artist intended it or not). Its reflective surface seems to draw the crowd in, making the art as much about those who are looking at it as it is about the random abstract object. It invites you to participate.
Take a closer look at some of these pictures, and you'll see Matt or Becky reflected, one of us holding the camera.
The figure in the green shirt - yep that's Becky.
Close-up, the bean is like a fun house mirror. I like this one - we're tall!
Hey, it's us --- of course there's a self-portrait!
Chicago - Art Institute
The Art Institute of Chicago was excellent. Not too big (like the Louvre or Orsay), not too modern (like MoMA), and not too obscure (like many art museums...) It has an excellent collection of works that you're familiar with, coupled with other pieces which are just beautiful.
Something about this woman's red hat has always intrigued me -- Renoir.
I don't know that either of us really had a special fondness for Paul Gaugin before visiting Tahiti, but since, his paintings seem so much more interesting.
Two classics from Van Gogh -- the sort of art that I look at and immediately recognize, which is nice. :)
I don't recall who painted this, but the colors are so right.
Matt will have to remind me the name of this artist. :) The same guy who painted the apple where the man's head should be...
Ok, here we are at Grant Wood's American Gothic. Becky grew up being familiar with his works, probably because he's from in/around Cedar Rapids, Iowa (where my dad grew up). While American Gothic is his most recognizable, I think his Stone City, or even Young Corn are better. There's just something right about the way he paints trees!
So, though American Gothic isn't my favorite, I had to take a picture with it, mostly for Dad. :)
