Temporary Exhibit / Chicago - Navy Pier / BIGart 2012

Brushstroke Group - by Roy Lichtenstein

1987

Painted and fabricated aluminum

360 x 210 x 108 in.

BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Gateway Park, Navy Pier

BIGart at Navy Pier, an annual, free outdoor art exhibition.  For this year’s exhibition, Navy Pier is pleased to partner with the Gagosian Gallery to display the artistic talent of world-renowned artist Roy Lichtenstein. A signature Lichtenstein sculpture – Brushstroke Group – is one of the sculptures on display. 

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier [Brushstroke Group - by Roy Lichtenstein]

Brushstroke Group - by Roy Lichtenstein

1987

Painted and fabricated aluminum

360 x 210 x 108 in.

 

 

One of the sculptures as part of.. BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Gateway Park, Navy Pier

For the other sculptures and murals, click here..

 

 

RELATED LINKS..

BIGart 2012 at Navy Pier.. click here..

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier [Monochrome II Chicago - by Nancy Rubens]

Monochrome for Chicago - by Nancy Rubins

Monochrome for Chicago - by Nancy Rubins

2012

Aluminum boats, stainless steel armature, stainless steel wire cable
19 x 34 x 36 ft.

One of the sculptures as part of.. BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Gateway Park, Navy Pier

For the other sculptures and murals, click here..

BIGart at Navy Pier, an annual, free outdoor art exhibition. For this year’s exhibition, Navy Pier is pleased to partner with the Gagosian Gallery to display the artistic talent of world-renowned artist Roy Lichtenstein. A signature Lichtenstein sculpture – Brushstroke Group – is one of the sculptures on display.

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier [Face Off - by Almond Zigmund]

Face Off (Facade Box I & II) - by Almond Zigmund
2012
Foam, aqua resin, acrylic, wood, steel
8’ x 16’ x 12’

One of the sculptures as part of.. BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Gateway Park, Navy Pier

For the other sculptures and murals, click here..

 

RELATED LINKS..

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier.. click here..

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier [Blazon - by Anthony Caro]

 

Blazon - by Anthony Caro

1987-90

Steel painted red, unique

139 x 113 x 59 in.

 

 

One of the sculptures as part of.. BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Gateway Park, Navy Pier

For the other sculptures and murals, click here..

 

 

 

RELATED LINKS..

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at at Navy Pier..  click here

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier [Galloon - by Steed Taylor]

 

 

Galloon - by Steed Taylor

2012

Carefully painted in yellow on asphalt

Approximately 23 x 640 ft.

 

One of the sculptures as part of.. BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Gateway Park, Navy Pier

For the other sculptures and murals, click here..

 

 

 

 

 

RELATED LINKS..

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier .. click here..

BIGart 2012: Temporary Exhibit at Navy Pier [ChiTown - by Gajin Fujita]

ChiTown - by Gajin Fujita

2012 /  15 x 120 ft

Spray paint mural on concrete

One of the murals as part of.. BIGart at Navy Pier

Temporary Exhibit: May to October 2012.

Location: Grand Avenue viaduct wall under the Lake Shore Drive.

For the other sculptures and murals, click here..

 

Fujita uses Chicagoans' passion for their favourite sports team as a way to delibrately draw people into the art. Here's mural details from one left to right..

 

 

It reads..

Art can imitate life in unexpected ways with stunning results. Mural artist Gajit Fujita, Japanese American and native of Los Angeles,  used dozens of spray paint cans and inspiration from graffiti to create this bold ChiTown for the BIGart Exhibition at Navy Pier, here at the Grand Avenue viaduct wall under the Lake Shore Drive.

Fajita never knows what the final work will look like until it's done. He works from a rough idea that evolves as he works on the piece. Chitown is a work that combines Fujita's style [a mixture of traditional Japanese imagery, pop culture and contemporary graffiti art] and his passion to connect art to people experiencing it. Fujita does that and more in ChiTown by using all Chicagoans' passion for their favourite sports team as a way to delibrately draw people into the art.

"I've never worked on anything that long of a scale", Fujita said, "I'd like to conquer that ,  be midfuil to make the people of Chicago interested and happy about art. I like to reference things from my heritage and fuse them together. "

Curatot Dave Hickey is excited to bring all the  works of BIGart to the extraordinary setting of Navy Pier. "It's an opportunity to display public art and expand the whole idea of what you can put outdoors", Hickey said.

ChiTown is a part of BIGart at Navy Pier. BIGart is a free public celebration of the outdoor art.

RELATED LINKS..

BIGart 2012 at Navy Pier.. click here..

Chicago - Navy Pier / USS Chicago Anchor

USS Chicago Amchor

USS Chicago Anchor

Location: Navy Pier - East end 

This 8 ton anchor is from the third warship named after the City of Chicago. 

This anchor is dedicated as a memorial to each ship named "Chicago" and to the thousands of men and women who served their nation in maritime service.

Chicago - Navy Pier / Captain on the Helm - by Michael Martino

Captain on the Helm - by Michael Martino

Captain on the Helm - by Michael Martino

Installed: May 19, 2000

Location: Navy Pier

Just south of Navy Pier entrance

Gift from Chicago Lodge of International Shipmasters Association

The site has engraved brickworks with names of 

many legendary captians and contributors to the project.

Chicago - Navy Pier / Crack the Whip - by J.Seward Johnson Jr.

Crack the Whip - by J. Seward Johnson Jr.

Crack the Whip - by J.Seward Johnson Jr

Location: Navy Pier

between Second and Brown Streets

Chicago - Navy Pier / Bob Newhart as Dr. Bob Hartley

Bob Newhart as Dr. Bob Hartley

Bob Newhart as Dr. Bob Hartley

A life-size sculpture of fictional psychologist Bob Hartley played by comedian Bob Newhart, who appeared on the sitcom The Bob Newhart Show on CBS (1972-78).

Created by Studio EIS in New York

Commissioned by nostalgia cable channel TV Land

Gift by the people of  TV LAND

The statue was designed for guest participation and is enjoyed best by interaction with the famous TV psychologist Dr. Bob Hartley in bronze.

Blog Views [July 26, 2012]

Blogviews, averaging roughly about 1,000 a day..
And this has been throughout the year 2012..
There are 850 published posts.. Mostly there are images from Chicago, but also some neighbouring  places and  places I visit in my vacations. What I love the most, is meeting with sculptors, going to foundaries and fabrication sites, and documenting installations.

I would like to make this blog,  as comprehensive as possible
If you are a Chicago sculptor, I would love to meet you..

Facebook forms a very small proportion in the Referring sites..
So the audience is much more than my FB friends, which I am very happy about!

Weekly Referring Sites [click on image to enlarge]

All-Time Referring Sites [click on image to enlarge]

There have been times, when blogviews have crossed, 2,000 or even 3,000 on a single day, click here..

Leonard Crunelle [Various sculptures]

One of the hidden treasures of Chicago is a set of four figure fountains in the Grant Park, "Dove Girl, Turtle Boy, Crane Girl, Fisher Boy" .. by Leonard Crunelle .. click here..

Fascinating art and an inspiring life-story ..
Analogous to the rags-to-riches story is the coal-mines to art-circles story .. The story of Leonard Crunelle who was born in a coal miner family in Northern France and grew up to become a reputed sculpture, with works displayed in many art exhibitions around the world .. His family emigrated to Brazil, Indiana in 1882, when he was ten yeard old .. Soon they moved to Decatur, Illinois. Leonard helped his father in coal mining since the age of ten.. He went school in Decature, where his teachers noticed his drawing skills, and that was his opening to the world of art..

Shortly before the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Lorado Taft delivered a lecture in Decature. After his address, some teaches of the town showed him the drawings made by Leonard ... Lorado Taft was impressed and took him under his tutelage. Soon Leonard started helping Lorado in the preparation of Columbian Exposition/World's Fair at Jackson Park .. After the Fair, Leonard took whatever daytime jobs he could get and attended the Art Institute night classes.

Soon he flourished as a artist. His speciality was making children's sculptures .. many times he used his own four children as models. His children helped him in making statues, the same way he helped his father in coal mines ..

Some of Leonardo Crunelle's works are:
Crane Girl, Fisher Boy, Dove Girl and Turtle Boy - by Leonard Crunelle.. click here..
Heald Square Monument [started by Lorado taft, completed by Leonard Crunelle] click here..
Victory Monument - by Leonard Crunelle..  click here..
Richard J. Oglesby - by Leonard Crunelle click here..
Baby Marguerite - by Leonard Crunelle [Oregon Public Library]
Sakakawea [North Dakota] - by Leonard Crunelle [This is at the National Statutory Hall, of the U.S. Capitol Bldg.. click here.. ]

Heald Square Monument, designated a Chicago Landmark .. was started by Crunelle's mentor, Lorado Taft and become Taft's last work. It was completed by Leonard Crunelle..
For more on Heald Square Monument..click here..

Victory Monument, also designated a Chicago Landmark...
This monument was erected to honor the achievements of the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard, an African-American unit that served in France during World War I ... Crunelle's birth town was destroyed in World War-I.
For more on Victory Monument.. click here..

Richard J. Oglesby - by Leonard Crunelle
For more,  click here..

Baby Marguerite - by Leonard Crunelle
As part of Eagle's Nest Collection at Oregon Public Library, Oregon, IL..click here..

This piece is presumed to be a bronze cast of a marble sculpture of Baby Marguerite executed by Crunelle in Loredo Taft’s Midway Studio.  [Ref. click here..]

Sakakawea [North Dakota] - by Leonard Crunelle
This is at the National Statutory Hall, of the U.S. Capitol Bldg.. click here..

RELATED LINKS..
Crane Girl, Fisher Boy, Dove Girl and Turtle Boy - by Leonard Crunelle.. click here..
Heald Square Monument [started by Lorado taft, completed by Leonard Crunelle] click here..
Victory Monument - by Leonard Crunelle.. click here..
Richard J. Oglesby - by Leonard Crunelle click here..
Sakakawea [North Dakota] - by Leonard Crunelle [This is at the National Statutory Hall, of the U.S. Capitol Bldg.. click here.. ]

REF: The Miner Sculptor.. by Isabell MacDougall..

Lorado Taft: Part II [sculptures, outside of Chicago]

Taft is my all time favourite Chicago sculptor!

I have earlier covered his work in Chicago, in Part I of the series,

Lorado Taft [Various sculptures in Chicago].. click here..

Lorado Taft: Part II [Sculptures out of Chicago]

This year [2012], I took two one-day trips, especially to see signification works of Lorado Taft, outside of Chicago. 

• Oregon, IL [June 26, 2012] to see The Eternal Indian / BlackHawk .. click here..
• Urbana-Champaign, IL [July 13, 2012], to see Alma Mater, click here..

Both the trips, were very productive and I could see much more than what I had planned...

Lorado Zadoc Taft [April 29, 1860 – October 30, 1936] arguably one of the greatest sculptors of Chicago was born in Elmwood, IL, and died in his home studio in Chicago. He studied art at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign [UIUC], and the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. He taught at the School of The Art Institute of Chicago [SAIC] from 1886 until 1907, and continued to lecture there until 1929. Taft was closely associated with Chicago's World's Fair [Columbian Exposition] of 1893, where he employed some female students dubbed as White Rabbits. In 1903 Taft published The History of American Sculpture, the first survey of the subject.

Now back to Taft's sculptures, outside of Chicago..

The Eternal Indian

popularly known as The Black Hawk

by Lorado Taft

1911 / 50-foot tall concrete sculpture

Location: Lowden State Park, Oregon, Illinois.

For more,..click here..

Oregon is also famous for the Eagle's Nest Colony, which was started in 1898, when a group of artists,  associated with the Chicago Art Institute, leased land on the bluff overlooking the Rock River on the east bank. This group of artists with painters, sculptors, writers, poets and musicians established summer homes there and continued to meet in summers until 1942, when the lease was terminated with the death of the last surviving original member. Lorado Taft was among the founding members of the Eagle's Nest Colony. The maquette of many of the sculptures made by artists at eagle's Nest Colony are the Oregon Public Library.

The Oregon Public Library,  registered in the US National register of Historic Places. The building was built by Chicago architectural firm of Pond and Pond, and has characteristics of Arts and Crafts Movement.  The Second Floor of the Oregon Public Library, has art collection from Eagle's Nest Colony, which includes, working model for Taft's 50-foot sculpture"The Eternal Indian".

Second Floor of the Oregon Public Library, with  art collection from Eagle's Nest Colony.

American Indian - by Lorado Taft

Working model for Taft's 50-foot sculpture"The Eternal Indian".

Location: Oregon Public Library

"Aspiration" - by Lorado Taft.

said to be Taft's final statue.

Photographs of the studio at the time of the artist's death shows this sculpture.

Location: Oregon Public Library

Maquette for "Blind " - by Lorado Taft

Location: Oregon Public Library

This is one of Taft's most impressive symbolic sculptures. It was inspired by Maeterlinck's tragic drama, "The Blind". The piece portrays the moment when the group realizes that the baby in the middle can see and lead the group to safety.

The Soldier's Monument - by Lorado Taft

Dedicated: 1916

Location: Court House Square,  Oregon, IL.

[southeast corner of Ogle County Courthouse]

The Fish Boys

Location: Mix Park, Oregon, IL.

Original bronze sculptures were designed and cast in bronze as part of Taft's "Fountain of the Great Lakes", click here .. at the Chicago Art Institute of Chicago, South Garden. The Oregon's "Fish Sculptures" are constructed by a special blend of concrete and crushed quartz, incorporating pebbles from Potomac River.

And now to Urbana-Champaign, IL

Alma Mater - by Lorado Taft

Unveiled on Alumni Day, June 11, 1929..

Location: UIUC Campus, Altgeld Hall

corner of W Green St. and S Wright St.

[UIUC is University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, IL]

A Daughter of Pyrrha - by Lorado Taft

Fragment  from the incomplete "Fountain of Creation", are in the campus of UIUC.

Fountain of Creation - was never completed.  It was proposed to be on the western edge of the Midway Plaisance, as a counterpart  to the "Fountain of Time" on the eastern edge. Taft planned 38 monumental figures and figure groups for the "Fountain of Creation". But only four were carved in stone. Two flank the entrance of the UIUC Main Library [daughters of Pyrrha] and two are on the south side of Foellinger Auditorium [sons of Deucalion]. In addition, a scale model of the central group for the "Fountain of Creation" is at the Krannert Art Museum.  For more, click here..

Krannert Art Museum

Location: Urbana-Champiagn, IL

At Taft's death, the University of Illinois at urbana-Champaign [UIUC] inherited the contents of Taft's Studio. It included maquettes of some of Taft's major commissions. Some of these are at display at the Krannert Art Museum, at UIUC.

The Spirit of Art - by Lorado Taft

1936-37 / Bronze..

The relief shows the personification of the arts as powerful, beautiful female figure enthrowned with an artist's palette in her left hand.

Location: Krannert Art Museum, at Urbana-Champaign, IL.

The Blind - by Lorado Taft

Location: Krannert Art Museum,  Urbana-Champaign, IL.

The Blind was cast in bronze in 1988, from the museum's Kinkerd Pavilion entrance.

For more on The Blind",  click here..

Portrait Bust of Don Carlos Taft [Lorado Taft's father]

- by Lorado Taft

1893 / reworked 1936

Plaster tinted yellowish brown

For more of Taft's work at the Krannert Art Museum, click here..

RELATED LINKS..

The Eternal Indian - by Lorado Taft .. click here..

Taft in Oregon, click here..

Alma Mater - by Lorado Taft..  click here..

Fragments from Fountain of Creation, click here..

Blind - by Lorado Taft, click here..

Lorado Taft at Krannert Art Museum, click here..