Public Art in Chicago: May 2012

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Chicago - Near North Side / Streeterville / Two to Tango - by Richard Keibdaj

Two to Tango - by Richard Keibdaj

Two to Tango - by Richard Keibdaj

Sculpted in 2009

Location: Plaza of the Saloon Steakhouse
200 E. Chestnut Stree

Family - by Joseph J. O'Connell

1968 / Bronze

War Memorial Court of American Dental Association

Death Art: The Triumph of Death [from exhibit "Morbid Curiosity: The Richard Harris Collection"]

Death Struggle

By Richard Muller [Czech]
1913/ Etching on ivory laid paper

Death Art entered the mainstream art in the late Medieval Period. This period was characterized by recurring famine, the Hundred Years War between France and England [1337—1453]; and the Black Death; which together decimated a large proportion of the population of West Europe. The Black Death alone killed about a third of population. The threat of death loomed large in people’s daily lives and under these conditions, the theme of death found it’s way in literature and arts in various forms..
- Danse Macabre
- The Triumph of Death
- Death and the Maiden
And artistic representation of all of these art genres can be seen at the Richard Harris Collection.
In this post, are some Death Art on the "Triumph of Death" theme. A Skeleton representing Death, seems to be in a fierce battle with the living.. Who wins is anyone's guess...

Death on Horseback Holding a Trumpet and A Flag

By– Stefano della Bella [Italian, 1610 -1664]

1648 / etching

The Doctor

by Ivo Saliger [Austrian 1894- 1987]

1921 / Color etching on brown paper

Death Taking the Young Mother

By Thomas Rowlandson [British 1756-1827]
1814

Death and the Woman

by Kathe Kollwitz [German 1867-1945]

1910 / Lithograph

Morbid Curiosity: Richard Harris Collection

Location: Sidney Yates Gallery at the Chicago Cultural Center..

January 28 – July 8, 2012
Curator: Lucas Cowan
Co-Curator: Debra Purden
Director of Exhibitions: Dr. Elizabeth Lee Kelly..
Presented by Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Three theme gardens, esconsed in three parts of the city..

The city lives by it's motto, "Urbs in Horto", Latin for "City in a Garden". Come spring there are flowers everywhere. Today I bring three theme gardens in three parts of the city...
[1] Osaka Japanese Garden, in Jackson Park..
[2] Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, in Lincoln Park..
[3] Lurie Garden, in Millennium Park..

Osaka Japanese Garden..
A Japanese garden..
Originally created during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, the garden has gone through several renovations and expansions. It features three styles of traditional granite lanters were imported from Japan. Kasuga [upright], Rankei [overhanging] and Yukimi [four-legged snow lanterns]. Including one Kasuga lamps that has survived from 1893. There is zigzag stepping stones, moon bridge and a pavilion. The garden also offers the best view of the Museum of Science and Industry.
For more, click here..

Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool..
A prairie garden..
It was first landscaped in 1889 and designated as a place in which to cultivate tropical water lilies. In the 1930's, it was re-designed by landscape architect Alfred Caldwell. It's made in the tradition of the Prairie School, influenced by such greats as Frank Lloyd Wright and Caldwell’s teacher, Jens Jensen.
The garden is arranged around a lily pool to create the look of a creek running through a Midwest prairie, with features like stone outcroppings, a pavilion, a council ring, a cascading waterfall, and several plant species native to the prairies. In 1942, Caldwell called the pool "a hidden garden for the people of Megalopolis"...
For more, click here..

Lurie Garden..
A perennial garden, with New Wave Planting Style.
This is one of my favourite places in Chicago!!It is designed by Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd, Piet Oudolf and Robert Israel, and pays homage to Chicago's motto, "Urbs in Horto".
It is more of a perennial garden with 65% of the plants are native to North America. The landscaping divides it into Light Plate [West portion] and Dark Plate [East portion], divided by a wooden boardwalk called the Seam and protected by Shoulder hedges. The Lurie Garden is one of the first examples in the United States to experiment with the "New Wave Planting Style", with the use of native plants, perennials, grasses and bulbs, to create a landscape that changes colors, textures and shapes through different seasons, just like a natural landscape does. This style is relaxed and natural. It is less geometric and less controlled than traditional gardens.
For more, click here..

While I am at it, some other beautiful gardens..

Cancer Survivors Garden, in Grant Park..

Grandmother's Garden, in Lincoln Park..

South Garden, Art Institute of Chicago..

RELATED LINKS:
# Osaka Japanese Garden, in Jackson Park..
# Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, in Lincoln Park..
# Lurie Garden, in Millennium Park..
# Cancer Survivors Garden, in Grant Park..
# Gardens in the Grant Park..
# Grandmother's Garden, in Lincoln Park..
# South Garden, Art Institute of Chicago..
# North Garden, Art Institute of Chicago...
# Gardens and Conservatories..

Monday, May 14, 2012

Chicago Loop / Radiant One - by Richard Lippord

Radient One - by Richard Lippord

Radiant One - by Richard Lippord

Installed: 1958

A group of red, gold and silver wires support a stainless steel form

set above a reflecting pool

Location: Inland Steel Building Lobb

30 W Monroe Street, Chicago, IL

Commissioned by The Inland Steel Corporation.

The building and the sculpture were designated as Chicago Landmark in 1998

CANstruction 2012 - The Award Winners

2012 CANstruction Chicago:

A-can-emy Awards

Local and National Award Winners

LOCAL AWARDS

Main categories: [Local Awards]

Crowd Favorite
Most Creative Name
Most Cans Used
Greater Chicago Food Depository Award
AIA/SEAOI Award - Make No Small Cans
Whole Foods Market Chicago Award

Crowd Favorite: “A Healthy Balance,” 4,030 cans
KJWW Engineering Consultants / VOA / Berglund Construction..

Most Creative Name: “Feed the Hungry Not the Meters,” 6,200 cans
Eckenhoff Saunders Architects / W.E. O’Neil

Most cans used: “The V8 Summit,” 10,161 cans
RTKL / GraEF
The V8 summit wins another nother Award..
Greater Chicago Food Depository Award

AIA/ SEAOI Award - Make No Small Cans: “InterCANnected,” 6,000 cans
SmithGroupJJR

Whole Foods Market Chicago Award: “Hole Foods,” 3,152 cans
Harley Ellis Devereaux / AVI-SPL

NATIONAL AWARDS

Main categories: [Local Awards]

Honerable Mention #1
Honorable Mention #2
Best Meal
Best Use of Lables
Structural Ingenuity
Jurors' Favorite

Honorable Mention #1: “Block Out Hunger,” 9,216 cans
RJN Group, Inc.

Honorable Mention #2: "Nuts About Fighting Hunger,” 3,508 cans

Alfred Benesch & Company

Best Meal: “Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, A beaCAN of hope,” 2,455 cans
Hirsch Associates LLC, C.E. Anderson & Associates

Best use of Labels: “HUNGER is Not a Game,” 3,493 cans
OKW Architects, Inc.

Structural Ingenuity: “InterCANnected,” 6,000 cans
SmithGroupJJR

Jurers Favorite: “A Healthy Balance,” 4,030 cans
KJWW Engineering Consultants / VOA / Berglund Construction

REFERENCE:
2012 Canstruction Chicago Local and National Award Winners

CANstruction 2012 [at Merchandise Mart]

Nuts about Fighting Hunger [Mr. Peanut]

CANstruction 2012
6th Annual Chicago Design/Build Competition
Presented by Whole Foods..
Location: Lobby of the Merchandise Mart.

More than 85,000 pounds of food from the 19 colossal structures of the Sixth Annual Canstruction design/build competition will go to provide food for hungry people in Cook County. Chicago architects, engineers and construction companies are showing off their designs and engineering genius to aid in the cause to fight hunger. All cans used in the structures benefit the Food Depository

Nuts about Fighting Hunger [Mr. Peanut]
Alfred Benesch & Company

The V8 Summit
RTKL/GRAEF

A Healthy Balance
KJWW Engineering / VOA / Berglund

Chicago Harbor Lighthouse - A beaCAN of hope
Hirsch Associates / C.E. Anderson & Associates / Linn-Mathes

Hungry Birds
HDR Architecture, Inc.

The LEGO ManCAN
BSA Lifestructures

Shake Off Hunger
Potbelly Sandwich Works

Cape CANaveral
The Boeing Company

Hunger is Not a Game
OKW Architects Inc.

Feed Me
Murphy / Jahn Architects

Feed the Hungry, Not the Meter
Eckenhoff Saunders Architects/ W.E. O'Neil

InterCANected
Smith Group JJR

Jonquilla hyperbola [aka Daffodils]
Skidmore, Owing & Merrill LP

Block Out Hunger
RJN Group, Inc.

CANacopia
Goettsch Partners

Show Your Helping Hand
Muller+Muller, Ltd. / Primera Engineers

Hole Food - Do it for Chicago
Harley Ellis Devereaux / AVI-SPL

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Alterpolitan : An Indoor Sculpture Garden [at Inland Steel Bldg.]

Alterpolitan; An Indoor Sculpture Garden
Presented by the Chicago Loop Alliance, Noisivelvet and Art Advisory, Ltd
Curated by Susan Blackman
Temporary Exhibit: May 3 to May 26 , 2012..
Location: Inland Steel Bldg.
Noisivelvet is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for the arts and artists making public work.

Alterpolitan includes sculptures by 17 artists: Andrew Arvanetes, Barbara Cooper, Barry Tinsley, Mike Baur, Corinne D. Peterson, Darrin Hallowell, Derick Malkemus, Elena Rakochy, Bob Emser, Eric W. Stephenson, Jason Verbeek, John Hatlested, John Himmelfarb, Mike Helbing, Ron Gard, Terry Karpowicz and Victoria Fuller.