Frozen in Time
Officially becoming a city in the 1830’s, Chicago has had 287 years to become a melting pot of its citizens ever-changing ways. There are countless captivating stories that this city holds, and one of the many ways stories are told is through permanent art structures that are Frozen in Time. I chose to focus my travel through Chicago’s history in the Loop, due to the fact that it is a heavy tourist area; thinking that the amount of tourism would affect the number sculptures placed there. With the vast differences in generations and the way society functions, sculptures vary in that way too; by mapping statues found in the Chicago loop, the history of the city is also being mapped. Before I begin my future here, it is important that I take the time to understand the city’s past.
Deciding to research the history of the sculptures and noting the importance of its location, I have made this project a more investigative venture. Through this investigative process, not only is knowledge if the city’s history gaines, but so is the functionality of this public art. With a surprise at every turn, it is not hard to become engulfed in the masses of people surrounding a brilliant structure; a statue allows people to find a place to gather and pull them in with a certain quality whether it be the size, design, or location. The Loop is a busy area of Chicago, a place for every kind of person, and being an area that is so frequently traveled there is no lack in space to walk. Being basically in the center of all the action, there are masses of people trying to get from place to place quickly; in a city when someone asks about the quickest way to get to a location, it does not necessarily mean they will be driving, but rather walking. By starting with the basic structure of a road map, with streets and intersections labeled, I then added color around the edges to representation for Lake Michigan and the Chicago River in order to give a sense of direction; with Lake Michigan as the guiding direction at the “top” of the map, allows viewers to understand that the “top” is east based upon the placement of the lake.
Stop #1:
Getting off the L at the Jackson stop, near the Loop campus, I head west. It does not take long to run into the eye-catching sculpture called the Flamingo. Constructed in 1973 and unveiled in 1974, Calder wanted to create a function piece for the location, which is why it stands 53 feet tall to enable pedestrians to walk under, and stark contrast between the dark business buildings by coloring it red. It sits in the middle of a plaza in front of a federal building; acting as a centerpiece, the sculpture creates a place to gather. Without this structure, it would be an empty concrete square and “for planners concerned with making city streets more amenable and pedestrian-friendly, findings such as these have enormous implications: by simply changing the appearance and physical structure of a building’s bottom three metres, they can exert a dramatic impact on the manner in which a city is used” (Ellard), therefore making the plaza a place to walk through instead of avoid. Standing on the corner of Jackson and Dearborn, I watch business people rushing with their umbrellas under the sculpture in order to get to their end location in the fastest manor. Getting closer, the bright red exterior of the structure is the only thing reflecting light on this gloomy, rainy day; Flamingo not only brings a gathering piece to an otherwise vacant area, but brings light into dark corners.
Stop #2:
Walking north along Dearborn, I reach my next destination: Chicago Picasso. An untitled monument created by Pablo Picasso in 1967, sitting in front of the Daley Center that was an innovative, modern building for its time. Standing 50 feet tall, the rusting metal untitled monument resembles a jungle gym to many people, with easy access and ability to climb up and slide down the base of the structure. Unfortunately though, at this time it was still raining, so instead of hearing the playful screams of children sliding down the statue all I heard was the splashing of people’s feet as they quickly walked through the puddles that settled on the sidewalk.
Stop #3:
Once again, it does not take long to run into the next sculpture in the Loop. At the corner of Randolph and Clark, I turn to see a large black and white sculpture that appears to be made of stone due to the rough surface. Sitting in front of the James R. Thompson center and across from City Hall, Monument with Standing Beast created in 1984 portrays a standing animal and a tree in an architectural form. Actually made of white fiberglass at a height of 29 feet, this structure acts more as a reference piece to many Chicagoans and is affectionately called “Snoopy in a Blender”. Behind me I can hear the screeching of cars breaking on the slippery roads, as I watch many walk past on their daily errands, but I witness a few who stop and stare at the interesting piece for a moment before they continue on with their day.
Stop #4:
Deciding that I should head up towards Millennium Park, I begin to walk east along Randolph; for the fourth time now, quickly running into another sculpture called We Will. Made out of stainless steel at a height of 35 feet, is sculpted as a piece of beauty and contrast for those who pass by. As this area grows residentially, there has been struggle to find “a balance in the booming West Loop, which attracts scores of visitors to its Randolph Street restaurant row and Fulton Market district yet is struggling to retain the character that made those areas attractive in the first place” (Kamin), making We Will the perfect candidate for an addition of character. It shows a curving façade that allows for more space to those walking past, and enhancing the environment for those who living in the building next to it. As I stop to take a photo, the rain has stopped and more people are out and about; a FedEx truck pulls up beside and begins to unload packages, people stop and stare at me w possibly wondering why I am taking so many pictures of one statue.
Stop #5:
Once I reach Michigan Ave., I make a right and I see Millennium Park! I walk down the crowded sidewalk towards the crosswalk, that I just missed my signal for; I look around as I patiently wait for my turn to cross the street, turning around I see the Chicago Bronze Bull. Standing in front of the Chicago Cultural Center, the Bronze Cow is a gift from all Chicagoans as a support for art in a public space. Watching people enter and exit the cultural center, no one stops to acknowledge the cow, its present is simply accepted.
Stop #6:
Crossing Michigan Ave., I walk into Wrigley Square which is infested with people standing around and chatting among themselves. At the edge of Millennium Park, Wrigley Square is dedicated to the people of Chicago in 2002. A grand fountain and a half-circle of column behind it make for a sophisticated look that is not to overwhelming.
Stop #7 and 8:
Pushing my way through the groups of people, I enter the center of the park; I then see the infamous Cloud Gate. Millennium Park was created in 2004, the designer looked out the window of his high-rise and thought that the empty land was ugly; then came the idea to create a park, with public art as its centerpiece. “No matter how interesting, raffish, or elegant downtown’s streets may be, something else is needed: focal points” (Tseng), and Millennium Park is a park of focal points. Cloud Gate has an exterior made of metal that is meant to reflect the Chicago skyline and the clouds, to show everyone how beautiful the city is. Next in line is Millennium Park’s Crown Fountain: 2 tall brick structures that project different faces on the front and spew out water during the summer time. Both sculptures are important to the Park, as they are large gathering areas with easy talking points, and room for the family to explore.
Stop #9:
Walking out of Millennium Park I continue down Michigan, as everything along this road is so interesting. Eventually I get up next to the Art Institute, that is guarded by the Lions; with one lion on either side of the building, they are recognized as the city’s most beloved and recognizable sculptures. Created in 1893, the lions look as though they are ready to attack if anything bad comes their way. While looking at the Lions, I was asked to move out of the way so a family of 3 could get their picture with it; after they got their photo, a line formed behind to get their picture as well and it continued to grow.
Stop #10:
Making my way into Grant Park, I find a Bust of Sir Georg Solti; that was created in 1987, and relocated to Grant Park in 2006. Sir Georg Solti was a world famous orchestra conductor, and won 32 Grammy Awards; he is praised with his work of breathing new life to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the 1960's. He recognized his importance to Chicago making him once say, “they should erect a statue to me”, so they did.
Stop #11:
At the other end of the park, there was a sculpture of a lady holding a lyre- The Spirit of Music. Built in 1923, it commemorates the creator of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Theodore Thomas. Sometimes called “Grant Park’s Sweetheart”, people sit on the benches behind and in front of her as a place to relax and chat with one another. While in Grant Park, many people were sprawled out reading books or on their phones; it felt like a quaint and quiet place, perfect for relaxation.
Stop #12 and 13:
I am getting tired, therefore I am close to the end of my journey to find sculptures. Luckily, my last stop had 3 of them. On either side of Congress Parkway, there are two statues called The Bowman and The Spearman; installed in 1928, two powerful male figures are sat on horseback to portray the Native Americans who once roamed the land we now call Chicago. Each sculpture is 17 feet tall, 35 feet tall atop their pedestals; both figures are both positioned to look like they are throwing weapons, they were never included to leave it to the viewer’s imagination. On the median between these two Native American figures, stands Daphne who was created in 2003. Daphne was a Greek mythological creature who was transformed into a plant, so that she wouldn’t be captured. This sculpture is capturing the transformation of Daphne from figure to plant, by using the fauna that grow around her to act as her transformation.
Works Cited
Ellard, Colin. “Why Boring Streets Make Pedestrians Stressed and Unhappy — Colin Ellard | Aeon Essays.” Aeon, Aeon, 23 Oct. 2017, aeon.co/essays/why-boring-streets-make-pedestrians-stressed-and-unhappy.
Kamin, Blair. “The Growth of Chicago’s Super Loop: So Much Building, so Little Architecture.”Chicagotribune.com, 10 Sept. 2017, www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/kamin/ct-chicago-building-boom-kamin-met-0903-20170908-column,amp.html.
Tseng, Nin-Hai. “Downtown Is for People (Fortune Classic, 1958).” Fortune, 18 Sept. 2011, fortune.com/2011/09/18/downtown-is-for-people-fortune-classic-1958/.
