Harold Washington Social Security Administration Building at 600 West Madison Street…read moreThis piece sits out front of the Chicago Social Security building and definitely grabs your attention. It was Commissioned through GSA's Art in Architecture Program Fine Arts Collection, stands over 100 feet tall and is the work of Claes Oldenburg. It was made in 1977 and is constructed of gray painted steel and aluminum. The sculpture looks like a baseball bat standing on its knob. That is fitting for a city with a storied baseball team such as the Cubs. I really like the wireframe mesh style that the bat is made in. I am sure that that design was also chosen to make the bat lighter. But it still looks awesome. The bat is in great shape, especially considering its age. The sculpture was supposed to be painted red, instead of gray, but that idea was abandoned to distinguish it from the city's famous Flamingo sculpture by the Post Office. You will find a placard in the front of the sculpture that reads, "Oldenburg selected the baseball bat as an emblem of Chicago's ambition and vigor. The sculpture's verticality echoes the city's dramatic skyline, while its form and scale cleverly allude to more traditional civic monuments, such as obelisks and memorial columns." There is metered street parking and commercial garages available within a reasonable walking distance. I understand that this is not a destination piece and would probably be viewed by someone with business in the area or a common passerby. As with most sculptures that I have visited and viewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. I recommend making a visit here part of a larger itinerary or as a stop on your way to/from somewhere else.

THE BATCOLUMN SCULPTURE by Swedish-American Pop Artist Claes Oldenburg…read more Dedicated in 1977..it is a 101-foot-tall outdoor sculpture built in Mr. Oldenburg's style of replicating everyday objects into Colossal and Gigantic sculptural replications. How fitting that we recognize this piece "The Batcolumn" since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in Baseball recently and on any game day...you will see suburbanites parking downtown and taking the L to the Stadium decked out in their "Cubs" Gear! Other Sculptural works of GIANT proportion by Claes Oldenburg in the United States include: 1. The Gigantic Clothespin, The Paint Brush and 3 Way Plug in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 2. The Colossal Cherry on a Spoon in Minneapolis, Minnesota 3. Giant Shuttlecock in Kansas City, Missouri 4. Giant Binoculars in Venice, California 5. The Big Sweep (Dustpan and Brush) in Denver, Colorado 6. Giant Rubber Stamps stating "FREE" in Cleveland, Ohio FYI-Mr. Oldenburg was born in Sweden, but moved to Chicago and became an American Citizen in 1956...he spent his life in Chicago being educated at an early age as his father was a Swedish Diplomat stationed in New York City and later in 1936 appointed the Consul General of Sweden to Chicago, Illinois. See: Wikipedia...https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claes_Oldenburg See this for a picture of Claes Oldenburg in 1977 as the Giant "Batcolumn Sculpture" is preparing for installation: https://charlesosgood.photoshelter.com/image/I0000A1gvwNpRcz0 "One Very Big Bat" article by Rick Kogan in the "Chicago Tribune" (1999). http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-03-14/features/9903140489_1_art-institute-sculpture-city-news-bureau For an article with pictures see"Claes Oldenburg's Supersize Pop Art Sculptures Made Public Art Fun" By Abigail Cain. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-claes-oldenburgs-supersized-pop-sculptures-made-public-art-fun

Short Review: Had a short business trip to a Chicago-- immediately made this a must do before I…read moreleft. Arrived at the United Center, entered went though the security gift shop are, and right on the left was the statute of the GOAT! There was one other person there, so it made it perfect to get as many photos as I wanted. If you're a fan of #23, then you know this a must do.

There's really only so much I can say about a statue. But it's a very cool statue! As a kid who…read moregrew up during his prime, I was thrilled to get to see it. A great photo op for fans of the legend.

This sculpture is featured in the Spirit of Music Gardens located in Grant Park. It pays homage to…read moreGerman-born Theodore Thomas, who was the first conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The piece is a collaborative effort between Albin Polasek and Howard Van Doren Shaw and was constructed in 1923. The piece has been somewhat as a traveling piece, being relocated twice (1941, 1958) before being placed in its current location in 1991. The bronze statue stands 14 feet tall and depicts a bronze muse holding a lyre. The statue is perched on a 4 foot platform and is centered in front of a forty-foot exedra. It is in fair shape, but considering that it is 100 years old, that is not to bad. There is metered street parking, commercial garages and commercial lots within a reasonable walking distance from the statue and park. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a destination piece, nor a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes and I was only there because I was visiting Grant Park. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Created by Jaume Pensa. It's a water feature with two glass towers that projects faces of folks…read more Very cool thing to see. Interactive art installations are some of my favorite pieces to see. In addition, if you're feeling like you need a cool down from that hot Chicago summer weather...you can take off your shoes and soak your tootsies. To me, the splash pad has no age limits. It's worth the quick walk from The Bean to see it.

Gorgeous! Refreshing to spend time here on a hot day. Relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, while also…read morevibrant people watching as kids and adults run through the water. Beautiful interactive fountain and I love seeing the changing and details of the faces. A lovely part of Millennium Park.

It's a flamingo…read more.. Exploring a different part of Chicago we got off Adams/Wabashi station and took a walk around in the early morning for some caffeine and happen upon this structure that definitely caught all of our eyes and took several guesses of what it was that I'm not gonna mention as I was completely wrong though it is art and am sure that the artist wouldn't take it to heart. It's definitely something to behold as it's so massive and as we went to investigate saw it was The Flamingo as this abstract piece is something that I still don't see is a great meet up spot or just a description for location is often used I imagine though here we are still remembering this beauty that did leave an impression on me from Chicago. Thank you!

This bright red/orange piece, that resembles a cross between a praying mantis and an elephant. It…read morejust sucks you in. You cannot pass by it without looking. There is metered street parking and commercial lots within a reasonable walking distance, but most viewers of this statute would be passers by, on their way to another destinations. You will find this piece at the Federal Plaza in front of the Kluczynski Federal Building The steel sculpture is the work of Alexander Calder. It stands 53 feet tall and weighs 50 tons. It was commissioned by GSA in 1974. This piece is well maintained and looks great, especially for its age. I think it is supposed to represent a flamingo, but does not even come close to that. I think at a minimum the piece should have been painted pink versus its current international vermillion hue. As with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a destination piece, nor a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area (and there are many of them), or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Have you ever walked by this and wondered…read more.. "What is THIS?" =Monument with Standing Beast. It is French Artist and Sculptor Jean Dubuffet's public artwork that he "hoped would 'resonate' with the average person." Hmmmm...it is intriguing... The City of Chicago describes the piece as "Monument with Standing Beast is comprised of four elements that suggest a standing animal, a tree, a portal and an architectural form. The configuration invites viewers to enter the sculpture and echoes the dramatically open plan of the James R. Thompson Center." 4 elements: 1. standing animal 2. a tree 3. a portal 4. architectural form (this part is a "no brainer.") See: https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicartjeandubuffetsmonumentwithstandingbeast.html

The Tribune Tower is a 463 ft tall,, 36 floor neo-Gothic skyscraper. The early 1920s international…read moredesign competition for the tower became a historic event in 20th-century architecture. It was built & named for the f Chicago Tribune owner, The Tribune Tower Is a residential & office building. Almost 150 fragments from famous structures & historic sites around the world are embedded in Tribune Tower's first story walls. Chunks of the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramid of Cheops and the Berlin Wall are visible here.

Chicago Tribune Building---Slices of History, Both Inside and Out…read more Spend some time exploring this neo-Gothic landmark on Michigan Avenue. It was built based on a contest that awarded architects prize money totaling $100,000, including a $50,000 first place award which was substantial considering some workers at the time made $1 per day. On the outer walls of the building, there are slices of places from around the world-such as the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Parthenon, Hagia Sophia, the Palace of Westminster, petrified wood from the Redwood National and State Parks, the Great Pyramid, The Alamo, Notre Dame de Paris, Abraham Lincoln's Tomb, Independence Hall, and the Berlin Wall. More recently a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center was added to the wall. So much fun exploring and discovering new landmarks on each visit. On the inside in entrance lobby, the walls have famous quotes related to freedom of speech and the press. More restricted access due to the Tribune Tower being converted into multimillion-dollar luxury apartments. Still a great place to see slices of history.

This review is for Sculptor Louise Nevelson's "Dawn Shadows Sculpture" in the Chicago Loop…read more.... I was on the Brown Line L Train platform and peered down from the right side of Wells Street looking South....and saw the amazing artwork at 200 W. Madison Street...which in itself is a striking modernistic building made of glass allowing the passengers from the L platform to see the art inside the building which I understand is an apartment building with office suites. This is where I learned about the famous Sculptor Louise Nevelson....born in Ukraine in 1899 she passed away in New York City in 1988. Her contributions and artwork includes: "monumental, monochromatic, wooden wall pieces and outdoor sculptures." According to Wikipedia. Her works can be viewed at the Museums of Modern Art in both New York City and San Francisco among other museums. She was influenced by Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso among others. The Harris Theater also features a sculpture of a Stage Curtain for the Opera Orfeo and Euridice from 1984! Ms. Nevelson designed the sets and costumes for Christoph Willibald Gluck's Orfeo and Euridice Opera. See:http://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/08/arts/opera-gluck-s-orfeo-in-st-louis.html?mcubz=0 Her Featured "Dawn Shadows Sculpture" was influenced by the Loop Brown Line and the best vantage point is from the Brown Line Platform at the Washington/Wells Stop. The City of Chicago states, "[I]n "Dawn Shadows," Ms. Nevelson is best known for her large wooden relief sculptures composed of stacked box-enclosures and original and found objects Like most of her work, this steel sculpture is monochromatic and responds to the complexities of urban structures." Now I want to return and explore "the found objects" that are used in the sculpture....and learn more as well as visit the Harris Theater to see her sculpture there! See:https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicartlouisenevelsonsdawnshadows.html