Sunday, October 28, 2007

CBOT Plaza: Agriculture and Industry - Sculptor Unknown.



CBOT Plaza: Agriculture and Industry..
Sculptor: Unknown
Location: The Chicago Board of Trade plaza
Description: Granite / 12 foot high / Five-&-half ton weight..












These staues have a very interesting story. The plaque as seen the the middle of the stautes reads..
"These two statues one symbolizing agriculture and the other industry once stood at the main entrance of the Board of Trade Building built in 1885. The statues greeted commodity traders and the public for 45 years. Thought lost forever when the buildings were demolished in 1929 to make way for the exchange's current Art Deco structure in 2005, the statues were graciously returned to their origins through the generosity and goodwill of DuPage County Forest Preserve District." .... These statues were uncovered from the Lake Preserve forest..

Some other artwork of interest at the Chicago Board of Trade Building..
# Sculptural reliefs - By Alvin Meyer.. click here..
# Ceres - By John Bradley Storrs.. click here..
# Agriculture and Industry.. Sculptor unknown.. click here..

Loop - Thompson Center [Bridgeport (1984) - by John Henry]


Bridgeport (1984) - by John Henry


Bridgeport - by John Henry

1984

 Painted aluminum

Location: Foyer of the Thompson Center.

Commissioned by the Illinois CDB Art in Architecture program.


Thompson Center [ Monument With Standing Beast (1984) - by Jean Dubuffet]



Monument With Standing Beast (1984) - by Jean Dubuffet




Monument with Standing Beast - by Jean Dubuffet

1984

 Fiberglass sculpture / 29 feet H / weighing 10-tons

Location: James R Thompson Center Plaza

Commissioned by Illinois CDB Art in Architecture program.


CBOT Fountain





Art Deco Founatin at Chicago Board of Trade bldg. Plaza..



Saturday, October 27, 2007

Daley Center Plaza



The Daley Plaza is the courtyard adjacent to the Richard J. Daley Center, which is the premier civic center of the City of Chicago in Illinois. The plaza serves more than 10,000 people a day..





The main building [Daley Center] behind the Picasso sculpture, was designed in the international architectural style by Jacques Brownson of the firm C. F. Murphy Associates and completed in 1965. At the time it was the tallest building in Chicago .

Some outstanding art pieces are:
Untitled [Known as Picasso] - by Pablo Picasso
The Eternal Flame Memorial
The Daley Plaza fountain
 "Under the Picasso", features lunchtime performances, ethnic festivals, holiday celebrations, farmers markets and more..
 



 
The marker reads..
Chicago Landmark..
Daley Center..
C.F.Murphy Associates, architect..
Pablo Picasso, sculptor..
1965, 1967 [Chicago Picasso]
This building is an exceptional example of the International Style and was Chicago's first major public building to be disigned in a modern, rather than historically-derived style. Innovative for its time are the building's eighty-seven foot spans of steel framing, it's exceptional internal spatial flexibility, and the first-ever use of self-weathering Cor-Ten steel as an exterior "skin" for a skyscraper. The monumental sculpture on the building's plaza, also fabricated of Cor-Ten steel, was designed by Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Designated on November 6, 2002..
Richard M. Daley, Mayor
Commission on Chicago Landmarks..
 



Eternal Flame Memorial..
Construction finish: 1972
It was dedicated on August 22, 1972. The eternal flame is Chicago's first memorial to honor the dead from four wars, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The Eternal Flame Memorial at Daley Plaza is a granite slab bearing a bronze circular disk containing a natural gas flame that burns perpetually. The inscription reads as follows: Eternal flame in memory of the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves and Merchant Marines. City officials created the Eternal Flame in response to veterans organization leaders' pleas for a memorial that would serve as a monument to deceased service personnel. The flame which burns continuously was on August 22, 1972 by Albina Nance, who was then President of the Illinois Gold Star Mothers, an organization of the mothers of fallen service members.
# For more, click here..






The Daley Plaza Fountain ...



Untitled [called The Picasso] - By Pablo Picasso..
Unveiled in 1967 ..

 
Map for visually impared...
 


During holiday time there is a wonderful Christmas Market in the Daley Plaza .

The main building [Daley Center] behind the Picasso sculpture, was designed in the international architectural style by Jacques Brownson of the firm C. F. Murphy Associates and completed in 1965. At the time it was the tallest building in Chicago ...

REALTED LINKS..
The Daley Plaza: click here..
Untitled [Known as Picasso] - by Pablo Picasso click here..
Eternal Flame Memorial.. click here..
Daley Plaza: Fountain click here..
Map for visually impaired.. click here..
Maquette for Picasso's Chicago [Art Institute of Chicago]..

Friday, October 26, 2007

Daley Plaza: Untitled [known as Picasso] - by Pablo Picasso..


Untitled - Known as The Picasso - by Pablo Picasso

Unveiled: 1967

Corten steel / 50 feet tall and weighs 162 tons

Location: Richard J. Daley Civic Center Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.

The sculpture design is a gift by the artist Pablo Picasso to the people of Chicago.


Daley Plaza: Eternal Flame Memorial..





Continued from the post on the Daley Plaza..
Eternal Flame Memorial..
Construction finish: 1972
"This is the heart of Chicago and I know the heart of Chicago is with us today."
With those words, Mayor Richard J. Daley dedicated an eternal flame to the Daley Center Plaza. When it was dedicated on August 22, 1972, the eternal flame was Chicago's first memorial to honor the dead from four wars, World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The Eternal Flame Memorial at Daley Plaza is a granite slab bearing a bronze circular disk containing a natural gas flame that burns perpetually. The inscription reads as follows: Eternal flame in memory of the men and women who have served in our armed forces. Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves and Merchant Marines.

City officials created the Eternal Flame in response to veterans organization leaders' pleas for a memorial that would serve as a monument to deceased service personnel. The flame which burns continuously was lit on August 22, 1972 by Albina Nance, who was then President of the Illinois Gold Star Mothers, an organization of the mothers of fallen service members.






REALTED LINKS..
The Daley Plaza: click here..
Untitled [Known as Picasso] - by Pablo Picasso click here..
Eternal Flame Memorial.. click here..
Daley Plaza: Fountain click here..
Map for visually impaired.. click here..
Maquette for Picasso's Chicago [Art Institute of Chicago]..

Daley Plaza: Fountain..




Continued from the post on the Daley Plaza..






The water in the fountain was dyed red in support of Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup run in 2010..

REALTED LINKS..
The Daley Plaza: click here..
Untitled [Known as Picasso] - by Pablo Picasso click here..
Eternal Flame Memorial.. click here..
Daley Plaza: Fountain click here..
Map for visually impaired.. click here..
Maquette for Picasso's Chicago [Art Institute of Chicago]..

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Daley Plaza: Map for visually impaired..





Continued from the post on the Daley Plaza..
Daley Plaza map for visually impaired..
 



It's position in the plaza.. see to the bottom right corner..
 
REALTED LINKS..
The Daley Plaza: click here..
Untitled [Known as Picasso] - by Pablo Picasso click here..
Eternal Flame Memorial.. click here..
Daley Plaza: Fountain click here..
Map for visually impaired.. click here..
Maquette for Picasso's Chicago [Art Institute of Chicago]..
 

Monday, October 22, 2007

Miro's Chicago (1981) - by Joan Miro






Miro's Chicago - by Joan Miro
Originally known as The Sun, The Moon and One Star

 Designed: 1963 / Unveiled: 1981..
 Description: Steel, wire mesh, concrete, bronze and ceramic tile .. 
Height: 39 ft. 
Location: Brunswick Building Plaza.. 
Cook County Administration Building, 69 W. Washington St., Chicago






In 1969 the Burnswick Corporation commissioned a design from Miro for this sculpture. But they decided not to proceed for cost reasons. In 1979, the first female Mayor of Chicago Jane Byrne agreed to find fund for the sculpture assuming the other 50% would come from elsewhere. Several institutions, foundations and individuals donated to the city. The city of Chicago contributed $250,000 and majority funding came from other donors.


 This was initially called "The Sun, the Moon and One Star" and later renamed Miró's Chicago .. From the City of Chicago's, Public Art Program website.. The playfully poetic images of Joan Miró’s art comprise a private mythology derived from the artist’s memories of his homeland in Catalonia, Spain. Using his unique visual symbolism, Miró imbued this sculpture with the mystical presence of an earth deity, both cosmic and worldly. Shapes and forms found in this composition evoke celestial imagery and common objects. The bell-shaped base draws the viewer’s gaze downward, symbolizing Miró’s association of the female form with the earth. The sphere at center represents the moon while the shape of the face is derived from that of a ceramic hook. The fork projecting from the top of the head is symbolic of a star, with individual tines representing rays of light...


.






The maquette for Miro's Chicago at the Art Institute of Chicago.


For a better understanding of Miro's style, check out some of his paintings at the Art In
stitute of Chicago.. click here... 
RELATED LINKS:

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Loop: Thompson Center [Illinois River Landscape (1985) - by Richard Hunt]

Illinois River Landscape (1985) - by Richard Hunt





Illinois River Landscape - by Richard Hunt

1985

Location: James R. Thompson Center

Commissioned by the Illinois CDB Art in Architecture 


Thursday, October 18, 2007

Loop [Freeform (1993) - by Richard Hunt]

Freeform (1993) - by Richard Hunt



Freeform - By Richard Hunt

1993

 Stainless steel / H 26 ft. x W 35 ft. x D 2 ft.

Location: Exterior facade of 160 N. LaSalle St
State of Illinois Building

Commissioned by Illinois CDB Art in Architecture program.