Sunday, November 22, 2009

Contemplation Point...



Contemplation Point
Location: Edgewater Beach ..
On my trip to the Bryn Mawr district, which was basically to see the murals Living 2007 & Growing 2008.. I wandered in the nearby area of Edgewater beach .. Here I came across some stone chairs arranged in an interesting circular form, with a marker which read "Contemplation Point". I found it a very restful and peaceful place and really a contemplation point.. I wish I was there earlier to see the autumn foliage.. Being a sculpture/public art chaser, there is no greater pleasure in discovering art at unexpected places..



Friday, November 6, 2009

Site of origin of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871





Site of origin of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 ..
Address: Dekoven and Jefferson Streets
Fire started on October 8, 1871 ..
Since 1956, Chicago Fire Academy, a training facility for Chicago firefighters has been located here ..
The "site of the origin of the Great Chicago Fire" was designated a Chicago Landmark: September 15, 1971 ..

Pillar of Fire ..
In 1961, a bronze sculpture of stylized flames entitled "Pillar of Fire" was erected at the point of origin of Chicago fire ..
Sculptor: Egon Weiner ..







At the base of the sculpture " Pillar of Fire" is written:
Here began the Chicago Fire of 1871 ..

The plaque reads ..
Chicago Landmark ..
Site of the origin of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 ..
The great Chicago fire began October 8, 1871, in the O'Leary barn on DeKoven Street. Fanned by a strong wind, in a city largely built of wood structures, the blaze raged for nearly 30 hours. Flames spread so far as Fullerton Avenue, before finally dying out in the early morning rain, October 10. Almost everything in the path of the fire had been destroyed.
Designated a Chicago Landmark on September 15, 1971 ..
by the City Council of Chicago
Richard J. Daley, Mayor
Commission on Chicago Historical and Architectural Landmarks.




One can walk into the hall of the Chicago Fire Academy and talk to the extremely friendly staff here .. take as photographs of the hall .. AND also see the site of Mrs O'Leary's Home, which is marked with a plaque ..





The plaque reads ..
Mrs. O'Leary's Home
On this site stood home and barn of Mrs. O'Leary where the Chicago fire of 1871 started. Although there are many versions of the story of its origin, the real cause of the fire has never been determined.
Erected by Chicago's Charter Jubilee
Authenticated by Chicago Historical Society 1937...




Thursday, November 5, 2009

Hubbard Street Murals

Add caption


Hubbard Street Murals ..
These murals are painted on the concrete train embankments on Hubbard Street between Ogden and Desplaines Avenues ..

The murals were originally painted during the 1970s ... In 1971, Ricardo Alonzo, an Art Institute graduate received permission from Northwest Railway to paint murals on one mile stretch of embankment running from Ogden Avenue and Halsted on Hubbard Street. The project lasted 8 years, and involved over 500 people from throughout Chicagoland, before eventually losing funding in 1979. Over time, they became to be known as "Hubbard Street Murals" ...

In 2000, the Union Pacific Railroad made the decision to begin repairing and reinforcing the aging concrete train embankment, and in the process destroyed much of the original art work ... Conscious of the importance of the murals they began looking for people to stage another public works project at the site. "City at Work" was started by Karen Smith and Fred Montano to do just that. They organized volunteers for the Hubbard Street Mural project [HSMP] to restore some panels and bring new artwork to the refurbished embankment. The new murals maintain some of the original themes: wildlife, endangered species, ethnicity, and Chicago history ...

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption


Since there are many images, I am posting them in a series:

# Hubbard Street Murals - II [Between N. Milwaukee Street and N. Peoria Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - III [Between N. Peoria Street and N. Carpenter Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - IV [Between N. Carpenter Street and N. May Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - V [Between N. May Street and N. Racine Avenue]
# Hubbard Street Murals - VI [Between N. Racine Avenue and N. Ogden Avenue]...

Add caption

REFERENCES:
# The Hubbard Street Murals .. click here ..
# The Hubbard Street Mural project .. click here ..

Hubbard Street Murals - II

Hubbard Street Murals - III

Hubbard Street Murals - III
Between N. Peoria Street and N. Carpenter Street
Click on any image for enlarged view ..

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Check out other posts on Hubbard Street Murals ..
# Hubbard Street Murals - I
# Hubbard Street Murals - II [Between N. Milwaukee Street and N. Peoria Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - III [Between N. Peoria Street and N. Carpenter Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - IV [Between N. Carpenter Street and N. May Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - V [Between N. May Street and N. Racine Avenue]
# Hubbard Street Murals - VI [Between N. Racine Avenue and N. Ogden Avenue]...

Hubbard Street Murals - IV

Hubbard Street Murals - V

Add caption

Hubbard Street Murals - V
Between N. May Street and N. Racine Avenue ..
Click on any image for enlarged view ...

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

Add caption

# The Magnificent Mile -by Daniel Cascardo and the Dearborn Painters [2004]
# Endangered Birds - by Ricki Hill, with assistance from Wes [2004]
# Adam the PO'd Dusky Salamander, et al - by Christopher Jones [2004]
# Flutter bys - by Kimberly Smith-Gnat [2004]
# Spiral Rose - by Bern Haggard [2003]
# Fred's Polar Bears - by Christina Body and Meridee Hodges [2004]
# Matriarchs - by Monica Brown with assistance from Ron Fielding [2004]

Check out other posts on Hubbard Street Murals ..
# Hubbard Street Murals - I
# Hubbard Street Murals - II [Between N. Milwaukee Street and N. Peoria Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - III [Between N. Peoria Street and N. Carpenter Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - IV [Between N. Carpenter Street and N. May Street]
# Hubbard Street Murals - V [Between N. May Street and N. Racine Avenue]
# Hubbard Street Murals - VI [Between N. Racine Avenue and N. Ogden Avenue]...