Public Art in Chicago

Chicago is often accused of being sculpture-crazy and fountain-obsessed, much to the secret delight of its natives. A dedicated tourist could spend days wandering and still never see all the wonderful public art in Chicago. Here's a guide on where to find the most famous pieces.

The Loop

The Loop has more grand-scale art per square foot than any other part of the city. Start in Millennium Park with Chicago's most famous sculpture, Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor. Affectionately called "The Bean" for its resemblance to a silver kidney bean, both adults and children shouldn't miss the opportunity to stand underneath and take pictures of themselves reflected back from above.

Also in Millennium Park is the Crown Fountain, a contemporary reimagining of the water fountain by Jaume Plensa. The fountain is made of two glass block towers with LCD screens that display pictures of Chicago residents. In warm weather, the towers shoot water into the middle reflecting pool, and kids yell and splash around. This can double as a hot-day activity to break up the monotony of sightseeing.

For a more traditional fountain experience, head over to Grant Park's recently refurbished Buckingham Fountain. Grant Park is full of sculptures of historical significance, but perhaps the most interesting is Agora at the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt. Made by Magdalena Abakanowicz, Agora is a grouping of 106 pairs of towering bronze legs.

While the parks of the Loop hold some of Chicago's most recognizable public art, there are some real treasures scattered amongst the skyscrapers. The Daley Center Plaza at 50 W. Washington is home to a 50-foot-tall sculpture by none other than Pablo Picasso. It is huge, metal and features what could be interpreted as a giant eyeball at the top. Some call it a woman, while some say it is a bird or a baboon. Go see it for yourself and decide.

Down the street at 69 W. Washington you'll find another towering sculpture by Joan Miro. Also look for Marc Chagall's The Four Seasons, a 250-long mosaic depicting city scenes located at 10 S. Dearborn.

Museum Campus

Just south of the Loop, the Museum Campus is home to a Children's Garden. Like Millennium Park, this is a great place to take kids to see public art in Chicago where they can interact with the sculptures. The Children's Garden features four distinct sculptures that double as climbing structures officially called Geography Earth, Rock Earth, Water Earth and Climbing Earth.

While you're on the Museum Campus, check out some of Chicago's grown-up public art. The ironic Man with Fish sculpture in front of the Shedd Aquarium depicts a cartoonish man proud of his enormous catch. Man Enters the Cosmos by Sir Henry Moore is an abstract bronze sundial by the Adler Planetarium. Big Beaver is a 65-foot tall Native American-style totem pole that greets Field Museum visitors.

Hyde Park/South Side

It is only natural that a neighborhood as rich in history as Hyde Park is home to some of Chicago's most famous public art. The most important sculpture to check off your list is Lorado Taft's Fountain of Time in Washington Park. You'll recognize it immediately-it is a hundred concrete figures passing by Father Time. Another important work is Henry Moore's Nuclear Energy on the University of Chicago's campus. This sculpture commemorates the first successful nuclear reaction created by man.

Lincoln Park

The Lincoln Park Zoo is the best place to see lots of animal sculptures in one place. The Lincoln Park Zoo is always free, so the art within truly falls under the category of public art in Chicago. In addition to George Suyeoka lion, elephant and bear fountains, the zoo has every kind of outdoor art, from interesting architecture to stuff the kids can climb on.

Some of the best animal sculptures to look for are the East Gate arch and Veryl Goodnight's Pathfinders wolf family by the children's zoo area. Another must-see sculpture, which is arguably the most impressive sculpture in the Lincoln Park Zoo, is not an animal at all, but an angel looking over two children. It is called Dream Lady, and you can find this Edward McCarten piece northeast of the primate house.

Humboldt Park

To see public art in Chicago off the normal tourist path, head out to Humboldt Park on the city's northwest side. Several businesses host Puerto Rican murals on their walls dating back to 1970. Despite their bright colors, these murals tackle heavy themes like immigration and the struggle for independence and display a sense of community pride. Arcing over Division Street are two metal Puerto Rican flag sculptures, marking the Paseo Boricua. The best way to see these murals is to take a No. 70 Division bus headed west and look out the right side windows.

Sources:
"Art and Architecture" Millennium Park Website
"Explore Chicago" City of Chicago's Official Tourism Website
Public Art in Chicago Blog