“What I wanted to do in Millennium Park is make something that would engage the Chicago skyline so that one will see the clouds kind of floating in, with those very tall buildings reflected in the work. And then, since it is in the form of a gate, the participant, the viewer, will be able to enter into this very deep chamber that does, in a way, the same thing to one’s reflection as the exterior of the piece is doing to the reflection of the city around.“
— Anish Kapoor, designer of Chicago’s Cloud Gate
SHOP THE LOOK:
Coat – Vintage (similar) || Pants – Blank NYC (similar) || Sweater – Forever 21 (similar) || Scarf – Club Monaco (similar) || Booties – Renvy (similar) || Sunglasses – Le Specs || iPhone Case – Stella McCartney
Photos courtesy of Ali of Those White Walls
When I think of all the tourist attractions actually WORTH visiting in Chicago, Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate” is my absolute favorite.
Designed to reflect our city’s distinctly massive skyline, this gigantic silver “bean” (as it’s so often called by locals), is easily one of the coolest spots you’ll ever shoot at. It’s reflective surface gives a unique perspective of Chicago, reflecting not only the chaos of our enormous, crowded skyline but also the natural peace of Millennium Park immediately around it.
A true artistic juxtaposition if there ever was one.
And who doesn’t love a great piece of public art that actually makes you THINK about the city around you? That actually incorporates that city and its surroundings into it’s design…
The Cloud Gate is where the urban and natural meet — where true, modern, interactive art manages to morph this city into something else. Something more. Even for us locals, the Cloud Gate offers a new, more beautiful perspective of our familiar city. Suddenly we have a mirror into our city’s soul and life — a mirror that draws tourists and locals alike. A mirror that brings us together, if only to get a quintessential selfie in its reflection.
We might as well rename this sculpture to the Chicago Gate. Because Cloud Gate feels so abstracted from its real home.
Somehow this simple sculpture manages to perfectly symbolize the city I call home — it manages to blend in with the busyness of our cityscape in a way that feels organic, not forced. In its short life (it was only erected in 2004), it’s quickly become one of the most historic and ground-breaking pieces of public art in the entire world. Not bad for a sculpture inspired by droplets of mercury, huh?
If you’re ever in Chicago looking for a really cool, completely free experience, head straight to the Cloud Gate and have your camera ready!
