An early morning trip downtown provided an opportunity for a few snowy photos, before eventually visiting the warmth of the Art Institute. More about that later!
Skating is free at McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, located in Millennium Park, though you are required to make an online reservation. If you don't have your own skates, rentals are available for a fee. It’s a major winter destination in Chicago, near Michigan Avenue shopping. In the summer months, this 16,000 square foot space is converted into the Park Grill Plaza, a popular outdoor dining area.
Just up the stairs from the skating rink is the
"Bean" (Cloud Gate) sculpture.
The official name, Cloud Gate, comes from the fact that 80% of its surface reflects the sky, and its 12-foot-high arch creates a "gate" that visitors can walk through to reach the park. Although with the morning's fresh snow fall the sky reflection is far less than 80%!
It was created by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor. It was his first public outdoor work in the United States. Kapoor was inspired by liquid mercury. The sculpture is designed to reflect and distort the surrounding city skyline, the clouds, and the people walking around it.
The sculpture is made of 168 stainless steel plates welded together. The seams were polished to create a completely seamless, mirror-like finish.
It stands 33 feet high, 66 feet long, and 42 feet wide. It is an incredibly heavy structure, weighing approximately 110 tons.
Flamingo, an abstract steel artwork created by Alexander Calder and installed in 1974 is another famous sculpture in Chicago. It is located in the Federal District about 1 mile away from the 'Bean'
You might recognize the Flamingo from its appearance in the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off during the parade sequence.
It stands 53 feet tall and weighs roughly 50 tons. It is painted in a specific shade of vermilion now known as "Calder Red." and this intense color contrasts with the dark, monochromatic office buildings.
