Cloud Gate at Millennium Park

[ekmanning5]

I took a trip into Chicago last week to see the Homer/Hopper exhibit at the Art Institute. While I was there I took these pics of the Cloud Gate (commonly referred to as The Bean) sculpture in Millennium Park. The last two shots are from underneath it looking up. You can see my flash going off in one. The park is really beautiful and at this time of year empty as well. :thmbsp: It's well worth a visit if you get to the Chicago area.

[Snade]

Ed, I agree, this park is a gem.

One of the most beautiful and interesting parks in a large city. A couple of shots below of the park I took the first year after it opened.


http://www.gallagher.com/photos/2004/Chicago_Millennium_Park/cloud_gate.jpg



http://www.gallagher.com/photos/2004/Chicago_Millennium_Park/Millennium_Park_Fountain.jpg


Cheers, Snade

[BroonsBane]

What the hell is that thing?

[jimfet]

Don't go there doing acid

[ekmanning5]

What the hell is that thing?

Don't know exactly what its material make up is (help me out here Mark), but it is highly polished metel that is curved inside and out to give the remarkable reflections of the surrounding architecture. Here's a shot of the fountain area that Snade gave us. Nobody here today although in the summer the area is packed. There are two of these glass walls at either end of the area. Images of people's faces are shown on them and at timed intervals water shoots out of their mouths. A big hit with kids of all ages.

[cfranz]

I believe it's stainless. It's an enormous stainless steel bean. It took too long to build and was too expensive. Except that we love it and didn't mind paying for it.

[Snade]

What the hell is that thing?

Cloud Gate sculpture (also called "the bean")

http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/cloud_gate.html

The Fountain:

http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/crown_fountain.html

[Tom Brennan]

Except that we love it and didn't mind paying for it.

Whaddaya mean "we", Dooper? ;)

I big thanks to the Ironworkers who actually built the thing. I looked closely at the welds and the grinding and flapping and those guys did some nice work.

I wonder if they were out'a Local 1 or Local 63?

[Fedallah]

According to Wikipedia, it received no public funding.

I've been to Chicago twice, but I don't think I've ever seen Cloud Gate. Odd.

[ekmanning5]

Are you union Tom? I'm out of Laborers local 582 (ret).

[Tom Brennan]

Are you union Tom? I'm out of Laborers local 582 (ret).


Good to meet a brother. I'm retired out'a Boilermakers Local 1, Chicago.

[Tom Brennan]

I've been to Chicago twice, but I don't think I've ever seen Cloud Gate. Odd.


Not so odd. Now what would be odd is if you didn't get out to Elmwood Park for a beef at Johnny's.;)

[Robie]

I believe the "Bean" was unveiled and on display for a while when it was completed to a reasonable level so that it could be visible when the surrounding park was officially opened.

However, it was not yet finished. After a limited initial display period, it was then covered with a tent for 10 months or so and highly polished by a team of workers to an amazing level so that the seams are no longer even visible. I may be wrong, but I think Snade's pic of the "Bean" was before the final polishing. It does provide an idea of how it was constructed but if you were to see it now, the seams are no longer visible (See Ed's pics in the OP and the seams don't even show).

When it was first announced, it sounded interesting at best to me. But seing it in person is really remarkable.

[Robie]

Tom, you snuck a post in when I was writing the above.

Funny you mentioned Johnny's. I've lived in the Chicago area for all but 4 years of my life and I just went to Johnny's last Friday for the first time. Amazing Italian beef. Easily the best I've ever had. Great tamales too.

Next time I'm trying a combo (Italian sausage and beef on the same sandwich). The sausage looked great on the spit over charcoal.

[Snade]

I may be wrong, but I think Snade's pic of the "Bean" was before the final polishing. It does provide an idea of how it was constructed but if you were to see it now, the seams are no longer visible.


Right Robie, my photo was taken the first year the park was open and the seams are visible. Good eye. You can see in Ed's recent photo that the seams are now gone.

Snade

[DENNYDOG]

Maybe this should be the "Show us your bean pictures" thread?

I visited Chicago last fall with some friends. Its a great city if you are having a hard time deciding where you should go on vacation.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2387920877_2800fb5372_b.jpg

[prisoners]

There's a cool audible effect if you stand underneath it just toward the lake, you can hear voices from people behind you but it sounds like they are in front.

[Robie]

Beautiful pic, Dennydog.

[Snade]

Beautiful pic, Dennydog.

Agreed.

Nice shot. :thmbsp:

[hypertone]

Great photographs! :thmbsp:

[Tom Brennan]

Its a great city if you are having a hard time deciding where you should go on vacation.
[/IMG]


I dunno, it's a great place to live but I wouldn't want to visit there.

[ekmanning5]

I dunno, it's a great place to live but I wouldn't want to visit there.

I disagree. I lived on the NW side for the first thirty years of my life. I was a typical neighborhood guy and rarely took in much of what happened down town. Now when I go I tend to do the more touristy things. Last night I was at the House of Blues to see Trower. Walking back to the train I was blown away at how beautiful the city is. Maybe I appreciate it more in smaller doses. :scratch2:

[Tom Brennan]

That was a joke EK, you know, a play on "it's a nice place to visit but.....".


I grew up on the West Side and I was downtown all the time. several times a week. I'd just jump on the Lake St. El and bingo, down there in no time. I'd cut school and go down to the Loop, catch a 9 AM picture, have lunch at Whimpies and browse in the big library on Michigan.

I had a job after school working for a tailor on Madison St. and I was down at the pants, coats and vestmakers on Wells St. and the cloth merchants on Franklin several times a week. See, the tailor didn't sew the suit, he'd measure and cut the suit but there were big lofts on Wells that did the sewing. When it came back to the tailor he'd do the fine tuning.

And after that I went down to Tribune Tower and worked my job doing the night deliveries of the Trib; I was the helper on a delivery truck, we did the city from Lake St. to North Ave and from the lakefront to Austin Blvd. Pretty cool job.

[ekmanning5]

I grew up on the West Side and I was downtown all the time. several times a week. I'd just jump on the Lake St. El and bingo, down there in no time. I'd cut school and go down to the Loop, catch a 9 AM picture, have lunch at Whimpies and browse in the big library on Michigan.

I had a job after school working for a tailor on Madison St. and I was down at the pants, coats and vestmakers on Wells St. and the cloth merchants on Franklin several times a week. See, the tailor didn't sew the suit, he'd measure and cut the suit but there were big lofts on Wells that did the sewing. When it came back to the tailor he'd do the fine tuning.

And after that I went down to Tribune Tower and worked my job doing the night deliveries of the Trib; I was the helper on a delivery truck, we did the city from Lake St. to North Ave and from the lakefront to Austin Blvd. Pretty cool job.

My friend, it sounds like you've had a verrry interesting life.