Anish Kapoor's "Cloud Gate" a/k/a The Jelly Bean

Please see an update on Cloud Gate (in this blog) at: http://cyncity.typepad.com/cyn_city/2005/08/making_it_shine.html

Please see the  most recent update with photos of the finished Cloud Gate and more.                           

Five years in the planning, London-based artist Anish Kapoor brings Chicago's brand new Millennium Park, it's aesthetic centrepiece.

This thing is so, so, so coooool!
You must experience it to believe it. People smiling, puzzling, exclaiming--it provoked all kinds of response--but I heard not a negative word about it.
But it's not finished! It's to be covered up again after one week on view--until November--to finish the seams.
Can't wait until it "opens" permanently.Total fun-ness and right across the street from the Art Institute!

Heading Into "The Belly" Of The Beast

Find my spouse and kid (or not). I'm taking the shot.
A  major feature of Millennium Park is the 110-ton elliptical sculpture designed by the celebrated British artist Anish Kapoor, one of the most prolific and respected sculptors in the world. "Cloud Gate," the monumental sculpture located on SBC Plaza was named by the artist on June 29 when the final panel of the ellptical sculpture was installed.

The sculpture is forged of a seamless series of highly-polished stainless steel "plates" that create an elliptically-arched, highly reflective work with Chicago's skyline and Millennium Park itself as a dramatic backdrop. Visitors will be able to fully experience the majestic nature of the work by literally walking through and around, as it was designed for public interaction. Inspired by liquid mercury, the sculpture is among the largest in the world, measuring 66-feet long by 33-feet high.

Outside the bean. Find me!

Anish Kapoor revealed his chosen title for the elliptical stainless steel sculpture as Cloud Gate. As is his custom, Kapoor waited until the sculpture was fully assembled to reveal its name. Now on view, the polishing of Cloud Gate will be complete by the fall.

"What I wanted to do in Millennium Park is make something that would engage the Chicago skyline," says Kapoor. "So everything that’s white in this model would be ground, earth, and everything that isn’t white would be sky, so that one will see the clouds kind of floating in, with those very tall buildings reflected in the work.

Inside ~ "The Belly Button"
I'm there. I'm wearing a short, white skirt and gray short sleeve v-neck top, if that helps.

"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.

"It's a multiple-layered experience of a kind of personal space that's opened up in the stone and the city space that's reflected on the exterior."

(the artist)

Comments

[Anne]

Wow, that's awesome! You are easily to spot, being the only one with the camera trained on the thing. :>

[Cyn]

Yeah, I didn't make it too hard to find me, did I? :)

[mp]

It's a giant blob of mercury. Cool.

Found you in the 3rd one. The rest made me woozy.

[TechGirl]

I just came back from seeing the 'Cloud Gate' Exhibit.

I must say, it's nothing like I've ever seen in this lifetime. Beautiful, shiny and reflective...

Has anyone noticed the energy flow of this thing?

From at least 80 feet away from this sculpture, the energy has a drawing effect that goes in and out of it.

When I walked into it, I felt as if I was in a gentle whirlpool of energy that went up and down at the same time.

Standing at different points had a different flow of energy that flow out from under the scuplture.

Look directly up from the center of it is not for the fainthearted. I asked some of the people how they felt and asked them to try looking straight up while standing the middle; some felt in a range of 'nothing' to 'slightly dizzy'. I felt a little of both.

I think the vibration of the sculpture was way too high for me. I didn't feel so good afterwards but it was temporary. Granted, this is no bad reflection Anish Kapoor, but I think we have a well known 'Stonehenge' in our midst.

It's just my opinion...

[sidhant]

kapoor's creation is like a wish of a child and a dream of an adult

and then there is someone appearing to watch us all from the jelly bean

[A]

As a member of the crew that built this sculpture in Oakland, California, I have to say how wonderful it is to see and hear the reactions this thing is getting. It was an incredibly frustrating (at times) two years that I worked on it, and it's wonderful to know that it wasn't time spent in vain! I haven't seen the whole thing myself in person yet, but given what I saw while it was under construction and what I can see from the photos, I imagine it's pretty incredible. Thanks for the photos and writeup!

[Cyn]

What wonderful comments!

Thank you "A" for the effort that you put into making this incredible interactive outdoor artwork for us to enjoy. I think this sclpture will draw many people for many years and without the team effort involved, it couldn't have been possible.

[Christopher]

Nice info and I really want to go there NOW..

Just out of curiosity are you using CityDesk to create this site?

Thanks
Christopher

[Amy]

Hello from another of the Oakland crew (sort of.) My husband worked on the bean (we all called it 'The Blob' while under construction out here) in California and helped the Chicago crew assemble it on site. I wish both crews could get together and meet each other. My husband and I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to see both the creation of the plates as well as their assembly, as long as the almost completed sculpture. It was so wonderful to eavesdrop on folks as they wandered around the Bean shortly after it became open to the public. Some of us back here were skeptical at first, as the plates were very tough to form (all rolled by hand, with machine milling for refinement, finished by hand polishing), and the idea seemed a little gimicky. Well, as it was partially assembled back here to show the owners of the project how things were progressing, we all started to become awed by it's life and power. Now, with it's assembly completed, it's a real joy and wonder. I love it, especially the wide range of reactions, from "this thing hasn't been welded very well, you can see spots" (it's tack-welded together at the moment, with a temporary interior support system of guy wires holding it together through the season(s) while awaiting the keyhole plasma-welding and final polishing), to "wow, this thing is amazing" and "I feel sick."

The folks in Chicago have been absolutely wonderful, and we look forward to spending more time there in the future!

Anyway, I just wanted to post an update: the Bean won't resume work until January at the earliest. Following the success of the piece, the mayor wanted to keep the sculpture open to the public until the kids went back to school on September 13. He also has some fundraising that he'd like to host at the park this fall, I'm assuming to raise funds for the park and maintenance.

I hope I've gotten all of my facts right. Forgive me for any mistakes.

Take care,
Amy

[Cyn]

Amy,

Thank you so much for the background info on "The Bean" and for sharing some "inside information" about it. How facinating!
I hope you visit Chicago again--it truly is a great city and with the addition of "the Blob" as it was called out your way, it's even better!

--Cyn

[erin]

It seemed like I walked through cloud gate-the interior "ceiling" popped up Wow- Very fascinating; my equilibrium did feel off a bit too when looking up!Can't wait to see it after it is polished. Kudos to the artisans.

[diane fishbein]

you've inspired me to take a trip to Chicago beautiful- hope it's open mid nov. thanks

[Bill Bennett]

I was fortunate enough to be involved in the machining process of Cloud Gate as the world now knows it. I knew the project was special when I signed on and can't wait to see it in person. Some friends have and tell me it is quite an experience. I had the privledge of not only making the sculpture, but making friends with the people involved along with me. They each had something to contribute and their talents are reflected in its surface. It was an honor to work with them on something that will be around long after we are gone. Namaste

[Harv Nagra]

I'm a 4th year student at western Canada's Simon Fraser University...for a final project this year, my team decided to work on creating an interactive experience that would allow people to slow down for a moment, and notice their surroundings. Then we learned about Millennium Park--we couldn't resist wanting to see it for ourselves, so what do you know, we flew out to Chicago!

Amazing city. AMAZING park. And amazing art piece. Cloud Gate was my favourite item in the entire park.--I couldn't take my eyes off it! Truly, one of the greatest things I've ever seen in my life. Very inspiring; I know our own project will be that much better after having experienced all the interaction design in Millennium Park.

[Jeffrey Keppler]

I'm originally from the greatest city on earth and recently had the pleasure of returning for a visit. I was amazed at the sight of "Cloud Gate!" I study architecture and was astonished that while walking down the streets, I saw very few people drawing their gazes upward. Maybe people are just used to their surroundings, but I fancy myself pretty used to them and still can't help subjecting myself to the feeling of vertigo examining a cornice or some other detail a few hundred feet above my head. Well in any case, upon arrival at the sculpture I noticed a vast number of people dead in their tracks, awe strucken, or circumambulating and interacting with this new piece. It gives a new perspective to the skyline and almost forces one to slow down and enjoy the magnificent architecture and the arts of Chicago. I've never seen the city in quite the same way...VERY IMPRESSIVE!

[Cyn]

Harv:
Wonderful that you could come out to visit. I'm with you on Cloud Gate--just saw it over Thanksgiving--though it was rather dark and of the new pictures (see sidebar photo album) I have only 2 new photos of it. It really "shines" in the bright light. Just by the by, I'm Canadian and Simon Fraser is a great uncle X10 or so of mine. Excellent university. The very best of luck in your endeavors!

Jeffrey: I agree, too many of us just seem to forget to look up. I live in the Northwest suburbs and there really aren't many sights to see--but the sky--it's SO huge-looking and beautiful. Cloud Gate really captures that--and so much more.

Thank you both for your comments!

--Cyn

[carla]

im a student, studying in Leicester,England. WHOW...how gorgous. ive never seen anything like this, its absolutly intence. being a student i dont have much funds, but ill definatly be saving up to go and take a look for myself. i bet an airal pic would be intresting.

[Andrew]

I'm 9 years old and I saw Cloud Gate with my sister and mother last August. I'm researching Millenium for my Chicago unit.I found your website and loved your pictures!

Andrew,Mt. ProspectIL

[Lucanos]

I know this seems trivial, and stupid, and a whole pile of other negative things, but I have heard that you have to seek permission to take photographs of this "sculpture". I have even heard of people being booked for failing to produce a permit allowing them to photograph it.

Don't believe me? Check out the news article Here.

[Cyn]

Lucanos:

Your link didn't work but I'm familiar with the subject (at least as of a few months ago). For about 5 minutes the Millennium Park people implemented a policy making permission-seeking for photos mandatory.
The idea was quickly shot down on many levels.
Most of my photos were taken on the opening weekend of Millennium Park, before any "policy" was in place. My most recent (of the "Bean" were taken in full view of two security guards.
I'm not worried. :)

--Cyn

[Deb Gaskins]

I was also one of the lucky people that was involved in the "Cloud Gate" process, I worked in the office for Performance Structures in Oakland. They were the main people behind the fabrication and construction of the "bean". I was responsible for getting each plate shipped from Oakland to Chicago, and was responsible for knowing where each plate was during the construction period. However, I was never lucky enough to see the sculpture fully assembled. I'm still proud to have been a part, however small the part was.

[Cyn]

Thank you for stopping by, Deb. :) I'm grateful to you and the several other fine folks who helped with this truly unique and beautiful public art piece for commenting and showing me (us) that it truly was an effort by many.

[Cyn]

I don't know how I missed you, Andrew but THANK YOU for your nice comments!
I hope your Chicago unit turned out as you hoped. I'll bet it did as you sound like you love Cloud Gate as much as I do. :)

Cheers!

--Cyn

[walter lee riggs]

We saw cloud gate aka "the bean" October 2005, Now we can hardly wait to see the completed subject. "We'll be bach"!!!!!!!!!!!

[Rick]

I'm loving anish kapoor
It's awesome.
your photos are too

Thank you very much, Rick. I'm thinking I'll head down to visit my favourite public sculpture this Labour Day weekend.

[Andrea]

Wow! I just loved it! It´s amasing! The sculpture of Anish Kapoor is really unbelievable!!!

[Amanda]

Hi! I was just wondering... is Cloud Gate considered architecture ?

[Amanda]

I wrote a major paper for my art class stating how the Cloud Gate was considered architecture because I found it on chicagoarchitecture.com ....However I received a ZERO because my art teacher is insisting that it isn't considered architecture.

[Cyn]

@Amanda: A zero? That must have hurt.
I didn't use to know what something like Cloud Gate was "officially" called but since I've come to love it--I now know. The man that made Cloud Gate, Anish Kapoor, is an artist and he does a lot of beautiful public art all around the world. Another phrase sometimes used to describe a work like Cloud Gate is "people's art," with the idea that it's offered--free of charge--to everyone who wishes to enjoy it. There are other names too for a public work of art such as this but it is not architecture. Sorry--that's really rough to get a grade like that and over such a beautiful work, too.
--Cyn

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