Cloud Gate

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

For those of you who follow this blog, you know that I make no attempt at hiding my unbridled nerdiness, especially in the realms of art and art history.  I am a proud art history nerd and I don’t care who knows it!  You may also know that I have a penchant for public art and that I have a list of public art pieces that I want to see and experience in person.  Well, I finally got to experience the #1 public art piece on my list and it was spectacular.

“Cloud Gate,” affectionately referred to as “The Bean,” is a piece of public art that has become synonymous with the city of Chicago.  Created by Anish Kapoor, “Cloud Gate” sits in Millennium Park and has the most welcoming and inviting vibe.  It was fun to watch so many people stand in awe of this piece.  Everyone was taking pictures and selfies and even taking pictures of their reflections.  Speaking of reflections, one can see the most stunning reflection of the Chicago skyline in The Bean.

I had an emotional experience seeing “Cloud Gate” in person and it caught me a bit off guard.  Seeing so many people interact with it heightened that feeling.  Upon seeing The Bean I realized I could walk underneath it.  Going under it and looking up – seeing what looked like clouds swirling above me, created by the ultra-smooth contours of the precisely-shaped mirrored plates – it was magical and mesmerizing.

For more information on “Cloud Gate” and the artist, Anish Kapoor, please visit…

https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park_-artarchitecture.html

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.