Cloud Gate

Commonly referred to as "The Bean", Cloud Gate captures the beauty of the elaborate skyline in downtown Chicago. Cloud Gate was designed by the artist Anish Kapoor and is strategically placed in Millennium Park. Although there are many works of art in Millennium Park, Cloud Gate is the largest work of art in the park. It is said that Kapoor found inspiration for this work from liquid mercury. Many people refer to this work as "The Bean" because of its bean-like shape. When looked at from a distance, Cloud Gate actually resembles a massive, silver bean in the middle of the park. However, when viewed more closely, Cloud Gate reflects not only the buildings and architecture that make Chicago the magnificent, but also the sky and natural beauty that surrounds it.

I have visited Cloud Gate multiple times through out summers of spending time downtown. At first, the sight of Cloud Gate made me somewhat nauseas. The reflection and distortion of the surroundings up close were somewhat difficult to get used to. However, it was not long before I realized the beauty of this simply shaped object. It is sometimes easy to look at a work of art and be judgmental. I originally was unhappy when I saw Cloud Gate because so many people made a big deal about how fascinating this work was. After observing Cloud Gate from a distance and up close, I realized that it must have taken a great amount of planning in order to create the impression that Cloud Gate leaves with people.

Cloud Gate displays a very futuristic type of art. The work is not something a person sees everyday. It is composed of many steel sheets that were placed together and then polished to resemble unity in the artwork. It is almost mystical in a sense because of its shape and extremely shiny composition. One of the best aspects of Cloud Gate is that it draws you to it. No one can resist going up to Cloud Gate and exploring it with their eyes, hands, and even cameras. People spend a great deal of time trying to capture the beauty of Cloud Gate in a picture, but this is a difficult task. I believe that Cloud Gate is almost like a "gateway" to the city. The reflection of the buildings, people, and surrounding nature leaves visitors memorized. How can such a simple looking object be so mysterious?

It is also fascinating to think about how this great object was created. The design is simple, but the execution of putting this object together was very difficult. All in all, the total cost of Cloud Gate was over twenty-three million dollars! It was built on sight because it would be to difficult to transport the almost one hundred and ten ton work. I keep referring to the simplicity of the work, but the planning must have been extensive in order to develop a design that would capture the city as a whole. The design of Cloud Gate also allows for the artwork to be interactive in a sense. People from all over can come up to the work and touch it, and even stand beneath it.

I believe that art exists in everything. Things that are simple in design, like Cloud Gate, still encompass the ability to impact people simply through them viewing the work. Cloud Gate was an extensive project to complete, but contains a strong sense of simplicity. I believe it is Cloud Gate's simplicity that makes it such a wonderful addition to the city. When visiting the city, I also notice how everyone is rushing around, not paying any attention to their surroundings. I have never really seen people just stop in the middle of the sidewalk, look up, and absorb the beauty of the buildings and skyline. Cloud Gate allows people to view the beauty that they tend to miss. I would highly recommend going downtown and visiting Cloud Gate. It is a fascinating sight and a must see, even for Chicagoans.