

In addition, cleaners come twice a year to polish and buff the entire sculpture. In fact, the Bean’s maintenance crew come to wipe down the fingerprints on the bottom sections up to seven times a day. So can you touch the Bean? The short answer is yes! Cloud Gate was built as an interactive sculpture where visitors can touch, observe their reflections, and walk through the art. As the reflection changes depending on the visitor’s position, every person creates their own vision of the park and surrounding areas. In other words, it perfectly captures the experiences of visiting Millennium Park by the visitor viewing the reflection. The shiny exterior of the Bean perfectly reflects and distorts the surrounding skyline, green space, and people moving around the park.

The inspiration for the installation’s reflective surface is liquid mercury.

However, the sculpture was not completely finished until 2006. It was first unveiled in 2004 at the opening of Millennium Park. Moreover, the Cloud Gate installation is his first permanent public outdoor art in the United States. Many of these also include reflective surfaces. He is well-known for many of his large scale outdoor works of art. He is an Indian-born British artist and sculptor. 6 North Michigan Avenue, #1103 The Loop, Chicago Who built the Bean? This allows the plates to expand and contract depending on weather changes. In addition, the Bean’s stainless steel exterior is connected to the frame with flexible connectors. It allows the weight of the sculpture to be on the two end points, which creates the “bean shape”. This framework is similar to what you might see on a bridge. The interior is made up of two large metal rings that connect by a framework. It was created by putting together 168 massive steel plates and welding them shut to create a seamless finish. The Bean is completely made up of stainless steel. The Chicago Bean is 33 feet high, 43 feet wide, and 66 feet long. Specifically, you can find it in Millennium Park, a lakefront park in the Loop or downtown Chicago. The Chicago Bean explainedįirst off, where is the Chicago Bean located? It can be found in the heart of Chicago. Let’s explore the idea behind this installation and how it came to be. The Chicago Bean is a unique site you can’t get anywhere else. This public art has become an icon to the city and is a must-see spot for many tourists visiting. One of the most famous attractions in Chicago is the Bean. Living in the Windy City means you get access to all the wonderful landmarks and attractions the city has to offer. Do you really know what is the story behind it and why was it built? Whether you live in Chicago or not, you have most likely seen the Chicago Bean, also known as the Cloud Gate.
