Paul's Photo Blog: March 2011

Sandi and I recently spent eleven days enjoying the excitement and ambiance of Chicago. We attended the biannual conference of the American Choral Director's Association, and we also attended a five day Road Scholar seminar at the Art Institute of Chicago. The choirs were magnificent, and the art discussions were very interesting. I selected the photos for this posting from the many Chicago sites we visited including noteworthy buildings and scenes, hotels and streets in "The Loop", and paintings and artifacts in the Art Institute. (I was not allowed to photograph the concerts.) Chicago is a wonderfully exciting city, and I hope you enjoy this small taste of what we saw.

Michigan Avenue, facing parks and Lake Michigan, is one of the world's most interesting streetscapes.

These painted trees line Michigan Avenue just south of the Art Institute where we spent five days.

This Henry Moore sculpture is in the gardens north of the Art Institute. The gardens were closed for the winter and the guards were not happy when I snuck in!

The Wrigley Building 1922 faces southward on Michigan Avenue. Remember spearmint gum?

Two parts of the Wrigley Building are attached at the neck.

In the centre is the Carbide and Carbon Building, built in 1929 by Daniel and Hubert Burnham.

Michigan Avenue from Grant Park.

Sculpture in Grant Park with Hilton Hotel in the background. Do you remember seeing the 1968 riots here on television?

Lobby of the Hilton Hotel. This is the building where Hubert Humphrey was selected as Democratic Party candidate for President of the United States. I remember the interview of Mayor Richard Daley here.

Sculpture in Grant Park made entirely from used car exhaust systems. Quite engaging!

Orchestra Hall is beautiful. We heard many concerts here, including a wonderful performance of Elgar's Enigma Variations conducted by Charles Dutoit.

Side panel in Auditorium Hall, completed in 1889 by Adler and Sullivan.

The Palmer House Hotel where we stayed was magnificent. These are the Peacock Doors installed in the 1920's.

The elevated railroad (the "EL") is a Chicago landmark. This photo was taken on Wabash Street outside the Palmer House.

Looking up through the "EL".

In 1905, Frank Lloyd Wright, one of Chicago's favourite sons, remodeled the lobby of an early skyscraper called the Rookery. He maximized the light coming into the lobby and created a stunning gold-incised white marble interior.

The Rookery: iron-work leading to a circular stairway.

The Rookery: Elevators were new in the 1890's.

The Rookery: from the third level.

Millennium Park

Cloud Gate Sculpture (giant rounded reflective bubble) in Millennium Park

Oak Park home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright: said to be a precursor to Falling Water in Pennsylvania

Sanctuary in Unity Temple, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905: A National Historic Landmark

Reflected Light on the Art Institute Facade

Staircase in the Art Institute. This is the location of the famous speech made by Frederick Jackson Turner (1893) in which he announced that the American Frontier was now closed. Students of history will remember the significance of this speech.

Art Institute staff, like Annie Morse, led our Road Scholar group in some fascinating discussions about the French and American Impressionist painters.

Some of our favourite Impressionist paintings were on display at the Art Institute.

The Art Institute of Chicago has a long history of studying the civilization of Ancient Egypt. Here is a 3rd century BC basalt sculpture of Horus the falcon god representing the speed , power and hunting prowess of the divine pharaoh.

This is a contemporary (2003 AD) glazed porcelain by Japanese sculptor Hideaki Miyamura, at the Art Institute. It was my favourite piece in the collection.