CGN Art World Recap: 1/9/24
Video Released on Occasion of new Jaume Plensa Installation at University of Notre Dame
To mark the occasion of the installation of Jaume Plensa's Endless, 2023, commissioned by the University of Notre Dame’s Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, the artist joins Director and Curator Joseph Becherer in conversation.
The thirty-six foot tall sculpture in stainless steel is composed of characters from Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Greek, Hindi, Japanese, and Latin alphabets to form a tower joining earth and sky. Inspired by the mission of the University of Notre Dame to be "a powerful force for good in the world," Plensa's Endless is a monument to the ongoing human endeavor to seek knowledge and truth through communication. In the words of the artist, Endless is "a portrait of humanity in the absence of the human figure."
Via GRAY Gallery
Winter flower shows at Lincoln Park, Garfield Park conservatories
The show at Garfield Park is inspired by the 25th anniversary of the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, which assists with programming and events, and was formed following a disaster.
“A steam pipe froze in the Aroid House, and we lost a lot of plants,” said Mary Eysenbach, director of conservatories at the Chicago Park District. “People who cared about the conservatory and its importance in the community came together to save the conservatory. … We figured that’s worth celebrating.”
The Art Institute is Free (on some days)
The museum is hosting Free Winter Weekdays for Illinois residents, January 8–March 22.