“The Bean”, more properly termed Cloud Gate, is an awe-inspiring sculpture in the heart of downtown Chicago, Il. In 2006, Indian born British artist Anish Kapoor created this sizable spectacle originally designed for a competition. Once Kapoor’s design was chosen, there were many obstacles to overcome in implementing the sculpture. Cloud Gate was formally dedicated on May 15, 2006, has gained considerable popularity with the public, and is now on display in Millennium Park as a tourist hotspot. This monument can be formally analyzed in terms of its obscure shape. The structure is an unusual shape for a monument. Most outside structures are simply rectangular or circular. This bean shape gives the piece an attractive and interesting quality, lending to peaked intrigue by viewers. Obscure works create mystery and fascination with them and the viewer. This shape enables the viewer to observe the sculpture from all sides, even underneath. This allows for all ages, even children, to enjoy the view and interact with “The Bean”, which lends to multiple visits of the site. Since the site is located in the heart of Chicago, the community will profit from this piece, even though it is free to view. Other venues, including malls and restaurants, will have increased sales when tourists come to view …show more content…
The shiny smooth outer surface allows for a “mirrored” affect. This simple yet elegant work allows for interaction between onlookers and the monument, as well as between each other. One cannot easily get a picture with only themselves and “The Bean”, but instead there will be many other tourists in the picture. The curved nature of the piece distributes light and stretches images over a larger area creating a mind toggling view. One is able to stare at the figure endlessly, and never see the exact same interpretation of sunlight or the skyline, lending to an infinite number of repeated trips to “The