The Modern Wing

[mojosmom]

The Art Institute's new Modern Wing, designed by Renzo Piano, opened last Saturday, and all week they have been having special member access hours. So I went there yesterday evening, and was absolutely blown away. The place is a) friggin' gorgeous, and b) beautifully designed for art, rather than the architect's ego.

You can enter through the main building of the Art Institute, through a separate entrance at the first floor on Monroe Street, or via the Nichols Bridgeway that flies over Monroe Street and connects the Modern Wing to Millennium Park:


Coming into the building at ground level, you are in the tall, light and airy Griffin Court (this photo is taken looking towards the entrance):


If you climb the stairs, you can see into the second floor architecture and design galleries


and if you are in those galleries you can look out, through the staircase to the (under construction) sculpture garden, and Grant Park and the lake beyond:


There's an amazing amount of light and windows. Even the elevator has a view:

and some of the art (that which won't be damaged by light) gets to look out on the city as well:


I have a couple of quibbles, like the fact that you can get from the Bridgeway to the main floor by elevator or escalator, but if you are on the third floor and want to leave by the Bridgeway, you have to go back to the first floor and take an elevator (which is a very slow elevator!).

They've named the new restaurant "Terzo Piano", Italian for "third floor" (where it's located), but also, obviously, an homage to the architect! There's also a small café on the second floor, overlooking the Griffin Court. And a big book/gift shop, which was (fortunately or unfortunately, I'm not sure which) closed by the time I was ready to check it out. Guess I'll have to go back for that!

Oh, and the art! The AIOC is now the second largest art museum in the country (the Met is first), and the Modern Wing gives them much more space to display pieces from the permanent collection, including work from their photography collection and their architecture and design collections, as well as contemporary art, of course. There's an entire case of Joseph Cornell boxes

and scads of stuff I didn't know they had. There is currently a special exhibition of Cy Twombly's paintings, Cy Twombly: The Natural World, Selected Works 2000-2007, which I found most intriguing.

More photos here.

It was a lovely, warm night, so I strolled down the Nichols Bridgeway to Millennium Park and treated myself to dinner at the outdoor café there.

Comments

[madame-urushiol.livejournal.com]

Oooh! That IS gorgeous! Looks like I'm going to have to plan a trip to Chicago one of these days.

[skyring.livejournal.com]

Chicago is fabulous.

I only got to see a bit of the Art Institute, but loved it!

[mojosmom.livejournal.com]

Yes! I'd love to give you a tour.

Speaking of travel & art, any further thoughts about Boston?

[islandmomma.livejournal.com]

That is quite breathtaking. I always love light, not just to make the viewing of the art better, but for its own sake. Will be putting this on my to do list too!

[martip.livejournal.com]

How gorgeous! I keep trying to talk Lou into a Chicago trip. It's a pretty fast flight from here - due north.

[futurecatnz.livejournal.com]

How cool! That's the bit they were in the middle of building when I visited, wasn't it? It's great to see the finished product (though I wish I could come back and see it in person!!!).

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