{"id":986802,"date":"2026-08-07T13:21:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/986802\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T13:21:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:21:24","slug":"public-art-is-everywhere-in-chicago-our-10-not-to-miss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/986802\/","title":{"rendered":"Public art is everywhere in Chicago: Our 10 not to miss"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s summer in the city, which means taking every chance to be outside. Even Chicago\u2019s great museums seem claustrophobic when there are blue skies and a nice lake breeze.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, if you want to see art in Chicago, there\u2019s plenty outdoors. Biking around the city, I am always either running into unexpected treasures, like the aluminum \u201cPortage\u201d by Ted Sitting Crow Garner on Milwaukee Avenue near Six Corners, or revisiting old favorites like Lorado Taft\u2019s \u201cFountain of the Great Lakes\u201d outside the Art Institute. Along with a wealth of new public work on the campus of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/04\/obama-presidential-center\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Obama Presidential Center<\/a>, there are also fun new temporary pieces, like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2026\/06\/02\/swimmer-sculptures-michigan-avenue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">swimmer sculptures<\/a> by Carole Feuerman along the Magnificent Mile through November.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mng-gallery-initialized mng-gallery-slider\">\n<li data-index=\"1\" class=\"mng-ge mng-gallery-active\" id=\"mng-ge-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" survival=\"\" of=\"\" serena=\"\" is=\"\" one=\"\" a=\"\" series=\"\" swimmer...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN29_263241895.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>&#8220;Survival of Serena&#8221; is one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman installed outside Water Tower Place, June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"2\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" brooke=\"\" with=\"\" beach=\"\" ball=\"\" is=\"\" one=\"\" of=\"\" a=\"\" series=\"\" of...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN24_263241869.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>&#8220;Brooke with Beach Ball&#8221; is one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman installed, June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile into the fall. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"3\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"One of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN32_263241897.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>One of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman is installed June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"4\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" quan=\"\" is=\"\" one=\"\" of=\"\" a=\"\" series=\"\" swimmer=\"\" sculptures=\"\" by...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN33_263241967.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>&#8220;Quan&#8221; is one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman installed June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"5\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" bibi=\"\" on=\"\" the=\"\" ball=\"\" is=\"\" one=\"\" of=\"\" a=\"\" series=\"\" of...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN22_263241845.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>&#8220;Bibi on the Ball&#8221; is one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman installed June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"6\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"One of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN27_263241873.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>One of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman is installed on June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"7\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" justice=\"\" is=\"\" one=\"\" of=\"\" a=\"\" series=\"\" swimmer=\"\" sculptures=\"\" by...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN14_263241795.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>&#8220;Justice&#8221; is one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman installed June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile into the fall. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"8\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-7\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"People look at \" the=\"\" golden=\"\" mean=\"\" one=\"\" of=\"\" a=\"\" series...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN17_263241825.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>People look at &#8220;The Golden Mean,&#8221; one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman, on June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. A series of ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"9\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-8\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" the=\"\" golden=\"\" mean=\"\" one=\"\" of=\"\" a=\"\" series=\"\" swimmer=\"\" sculptures...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN01_263241667.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>&#8220;The Golden Mean,&#8221; one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman, is installed on June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"10\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-9\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Artist Carole Feuerman looks up at her sculpture titled \" the...=\"\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/CTC-L-ENT-SCULPTURES-MICHIGAN07_263241733.jpg?w=620\"  bad-src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=\" http:=\"\"\/>\n<p>Artist Carole Feuerman looks up at her sculpture titled &#8220;The Golden Mean&#8221; on June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. A series of ten swimmers in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Show Caption<\/p>\n<p>1 of 10<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Survival of Serena&#8221; is one of a series of swimmer sculptures by artist Carole Feuerman installed outside Water Tower Place, June 2, 2026, along North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Ten displays in the outdoor art exhibit will line the Magnificent Mile through November. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-enlarge mng-gallery-fullscreen-expand\" aria-label=\"Expand fullscreen slideshow\">Expand<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful thing when art exists outside of the museum walls,\u201d said Ionit Behar, a curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art. \u201cIt creates a different relationship with artists and the artwork, and it becomes more integrated with everyday life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rachel Sabino, a conservator with the Art Institute of Chicago, said the city has an unusually rich collection of public art, especially in Grant Park and the museum campus. \u201cThere\u2019s an incredible density of sculpture\u2026 It\u2019s one of the things that makes Chicago and the Loop such a fantastic place for visitors,\u201d Sabino said.<\/p>\n<p>Here is our list of 10, in no particular order. Feel free to make your own.<\/p>\n<p>The Picasso<\/p>\n<p>Unveiled in August 1967 in what is now Daley Plaza, Pablo Picasso\u2019s gift to the city was not an instant hit. Columnist Mike Royko thought the Cubist sculpture looked \u201clike some giant insect that is about to eat a smaller, weaker insect,\u201d and marveled that the Spanish artist had seemingly captured the city\u2019s soul. It\u2019s now a magnet for both tourists and schoolchildren \u2014 the latter enjoy sliding down its slanted base. It\u2019s impossible to pass the 50-foot steel oddity without mentally engaging with it, wondering what it represents. Here\u2019s hoping construction at nearby Chase Tower Plaza is over soon so we can see Marc Chagall\u2019s \u201cThe Four Seasons\u201d again. (At 50 W. Washington St. in the Loop)<\/p>\n<p>Illinois Centennial Monument<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"People walk near the Illinois Centennial Monument in the Logan Square neighborhood, Aug. 3, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"6000\" height=\"289\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-ENT-PUBLIC-ART-0803-19.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39586791\" \/>People walk near the Illinois Centennial Monument in the Logan Square neighborhood, Aug. 3, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>Built to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Illinois\u2019 statehood, this 1918 piece was designed by Henry Bacon, who also designed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. It\u2019s a marble Doric column topped by an eagle, with reliefs around the base depicting Native Americans, explorers, farmers and laborers designed by Evelyn Beatrice Longman, a pioneering woman sculptor. I love it not just for itself but its location \u2014 atop a park full of trees and foot traffic, with musicians and skateboarders. New lighting is closer to the \u201ccolor temperature\u201d of the original early 20th-century lamps, said Sabino. \u201cIt really enhances the sculpture.\u201d (At 3200 W. Logan Blvd. in Logan Square)<\/p>\n<p>Lorado Taft\u2019s \u201cFountain of Time\u201d<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"A portion of the sculpture &quot;Fountain of Time,&quot; by Lorado Taft, on Payne Drive in Chicago's Washington Park on Aug. 3, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"3600\" height=\"289\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-ENT-PUBLIC-ART07.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39586817\" \/>A portion of the sculpture &#8220;Fountain of Time,&#8221; by Lorado Taft, on Payne Drive in Chicago&#8217;s Washington Park on Aug. 3, 2026. (Terrence Antonio James\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>This massive steel-reinforced concrete sculpture, more than 126 feet long, was finished in 1920 at the western edge of the Midway Plaisance in Washington Park. Father Time faces 100 figures, including children, soldiers and lovers. It is overwhelming in the best way \u2014 a wave of people moving through history. (At 6000 S. Cottage Grove Ave. at the Midway Plaisance)<\/p>\n<p>Magdalena Abakanowicz\u2019s \u201cAgora\u201d<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"A person reads in &quot;Agora,&quot; a sculpture by Magdalena Abakanowicz, on Aug. 3, 2026, in Chicago's Grant Park. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"4722\" height=\"295\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-public-art12.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39586853\" \/>A person reads in &#8220;Agora,&#8221; a sculpture by Magdalena Abakanowicz, on Aug. 3, 2026, in Chicago&#8217;s Grant Park. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2006\/11\/16\/provocative-achievement-in-grant-park\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Installed in 2006<\/a> and composed of 106 headless, armless figures made of rusting iron, this installation by Magdalena Abakanowicz hits differently depending on how I see it. When I\u2019m with company, it seems comic, even joyful, a celebration of urban bustle. When I\u2019m alone, it makes me feel like a scared little kid, lost in a crowd. (At 1135 S. Michigan Ave. in South Grant Park)<\/p>\n<p>Hebru Brantley\u2019s \u201cFantastic Flying Lil Mama\u201d<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"A child rides past a statue titled &quot;Fantastic Flying Lil Mama&quot; by artist Hebru Brantley in the Austin neighborhood on Aug. 3, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"3873\" height=\"332\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-ENT-PUBLIC-ART-0803-16.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39586983\" \/>A child rides past a statue titled &#8220;Fantastic Flying Lil Mama&#8221; by artist Hebru Brantley in the Austin neighborhood on Aug. 3, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>Also known as \u201cFlygirl,\u201d this joyful Hebru Brantley figure depicts a little girl with goggles and high-top sneakers bursting out of a cloud. Installed in 2024 near a mural of Black heroes, she fronts a plaza that hosts special events. Destiny Wilkerson, co-owner of the Spill the Beans coffee shop across the street, said she likes to look at \u201cLil Mama\u201d out her window. \u201cIt makes it seem like the future is bright \u2014 it\u2019s really cool.\u201d (At 5256 W. Chicago Ave. in Austin)<\/p>\n<p>The Ulysses S. Grant Monument by Louis Rebisso<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"The Ulysses S. Grant Monument by Louis Rebisso in Lincoln Park on Aug. 3, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"6000\" height=\"289\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-ENT-PUBLIC-ART-20.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39587046\" \/>The Ulysses S. Grant Monument by Louis Rebisso in Lincoln Park on Aug. 3, 2026. (Eileen T. Meslar\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHero-on-horseback\u201d sculptures may be old-fashioned, but this one is special. At the time of its completion in 1891, the 18-foot-tall figure was the largest bronze statue cast in the U.S., depicting the general who helped win the Civil War. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2021\/03\/05\/in-land-of-lincoln-whats-wrong-with-statues-of-honest-abe-and-should-ulysses-s-grant-be-taken-off-his-high-horse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">In 2021<\/a>, an announcement that the statue was under review for possible removal was hit by a flood of criticism from historians. I love how the statue soars above the park and seems to guard it. (At 2045 N. Lincoln Park W. in Lincoln Park off Lake Shore Drive)<\/p>\n<p>Jenny Kendler\u2019s \u201cBirds Watching\u201d on the Bloomingdale Trail<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"A runner passes the &quot;Birds Watching&quot;\u00a0sculpture by artist Jenny Kendler on The 606 in the Logan Square neighborhood, Aug. 3, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"5217\" height=\"289\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-ENT-PUBLIC-ART-0803-2_fb8410.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39587123\" \/>A runner passes the &#8220;Birds Watching&#8221;\u00a0sculpture by artist Jenny Kendler on The 606 in the Logan Square neighborhood, Aug. 3, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>This 40-foot-long steel and aluminum sculpture shows the eyes of 100 different bird species that are either threatened or endangered by climate change, and is by Chicago artist Jenny Kendler. Installed in 2018, the sculpture is colorful but also can make you uneasy. You are always being observed. And judged. (West of the 606 Trail entrance at 1760 N. Spaulding Ave.)<\/p>\n<p>World\u2019s Fair Bison in Humboldt Park<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Bison from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition stand in Humboldt Park on Aug. 3, 2026. The artist Edward Kemeys is also responsible for sculpting the lions outside the Art Institute of Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"6000\" height=\"289\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-ENT-PUBLIC-ART-0803-12.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39587204\" \/>Bison from the 1893 World&#8217;s Columbian Exposition stand in Humboldt Park on Aug. 3, 2026. The artist Edward Kemeys is also responsible for sculpting the lions outside the Art Institute of Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>This male and female pair was originally designed for the 1893 World\u2019s Fair in plaster by Edward Kemeys, who also did the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/2022\/07\/19\/the-lions-are-back-outside-the-art-institute-freshly-cleaned-and-ready-for-duty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Art Institute lions<\/a>. The bison were recast in bronze and eventually found a home in Humboldt Park. I love them because they seem so incongruous in the park\u2019s formal garden, ghosts of Chicago\u2019s pre-urban past, emerging near tidy flower beds. (Near 3000 W. Division St. and the east entrance to Humboldt Park\u2019s formal garden)<\/p>\n<p>The CTA Garfield Green Line station<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Work by Chicago artist Nick Cave in the CTA\u00a0Garfield Green Line station on Jan. 10, 2019. (Terrence Antonio James\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"5400\" height=\"289\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ctc-l-Garfield-green-line.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39587252\" \/>Work by Chicago artist Nick Cave in the CTA\u00a0Garfield Green Line station on Jan. 10, 2019. (Terrence Antonio James\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>The CTA has 80 installations, and picking just one to feature is hard. There are the David Lee Csicsko mosaics at Belmont; the Mexican history murals at 18th Street; and the Theaster Gates \u201camerica, america\u201d tapestry of decommissioned fire hoses at 95th Street. On Behar\u2019s advice, I went with Nick Cave\u2019s 2018 \u201cFree\/Formal\u201d mix of floral tile mosaics and pillars at the Garfield Green Line station, done in collaboration with designer Bob Faust. It takes you out of your surroundings and into a dreamy jungle. (At 320 E. Garfield Blvd.)<\/p>\n<p>Art Institute of Chicago gardens<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Simone Leigh's &quot;Sharifa&quot; stands in the Art Institute of Chicago sculpture garden, Aug. 3, 2026, in Grant Park. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"5000\" height=\"411\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-public-art01.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39587250\" \/>Simone Leigh&#8217;s &#8220;Sharifa&#8221; stands in the Art Institute of Chicago sculpture garden, Aug. 3, 2026, in Grant Park. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Visitors view the &quot;Fountain of the Great Lakes,&quot; a bronze work by sculptor Lorado Taft, in the Art Institute of Chicago South Garden, Aug. 3, 2026, in Grant Park. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)\" width=\"5000\" height=\"426\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CTC-L-public-art06.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"39587292\" \/>Visitors view the &#8220;Fountain of the Great Lakes,&#8221; a bronze work by sculptor Lorado Taft, in the Art Institute of Chicago South Garden, Aug. 3, 2026, in Grant Park. (Brian Cassella\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n<p>The South Garden of the Art Institute has the marvelous \u201cFountain of the Great Lakes,\u201d while the North Garden includes Alexander Calder\u2019s red \u201cFlying Dragon\u201d and Simone Leigh\u2019s \u201cSharifa.\u201d The latter piece, installed in 2024, is a 9-foot-tall bronze woman, deep in thought. The gardens are among the best places in the city to read, eat your lunch, and consider life beyond the ordinary. (At 111 S. Michigan Ave.)<\/p>\n<p>Mary Wisniewski is a freelance writer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s summer in the city, which means taking every chance to be outside. Even Chicago\u2019s great museums seem&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":986803,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5124],"tags":[648,960,171,5386,1818,2765,1370,1072],"class_list":["post-986802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-chicago","tag-arts","tag-chicago","tag-entertainment","tag-il","tag-illinois","tag-keywee","tag-latest-headlines","tag-things-to-do"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/117054440049540940","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=986802"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/986802\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/986803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=986802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=986802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=986802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}