Dogs of War
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Rooms (2nd Floor North, next to GAR Hall)
78 E. Washington St., Chicago
Free
Mark di Suvero: Works and Protest, an exhibition of stunning photography of di Suvero’s sculptures throughout the world, taken by the legendary art dealer, Richard (George) Bellamy. Also on view will be Peace Tower, a 20 foot high tower designed and built by di Suvero, featuring artwork by regional artists and activists, and documentary photographs by veterans, military personnel and journalists.
A prolific sculptor, di Suvero’s dynamic works have punctuated landscapes and urban environments for half a century. His arresting pieces have consistently drawn critical acclaim, confronting audiences with their audacious colors and shapes, and mesmerizing even the casual passer-by with their subtle energy and intricate proportion. Currently, five of his large-scale sculptures are on view in Millennium Park.
In the Chicago Rooms’ first gallery, viewers will find “Mark di Suvero and Richard Bellamy,” an exhibition of more than 25 photographs of di Suvero’s works, culled from the hundreds of photos taken by Richard (George) Bellamy between 1975 and Bellamy’s death in 1998. Some images focus on the landscape, and reveal his deep understanding of color, as seen in details like the juxtaposition of an orange-colored sculpture against a blue sky. Others taken in European cities explore the relationship of sculpture to architecture. The photographs on display showcase both Bellamy’s passion for the sculpture, as well as provide viewers with new ways of understanding di Suvero’s work.
A Peace Tower project, created by di Suvero for this exhibition, will stand in the Chicago Rooms’ second gallery. In response to a call for participation, local artists, activists, veterans, military personnel and documentary photographers are now contributing artwork about peace and protest that will hang on di Suvero’s steel structure. The Peace Tower was originally created in 1966 in Los Angeles as a response to the Vietnam War, with 400 artists participating in the project. It was later re-created in 2006 for the Whitney Biennal in New York City as a response to the war in Iraq.
Recent photos of the war in Iraq from the archives of Magnum Photos, VII and Nina Berman, along with additional Mark di Suvero sculptures, will round out the exhibition in the Chicago Rooms.
The exhibit acts as a companion to “Mark di Suvero/Millennium Park,” the installation of five large-scale pieces of sculpture on view in Millennium Park through April 1, 2008. Framing the dramatic art and architecture of the Park and juxtaposed against the stainless steel lines of the Frank Gehry-designed Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Great Lawn, di Suvero’s soaring sculptures enhance one of Chicago’s most popular public spaces—Millennium Park.
Department of Cultural Affairs: 312-744-6630