Chicago Artists' month

Monument with Standing Beast
- Jean DuBuffet



Picasso's Chicago
- Pablo Picasso



Four Seasons
- Marc Chagall



Crown Fountain
- Jaume Plensa




Cloud Gate
- Anish Kapoor

"How many great public art works in Chicago Loop?"

My first self-audio tour was pretty cool. I would say it was a new experience for myself, because I am kind of person who really ignores what the experts or gallerians explain about art works. Everytime when I go to exhibitions, museums, art galleries there are always someone who try to teach(?) us. But, my point of view, "How do you know?" this question occurs in my brain all the time. What I mean by this, our great artists are mostly dead, at least those who have pictures in great great museums. Although the historians, and all kinds of experts studied every day and night about the art, how do we or they know that is true or not unless we talk to the real artist? There is no clue that what they explain is right or not. My introduction got pretty long, for I wanted to say why it was different experience for me. The self-audio tour which gave me some (correct amount of ) information while I was exploring the works. I didn't have to only concentrate on what it was saying, but I could get help to understand in what process the work had made. For example, the Four Seasons by Chagall, I could have just seen and passed by, the audio tour, instead, made me to think of the process. Such as the meterials, the skill; mosaic, the year it had made; 1974, what the work try to express or tell; Chicago River in four different seasons, and how Chicagoan's are taking care of the work in improved environment.
This such a brief information contains only the important part of the information which helps you understand better. Especially, what I liked the most was that the audio didn't try to explain what the artist was thinking or the emotions that the artist had at that moments. If the audio had said this, I would be dissapointed again, but it was very useful. Among five different art works, I  would love to recommend the one called Picasso's Chicago by Pablo Picasso and of course with the audio listening. I've passed the art work very many times, neverthless I have never thought that It is a woman. The audio listening gave me a new look on that Picasso. After I listened the audio information, I could see that the sculpture is a woman. But, there is a very important tip that we should see the art work first and listen the audio and see the art work again. When we know the information first, our creativity or imagination can be shut. By seeing different times, it made me think in different ways and see the art work in different views. The side, front, back, down each point has different views and it made me more think about a woman's portrait. Unlike other works that I saw from the tour, Picasso's work has varied point of views in different angles. Basically, the tour made me appreciate of being in this great chicago environment and impressed by how the works exist in the loop invisibly. From now on, I should stop being lazy to recognize and explore the goodies in Chicago, and get all the benefits as much as I could! In some point, it even refreshes mind!