I’m a huge fan of street art and art for the people, so it was a real treat to visit Chicago last week and experience this first hand, at the hands of the great masters no less!
I must say, living in the individual bubbles as we all tend to do, it’s easy not to look up and notice the brilliant art that surrounds us everyday (I, for one, am guilty of this, particularly living in such an art-rich town).
I credit my “discoveries” to my lovely Russian friends, whom I had breakfast with last Wednesday. “Have you seen the Chagall mural near your work?” One of them asked. Immediately, I was drawn. Chagall?! Mural! Chicago? What a treat!!!
This spurred an entire undertaking, of looking at some fantastic artworks by the likes of Picasso, Calder, Dubuffet. I was mind blown. The best thing was, they were all within close walking distance to my meetings in downtown Chicago. Mind you, Chicago has some of the best art in the world, particularly when it comes to Impressionism (I totally fell in love the moment I visited the Art Institute of Chicago). However, this was the first time I was able to appreciate the art outside of the museums.
It only goes to show – beauty and greatness surround us. Sometimes we just need to pay attention!
