Millennium Park Sculpture Named Cloud Gate By Artist Anish Kapoor

MEDIA ADVISORY

June 29, 2004
Contacts:
Kara Cook, Ruder-Finn, 312.329.3910
Brian Burch, Ruder-Finn, 312.329.3915

CHICAGO - As anticipation builds for Millennium Park's July 16 public opening, British sculptor Anish Kapoor has revealed his chosen title for his elliptical stainless steel sculpture. The sculpture is titled Cloud Gate.

As is his custom, Kapoor waited until the sculpture was fully assembled to reveal its name. The final panel was installed today on the elliptical sculpture, which will next be polished to a mirror-shine. The sculpture will be open to viewing at the park's opening on July 16, and the polishing will be complete by the fall.

Cloud Gate is one of the world's largest outdoor sculptures, at 110 tons, 66 feet long, 42 feet wide and 33 feet high. The piece is made possible by a gift from the SBC Corporation; it is currently being installed on Millennium Park's SBC Plaza.

About Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate's mirrored finish is forged of a seamless series of 168 highly polished, stainless steel "plates," and its elliptical shape reflects the activity and lights of the park and the surrounding city skyline. With a 12-foot high concave area underneath, the sculpture invites visitors to visually interact with its mirror-like surface. According to Kapoor, he wanted the piece to have a classical feel yet at the same time to be very contemporary.

Kapoor was selected by the Millennium Park Art Committee in 1999 following a competition of more than 20 contenders. The number was narrowed down to two and ultimately, Kapoor's design was considered the most innovative. The unique spirit and direction in Kapoor's vast body of work embraced the essence of the project and the spirit of the next millennium.

U.S. Equities Realty is managing the installation of the Cloud Gate sculpture. Progress on the project can be viewed 24/7 via web cam at www.usequities.com.

About Anish Kapoor
Kapoor was born in Bombay, India in 1954 and has lived in London since the early 1970's where he began his distinguished career as a student at Hornsey College of Art and Chelsea School of Art Design. During the last twenty years, Kapoor has emerged as one of the most prolific and respected artists in the world. He has had solo exhibitions of his work in venues such as Kunsthalle Basel, the Tate Modern and Hayward Gallery in London; Reina Sofia in Madrid and CAPC in Bordeaux. He has also participated internationally in many group shows at the Whitechapel Art Gallery, The Royal Academy and Serpentine Gallery in London; Documenta IX in Kassel; Moderna Museet in Stockholm; and, Jeu de Paume and Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. Kapoor was awarded the "Premio Duemila" at the Venice Biennale in 1990, the Turner Prize award in 1991 and was awarded a Commander of the British Empire in 2003.

For Additional Information
Kara Cook, Ruder-Finn, 312.329.3910
Brian Burch, Ruder-Finn, 312.329.3915