If Atlanta Had "The Bean," Where Would We Put It? "Cloud Gate" by Anish Kapoor

We bonded with The Bean and want one for Atlanta.

It's a people attractor that belongs to your eye, personal and infinite, a giant fun-house mirror, interactive without electronics, every view different, democratic free fine art, and it makes makes you look thin. "Cloud Gate" by Anish Kapoor.

We want one. Where to put it? I'll get to that in a sec. Your suggestions welcome.


Pretty much love at first sight. I'd seen pictures, read a little. The urbanists, public space lovers, and others were all agog. But I didn't get it. Now I'm total agog.

In nearby squares there's a giant Calder, a huge Picasso, and a colossal Chagall mosaic. I love them but they just sit there.

We had the stiffest legs from driving to Chicago for a wedding. We checked into the W Chicago - City Center and figured we'd go for a walk and get some dinner.

We headed east toward the lake to Michigan Avenue and The Art Institute of Chicago. I knew the Bean was over there somewhere.

This way:

We went east on Adams and got to Michigan but couldn't see the Bean so I scouted ahead. "Here it is," I signaled to JoAnn.


Our first Bean selfie.


Our first under-Bean selfie, see JoAnn behind me with raised arms? It feels non-Newtonian under there.

You just can't grok it in a still picture.



Where should we put Atlanta's bean?

Should we put it into a great public space or can use to make a great public space?

#TerrysTinySuggestions

1. Piedmont Park across 10th street from Grady Stadium. Piedmont Park is Atlanta's greatest public space and serves as a BeltLine destination.
2. High Museum where the Rodan is. The Woodruff Art Center's Sifly Piazza is wonderful once you are up there but it doesn't "show" on the street. It needs a come-hither feature.
3. The proposed Buckhead over-400-park. Buckhead is trying to make a people-attracting city center and needs it so much.
4. Decatur Square where the bandstand is. Downtown Decatur is already a great family friendly public space.
5. Centennial Olympic Park so you can catch it on the way to the Aquarium, the Hall of Fame, Civil Rights museum, the World of Coke. Not my preference but tourists would remember it.
6. Woodruff Park needs something to attract smiles. The waterfall calms. The Bean energizes. Maybe put the Bean in front of the waterfall?
7. Sweet Auburn. We've expended so much effort to make it a great space fitting it's stature. I don't think a Bean could do it. But Edgewood desperately needs a terminated vista, a come-hither landmark.
8. Tech Square on the southwest corner where Fifth Street T-bones West Peachtree.
9. Ponce City Market? Doesn't need it but...
10. Where else?

Important note: "...with the final figure standing at $23 million in 2006. No public funds were involved; all funding came from donations from individuals and corporations." - wiki. 

Maybe we can get a deal on the 2nd one.

Bonus: from the Bean you can see the Frank Gehry designed Pritzker band-shell from the side.


From the amphitheater it looks like an elegantly crumpled giant chewing gum wrapper about to break over you like a giant wave. From the side it's all curvy-business

Terry's Tiny Critique of Critics Criticizing Criticism - A Tanz FEED at the Lovable Warhorse Cafe

I'll get to Terry's Tiny Critique in a minute because I want to show you the Warhorse Cafe. Most of you have never seen it and some of you never heard of The Goat Farm Arts Center.

On Tuesday night Daniel Fuller - Atlanta Contemporary, Laura Relyea - ArtsATL, Karen Head - Atlanta Review, and Chuck Reese - Bitter Southerner talked art criticism, music criticism, literary criticism, food criticism, and criticism criticism thanks to Tanz Farm.

They are nice. They are feisty. They can be nice and feisty - the way they were Tuesday night bless their hearts. These folks put ideas into words. We are fortunate to have them.


The Warhorse Cafe is the Goat Farm's living room.


It's funky and flexible and multipurpose. It's got sofas and lamps, art and tchotchkes AND an indoor bathroom. Here's Jordan Stubbs who I joined in the outdoor SRO section.


I'm not so good at sitting quietly.


Daniel Fuller - Atlanta Contemporary is in the black shirt right hand to ear. Chuck Reese - Bitter Southerner is in the orange "T" giving the secret palms-down-crooked-finger-splay gesture.


Karen Head - Atlanta Review has right hand to chin and red boots (cool). Laura Relyea - ArtsATL has her Heineken in hand. Atlanta's artists and art fans fill the room.


Joe Dreher and AJ Robinson joined Jordan and me outside. Nice to meet you AJ.


The view from one of the dirtiest windows in town.

Finally, Terry's Tiny Critique:

I'd enjoy another kind of culture meeting. I want our art experts to talk mostly about art, to do it regularly, to be a bit ritualistic, a bit less open-ended. I want to get to know the art as we get to know the experts and the community.

Thanks so much. It's a pleasure to be here.