Nomensculpture

Even if you haven’t been to the corner of Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street since 2004, chances are you’ve seen an image of one of two 50-foot tall glass towers, complete with a rotating roster of real faces literally spitting water on tourists and children. Responsible for bringing a stream of bizarre refreshment to the middle of the concrete jungle via the Crown Fountain of Chicago’s Millennium Park, sculptor Jaume Plensa is no stranger to combining nature with elements electric, audible and even readable as a means to connect it to tangible culture in his interactive installations. The Nasher Sculpture Center welcomes its first exhibition by a living sculptor, Jaume Plensa: Genus and Species, Saturday through May 2. The exhibition features large-scale works (several of which have never been seen in public) and will flow throughout the center’s grounds–indoors and out, and even into the street–as placed by the Plensa himself. The Nasher describes the exhibition as a “visceral experience of the nexus between art, language, biology and metaphysics.” As such, visitors may not be spat upon, but will surely feel the impact of Plensa’s message. The Nasher is located at 2001 Flora St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $10, $5 for students or $7 for seniors. Visit nashersculpturecenter.org.
Tuesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts: Jan. 30. Continues through May 2, 2010