Tag: The Art Institute of Chicago

The Bedroom- Van Gogh Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

The Bedroom- Van Gogh Exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago

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For the first time, Van Gogh’s painting, “The Bedroom” will be reunited with its brothers. There are three versions of the painting; they are located in Chicago, Paris, and Amsterdam.  Here, in Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago has a wonderful and exciting exhibit featuring the 3 paintings and a real-life replica of the scene.

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Vincent Van Gogh is one of my favorite painters. I am a creative person and I love to see his style of art, combinations of color, texture, and content. Indeed, his artwork takes me to another dimension like a dream. Now, I am able to literally step into Van Gogh’s life by going to the special art exhibit!

Interestingly enough, there are other places in Chicago that have recreated the bedroom scene and by the looks of it, it is extremely accurate.

When you come to Chicago to visit Loyola for a campus tour, you should visit the Art Institute for this exhibit as it is only open for a limited amount of time (it ends May 10). Besides this special exhibit, there are so many other exhibit worthy of taking a look at. According to MSNBC, the Art Institute is named the best museum in the world, so really- I suggest you take the opportunity and see for yourself! 🙂

To wrap things up, I will end in with my favorite TV show, Doctor Who, on a spectacular scene on  Van Gogh.

 

The Top 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait ’til Junior Year to Visit the Art Institute

The Top 5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait ’til Junior Year to Visit the Art Institute

Why did I wait until my junior year at Loyola to visit the Art Institute of Chicago? I’ve been wondering the same thing. It’s not that I dislike art, because I absolutely love it. It’s not that I hate museums, because I find them so interesting. It’s not that I live too far away, because I’ve never lived closer.

Since freshman year I’ve been saying how badly I wanted to visit, but for one lame excuse or another I never made the trip downtown to visit one of the best art museums in the entire world. Now that I’ve been, I know exactly why you shouldn’t be like me and wait nearly 2 and 1/2 years to visit this incredible museum:

  1. It’s so easy to get to. Take the 147, the redline, a taxi. Chicago’s got plenty of transit options and the Art Institute is in an easily accessible downtown location, right at the end of Millennium Park.
  2. The 2nd largest collection of impressionist art. Chicago’s Art Institute is 2nd only to the Musee D’Orsay in Paris in terms of impressionist art (which just so happens to be my favorite style). How sweet is it that you don’t have to go to France to see Monet or Seurat?
  3. You’ll need more than one trip. In the few hours I spent at the museum this Saturday I didn’t see nearly half of the vast collection. I have every intention of visiting again in the near future and tackle the exhibits I missed the first time around.
  4. American Gothic, Nighthawks, Sunday Afternoon, Waterlilies. Some of the world’s most well-known pieces of art find their home in the same city as us, might as well visit your famous neighbors right?
  5. Did I forget to mention it’s free for Loyola students? One of Loyola’s best kept secrets is that with a valid LUC ID you can get into this museum for free! For 2 and 1/2 years I’ve been carrying around a free ticket to one of the world’s best art museums and didn’t even know it. Now that you do, don’t let your “ticket” go to waste.

Don’t be like me. Take a trip to the Art Institute as soon as you possibly can, and I promise if you even remotely enjoy museums or art, you won’t be disappointed.

6 Facts That Will Boost Your Chicago Pride

6 Facts That Will Boost Your Chicago Pride

Photo Credit: Chloe Anderson

The 3rd largest city in the United States is home to a few surprises. I’ve always felt that Chicago was special, but here’s some facts that will have you convinced as to why this city truly is the best.

  1. Outside of the Louvre in Paris, The Art Institute of Chicago houses the largest collection of Impressionist paintings. I have yet to visit The Art Institute myself, but it’s at the top of my Chicago Bucket List
  2. In 1893, the Ferris wheel was invented in Chicago. Navy Pier’s iconic Ferris wheel is right at home.
  3. Deep-dish pizza was in fact invented in Chicago. Making it practically wrong to come visit and not enjoy one for yourself.
  4.  There are 4 states visible from the top of the Sears (Willis) Tower. The brave souls who go up to the top can see Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
  5.  The 4 red stars of Chicago’s flag represent Fort Dearborn,  the Chicago fire, the World’s Columbian Exposition, and the Century of Progress Exposition. The six points of these stars represent important virtues or concepts. I’m glad to know it’s more than just a pretty design.
  6. The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the last free zoos in the world. A bear cub bought for $10 in 1874 was the first animal to call the zoo home.

Cool, right? Check out the BuzzFeed article by Lara Parker to learn 44 more facts about the city. Because there’s more to the Windy City than Michigan Avenue and a breeze–the nickname “The Windy City” is actually thanks to “long-winded politicians”, not the weather. Chicago is certainly a city to be proud of. I’m grateful that Loyola calls it home.