Tag: Art Institute

Sweet Home CHICAGO

Sweet Home CHICAGO

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There is no better place on earth than Chicago and let me tell  you why…

  • Explore: Get to know the city through the CTA (Chicago’s public trains and buses). Students get U-Passes which provide unlimited access and serves as your passport to the city. This is a great way to explore different neighborhoods all over the city.
  • Cheer on Your Team: 24 hours after the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup for the 3rd time in 6 years, Chelsea Dagger is still playing in my head. Now Chicagoans are tracking the cup (AKA Lord Stanley) as it travels all around the city and prepare to continue the celebration during the parade and Rally at Soldier Field on Friday. Chicago is not only a hockey dynasty but also home to the Chicago Bears,  the Bulls, and crosstown rivals – White Sox and Cubs. Even if you’re not a die-hard Chicago sports fan, you can likely cheer for your hometown team with they compete in town (and Loyola students often have access to tickets ranging from $2-20 to check out these events)! This year not only did the Bulls make the playoffs, the Blackhawks win the championship, and the NFL held the draft in Millennium Park, but our own Loyola Ramblers won the Division 1 Men’s National Volleyball Championship for the second year in a row, but the Men’s Basketball Team also won the CBI tournament this spring. There really is no better place to cheer on both your collegiate and professional teams
  • Enjoy the Waves: Have you ever sailed before? Kayaked down the Chicago River? Or is the beach more of your scene? Or hop on an architectural boat tour of the city from Navy Pier. Either way, there are countless ways to enjoy Lake Michigan.
  • Get Fit: Work out at Halas, Loyola’s awesome new fitness center (complete with a new pool and rock climbing wall) that hosts several club, recreational and intramural sporting events and teams throughout the year. Or join a beach volleyball team, do yoga in Grant Park, run along the lake, or rent a bike from Chain Links or Divvy.
  • Bon appetit: Chicago has some amazing places to eat from Portillo’s  to Lou Malnatti’s to Taste of Chicago where you can try all of Chicago’s tastiest items (may we recommend a Chicago style hotdog, italian beef, and deep dish pizza). This is another time to hop onto the CTA and go to Little Italy, Chinatown, or any other cultural neighbordhood in the city to try some of the best ethnic food.
  • Appreciate the Arts: World-class artists & performers swarm the city throughout the year so catch a Broadway Show, the Joffrey Ballet, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony, a late night show at The Green Mill, or concerts at venues all over the city. Looking to see an inexpensive show on campus, learn what Colossus means at Loyola (it’s one of my favorite Loyola events)!
  • See the Sights: It’s never too late to play tourist and find out why everyone takes selfies at “The Bean” or see why everyone loves Sue at the Field Museum. Don’t forget to check out the view of the skyline from the Adler Planetarium, the SkyDeck in the Sears Tower, or from the Signature Room in the John Hancock Building. While you’re at it, just hit up the rest of the museum campus – The Shedd Aquarium, and The Museum of Science & Industry (thought some of the smaller, more niche museums are among my favorites).

Really though, the only way to fall in love with Chicago is visit and explore it yourself!

The Art Institute Of Chicago

The Art Institute Of Chicago

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Today I took a trip downtown to the Art Institute of Chicago.  Taking advantage of yet another perk of being a Loyola student, I was able to get in for free with my student ID card.

The featured exhibit right now is a collection by Pablo Picasso.  Unfortunately, the line was very long and I was not sure I would make it back in time for class.  So saving Picasso for another day, I wandered around looking at the other collections.

I spent a lot of time in the modern wing, specifically in an exhibit featuring the immigrant population in Chicago.  There were all types of pieces, and I found myself drawn to those picturing the African American population.  While some were somber and serious, others were bursting with vibrant color and life.

During a period referred to as the Great Migration, a large population of African American immigrants moved to the urban areas of Chicago.  One of the Art Institute’s pieces, “Nightlife” by Archibald J. Motley, Jr., epitomizes the period’s energetic social life.  The painting’s vividly rich colors reflects the richness of the art, literature, and music of the community.

After a couple more hours, I left the Art Institute feeling very cultured and knowledgeable.  I cannot wait to make another free visit this semester to see the Picasso collection.

Timothy Doolin’s Day Off

Timothy Doolin’s Day Off

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Today I was given a class assignment to go to a museum and write about a sculpture in one of the exhibits. And upon seeing this interesting item, I could not resit posting about it.

Photos taken by Ania Jakobiec

I missed my classes to go to the art institute (which is free to Loyola Students) I was going to see it all not just some weird horse head cup and leave. No, I wanted to check out what the rest of the museum had to offer.

First was the modern wing…

Call me simple minded but I’m sorry this is a canvas with scribbles on it. But this is infinitely better than the next one we saw.

I get it! Technology will all loose connection some day and we will need to respect art.

And my personal favorite.

Seriously? I wish I knew this is all it took to get into the Art Institute.

We didn’t only stay in the modern wing, we ventured to see some classic paintings like the one below.

While the new Picasso exhibit was quite awesome, this is one of my favorites. The American Gothic and the surrealism section is always a great stop to add smiles before heading to see all the blood and guts that was the Renaissance. While beautiful, these artworks are quite gruesome.

Finally we ended with the most famous works in the museum. The Monet’s and pointillism that will always remind me of that scene from Ferris Bullers day off.