Rising
Chicago Rising From the Lake is a sculpture created by Russian-born artist Milton Horn in 1954, the year of my birth. Viewed from the front, the woman looks like a hearty Midwestern, but viewed from below looking up, the woman looks a figure that would adorn a Buddhist temple. As is often the case with artists, Horn's wife Estelle served as the model for the sculpture. Not pictured in the photograph is a large steer.
The sculpture weights 3.5 tons. Horn was paid $5,000 for the commission. It originally was installed on the face of a parking lot structure. In 1983, it went missing. It was rediscovered in 1997 by a firefighter. In 1998, it was installed at its present location at a cost of $60,000.
Like many public works of art in Chicago, Horn's sculpture is easily missed, hidden on the north side of Chicago River, on the northwest side of the Columbus Avenue bridge.
Sony Alpha 7Rii, G-Master 23-70; Shutter Speed 1/400; F7.1 Aperture; 61mm Focal Length; 160 ISO. Post Processing Adobe Photoshop, ACR, and Silver Efex (Dodge Shadows, Boost Contrast).
Source for Facts: Hal Dardick, Public-Art Puzzle Set to Be Completed, Chicago Tribune (June 4, 2004).
Copyright 2016, Jack B. Siegel. All Rights Reserved
