Cloud Gate aka The Bean is one of Chicago’s most visited attractions, despite the fact it’s been around for less than 15 years. Everyone who visits this city can’t resist taking a photo of this reflective sculpture, but here’s a couple of interesting facts you probably didn’t know about it.
Artist’s Vision
British artist Anish Kapoor designed Chicago’s top landmark with the city’s skyline in mind because he wanted the clouds and the tall buildings reflected in his work.
Silly Nickname
The official name of this sculpture is Cloud Gate, but most people know it as The Bean. Kapoor wasn’t fond of this nickname at first and called it “completely stupid”, but eventually came to terms with it.
Cleaning Time
Countless visitors touch this sculpture every day, so it has to be cleaned daily so sweat, dirt and fingerprints would be removed. A detailed cleanup of the entire sculpture takes time twice a year.
Popular Culture
Cloud Gate is easy on the eye, and many famous filmmakers wanted to include it in their projects. It appeared in the movies The Break-Up, Source Code and The Vow, and Kanye West used it for a setting for the “Homecoming” music video.
