The Year of Public Art is kicking into gear this summer and the Chicago Riverwalk is getting in on the citywide celebration. Earlier this week, a series of new public art installations went on display along the riverfront, which means that there’s no better time to take a stroll and snap some photos of these works.
You’ll probably want to start with the largest and most noticeable installation, a sculpture by Tony Tasset called Deer that stands on the Riverwalk between Franklin and Lake Streets. True to its name, the piece is a giant lifelike deer that gazes into the distance as boat tours and selfie-takers pass in front of it.
On the other end of the Riverwalk, you’ll find a glittering gold fiberglass sculpture entitled Real Fake by Chicago artist Scott Reeder. It’s positioned on the northeast corner of Upper Wacker Drive and Wabash Avenue, within view of some loud architectural signage across the river.
Elsewhere on the Riverwalk, you’ll find graffiti art by Columbia College graduate Sam Kirk and a mural by Tyrue “Slang” Jones, both located near Tony Tasset’s Deer, between Franklin and Lake Streets. In early July, these new installation will be joined by a series of seven banners designed by School of the Art Institute of Chicago instructor Candida Alvarez and hung throughout the Riverwalk.
