New enormous bus shelter obscures ‘ Miss Chicago’
A slow- motion tragedy is occurring before our eyes. Joan Miro’s gorgeous statue, originally titled “The Sun, The Moon, and One Star”— more affectionately known as “Miss Chicago”— is disappearing behind an enormous, ugly bus shelter that resembles a garden rake.
She is a casualty to the “Loop Link” construction along Washington Street, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s experiment in dedicated bus and bike lanes scheduled for completion later this year. As a Chicago resident and CTA commuter, I am sympathetic to the need for bicycle safety and bus efficiency in the Loop. However, as an art lover, I cannot fathom why this behemoth of a bus shelter had to be built right there!
Chicago is supposed to be a beacon of architecture and public art. How many other American cities can boast Picasso and Miro sculptures literally across the street from each other? Strong and womanly, “The Sun, The Moon, and One Star,” with her concrete hips and steel crown, has been towering over us since 1981, reaching her arms out to embrace the city. Sadly, the new bus shelter is positioned directly in front of her, cutting off her plaza from the street, permanently separating her from her sister, the Picasso, penning her in.
Now our lovely Miro seems more like an infant trapped in a crib, her arms reaching feebly toward the bars of her cage. Why, oh why couldn’t the bus shelter be built a few more yards to the east? That’s where the bus stop has always been on Washington Street — nearer Dearborn. Alas, now the bus stop appears to be designed to take up the entire city block.
“Miss Chicago” endured insult when she was initially installed when a machinist threw an orange juice container at her filled with red paint. When police questioned his motivation, he replied, “I just don’t like the statue.” It appears our Miro still suffers such criticism today. Why else would she be made to endure such humiliation?
I am sad for her and I am sad for all of the future visitors to our gorgeous city who will walk right by “The Sun, The Moon, and One Star” without even seeing her. Future art and architectural guides to our city will have to include instructions on how to find “Miss Chicago,” to wit: look behind the bus shelter. No, look further. Yes, behind that big thing. Back in the plaza. Yes, there’s a plaza back there, too.