Pages - Menu

Friday, April 16, 2010

My kind of town (Chicago is)


Go on, sing along. I know you know the lyrics.

Chicago is indeed my kind of town.

The reason for my trip to Chicago is summed up in the above photograph. I have been pining to see the William Eggleston exhibit -- Democrat Camera: Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 -- and was disappointed to have missed it last year when it was at the Corcoran in DC; I knew it was headed for the Art Institute of Chicago and vowed not to miss it again. Leslie wanted to see it too and so we set off on Monday, returning yesterday.

I am SO glad I went. To see William Eggleston's work up-close-and-personal was an amazing treat for me. I won't forget it. His photographs seem simple and mundane, but they draw you in, make you think. In my opinion, he's a photographic genius. Tim Connor, a photographer based in New York, has an excellent blog, Looking at Photography, and I urge you to read his take on this exhibition and Eggleston's work. It's well-written and thoughtful and echoes my own opinions and interpretations of Eggleston's photography.

While this exhibition was the reason for the trip, our getaway included so much more. I did not anticipate that Chicago would be such an amazing city; in particular, I did not know that downtown Chicago features one architectural treasure after another. The guidebooks don't do it justice. It was dizzying, a true embarrassment of riches. I literally couldn't walk ten feet without stopping to take numerous photographs. Ask Leslie, she'll tell you. I was only there for a brief period and still managed to snag more than 2,000 photos.  In the days to come I'll share some of my favourites.

Leslie visited Chicago last year and this proved to be beneficial to both of us. She had her bearings and knew the locations of everything important and also had several great restaurant recommendations. That's important, you know! She was comfortable and I was thankful for her inside scoop. She even knew where I could find a Route 66 sign! Leslie, it wouldn't have been the same if you hadn't been there!

I would return to Chicago in a heartbeat. The locals are friendly, the food is fantastic, the cityscapes are breathtaking. It sure is my kind of town.

3 comments:

Bea said...

I love Chicago and try to get down there at least two weekends a year. Too much to do, always. Thanks for the links, great stuff. :)bea

Tim Connor said...

Thanks for the shout out. Glad to hear that great show is still moving around. P.S. Believe it or not, I've never been to Chicago. Must remedy that. Best wishes, Tim

Leslie Jane Moran said...

I had indeed been to Chicago last year and know the "lay of the land". This visit however was a "Lennie Special". Your keen interest and vast knowledge of William Eggleston and his work, is a true inspiration.

Let's just say that I saw Chicago with very different eyes this time. The fact that it takes half an hour to progress half a block will now, and forever be known as "Lennie's Per Hour" {LPH}.

When life is lived and walked in "LPH", not even a few dropped M&M's on the sidewalk are overlooked. That's what I learned this trip....slow down, observe, look up, look down, look behind, look through the lens of life more critically. Loved the trip, thanks for inviting me along.

I learned so much and would do it all again in a heartbeat. We missed at least two great restaurants, so a return visit is in definitely in order.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...