Designed by renowned, artist Anish Kapoor, the Bean, or as it was originally named Cloud Gate, was unveiled in 2004. It was an instant hit with its curved, oblong, polished-steel shape. Kapoor said that although it was inspired by liquid mercury, most people concur that it reminds them of a giant lima bean, thus the source of its well-known nickname, the Bean.
As its curved mirrored surface reflects the sky and city, it is hard not to touch it, let alone photograph it. And until I transposed my photos of it into the kaleidoscopic pictures seen on these pages, I could never have ever imagined the Bean in any other way.
But no matter how it is viewed, the Bean remains an absolute delight no matter the weather, season, or time of day.