Buddhas of Bamyan

So, the Taliban, you've heard of them right?  They don't like the USA and all that stuff alright, but what a crap thing to do to blow up these statues.... stoopid.

And then there is this band, unrelated, except in my mind now, as I listen to them...

check them out here.

Anish Kapoor

'The Bean'

Until recently, I had never heard of Anish Kapoor until a friend who visited an exhibition of his at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao mentioned him to me.  When I googled him I was really taken by 'Cloud Gate' in Chicago. What a beautiful piece of public sculpture, in a city with some great architecture.  The sculpture, nicknamed 'the bean' by locals, has a 3.6 metre hollow underneath that visitors can walk under.  It is made up of many stainless steel plates that were welded together and then the welds were smoothed and polished down.  Amazing, and beautiful, inspired by the look of mercury.  I'm sure the citizens and visitors to Chicago get a great kick out of it.  And if all that is not enough to make you 'wow' nearby you also have the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.

Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Chicago

Cloud Gate with the Jay Pritzker Pavilion

Cloud Gate, Millenium Park, Chicago