Joan Miro's "Woman"

Transcript (Download)

I think it's more fun.

It's something.

It's quite different.

I'm going to roll the back.

Ready wrapped in a bright yellow shroud.

As sort of a little heart played a role today in one rose birthday in saying the commitment that was made to you in the 50s to you Picasso and to you Miro is now completed.

It's a city that loves you.

It's a city that loves its art.

It's a city that loves itself.

And for that reason, I'm delighted that today we have the completion.

I'm Bruce Graham.

I'm an architect.

Chicago with the group of Skidmore Owings and Merrill.

Art in our time.

And I don't mean just sculpture, but sculpture, painting, music, architecture are all expressions of a civilization.

Future archaeologists.

That they would see the the that what survives of our time are those things that inspire good in men.

And I think it's usually historical that it is those things that survive.

And we tend to forget all the agony of man, rather their beauty and contemplation of life itself.

And that you will see the mural.

A good friend of Dr.

Sertz was a man by the name of Le Corbusier.

And Einstein once was asked what he thought of Corbusier's work.

And maybe you remember that quote.

But Einstein said it was an architecture that made it easy to do good and difficult to do evil.

I think that is a very fine definition of art itself.

That's about the finest you can get.

I think art is always linked to man and to our needs, our aspirations, our ambitions.

Be they the actual ones of today or those 2000 years BC.

And there's a certain constant kind of interest in nature, in life, vitality that runs this whole series of cultures.

And our culture and our time one day will be perhaps greatly appreciated for the things that were done with this spirit.

It will be more difficult for him to interpret other things, but I think those he will understand.

To the average man on the street it may all seem a little modern, esoteric, beyond him perhaps.

But the fact that it's big and strong and important, that he can understand.

Because that's Chicago.

I have no idea.

There's a thin dividing line between creative genius and lunacy.

Do you ever get that feeling? When I watch the weather.

Hey, we had a chilly day out there.

We had a low this morning of 32 degrees.

We got down to freezing.

Not too much frost reported last night, but it looks like...

Identifier

F.2005-08-0296

Date Of Production

circa 1981

Abstract

Loosely assembled footage depict the installation and dedication ceremony for Joan Miro’s sculpture Miro’s Chicago in Chicago’s Brunswick Plaza. Footage includes American Gunite Company staff as they methodically work on installing Miro’s Chicago; Mayor Jane Byrne as she attempts to unveil Miro’s Chicago on a windy Monday April 20, 1981; an audio recording of an America First Committee member’s tirade against Jews, contemporary art, and cultural degeneracy; an interview with architect Bruce Graham, designer of the Brunswick Building; Channel 2 reporter Bill Kurtis’ televised interview with Joan Miro.

Format

Super 8

Extent

200 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Mag Stripe

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Language Of Materials

English

Subject

Art
Processes and techniques
Construction
Landmarks
Politicians

Preservation Sponsor

Related Collections

Subseries I: Completed Works

Related Places

North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago ➜ Loop

Main Credits

Stamets, Bill (is filmmaker)

Participants And Performers

Byrne, Jane (is participant)

McMullen, Jay (is participant)

Graham, Bruce J. (is participant)

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