Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), and the Millennium Park Foundation have announced new temporary public art installations for Millennium Park's 20th Anniversary season. The exhibitions will include physical works by renowned sculptor Franz West and augmented reality pieces by Chicago-based artists Claire Ashley, Faheem Majeed, Yvette Mayorga, and Carlos Rolón. These installations will be available for viewing from July 22 through November 2025.

Millennium Park is known for its iconic artworks, including Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor and Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa. The Boeing Galleries in the park host modern and contemporary art exhibitions. The curation and management of these exhibitions are funded by private donors through the Millennium Park Foundation.

"Millions of people visit Millennium Park every year to enjoy our free cultural events and interact with our world-famous art and architecture—including Cloud Gate and Crown Fountain," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "On behalf of the entire City, we thank these artists for sharing their talents with us."

"Since Millennium Park opened 20 years ago, the Park has been a unique showcase for Chicago’s flourishing public art scene," added DCASE Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth. "These new temporary installations will give everyone visiting Millennium Park this summer an unforgettable experience."

Donna LaPietra, Chair and President of the Millennium Park Foundation Board of Directors, stated, "In celebration of the Park’s 20th anniversary, we wanted to showcase both large-scale public art works alongside pioneering augmented reality works."

The augmented reality works require the free Hoverlay app available on Apple AppStore or Google PlayStore.

The new installations include:

Franz West: Three monumental sculptures—Stonehenge (2011), Kugeln (Balls) (2002), and Dorit (2002)—will be displayed in the South Boeing Gallery. West's work encourages viewer interaction and merges sculpture with everyday life.

Augmented Chicago: This exhibition features augmented reality works by Claire Ashley, Faheem Majeed, Yvette Mayorga, and Carlos Rolón:

- Carlos Rolón’s Ni Aquí, Ni Allá (Neither Here Nor There) creates a sanctuary inspired by Puerto Rico.

- Yvette Mayorga’s The Lovers Dance explores themes of belonging through interactive dancers set against frosted clouds.

- Claire Ashley’s N O M A D I C F L U O R A T I C P H Y L O S I A N S P A W N responds to seasonal changes in Lurie Gardens.

- Faheem Majeed’s Freedom’s Stand: Sentries Beacon honors Black newspapers with dynamic AR newspaper stand sculptures.

More information about these artists can be found on their respective websites.

For further details about Millennium Park exhibitions and events during its 20th Anniversary Celebration from July 18-21, visit millenniumpark.org.