Two girls shielding from a firestorm in a beanscape
Terry Baker
printed on Giclée Epson Semi-Gloss
Developed from an original photograph of reflections in Anish Kapoor's stainless steel sculpture, 'Cloud Gate', constructed in Chicago's Millennium park in 2004. What is intriguing is the stark contrast between the rigid straightness of the buildings in the 'real' world and the gentle, curvilinear nature of the world trapped behind the surface of the sculpture, the 'bean', as it is affectionately known. The world outside is hard, unyielding and dangerous; indeed, the very sky has ignited into an incandescent blaze. The world inside the 'bean' is calm, soft and yielding, and the sky remains blue and welcoming. The two young girls have chosen this safe haven over the harsh world outside. Better to live behind the looking glass, in a soft, surreal beanscape, rather than in a world without pity.