Alright, take a look to your left-that is the Batcolumn, though it’s definitely not your average baseball bat. It towers at 101 feet, making it about ten stories high, and it’s basically a sculpture with a sense of humor. Artist Claes Oldenburg designed this in 1977, building the whole thing out of gray COR-TEN steel that resists rust and gives the Batcolumn that gritty, industrial vibe Chicago is pretty much known for.
Oldenburg originally pictured it painted bright red, but he had a last-minute change of heart-not wanting it to blend in with Calder’s Flamingo, which is already flamingo-colored, he settled on gray so it would really pop against the clouds. Genius move-or not, depending who you asked in 1977. The day it was dedicated, some folks showed up with angry signs, yelling that it was a “very expensive joke.” For the record, public art ruffled feathers, even back when disco was king.
Still, this bat stands tall, echoing Chicago’s ambition and proudly taking its place among the city’s icons.
When you’re ready, Sepia (restaurant) is a 2-minute walk just east from here.
