The Cloud Column sculpture in Houston provoked some good-natured ribbing from the folks in Chicago when it was installed in the Space City’s museum district on March 27, 2018.
A 29.25-by-10.8-by-6.7-foot polished stainless steel oval in Houston was done by the same artist, Anish Kapoor, who did Cloud Gate or “The Bean” in Chicago’s Millennium Park.
Chicagoans began taking pot shots at Cloud Column almost immediately after it was installed in the Brown Foundation, Inc. Plaza outside of the Glassell School of Art in the Cullen Sculpture Garden. Writers with the Chicago Tribune called it the “johnny-come-lately bean” and the “leftover bean.”
In retaliation, Houstonians called the 33-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture in the Windy City the “has bean,” in reference to Houston’s quest to replace Chicago as the nation’s third-largest city.
Since Kapoor reportedly started work on the Column before the Gate, Houston calls their sculpture the “original bean,” “the better bean,” or just “the frijole.”
The shiny sculpture reflecting the passing clouds is across the street from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and is a popular site for selfies. The outdoor Cullen Sculpture Garden is well worth a look, with masterworks by Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Auguste Rodin, and others.
Remarkably, Kapoor has a second major work at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington. Sky Mirror is a 35-foot-wide mirrored concave disk outside of the main entrance near AT&T Way and Randol Mill Road.
Cloud Column is located northeast of the intersection of Montrose Boulevard and Bissonnet Street in Houston. Admission is free. Parking in the area can be an issue with limited street parking. There is a parking garage at 5101 Montrose Blvd. that offers the first 30 minutes for free.
1,686th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
This article appears in January 19 • 2024.
