© 2019 jc buck
Crown Fountain – 2019
Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois
Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois
Photographed in 2019, this gallery features the iconic Crown Fountain in Millennium Park, designed by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa in collaboration with Krueck + Sexton Architects. Completed in 2004, the interactive public art installation consists of two 50-foot glass brick towers facing each other across a black granite reflecting pool. The towers display video portraits of Chicago residents, creating a dynamic and ever-changing dialogue between architecture, technology, and humanity.
The fountain is both playful and monumental, cycling between serene reflection and bursts of water, transforming public space into a communal experience. The design has received multiple honors, including recognition from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a spot on numerous "best public art" lists.
My images explore how the Crown Fountain echoes the geometric forms of Chicago’s surrounding skyscrapers, creating a visual dialogue between art and architecture. In black and white, the mirrored lines and reflective surfaces heighten this connection, while the presence of people interacting with the structure adds a human rhythm to the composition—a reminder that this public artwork is both monumental and deeply communal.
© 2019 JC Buck
