Arris

Arris, 1975

John Henry

Near McCormick Place

Intersection of Cermak Road and South Calumet Avenue

            Commissioned by the Amalgamated Trust and Savings Bank, Arris measures more than 47 feet in length and originally was located on a tiny strip of land, owned by the bank, between Dearborn Street and Plymouth Court. It was relocated to its present location in 1998 as part of the Chicago Gateway Green project, which has supported landscape design and the re-location of art works in order to create attractive “gateways” into the Loop.

            John Henry (born 1943) is a Kentucky native and son of a construction contractor. His facility with construction materials and metalworking techniques is apparent in Arris, a group of high-strength, hollow aluminum beams painted bright yellow and joined together in a dynamic composition that animates the environment. Consciously referencing the construction industry, the title Arris is a term used to indicate the angle formed when two surfaces of a building meet. Known for works that are monumental in both size and scale, Henry’s contribution to the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at Governors State University (outside of Chicago), entitled Illinois Landscape #5, is one of the largest pieces of outdoor sculpture in the country, measuring 134 feet long, 24 feet wide and 36 feet high. 

Other works:

• Forecast