Aug 12

Aug 12 The Obama Center

Architecture, Chicago Tourism, Donald J. Trump, Public Declarations, Things to Do in Chicago, Urban Landscapes

For the last couple of years, I have watched the Obama Presidential Center’s monolithic Museum rising from the ground while I was heading to the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts. What I didn’t realize was just how large the Center’s campus would be once completed. The construction activity was largely hidden due to the fencing encircling the campus. While standing in the Sky Room on the eighth floor of the Museum today, I realized that the Obama Center is much more than just the monolith.

In addition to the extensive walkways and gardens, the Center houses a Chicago Public Library branch; the Forum, which includes auditorium space; Home Court, which includes a basketball court and other athletic facilities; the John Lewis Plaza: the Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden; a playground; and a variety of gardens and terraces. In other words, president Obama, who was heavily involved in the design, wanted the Center to be more than just a tribute to himself. It is a place where others can acquire knowledge and engage in sports.

I suspect many residents from nearby neighborhoods will take advantage of the 19.3-acre campus for regular walks. Visitors can also access the Japanese Garden in Jackson Park. It predates the Obama Center. Notably, that garden contains a sculpture by Yoko Ono entitled Sky Landing.

Regrettably, the Center does not include an amphitheater for outdoor performances. I wonder whether and certainly hope that the John Lewis Plaza will eventually be used for outdoor events and concerts.

Unfortunately, I had limited time today, so I focused on the Museum. Seven weeks ago, I attended an evening concert in the Forum that was a fundraiser for the Hyde Park Jazz Society. While surveying the campus from the Museum’s Sky Room, I made a mental note to set aside at least half a day for a return visit within the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I won’t be returning to the Museum on that visit because tickets are currently unavailable due to demand.

The Center is easily accessible by car, with plenty of parking available. Anyone choosing to drive should download the parking app, which is the preferred means for payment. Those coming from the Loop can take the 28 Bus, or the Green Line (with a transfer). For other options, click here.

As noted, for me, today was all about the Museum. While it is housed in what I would characterize as a Brutalist structure—people either love Brutalism or they hate it—the interior is bathed in soft, glowing light. Those who hate Brutalism should have no fear. Once inside, the museum feels like the typical museum, with the walls not containing exhibits largely obscured in the darkness. The space is easy to navigate.

But before entering the Museum, many people will want to take advantage of the photo op near the Museum’s entrance. It is a 1,200-pound statute of Barack and Michelle Obama walking hand in hand. It replicates the Obama’s historic walk along Pennsylvania Avenue following President Obama’s January 20, 2009 inauguration. In front of the statue is a rope line for people who want to snap a selfie with the happy couple. I saw fifteen or so people patiently waiting.

The exhibit space encompasses four floors. Not surprisingly, the exhibits applaud President Obama’s accomplishments while in office, including the Affordable Care Act and his efforts to address climate change. I enjoyed reading his “To-Do” list, in his own handwriting. Exhibits also cover the civil rights movement, together with other movements. No one will be surprised that I particularly liked the section devoted to demonstrations and marches. A crowd-pleaser will be the extensive coverage of Barack’s and Michelle’s early years, as well as of their cultural life and various interactions with the public in the White House.

The signature exhibit is the replica Oval Office, which not so surprisingly, is housed in a freestanding oval structure. The items in the office are replicas, including the Resolute Desk, which provides visitors with photo opportunities galore. The problem is a simple one: There is a long line for entry. I would not be surprised if people wait an hour to 90 minutes for their turn. I took a pass. To the Obama Museum’s credit, there is a large opening on one side of the structure, permitting people to peer into the office without having to wait in line. Given expectations, I suspect many visitors will be surprised that the Oval Office is so small.

Michelle Obama’s fans will be pleased that she is prominently featured. Most notable is a display case with six or seven of her dresses. The ladies in my group took note. I quickly passed by.

In keeping with the Obamas’ practice while in the White House, daughters Malia and Sasha largely went unmentioned except for one tiny wall display. Like the Obama daughters, Joe Biden didn’t fare nearly as well as Michelle Obama. He received a brief, but largely forgettable mention. Presumably, he will have his own center.

Overall, I found the exhibits to be rather “thin,” which also was the consensus view of the three other people who accompanied me. One of people wondered whether the “thinness” was due to her having lived through the Obama era. No new information. Such a know-it-all.

With time, I expect the exhibits will fill out. One wall contained a White House floor plan, showing by name each aide’s office. A sign indicated that this diagram would be replaced by a more elaborate version showing the White House floor plan. If I were designing the exhibit, I would make the floor plan interactive. A visitor could touch an aide’s name for a video of the aide discussing his or her contribution to the Obama Administration.

Naturally, President Obama is the museum’s centerpiece and main attraction. Yet, some of the signage places emphasis on the visitors, noting that they (“you”) are who will bring about change. Most of the exhibits are built around memorable quotes from President Obama.

Not surprisingly, the Museum’s exhibits make no reference to President Obama’s successor. Nevertheless, I felt Donald J. Trump’s presence, as I suspect many visitors also do. I kept thinking, “It is impossible to imagine Trump’s presidential center being as upbeat as this place.” Given that the Nation’s first African-American president lives rent-free just beneath Trump’s wig, I have no doubt that President Obama will be referenced in the Trump’s gold-plated tribute to himself—don’t expect a lot of references to the American people. During my visit today, I saw no gold plating, so there will be ample supply for the Trump center.

One highlight for many visitors will be the Sky Room on the Museum’s 8th floor. The views out the ceiling-to floor windows are spectacular. Otherwise, the Sky Room is a missed opportunity. It is a large, cavernous empty space. Had I developed the Museum, I would have included a coffee bar/pastry shop. It may be that the space will be used for evening events. I did see a placard somewhere indicating that space is available for weddings and private parties, but I would think Museum visitors would be upset if the Sky Room were closed on a Saturday afternoon for a wedding or a bar mitzvah.

When looking up in the Sky Room, visitors see tiny blue words scratched into the ceiling. The words encompass President Obama’s 2015 You Are America speech in Selma, Alabama, which marked the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Representative John Lewis memorably walked between Michelle and Barack Obama, as the three held hands. Notably, former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush walked with Sasha and Malia Obama. Imagine that happening today with Donald J. Trump soiling the Oval Office.

The letters affixed outside the southwest top corner of the Museum reproduce a portion of President Obama’s Selma speech. President Obama memorably said:

You are America. Unconstrained by habit and convention. Unencumbered by what is, ready to seize what ought to be. For everywhere in this country, there are first steps to be taken, there is new ground to cover, there are more bridges to be crossed. America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We The People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.’ That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone. Oh, what a glorious task we are given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.”

Each letter is five feet high. They are manufactured using ultra-high performance concrete produced by Shaffner Heaney Associates/Envel located in South Bend, Indiana. Their design and realization took five years.

Less obvious to the uninformed, but of note, is the Center’s art work, which includes a number of outdoor statues by leading sculptors. In the Museum, visitors will find works by Carrie Mae Weems, Kiki Smith, and Jenny Holzer, among others. Also of note is a large installation that spans multiple floors entitled This Land, Shared Sky. It is a collaboration between Marie Watt (of the Seneca Nation) and Chicago artist Nick Cave. Incorporating hand-strung beadwork and “sculptural jingles,” the work functions as a tapestry.

I met my party of three at the Museum. They had sufficient time to have lunch in the restaurant. Surprisingly, the restaurant closes at 5:00 PM (except on Mondays, when it is open to 8:00PM), so most days it is not a dinner option, which strikes me as both odd and dumb given the fact that the campus is open until 9:00 PM. One of those in my party wanted an Obama Burger, but the server convinced him to go with the ribs. The server reported that the burger is good, but nothing to write home about. I was told by my party that the food is reasonably priced and delicious.

In keeping with standard museum practice, the Obama Center has a large gift shop. For me, the problem was the even larger line of people waiting to enter so they could purchase Obama paraphernalia. Fortunately, the Obama Center has a large online shop, so you can skip the line. If you plan ahead, you can wear your Barack or Michelle tee-shirt when you visit the Obama Center, ensuring that you are fashionably attired.

Undoubtedly, the Obama Center will join the Art Institute of Chicago as a must-see for tourists visiting Chicago. I will be sure to visit again with out-of-town guests. Aside from those visits, I see little reason to return to the Obama Center unless there is an event or program of interest. If the Obama Center wants Chicagoans to visit more than once, the curators need to develop space for temporary exhibits. How about some protest photography?

Overall, my visit was enjoyable, but the Obama Center is not a knockout attraction unless you are a Barack or Michelle groupie. But I am willing to give it time to fill out.

For the photographers out there, all color images were made using just one camera equipped with a 30mm lens. Next time, I will probably take a camera with a zoom lens, or three cameras, each with a prime lens. The black and white photographs were made using a Leica Monochrom with a prime lens.

Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]