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Read the press release here.

Logan Boulevard Sculpture Mystery Solved, Sort Of

By Victoria Johnson | October 22, 2013 4:15pm
 The city has placed sculptures along Logan Boulevard as part of "Sculptures on the Boulevards."
Logan Boulevard sculptures
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LOGAN SQUARE — The strange mystery of the Logan Boulevard sculptures has been solved.

In a press release Tuesday, the Chicago Park District announced "Sculpture on the Boulevards," an initiative that will take several sculptures previously on display along the lakefront and move them to boulevards across the city.

The project is a joint effort between the park district, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Chicago Department of Transportation, and according to the park district is the "largest temporary art installation to take place in Chicago’s neighborhoods."

Logan Boulevard was the first to receive the sculptures, where four of the five planned for the neighborhood were installed last week, sparking rumors about the artwork's origin.

Other boulevards getting sculptures as part of the program are Independence Boulevard in North Lawndale, California Boulevard in Little Village, Western Boulevard in Back of the Yards, and Garfield Boulevard in New City and Englewood.

Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Michael Kelly said in the release that the initiative "creates a wonderful opportunity to expose Chicago’s children and families to the arts and celebrates the talents of local artists right in our own neighborhood.”

Several of the sculptures had been on display along the lakefront until September 2012, the press release said. They were part of an exhibit curated by Chicago Sculpture International.

Residents on Logan Boulevard were surprised to find the sculptures being installed last Friday and reports conflicted on where exactly they came from.

Ald. Rey Colon's (35th) Martha Ramos said a search through the city's system turned up no permits to install the sculptures, something she said would be required even if it were the city placing them.

A Chicago Park District spokeswoman could not immediately provide details of the permit process Tuesday afternoon.

In the meantime, the sculpture installation is ongoing, with plans for the artwork to remain on display through next fall, according to the park district press release.

Those that will be on display on Logan Boulevard are:

• "Expanding Universe" by Eric Lindsey, at Rockwell Street
• "Fern Temple IV" by Austin Collins, at Washtenaw Avenue
• "Another Thought" by Michael Brown, at Fairfield Avenue (not yet installed)
• "Bouquet" by Terrence Karpowicz, at Mozart Street
• "Living Sculpture" by Jason Verbeek, at Richmond Street