RedBall Project Rolls Through Chicago

By Ali Trachta in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 20, 2008 3:51PM

The Olympic flame isn’t the only big red ball that gets to travel around the world. An installation art piece titled the RedBall Project that has been bouncing around the globe since 2001, adopting various urban landscapes on its seemingly unending world tour, will be kickin’ it around Chicago all next month.

The RedBall Project is the brainchild of Chicago-born artist Kurt Perschke, who has essentially bounced the globe himself creating public art in various international cities. (O.K., the project is also sponsored by Target, which may explain the piece’s bullseye-like appearance.) The 15-foot inflatable red ball has migrated through cities such as Barcelona, Syndey and St. Louis, and beginning September 1, Perschke brings the ball home to the Chicago where it will spend the month making stops at locales like Millennium Park, Chess Pavilion, and even Wishbone in the West Loop. The ball, which squishes and molds to adapt to its environment, will also been seen in various nooks and crannies throughout the city, as the artist prefers to celebrate not only architecture but general urban living.

We hope the Bean doesn’t feel threatened by the new blob in town.

For a list of all scheduled Red Ball appearances, continue reading after the jump.

RedBall Site Location Schedule
(As of August 12. Additional sites to be announced.)

September 1, 11 am - 6 pm Millennium Park (Michigan Ave. and Randolph St.)
September 3, 11 am - 6 pm Spertus Museum (610 S. Michigan Ave.)
September 5, 11 am - 6 pm Wishbone (1001 W Washington Blvd.)
September 6, 11 am - 4 pm Field Museum (1400 S. Lake Shore Drive)
September 7, 11 am - 6 pm Grant Park, Museum Campus pedestrian viaduct (under Lake Shore Drive at Roosevelt Rd.)
September 10, 11 am - 6 pm Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist (55 E. Wacker at Wabash Ave.)
September 13, 11 am - 6 pm Damen Ave. & North Ave.
September 14, 11 am - 6 pm Chess Pavilion, North Ave at the Lakefront
September 19, 11 am - 6 pm Hyde Park Art Center (5020 S. Cornell Ave.)
September 20, 10 am - 5 pm IIT s McCormick Tribune Campus Center (3201 South State St.)
September 23, 11 am - 6 pm 19 S. LaSalle St.
September 24, 11 am - 6 pm Federal Plaza (230 S. Dearborn St.)
September 25, 11 am - 6 pm Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.)