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What Obama’s Billion Dollar Chicago Temple Will Look Like
I imagine an architect working late at night, stumped for a design for the Obama Presidential Library, eating cold take-out Kung Pao chicken. Suddenly, the carton slips out of his hands and plops upside down on the unfinished diorama. He utters a curse and leans over to pick it up. Then, he pauses and stares at the inverted Chinese food container. “A ha!” he exclaims. “I’ve got it.”
Update: Community organizers in Chicago don’t like the proposed Obama Temple Complex.
“We are concerned that rather than becoming a bold vision for urban living in the future it will soon become an object-lesson in the mistakes of the past.”
Sounds like it sums up the Obama presidency perfectly.
Published in General
I actually think the Pritzker Pavilion looks cool.
“HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUAA” repeated over and over; a tribute to his Hawaiian roots.
My initial reaction was that it looked like something communists would build. Cold, sterile looking, devoid of beauty.
A giant Obama chia head. I should know, I have one! Got it is a gag gift. I’m keeping it unopened, because it might actually become valuable in the future . . .
Does it grow arugula? I heard Whole Foods charged a lot for that.
Can’t believe I’m defending Obama, but I really like the building– although the landscape plan could be better. Furthermore, think of all the jobs building it will provide. It’s just basically money at work in the economy in a way that will benefit the blue collars as well as the people who own the companies supplying the materials. One more excellent thing about it is the fact that the money to build it will come out of the accounts of Dem fat cats who won’t have quite as much to spend on ads attacking us. It’s all good?
I agree with everything but the part about liking the building.
One more thing. I just ordered a new filter for my pool and noticed a big “Made in America” sticker on the outside of the box that wasn’t there the last time I bought a filter from the same company. Just betcha there will be lots of “Made in America” products used in that building– by popular demand. We’re slowly waking up.
The capital used to build the building will have value for the contractors and material suppliers. But that doesn’t make it a good use of the money. You could say the same thing if he dug a big trench and filled it back in again, with Obamaphones.
The fact that the building stands in stark contrast to the existing library just near it, and since all libraries are more or less homages to the presidents they’re, um, erected for, just means it’s another example of why the presidency most recently seems to attract narcissists.
This is not ostentatious. It blends into the landscape around it, it doesn’t stand out and say “LOOK AT ME”. Same type of library, same historical information and archiving. Compare the two side by side. Even if you knew nothing about Obama or Bush, by looking at their libraries, which one would you guess is the bigger jerk?
I don’t find Dubya’s library particularly aesthetically pleasing, but you’re right. At least it’s not an abomination (obamanation? — coincidence? I think not).
I wonder how many e-mails the Clinton presidential center has. (People should recall that the Mrs. was disobeying court orders and destroying e-mails back during the first Clinton administration. Her 2016 escapades were nothing new. Don’t know if Comey ever made mention of that.)
Comey’s too busy tweeting lunacies to do anything useful. Sort of like when he was being paid way too much to “work” for the USG.
I kind of like the idea of the cut-out text letting light in, like a lacey curtain.
Too bad the “text” is nonsense, not meaningful.
Is that a coincidence?
Also, I wonder, if when the sunlight passes through those text like openings,bid the shadows of those openings create a readable text, depending on the way the light comes in.
Fanciful thinking that the architect had that idea?
Speaking of libraries and GW, I bought the book of his paintings of soldiers. I admire that he did that; took up painting, and created the book. It is interesting reading his stories of the soldiers he painted. A good coffee table book. He is a good man.
I am sure his art has been critiqued and some harshly, it is what happens with art. Books, artwork, plays, etc. are generally personal to the creator, and it is a risk putting it out there. I have also painted and it is a lot harder than it looks.
Apparently it is supposed to symbolically represents his love of words and speeches. Make of that what you will.
My granny always teased me, as a child, “You’re talking through your hat.”
The gibberish on the O-library simply casts in stone his love of words, leaving us no substance of the ideas words convey.
Oh right, all words are gibberish, unless Obama translates for us? Come into O-library, all ye who want to know.
Words that don’t mean anything? Yeah. I could see why he would love that.
Here are some more comparisons of the building to other forms (beware having to X-out intrusive ads to get to the article):
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/jan/10/obama-presidential-library-design-panned-toenail/
The comments are “interesting,” too.
From the link:
I find it surprising so many university faculty are opposed.
I also think further south could use the economic boost. But further south is risky….isn’t it?
People with pretty lives don’t live down there, do they.
The desire to plant the library near established transit is smart.
Depends on if they really want anyone to visit it. Maybe it’s for the Obamas to admire in privacy.