Ten Thousand Ripples by Indira Johnson

Chicago is home to so many beautiful installations - Ten Thousand Ripples is one of my favorites. I photographed these in Rogers Park at sunset.

Ten Thousand Ripples (TTR) is a multi-platform public arts project, undertaken in collaboration with Changing Worlds, the lead arts organization and cultural and community organizations from the City of Chicago. At the center of Ten Thousand Ripples is the creation of one hundred fiberglass Buddha sculptures designed by artist Indira Freitas Johnson that are installed in sites chosen by ten host Chicago area community organizations.

The goal of TTR was to provide the general community with an intense and meaningful public art experience outside of traditional art venues and in doing so act as a catalyst for community conversations and interactions about peace and nonviolence. Sites include parks, public plazas, alleys, libraries, building lobbies, and abandoned lots in various neighborhoods around Chicago.

The Ten Thousand Ripples; Public Art, Peace and Civic Engagement booklet has now been published. It documents the process and impact of this citywide community project. Click on the cover to the right to view the full booklet, or the links below for individual essays by:

Pam Ambrose, Director of Cultural Affairs, Loyola University Museum of Art
Tricia Van Eck, Former curator, Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art
Mark Rodriguez, Executive Director, Changing Worlds
Indira Freitas Johnson, Lead Artist
Lise McKean, Social anthropologist and writer
Profiles of residents from each of the participating communities