The Runners, a 16-foot sculpture by Dr. Theodoros Papagiannis, was accepted into the Chicago Public Art Collection today during a dedication ceremony at O'Hare International Airport. Donated by the Athens Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International and supported by Chicago's large Greek-American community, the sculpture depicts five runners emerging from antiquity into the modern world. The piece is located along the I-190 south side embankment and can be seen by motorists and CTA Blue Line riders exiting the airport.
"O'Hare is the global gateway of Chicago and we are pleased to provide the location for this work of art, which complements Mayor Rahm Emanuel's vision of showcasing the city's rich and diverse culture at our airports," said Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) Commissioner Rosemarie S. Andolino. "This compelling new sculpture helps promote Chicago as a world-class city and is a welcome addition to O'Hare's remarkable artwork collection."
The sculpture project is part of the International Sculpture Exchange Program, a collaboration among the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in partnership with the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture; Chicago Sister Cities International (CSCI); Chicago Gateway Green, a non-profit civic organization with the purpose of enhancing Chicago's expressways, gateways, and neighborhoods, and in cooperation with the CDA.
"This gift represents the large Greek population here in Chicago and demonstrates the long history of friendship, goodwill, and exchange shared between Chicago and its Sister City of Athens," said Demetrios Kozonis, Chair of the Athens Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International. "This is the largest and most extensive project undertaken by a Sister City's committee, and we've been so impressed by the Greek community's dedication to and passion for this project."
Michelle T. Boone, City of Chicago Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and Special Events said, "This striking sculpture welcomes visitors to Chicago from around the world and demonstrates the strong relationship between Chicago and the Greek-American community. The enormity of the work is eye-catching and exemplifies the city's ongoing commitment to supporting the installation of quality art in public places for Chicago's visitors and residents."
Sculptor Theodoros Papagiannis is a professor at the prestigious School of Fine Arts in Athens. His work is found in many public buildings and places, both in Greece and abroad, as well as in public and private collections, museums, and galleries, including the National Art Gallery, the Vorre Museum, the Pieridis Art Gallery, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Collection of the Cultural Institute of the National Bank, the Municipal Art Gallery of Rhodes, the Zurich Opera, among others. He has also won numerous prizes, including First Prize in the Competition for a monument to the Greek Revolution in Volos (1985), First Prize in the competition for a monument to the Uprising at Polytechnic in Ioannina (1985), and the First Prize in a competition for a monument to the Greek Revolution in Metamorfosi, Attica (1992).
