Art Chicago, the international fair of contemporary and modern art, sets the stage for excellence with a Buckminster Fuller, 24’ original Fly’s Eye dome erected in The Merchandise Mart’s grand South Lobby. The installation is sponsored by Vitra in cooperation with Artemide and Ruckstuhl.

Buckminster Fuller Dome with Ruckstuhl carpet Get-up

Vitra furniture with Ruckstuhl Feltro-color 189

Buckminster Fuller Dome with Ruckstuhl carpet Get-up

The American architect, author, designer, futurist, and inventor conceived these domes as living structures, with fiberglass windows to be placed in each hole.  The dome, Fuller thought, could be developed to harness wind and solar energy. Fuller’s work was underpinned by his question: “Does humanity have a chance to survive lastingly and successfully on planet Earth, and if so, how?”
This prototype was fabricated in California, and is the only 24’ dome Fuller produced. The project is sponsored by Vitra, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of contemporary home and commercial furnishings, who will furnish and design the interior of the dome; it will remain on display at The Merchandise Mart through late June 2009.
“We’re tremendously proud of the synergy we’ve crafted with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago,” remarks Art Chicago Vice President Tony Karman.  “The MCA is the beneficiary and hosts of ‘First Focus’ on Opening Preview, April 30; we’ve aligned fair dates to coincide with their opening of the acclaimed Olafur Eliasson exhibit, and the Bucky Dome at The Mart is a wonderful complement to their current exhibit, Buckminster Fuller: Starting with the Universe.”
Courtesy of Max Protetch Gallery, New York, the original Buckminster Fuller fly’s-eye dome is made of 50 fiberglass sections, weighs a total of 3,500 lbs, is 24ft in height, and is assembled by hand with approximately 1,050 stainless steel bolts.

The Merchandise Mart
South Lobby Entrance
222 Merchandise Plaza
Chicago, IL 60654
On view  May 1, 2009 until  late June 2009