Artist Judy Chicago recounts her frustrating experiences with public art commissions, focusing on a recent failed collaboration with Google for its Chicago headquarters at the Thompson Center. After being encouraged by her dealer to apply, Chicago was awarded a commission in fall 2025 to create a large terrazzo floor and a 17-story glass elevator shaft using her "Through the Flower" imagery. However, the project fell through after months of effort, mirroring earlier disappointments with the Beverly Hills Sculpture Park, where a city councilor questioned the value of her work, which Chicago attributes to institutionalized sexism.
This article matters because it exposes the systemic challenges and gender bias that even a renowned artist like Judy Chicago faces when navigating public art commissions and corporate partnerships. Chicago's candid account highlights how institutional sexism can undermine artists' contributions, regardless of their established reputation and museum presence. The piece also raises questions about the power dynamics between corporations like Google and artists, and the often-unseen bureaucratic and financial hurdles that can derail major public art projects.