No, There is Not a Man Trapped Inside Chicago’s Bean

Despite a small yet growing contingent with signs and megaphones, there is not a human trapped inside Chicago’s famous ‘bean’ sculpture.

Anish Kapoor’s iconic Cloud Gate sculpture has been a mainstay of tourists exploring the city’s Millennium Park, and has been nicknamed The Bean, a name Kapoor himself is fond of.

In recent days, there have been “protests” decrying that a live human has been trapped in the sleek metal sculpture, and calling for their release.

Calling themselves The Man in Bean Coalition, the group has all the trappings of a great conspiracy theory, with some artistic theatrics thrown in.

In their telling, a baby was sealed inside Anish Kapoor’s massive mirrored bean during its 2004 construction. Living in total isolation with minimal space or breathing room, this adult is now 21 years old, and demands justice.

The wildly outlandish, physically dubious claim doubles as the kind of performance art that feels tailor-made for our era.

The Man In Bean Coalition has shown up with members dressed all in black.

Cloud Gate, known as The Bean, measures 33 by 66 by 42 feet (10 by 20 by 13 m), and weighs 110 short tons.

With growing intrigue and media presence, the story about the man trapped in The Bean continues. How will it conclude?

Check out @maninbean on Instagram to catch up on the story.