Monument with Standing Beast, outside Thompson Center since 1980s, to be moved to state facility

CHICAGO (WLS) — A sculpture that has lived outside Chicago’s James R. Thompson Center since the 1980s will be moved to a state facility, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s office said.

Video taken Monday shows Jean Dubuffet’s 29-foot sculpture, Monument with Standing Beast, blocked off outside the Loop building.

Pritzker’s office issued a statement, saying, “The state is working on a long-term plan for the artwork and in the meantime the statue will be transported to a state own facility to ensure it is kept in good condition. We will announce the plans for the statue when they are finalized.”

The sculpture is comprised of four elements that suggest a standing animal, a tree, a portal and an architectural form.

Unveiling the sculpture in 1984, Dubuffet described the piece as a “drawing which extends…into space” and hoped it would resonate with the average person on the street.