Ten figures appear to burst from the earth. These are The Runners. This striking sculpture welcomes visitors to Chicago. It stands near O’Hare International Airport. The Runners is a gift from Chicago’s Greek-American community. It represents the long friendship between Chicago and Athens.
The Runners depicts five runners. They emerge from antiquity into the modern world. The sculpture joined the Chicago Public Art Collection in September 2011.
Theodoros Papagiannis created The Runners. He is a professor at the School of Fine Arts in Athens. His art appears worldwide. It enhances public and private spaces. He has won many awards. These include prizes for monuments to the Greek Revolution.
In 2006, Chicago held an international sculpture competition. Over 50 artists from around the world entered. The committee chose The Runners for its original design.
Installation of The Runners began in March 2011. It sits along the I-190 embankment. The sculpture is massive. It measures 18 feet high and 40 feet long. There are ten individual runner statues. The first five runners weigh about 6,000 pounds each. The later empty runners weigh about 12,000 pounds each.
Special high-grade stainless steel was used. The steel is two-and-a-quarter inches thick. The pieces were water-jet cut. The sculpture rests on a concrete base. It goes four-and-a-half feet below the surface. The top nine inches are stained “Cool Gray”. This matches the sculpture’s color. The statues’ feet extend three feet below the surface. Anchors run another one-and-a-half feet deep.
The concrete resists Chicago’s freeze-thaw conditions. The concrete reinforcements are epoxy coated. This prevents corrosion. The expected life of The Runners is over 1,000 years.
The Athens Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International donated The Runners. This was the largest project undertaken by a Sister City’s committee. The Greek community showed great dedication to the project.
Michelle T. Boone said the sculpture demonstrates the strong relationship between Chicago and the Greek-American community. Rosemarie S. Andolino added that The Runners promotes Chicago as a world-class city. It enhances O’Hare’s artwork collection.
Demetrios Kozonis chaired the Athens Committee. He called the sculpture a demonstration of friendship. Andrew T. Dumovich oversaw the installation. Vincent V. Gendusa also assisted with the installation.
The Runners went through many stages. The statues were fabricated at Palatine Welding Company. Sandblasting and cleaning were done at Duroweld Co. Ground Crew Excavating & Demolition Inc. did the excavation. Skyline Con. Inc. handled the framing, rebar installation, and concrete pouring.
Look closely. You might notice holes in the runners’ heads and shoulders. Cranes used these holes for installation. Straps also used them for support.
The Runners stands as a symbol. It represents Chicago’s global connections. It honors the city’s Greek heritage. It embodies the spirit of athleticism. It captures the essence of human movement. The Runners welcomes everyone to Chicago. It shows the city’s ongoing support for public art.