(Left) Number 212 of 500 “Red Cubes” scattered around the city by The Art Institute of Chicago. This one is near State and Lake Streets. (Click on image to view larger version.)

January 28, 2010 – It has been a cold, snowy seven weeks for Cube Number 212 on State Street. The red block, approximately 4 x 4 x 4 feet, has sat in the median between theWit Hotel and Renaissance Chicago Hotel since December 7. But Jocelin Shalon of The Art Institute of Chicago says the cube will be coming down “sometime next week.”

The cubes are promoting the new Modern Wing that opened at the Art Institute last May. The “500-Ways Project” encourages local artists to decorate and redesign the cubes. Selected designs will be exhibited at the Art Institute in March. The deadline for entries is Sunday.

 More information: Art Institute of Chicago Red Cube Project

 More photos: Flickr