There have been plenty of tributes paid to the Chicago Bears as they play their 100th season, but an artist’s new work features the team’s home stadium in a unique and incredible way.
Daniel Duffy, a Philadelphia-based artist who runs the art design company “Art of Words,” has created a new work featuring Chicago’s Soldier Field, but instead of using a photograph or paint, he chose instead to use a much more meaningful material:
The name of every player to ever suit up for the franchise:
“The Bears’ 100th anniversary was on our radar all year,” Duffy said. “This was a piece that we had to get to. We look at great anniversaries, and I try to hit new cities each year, (but) Chicago has been amazing to us every since we did our Wrigley Field piece, and I definitely had to (do it).”
The work features not only the iconic Soldier Field, but also a view of Chicago’s skyline, which is visible in photos beyond the celebrated stadium. Duffy said that he spent between 150 and 200 hours creating the image out of the names of the Bears’ players.
“The Soldier Field piece is made of the names of Bears players and the focal point is Soldier Field, but I also wanted it to be something that anyone who loves the city would enjoy,” he said.
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Although Duffy is based in Philadelphia, he has featured Chicago and Illinois extensively in his art. He has created several pieces featuring the Chicago Cubs, and his website also offers a portrait of President Abraham Lincoln, created using words from his second inaugural address.
“The city is such a great sports town, and even though you guys have had a championship recently, I know the Bears are hungry for one too,” he said.
A print of the Soldier Field image can be purchased on the “Art of Words” website, and Duffy says that prints purchased on or before Dec. 18 will arrive in time for Christmas.
“Sports fans really love our pieces, and it’s the kind of thing that makes a great gift,” he said. “It’s a great conversation piece to have people gather around and try to find their favorite players.”
Duffy has featured several other teams in his work, including the Reds, Eagles, and Nationals, but says that there are only two teams he won’t feature: the Pittsburgh Penguins and Dallas Cowboys, as both are hated rivals of his beloved Philadelphia teams.
