Spiral Staircase at Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art | Limited Edition of 10
Architectural Spiral Staircase from the Chicago MCA
Standing beneath this staircase inside the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, I felt like I was inside a sculpture rather than a building. The lines weren’t just structural—they were sculptural, intentional, cinematic. What you’re looking at is the underside of the main stairwell, shot from the ground floor directly upward. From this angle, the design resolves into something strikingly symbolic—like an eye, hovering in space.
This isn’t some trick of editing. It’s how the architecture was built—layered steel, poured concrete, crisp edges, and soft curves all spiralling upward in perfect symmetry. It’s rare to find a structure that feels this complete from every angle. Even rarer to find one that holds together when flattened into two dimensions. But this one does.
The Museum of Contemporary Art is full of progressive work—bold installations, provocative pieces—but this staircase holds its own. It’s part function, part feature, part optical illusion. The more you stare at it, the more it starts to shift: is it an eye? A ripple? A lens? The design pulls you in, holds your gaze, and gives you something timeless to sit with.
I photographed this as part of a broader series on modern structures—real places that flirt with abstraction without losing their grounding in everyday use. This is architecture with personality. And in print form, it becomes more than a staircase. It becomes a centrepiece.
If this piece speaks to you, you might enjoy the rest of my Architectural Photography Collection—a series built on lines, form, and moments of perfect design.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2024
Edition Information
This photograph is released as a signed and numbered edition of 10 prints across all available sizes. Each print is individually signed and numbered by the artist on the reverse and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
Once all 10 prints have been sold, this work will be permanently retired, and no further numbered editions will be produced in any size or format. A small number of Artist Proofs may be retained by the artist for archival or exhibition purposes.
Museum Quality Fine Art Prints
All prints are produced by the artist using archival pigment inks on professional photographic paper with a subtle luster finish.
This paper offers a balanced surface that enhances tonal depth, preserves fine detail, and reduces glare under typical indoor lighting conditions.
Each print is carefully inspected prior to dispatch to ensure consistency of finish and presentation.
Free Worldwide Delivery
Each print is personally produced, signed, and packaged by me at my studio in Haliburton, Ontario, Canada.
Orders are shipped worldwide via Canada Post at no additional cost. Delivery times may vary based on destination and local customs processing.
During periods of travel for on-location photographic work, dispatch may be delayed until I return to the studio.
