The Bearded Trio

It's been a long time coming and many hurdles have been jumped, but Wednesday saw George Lucas attend a ceremony at parking lot three of  Los Angeles’ Exposition Park to mark the launch of a three year construction project.  The project is Lucas's dream, The Museum of Narrative Art is now go. “Narrative art is the one that shows us what we believe in and what we want to be...“I think that’s very fascinating, you can see it through history, and it’s very important,” George Lucas said during the ceremony. The museum will showcase his collection of artwork from movies as well as fine art.  George said about the collection, “The emphasis that I’d like to put on narrative art is that it does tell us who we are and where we came from.” The museum is set to be completed in 2021. And the shovels are in! George Lucas, Mellody Hobson, Mayor Eric Garcetti, and the entire Lucas Museum team have officially launched construction in Exposition Park. pic.twitter.com/sNl...

George Lucas discusses plans to open an art museum in Marin County, California back in 2013 with CBS.  He also gives a tour of Skywalker Ranch and a glimpse at his Rockwell art collection. At the Skywalker Ranch, Bill Whitaker caught up with the famed filmmaker. He discusses his next big project in a "CBS This Morning" exclusive interview.  The Bearded Trio - The Site For Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, John Williams and a whole lot more. THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBOOK THE BEARDED TRIO ON TWITTER THE BEARDED TRIO ON GOOGLE+ THE BEARDED TRIO ON PINTEREST CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON STEVEN SPIELBERG CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON GEORGE LUCAS CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON JOHN WILLIAMS

Finally a breakthrough for George Lucas and his museum vision.  The Chicago City Council has approved a plan to build a museum along Lake Michigan. The “Star Wars” director plans to build the 300,000-square-foot Lucas Museum of Narrative Art along the city’s lake front. Aldermen took up the matter Wednesday without any discussion. A city zoning committee recommended approval of the proposed museum last week. Friends of the Park is not giving up just yet as they plan to sue the city park district over the plan. It argues that the museum isn’t in the best interests of residents and will violate the public trust because it will be built on reclaimed land that was once Lake Michigan. Construction could start in the spring and the museum could open by as early as 2019. The Bearded Trio - The Site For Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and John Williams THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBOOK THE BEARDED TRIO ON TWITTER THE BEARDED TRIO ON GOOGLE+ THE BEARDED TRIO ON PINTEREST CLI...

The saga over George Lucas's museum vision is perhaps going into the third act with what could be a compromise.  A revised plan would see the museum being "scaled-back" in the hope that it would satisfy a non-profit group that filed a complaint. The complaint consisted of concerns that the original plans would see the museum being built south of Soldier Field in the Chicago Park District.  The 'Friends of the Park' group argue that the city has no authority to hand over the land, based on a legal principle known as the public trust doctrine.  That doctrine makes the state a trustee over natural resources and requires it to ensure open spaces are preserved and accessible to the public.  Sounds fair but currently the area is occupied by...two car parks. So a new agreement is in place which would see the proposed museum's plans go from 400,000 square feet to approx 300,000 square feet.  The museum would see it include a parkland which would be accessible t...

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a new legislation on Friday that will make it easier for George Lucas and Barack Obama to see their vision of a museum and a library a reality on Chicago. The measure, which Rauner said would benefit the city and state, changes Illinois law to let Chicago build museums on park or “formerly submerged” land, such as the Lake Michigan-adjacent property where Lucas wants to build.  Previously George Lucas has hit opposition from an advocacy group which threatened a lawsuit to stop lakefront construction on “Star Wars” creator George Lucas’ proposed museum. Rauner spoke of both Barack Obama's library vision and the proposed museum from George Lucas: “Both of those developments will be strong economic drivers for the state of Illinois, helping the overall Illinois economy as well as the Chicago economy with tourism and visitors, and help create jobs and more tax revenue.” Read more at Sharonherald.com The Bearded Trio - The Site For...

Melissa Harris from ChicagoTribune.com is reporting that the problems George Lucas and his museum dream is getting from local preservationists is over nothing more than parking lots. The great irony is that a litigious group of local preservationists is waging a legal battle to protect parking lots ... from an art museum. Not to mention, it's well-funded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, replete with one of the world's finest collections of Norman Rockwell illustrations, movie posters and cutting-edge digital illustrations and fine art. Friends of the Parks, meanwhile, is living in a land of fairies and other magical creatures. No matter how often or how loudly the group's leaders call for more green space, if this museum isn't built between Soldier Field and the city's convention center, those parking lots are never going to be anything other than they are now: a concrete dock for Bears tailgaters to guzzle beers and grill bratwurst a few Sundays a yea...

George Lucas has appointed the current president of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas to lead his planned Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Chicago.  Don Bacigalupi is scheduled to begin his new job as founding president in January. "Don shares my vision for building an education-focused, world-class museum that expands public understanding and appreciation of narrative art," Lucas said in the announcement. Bacigalupi said he is "honored and excited to be joining the Lucas Museum as its Founding President, and I look forward to working with George and the Board to bring to life an inspiring museum that will expand our awareness and appreciation of the central role of narrative art in our culture." Read more at LATIMES.com THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBOOK THE BEARDED TRIO ON TWITTER THE BEARDED TRIO ON GOOGLE+ THE BEARDED TRIO ON PINTEREST CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON STEVEN SPIELBERG CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON GEORGE LUCAS CLICK HERE FOR ...

It seems not everyone is happy with the prospect of a museum by George Lucas in Chicago.  In particular where it's going, on the lake-front.  A lawsuit has been filed by opponents to try and stop the project.  They've even gone as far to say its an 'assault on the shores of Lake Michigan.' The federal lawsuit filed by Chicago advocacy group Friends of the Parks argues the city has no authority to hand over the land, citing a legal principle known as the public trust doctrine. That doctrine makes the state a trustee over natural resources and requires it to ensure open spaces are preserved and accessible to the public. Group president Cassandra Francis says members aren’t against the museum, just its location along the lake. “Chicago’s lakefront is the envy of waterfront cities throughout the world,” she told reporters. “The humongous scale of the museum is ... an assault to the shores of Lake Michigan.” The lawsuit is the latest trouble for The Lucas Museum of Nar...

Renowned architect Ma Yansong has been given the task of designing the much anticipated Museum of Narrative Art on the lake shore in Chicago and we get our first glimpse of what the museum will look like. My first impressions are one of futuristic beauty and instantly get memories of concept artwork from Ralph McQuarrie who worked on the concept artwork for Star Wars and other George Lucas projects. Below is a piece of artwork by Ralph Mcquarrie. THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBOOK THE BEARDED TRIO ON TWITTER THE BEARDED TRIO ON GOOGLE+ THE BEARDED TRIO ON PINTEREST CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON STEVEN SPIELBERG CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON GEORGE LUCAS CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON JOHN WILLIAMS

Details of the much anticipated Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has been revealed by George Lucas at a forum on October 17th. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will open up in the Museum Campus on the city’s lakefront in Chicago "It's going to be organic architecture, connected to the ground. And it will look like a living thing," he said in the conversation with interviewer Charlie Rose at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Lucas wants a showcase for his collection of popular art, including illustrations by Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish and N.C. Wyeth as well as works by Lucas's visual effects company, Industrial Light and Magic, and other companies. The museum will also feature art linked to film and digital media, as well as a theater that will screen films and host lectures and workshops.  Lucas, who has collected art since he was in college, explained that by "narrative art" he means "art that tells a story."  "Illustrative art...

Latest public hearing for the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is just around the corner: STREETERVILLE — Public hearings on what some have dubbed the "Star Wars Museum" will begin as early as next month and be held all over the city under an agreement approved Wednesday by the Chicago Park District. The parks board entered into the "Memorandum of Agreement" with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is planned for south of Soldier Field on the Museum Campus. The Memorandum of Agreement "follows the template laid out by the Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium, provides[ing] a framework to guide the upcoming process of drafting a development agreement and an operating agreement for public input and approval," the Park District explained in a release. Read more at DNAINFO.Com THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBOOK THE BEARDED TRIO ON TWITTER THE BEARDED TRIO ON GOOGLE+ THE BEARDED TRIO ON PINTEREST CLICK HERE FOR FACTS ON STEVEN SPIELBERG CLICK HERE FOR ...

The design team for the Lucas Museum of Narrative art has been revealed.  Beijing based MAD architects are the lucky team who will the principal designer for the highly anticipated project.  The museum is set to be based in Chicago after winning the site from San Francisco. George Lucas states, ‘we are bringing together some of the top architects in the world to ensure that our museum experience begins long before a visitor ever enters the building. I am thrilled with the architectural team’s vision for the building and the surrounding green space. I look forward to presenting our design to the chicago community.’ the LMNA carried out a thorough and international search, considering several architects including amsterdam-based UNStudio, who was ultimately runner-up for the principal design role. MAD architects was chosen for its  deep record of innovative projects and its overall philosophy of connecting urban spaces to natural landscapes. led by its founder and ...

ChicagoTribune.com are reporting George Lucas has selected Chicago for the location of the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum.  It's also reported the name of the museum will change to Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts. “Star Wars” creator George Lucas has selected Chicago over Los Angeles and San Francisco as the future home of his collection of art and movie memorabilia, according to a spokeswoman for the museum. A vote by the museum’s board, which would make the decision official, is expected Wednesday. The board also is expected to change the name of the museum from the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Arts.  Pending approval of the Chicago Plan Commission, Lucas' institution would be located on parking lots between Soldier Field and McCormick Place and would open in 2018. Architectural renderings will be presented to city officials in early fall, according to a statement ffrom the museum. Read more at ChicagoTribune THE BEARDED TRIO ON FACEBO...