[Bèsame*]

Artist Anish Kapoor completed his stainless-steel sculpture "Cloud Column" before he completed "The Bean," perhaps his most famous work, in Chicago. But when "Cloud Column" was installed in Houston in 2018, it incited a gentle, light-hearted ribbing between journalists at the Chicago Tribune and the Houston Chronicle, who debated whose mammoth, cylindrical, highly polished artwork was more impressive.

The gleaming 32-foot high sculpture acts as a mirror to passersby, who can’t resist taking selfies—especially in the portion of the artwork that inverts their reflection. Even art novices might be inspired to read more about Kapoor's process; after "Cloud Column" was finished, the piece was polished for three years. And until you're standing right in front of it, you can't appreciate its proportions.