ART

Chicago commuters seem to be big, if stealthy, art fans. They’ve been slicing pictures of Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Red Poppy� from posters advertising an exhibit of her work. Posters of the painting “Red Poppy� have been displayed in many parts of the city to advertise a showing of the artist at the Art Institute of Chicago. But at least 35 of the poppies pictured on 200 posters on rapid-transit platforms are missing, leaving only a white border and the words, “Georgia O’Keeffe, 1887-1986.� A spokesman for Southwestern Bell Corp., which is sponsoring the exhibit, said he considers the thefts a form of flattery for the artist, who was known for her large and precise designs of flowers and the skulls of animals.