We were going to go yesterday since it was too cold to do anything outside, but then we decided to stay home and sell Babe and her calf. Today, we took the plunge.
Looks like someone just tossed a bag there, but it's a sculpture made of clay.
I told Cliff I didn't want to get there until after noon because there's a free tour at 1:30. We did some banking, paid off a bill at MFA, had a Subway sandwich and a McDonald's ice cream cone (they've stopped selling the chocolate dip cone, which is good for our lighter eating but bad for my mood). Then we headed west on I-70 toward our destination.
We arrived around 12:30 and spent time looking at statues and going through the Egyptian section; then we went to meet a tour guide. Turns out Cliff and I were the whole tour group. Our very sweet, classy tour guide looked askance at her two farmer-looking students, introduced herself, and asked what kind of art we liked best or were most familiar with.
"We know nothing about art," I told her. "We are your blank canvas."
I could tell she wasn't quite sure what to do with us, but she actually taught us a lot. She'd say, "What do you see in this picture?"
Now, we started with modern art, and we weren't seeing much of anything. But with her guidance, by george there WERE some things to see, even in some of the crazy modern art! I didn't do a lot of picture-taking, and the pictures I did take leave a lot to be desired. I'll throw in some examples anyhow:
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| These are life-sized |
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| The idea of this one is to let the tiny television and camera make the viewer part of the art |
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| This represents how the artist felt about his home and portrays the man, his wife, and the child. The whole thing is made out of junk. |
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| It's a throne |
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| We spent a lot of time at this one; it tells an amazing story. Unfortunately, a photograph doesn't show all the nifty details. |
By the time we were leaving, we felt like best friends with this lady; she told us more than once, "It's so nice to have some people who actually listen!"
She loves art and she loves her job. I'm fairly sure she spent more time with us than she was scheduled to, bless her heart. Cliff had to lean in close to a lot of the pieces, trying to figure out what they were made of.
I learned (more or less) what Baroque art is.
Just a special note here for my St. Louis sister-in-law: Next time you are here and we go to Nelson-Atkins, we MUST have the tour!
So glad you enjoyed our art museum; it is a lovely place if not one of the best in the nation we do treat it with respect. I remember all my trips there in elementary school. Then is college here in the city I was asked to write a five page paper on a painting in the museum. What a challenge that proved to be -- finding five pages worth of art interpretation. Of course, that's what a fine arts education is all about - learning things to broaden your horizon. We no longer can go because Will can't walk through the concrete / tile floors any longer, but like the Kauffman I'm so proud to have this institution in our city. MGW
ReplyDeleteIt looks utterly beautiful! I love art museums and it sounds like you got a special tour of it. By the way, that sweater you're wearing is a perfect color on you!!
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad to hear you saw and went through the Egyptian exhibit. I love that entrance and then it goes down through humankind's time and history wonderfully.
ReplyDeleteYou should see the American exhibit, upstairs--it's been redone--and the nearby Native American exhibit. They complement each other extremely well and they're pretty fascinating since at least some of it crosses over in time--the 1700's to 1800's here in the States.
Now you need to drive by that glass Bloch Gallery at duck or just after sunset this Summer. It's brilliant all lit up.
Mo Rage
Glad you finally got to go to the art museum. So much to see there. Glad you had such a nice tour guide. That makes it even better!
ReplyDeleteI always loved museums and art galleries. Even the stuff I hate is interesting in one way or another.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had some fun, Hugs
ReplyDeletee hereford cow and calf really looked good. everyone is selling because of feed prices and no haay due to drough.
ReplyDeleteI SEEM TO REMEMBER YOU BOUGHT THE HEREFORD BECAUSE THE JERSEY HAD NOT BREED BAY. i AM GLAD SHE DID. THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN A JERSEY MILK COW.
IF i REMEMBER YOU WERE GOING TO SELL THE JERSEY BUT THEN SHE BREED BACK. THE HEREFORD WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ANY GOOD AS A MILK COW.
AS FOR THE ART, THE BAG LOOKS LIKE YOU COULD JUST PICK IT UP AND GO, THE PEOPLE LOOK LIKE ANY 3 PEOPLE YOU MIGHT SEE ON ANY STREET CORNER IN OUR TOWN.
It was freaky to see another Margaret comment and one that matched what I was going to say--that sweater and color are beautiful on you! I love art museums, but not so much the modern ones. I admire you for always being willing to listen and learn. That bag made out of clay is amazing.
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