Just got back from New York, thought I’d blog a tad on visiting the Guggenheim and the mighty MoMA.
Last time I was in NYC was 7 years ago and MoMA was out of commission then, in between relocation (temporarily and but partially in Queens) and full refurb. Its current set-up dates from 2004 onwards, and it looks bloody great. Just awesome (to borrow a phrase from P90X punter on the infomercial that seems to be constantly playing on US telly).
[Yes I know, watching telly when on vacation in the States – but hell, it’s one of the most American things to do. Apparently the P90X exercise sytem is based on the principle of 'muscle confusion', though personally I won’t be investing in it as my muscles are quite easily confused enough as it is.]
Anyway, back to MoMA, what an amazing space - on 6 floors, great hanging (generally), beautifully lit. It's quite something to wander in off busy humid midtown Manhattan into the cool spacious white n bright lobby - central atrium soaring up the entire height of the interior. They do like their atria over there, and the bigger the better. Updike described the new architecturally refit MoMA as an invisible cathedral and certainly the scale of it and the air of detachment that its minimalist look carries is mighty impressive, and its contents sacred stuff.
$20 admission price is not cheap but you do get a lot of artbang for your buck. Incredible collection of Matisse’s, Picasso’s, Gaugin's, Cezanne's – a friend wondered how the French feel about how many of their art treasures ain’t at home no more. They are the sort of thing one would miss that's for sure. The array of Matisse's in one vast room was staggering. This included the beautifully balanced 'Piano Lesson', the use of colour in which is particularly gorgeous. Really inspiring to see all these great (seminal, iconic... pick an adjective) paintings in one place. Chuck in the most definitive representation imaginable of every significant 20th century artist and MoMA's has to be the best collection of modern art conceivable in the world.
I had also never seen the famous Wyeth painting 'Christina's World' in the flesh. It was in fact disappointly hung in almost the only cramped alley in the building, but it was lovely to see it. There is a real humanity to this painting, and a soulful presence that transcends both its current hanging and its own mass-reproduced ubiquity.
By the way I know that puns aren't always appropriate but damn that’s a good song and somehow a good fit for the feeling you can get from great art, whether at MoMA or somewhere else:
perhaps it is the colour of the sun cut flat, and cov’ring the crossroads I’m standing at. Or maybe it’s the weather or something like that. But Mama you been on my mind.
At least I resisted the temptation of punning on Moma Mia - here I go again, how can I resist you…aah maybe I didn’t resist it after all...
I'll do a Guggenheimy bit in a while.
Last time I was in NYC was 7 years ago and MoMA was out of commission then, in between relocation (temporarily and but partially in Queens) and full refurb. Its current set-up dates from 2004 onwards, and it looks bloody great. Just awesome (to borrow a phrase from P90X punter on the infomercial that seems to be constantly playing on US telly).
[Yes I know, watching telly when on vacation in the States – but hell, it’s one of the most American things to do. Apparently the P90X exercise sytem is based on the principle of 'muscle confusion', though personally I won’t be investing in it as my muscles are quite easily confused enough as it is.]
Anyway, back to MoMA, what an amazing space - on 6 floors, great hanging (generally), beautifully lit. It's quite something to wander in off busy humid midtown Manhattan into the cool spacious white n bright lobby - central atrium soaring up the entire height of the interior. They do like their atria over there, and the bigger the better. Updike described the new architecturally refit MoMA as an invisible cathedral and certainly the scale of it and the air of detachment that its minimalist look carries is mighty impressive, and its contents sacred stuff.
$20 admission price is not cheap but you do get a lot of artbang for your buck. Incredible collection of Matisse’s, Picasso’s, Gaugin's, Cezanne's – a friend wondered how the French feel about how many of their art treasures ain’t at home no more. They are the sort of thing one would miss that's for sure. The array of Matisse's in one vast room was staggering. This included the beautifully balanced 'Piano Lesson', the use of colour in which is particularly gorgeous. Really inspiring to see all these great (seminal, iconic... pick an adjective) paintings in one place. Chuck in the most definitive representation imaginable of every significant 20th century artist and MoMA's has to be the best collection of modern art conceivable in the world.
I had also never seen the famous Wyeth painting 'Christina's World' in the flesh. It was in fact disappointly hung in almost the only cramped alley in the building, but it was lovely to see it. There is a real humanity to this painting, and a soulful presence that transcends both its current hanging and its own mass-reproduced ubiquity.
By the way I know that puns aren't always appropriate but damn that’s a good song and somehow a good fit for the feeling you can get from great art, whether at MoMA or somewhere else:
perhaps it is the colour of the sun cut flat, and cov’ring the crossroads I’m standing at. Or maybe it’s the weather or something like that. But Mama you been on my mind.
At least I resisted the temptation of punning on Moma Mia - here I go again, how can I resist you…aah maybe I didn’t resist it after all...
I'll do a Guggenheimy bit in a while.
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