Along for the ride:

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Impressions


What has a museum done for you lately? I could have gazed all day at the crisscross shadows beneath these ferns and the perspective of architecture and sky above. This was really the most moving art that I encountered all day.
The Picasso Show I went to see was so dark-spirited that I was quickly drawn back out to the light.


Art spills out into the surrounding, family friendly, landscape, pictured below. The cafe has an indoor-outdoor terrace and a menu of organic salads and home baked desserts. (Albeit a bit pricey!)
The circle of sky above is found inside an interactive art piece. The cement "circle within a circle" building is reached by an unassuming pathway. The building itself is covered with tufted grass plantings and barely noticeable. I followed the path simply because it was there and it led me into a seemless, round, windowless space with a tall rectangular slit entrance and domed ceiling, cut out to frame the clouds. There is surely a correlation to Stonehenge. If I had a more academic nature, I might research if the rising sun hits the doorway on the solstice, or not. As it is, I'm happy that I was provoked to wonder the point. Sometimes living the questions is enough, to paraphrase my header quote.

The lower levels are windowless to preserve the art from exposure to daylight, but the transitional areas of long, broad, shallow-stepped ramps have the giant ferns and filtered sun of the rain-forest floor.

Trees are obviously chosen for color and scale. These maples encompass the sculptures and will be a flamboyant exclamation, amidst all that green, in the fall. 

21 comments:

  1. Sounds lovely -- did I miss where this museum is? Now you've got me curious to see it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is wonderful...Where is it?

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a fascinating place. I love the way nature integrates with the manmade pieces.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like the out of the way museums that have a bit of weirdness.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. It was completely redesigned and reopened about five years ago. The nearby surroundings include the Accademy of Science, The Japanese Tea Garden and The Arboretum. It's very well thought out with a major parking lot hidden underground and a plazza above with fountain, bandstand, shade trees and tables. Something fo everyone.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds fantastic - especially the environmental art.

    ReplyDelete
  7. urban art is a touchy subject - i saw a programme about an artist who was putting up some giant piece of "art" that the locals really didn't want and he clearly wasnt interested in what they wanted. which is all very well, except they're the ones who have to live with it.

    So - the stuff that you show in your picture seems to take into account the surrounding area and compliment the environment. Which is how it should be - not just to scream "ART!!!" - But to be something that you can enjoy without detracting from the natural environment

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very nice photo array, ma chère! Almost made me homesick.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice to see you just plain enjoying yourself, ER.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely pictures! Funny how appealing San Francisco can be when the weathers grotty in the UK!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Looks superb hen, I would like a wee swatch of the place masel.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Steve, it is very inviting and not at all pretentious. Art and landscape for all generations.

    Pixie, new/bold art is never going to be approved by a committee, so someone will often be displeased. They started with a clean slate and a lot of pieces to choose from. I think they did a good job.

    Ms. Pliers, we became members so next visit we can take you there, or to the Legion of Honor,as our guests.

    Deborah, Thanks, I really felt as though I had been away from all the mundane things that drag one down.

    Martin, your weather was better than ours for the first half of the year. It all balances out.

    Jimmy, I'll see if they have any swatches available in the gift store.

    ReplyDelete
  13. "If I had a more academic nature, I might research if the rising sun hits the doorway on the solstice, or not."

    Would be fun to know that. Too long since I've been at a museum. Does my closet count?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Midlife, thanks for the prod. The artist is James Turrell, who specializes in Sky Space Creations. Now that I have read more about his work I am feeling inspired to travel to visit some. He has done work that includes references to solstice and Stonehenge. I will learn more.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ah, museums are clearly more fun than the DMV offices !

    ReplyDelete
  16. Owen, we might be able to contribute a whole section if there were a museum for the History of the DMV. It could be named the "but, officer" section.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Museums are wonderful places, small out of the way museums as well as huge, they are all special. Nice photos too.

    ReplyDelete
  18. The circle of sky, the windowless space, the transitional areas of ramps... it all looks and sounds very intriguing.

    I'm very much in favor of nature 'embracing' art and vice-versa.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Duta, Yes, I always have the impression that you live and breathe architecture, art and history in all their flavors. Glad you liked this.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Beautiful, reminds a bit of the Norton Gallery in my hometown of West Palm Beach, Florida.
    +followed

    ReplyDelete
  21. Welcome Elliot. You have some eye-popping visuals over at your blog.

    ReplyDelete