I went up to LACMA today; they are having a Pompeii exhibit there through October 4th. Some of the loot they dug up in Herculaneum and Pompeii is there.
After going to LACMA for the Dali exhibit a couple years ago, and visiting the Getty Villa (modeled after the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum) a couple times, I have to admit this special exhibit was underwhelming for me. There were a few pieces I really thought were great though.
Bust of Caesar - yes, there was a marble bust of Julius Caesar there. The realism of the Roman and Greek sculpture always takes my breath away. It's as if you can gaze into the face of the man, and he gazes back into you. He doesn't seem like the kind of fellow one could easily get along with.
Plato's Academy - some mosaic artist assembled this fantastic piece together, each tile smaller than my pinky nail.
Aphrodite - there were several life-size sculptures of Aphrodite/Venus on display. There's something in the beauty of depicting the female form in marble, a hard material, in a way that preserves the soft form and clothing. It's absolutely amazing to me.
There is a fresco depicting Apollo that was my favorite piece of the exhibit. The fresco was in a house or inn that was underwater, and fortunately the fresco was able to be removed and preserved. They were able to save almost three walls of this fresco that decorated a dining hall. Really fantastic.
At the exhibit gift shop, I noticed a magnet with the phrase, "Momento Vivre" (to live in the moment). Because once the moment passes, it is gone forever.
Showing posts with label museums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label museums. Show all posts
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Saturday, May 17, 2008
The Getty
I went up to the Getty today.
It was absolutely gorgeous today and I could see from downtown to the ocean, and all the way to Palos Verdes!
There is a good California video exhibit going on. . . .there's some interesting stuff but the best is by William Wegman. Stuff so odd you just have to laugh. One of my favorite clips is when he does the coin flip. I don't want to give it away. You'll just have to look for it and see.
I also went to the photography exhibit. I didn't see a "normal" photography gallery so I just wandered around the special exhibition. There was one room with some random stuff in it - the "Ten Years In Focus" exhibit. I saw a couple landscape tin types by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey. I thought that was really cool, because I thought people only made portrait tin types. I really liked The Probatic Pool in Jerusalem, the Temple of Vesta in Rome and the Lotus Columns at Gournah. The old guy who was watching over this exhibit asked me to smile. He apparently was watching me, because he said I hadn't smiled the entire time I was in that gallery.
I wandered around the gardens, which are lovely. They have a lot of exotic succulents and several different roses. I saw a couple who were having a picnic on the grass and I was jealous. Not of them per say but of the idea to have someone to go to a nice lawn and share some bread, cheese and wine with. I didn't see any other lone wolves there.
I didn't want to push myself so I stopped after the photography, although I did find a small exhibit on Italian home furnishings that was very interesting to view. I saw a fantastic set of sculptures, called Three Goddesses. The idea is that each of these three goddesses (Minerva/Athena, Juno/Hera, and Venus/Aphrodite) is in a state of removing an article of clothing. Athena pulls off her helmet, Hera is unwinding her robes, and Aphrodite is removing her sandal. The three sculptures accompanied a sculpture of Paris, who judged which goddess was most beautiful.
I'll probably go back to the Getty a few more times - it's impossible to see the entire thing in a day. It makes for a great day trip!
It was absolutely gorgeous today and I could see from downtown to the ocean, and all the way to Palos Verdes!
There is a good California video exhibit going on. . . .there's some interesting stuff but the best is by William Wegman. Stuff so odd you just have to laugh. One of my favorite clips is when he does the coin flip. I don't want to give it away. You'll just have to look for it and see.
I also went to the photography exhibit. I didn't see a "normal" photography gallery so I just wandered around the special exhibition. There was one room with some random stuff in it - the "Ten Years In Focus" exhibit. I saw a couple landscape tin types by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey. I thought that was really cool, because I thought people only made portrait tin types. I really liked The Probatic Pool in Jerusalem, the Temple of Vesta in Rome and the Lotus Columns at Gournah. The old guy who was watching over this exhibit asked me to smile. He apparently was watching me, because he said I hadn't smiled the entire time I was in that gallery.
I wandered around the gardens, which are lovely. They have a lot of exotic succulents and several different roses. I saw a couple who were having a picnic on the grass and I was jealous. Not of them per say but of the idea to have someone to go to a nice lawn and share some bread, cheese and wine with. I didn't see any other lone wolves there.
I didn't want to push myself so I stopped after the photography, although I did find a small exhibit on Italian home furnishings that was very interesting to view. I saw a fantastic set of sculptures, called Three Goddesses. The idea is that each of these three goddesses (Minerva/Athena, Juno/Hera, and Venus/Aphrodite) is in a state of removing an article of clothing. Athena pulls off her helmet, Hera is unwinding her robes, and Aphrodite is removing her sandal. The three sculptures accompanied a sculpture of Paris, who judged which goddess was most beautiful.
I'll probably go back to the Getty a few more times - it's impossible to see the entire thing in a day. It makes for a great day trip!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Body Worlds 3
I went to the California Science Center this weekend to see the Body Worlds 3 exhibit there. There's an IMAX film about the Human Body that goes along with the exhibit, but I wasn't entirely impressed with the film (I think it was something from the Learning Channel) and it's not essential to watch if you're going to the exhibit.
The exhibit was very interesting, and I enjoyed viewing many of the plastinates on display. Among my favorites to view were the couples - there was a figure skating couple where the male skater was holding the female skater above his head in a lift, as well as a male gymnast who was holding his internal organs above his head with one hand while doing the splits and balancing on a wooden ball with his other hand. There was a pair of lovers (not having sex! Geez!) and a female cyclist who was "sliced" into three parts so you could see how her internal organs fit together. If you go, note the pair of flamenco dancers at the exit of the exhibit - they're brand new. The note on their display says "2008".
More famous pieces that I remember seeing include:
The Archer (who is also one of the pieces you can see in Casino Royale)
The Skin Man
The Kneeling Lady
Also on display were "body slices" and assorted body parts for viewing. There were healthy body parts next to diseased body parts (mostly cancers, but there was also a smoker's lungs there and an enlarged heart), and cross-sections of fat people and normal people. One person's cross-section was of a someone who had a heart attack so severe it ruptured his/her pericardium and the cross-section showed where the blood pooled in the body cavity. Obviously, they didn't survive. It was really very fascinating.
When I left the exhibit there was a short video on the plastination, as well as guestbooks where you could leave a note. I didn't sign anything, but I noticed a lot of notes were similar to: "This is soooo gross!"
Glad to know the unenlightened masses were getting exposed to this. Hopefully they learned something.
The Body Worlds exhibit is themed "The Story of the Heart", but I didn't really feel there was a lot of "heart stuff" going on. There was a small mini-exhibit on blood, and many displays of just blood vessels, as well as some hearts and diseased hearts, but most of the "theme" was conveyed using giant posters with famous quotes regarding hearts, love, the soul, etc. on them.
If you have the opportunity to go to the exhibit, I would highly recommend it. I think Body Worlds is going to be at the California Science Center until September. There are also several other museums in Exposition Park if you don't care to see dead people.
The exhibit was very interesting, and I enjoyed viewing many of the plastinates on display. Among my favorites to view were the couples - there was a figure skating couple where the male skater was holding the female skater above his head in a lift, as well as a male gymnast who was holding his internal organs above his head with one hand while doing the splits and balancing on a wooden ball with his other hand. There was a pair of lovers (not having sex! Geez!) and a female cyclist who was "sliced" into three parts so you could see how her internal organs fit together. If you go, note the pair of flamenco dancers at the exit of the exhibit - they're brand new. The note on their display says "2008".
More famous pieces that I remember seeing include:
The Archer (who is also one of the pieces you can see in Casino Royale)
The Skin Man
The Kneeling Lady
Also on display were "body slices" and assorted body parts for viewing. There were healthy body parts next to diseased body parts (mostly cancers, but there was also a smoker's lungs there and an enlarged heart), and cross-sections of fat people and normal people. One person's cross-section was of a someone who had a heart attack so severe it ruptured his/her pericardium and the cross-section showed where the blood pooled in the body cavity. Obviously, they didn't survive. It was really very fascinating.
When I left the exhibit there was a short video on the plastination, as well as guestbooks where you could leave a note. I didn't sign anything, but I noticed a lot of notes were similar to: "This is soooo gross!"
Glad to know the unenlightened masses were getting exposed to this. Hopefully they learned something.
The Body Worlds exhibit is themed "The Story of the Heart", but I didn't really feel there was a lot of "heart stuff" going on. There was a small mini-exhibit on blood, and many displays of just blood vessels, as well as some hearts and diseased hearts, but most of the "theme" was conveyed using giant posters with famous quotes regarding hearts, love, the soul, etc. on them.
If you have the opportunity to go to the exhibit, I would highly recommend it. I think Body Worlds is going to be at the California Science Center until September. There are also several other museums in Exposition Park if you don't care to see dead people.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Getty Villa
Hey, check this out! Photos!
I went to the Getty Villa in Malibu with a friend over my holiday break. To me, this is an incredibly special museum. Modeled after the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum and incorporating floor and wall details from villas around Ancient Rome, one can definitely get a sense of how incredibly awesome it must have been to be wealthy enough to live in a place like that.
Architecturally it's already an interesting place. Then fill it to the brim with Ancient Greek and Roman art. Now that's just awesome. There's enough stuff here for at least three visits.
Admission to the Villa is free, but you have to go online or call to get tickets. Parking is $8.00.
The Getty Villa
17895 Pacific Coast Hwy
Pacific Palisades, CA
I went to the Getty Villa in Malibu with a friend over my holiday break. To me, this is an incredibly special museum. Modeled after the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum and incorporating floor and wall details from villas around Ancient Rome, one can definitely get a sense of how incredibly awesome it must have been to be wealthy enough to live in a place like that.
Architecturally it's already an interesting place. Then fill it to the brim with Ancient Greek and Roman art. Now that's just awesome. There's enough stuff here for at least three visits.
Admission to the Villa is free, but you have to go online or call to get tickets. Parking is $8.00.
The Getty Villa
17895 Pacific Coast Hwy
Pacific Palisades, CA
Monday, November 12, 2007
LACMA - Dalí: Painting & Film
Saturday, instead of going to a Marine Corps Ball or some such other Leatherneck event, I went to LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) to see their exhibit of Dalí: Painting and Film. I think it goes until the 6th of January, so if you haven't seen it I recommend checking it out.
It was really very enjoyable. I don't go to enough art museums, although I like the feeling of having my mind kneaded by art.
It was also incredibly crowded! Wow! The first room was the worst, but after that it was OK. It was really refreshing to see a crowded art exhibit too; the stereotypical impression I have of art musuems is that "no one goes to them".
I don't actually know much about Salvador Dalí, but I do feel like I know a little more about him now than I did before. I also expected to see more melting clocks at the exhibit, but the only one I saw was The Persistence of Memory. There may have been another painting or two, but it's possible I didn't catch it.
Also on display is a Lobster Telephone; now that I've read the wikipedia article, I'm much more amused by it. Although I think the way the lobster is placed is appropriate; it would just look weird if it was facing the other way.
There were also films at the exhibit; Un Chien Andalou (the first film you find in the exhibit), the dream sequence from Spellbound, Destino, among others. My favorite was Destino, which was an animated collaboration with Disney. There's this incredible shot where a woman sees the shadow of a bell on sand, then dives into the sand. The shadow of the bell turns into a dress on the woman. I'd like to get it on DVD if/when they ever release it.
One of my favorite paintings from the exhibit was The Bleeding Roses, which depicts a woman with four roses on her abdomen that are bleeding. The sense of perspective is incredible; I really felt that the roses were coming out of the painting.
I definitely recommend checking this exhibit out - it's definitely worth the $15-$20 admission. It's $5 to park in their parking lot (I think it might be free after 5:00 PM), and there's lots of places to eat near the musuem.
It was really very enjoyable. I don't go to enough art museums, although I like the feeling of having my mind kneaded by art.
It was also incredibly crowded! Wow! The first room was the worst, but after that it was OK. It was really refreshing to see a crowded art exhibit too; the stereotypical impression I have of art musuems is that "no one goes to them".
I don't actually know much about Salvador Dalí, but I do feel like I know a little more about him now than I did before. I also expected to see more melting clocks at the exhibit, but the only one I saw was The Persistence of Memory. There may have been another painting or two, but it's possible I didn't catch it.
Also on display is a Lobster Telephone; now that I've read the wikipedia article, I'm much more amused by it. Although I think the way the lobster is placed is appropriate; it would just look weird if it was facing the other way.
There were also films at the exhibit; Un Chien Andalou (the first film you find in the exhibit), the dream sequence from Spellbound, Destino, among others. My favorite was Destino, which was an animated collaboration with Disney. There's this incredible shot where a woman sees the shadow of a bell on sand, then dives into the sand. The shadow of the bell turns into a dress on the woman. I'd like to get it on DVD if/when they ever release it.
One of my favorite paintings from the exhibit was The Bleeding Roses, which depicts a woman with four roses on her abdomen that are bleeding. The sense of perspective is incredible; I really felt that the roses were coming out of the painting.
I definitely recommend checking this exhibit out - it's definitely worth the $15-$20 admission. It's $5 to park in their parking lot (I think it might be free after 5:00 PM), and there's lots of places to eat near the musuem.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Seattle Trip Summary
I went to Seattle for the 4th, and stayed through until Sunday. It was a great trip!
The 4th - I went to the Gasworks' Fireworks show, officially called the WaMu Family 4th at Lake Union. It was FANTASTIC. I think the website has a link to the televised broadcast of this year's show.
The 5th - I went to Pike's Place Market, The Space Needle, and the Science Fiction Museum. I ended up going to the Space Needle by myself, which I don't recommend. It's almost a waste of 20 bucks. The evening of the 5th was Open Access Night (sponsered by Boeing) and admission to the Science Fiction Museum and the Experience Music Project is free. Pike's Place Market has some truly fabulous peaches right now.
The 6th - We drove up to Everett to see the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour. Boeing and Microsoft are huge presences in Western Washington.
The 7th - Woodland Park Zoo. There's a rose garden not far from the South Entrance to the zoo, which I recommend checking out. We didn't find many fragrant varieties, but it was definitely worth seeing so many blooms in one place. The zoo was fabulous and the entry fee completely worth it for the butterfly exhibit alone. The siamangs they have there are also impressive.
The 4th - I went to the Gasworks' Fireworks show, officially called the WaMu Family 4th at Lake Union. It was FANTASTIC. I think the website has a link to the televised broadcast of this year's show.
The 5th - I went to Pike's Place Market, The Space Needle, and the Science Fiction Museum. I ended up going to the Space Needle by myself, which I don't recommend. It's almost a waste of 20 bucks. The evening of the 5th was Open Access Night (sponsered by Boeing) and admission to the Science Fiction Museum and the Experience Music Project is free. Pike's Place Market has some truly fabulous peaches right now.
The 6th - We drove up to Everett to see the Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour. Boeing and Microsoft are huge presences in Western Washington.
The 7th - Woodland Park Zoo. There's a rose garden not far from the South Entrance to the zoo, which I recommend checking out. We didn't find many fragrant varieties, but it was definitely worth seeing so many blooms in one place. The zoo was fabulous and the entry fee completely worth it for the butterfly exhibit alone. The siamangs they have there are also impressive.
Monday, June 11, 2007
A Visit to the Museum
My sweetheart took me to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena yesterday. It's an interesting collection of works, most notably of Van Gogh, Picasso and Degas works. Rodin graces the entrance. There's also a massive collection of Asian (mostly Indian) art. There's the "correct" amount of art there, meaning you can see the entire museum in a day but there's so much good stuff to see that it's possible to return several times and get the feeling of seeing something fresh and new.
I never took an art history class or anything but I really like looking at art. I wasn't particularly good at art class when I was in school, although I enjoyed the ceramics class I took. I particularly like still lifes (which apparently include dead animals - I never knew!), but there are also portraits and landscapes that I enjoyed viewing.
Something that I really love about most art (especially Greek/Roman art) is the value of a normal/healthy woman. There's not one anorexic among them.
Admission is $8, although if you are a student with an ID card you can get in for free. Parking in their lot is free as well.
Some of my favorite pieces:
Still Life with Cherries, Strawberries and Gooseberries
Saint Joseph and the Infant Christ
View of the Santa Maria della Salute with the Dogana di Mare
An Arrangement of Flowers
Rape of Proserpina (Rape of the Sabine Woman)
Still Life with Rummer
and my favorite painting:
The Liberation of St. Peter
I especially recommend checking out the Asian art - there's "amorous" lovers to be found! *wink wink nudge nudge*
I never took an art history class or anything but I really like looking at art. I wasn't particularly good at art class when I was in school, although I enjoyed the ceramics class I took. I particularly like still lifes (which apparently include dead animals - I never knew!), but there are also portraits and landscapes that I enjoyed viewing.
Something that I really love about most art (especially Greek/Roman art) is the value of a normal/healthy woman. There's not one anorexic among them.
Admission is $8, although if you are a student with an ID card you can get in for free. Parking in their lot is free as well.
Some of my favorite pieces:
Still Life with Cherries, Strawberries and Gooseberries
Saint Joseph and the Infant Christ
View of the Santa Maria della Salute with the Dogana di Mare
An Arrangement of Flowers
Rape of Proserpina (Rape of the Sabine Woman)
Still Life with Rummer
and my favorite painting:
The Liberation of St. Peter
I especially recommend checking out the Asian art - there's "amorous" lovers to be found! *wink wink nudge nudge*
Monday, September 12, 2005
My Favourite Painting
When I was visiting Europe, I got the great opportunity to go to the Louvre in Paris. Now, while I will admit to having a bad experience there, I did see some great stuff. One of these days I'll go to Europe again and have a better experience at the Louvre, maybe take a guided tour (that might help with the utter confusion of wandering a former palace) or learn to read maps better. Anyway, I did get to see the "Mona Lisa", which I wasn't too impressed with, and that famous painting of the French Revolution where a bare-breasted woman is being. . .revolutionary. But this particular painting, Delaroche's "La Jeune Martyr", was my favourite. I couldn't find a better image, but there is another fellow down by the riverbank. Sadly, most of the prints you find are just the closeup of the martyr.
I remember trying to navigate out of the painting section of the museum (because I wanted to see the Egyptian art, damnit!), and this stopped me in my tracks. I almost wish I got a full-sized reproduction of it at the gift shop, because it's so beautiful. Years later, the only thing great I can say about my visit to the Louvre is that I got to see this piece of art there, in the flesh. I'm in no way an art critic, and I prefer photography to paint, but this piece is incredible.
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