March 21st, 2009
MOMA
With Mikey away for the weekend, we decided to take Beth and her friend Irene into the city to enjoy a nice lunch and then go to the Museum of Modern Art. I found out that Van Gogh’s Starry Night wasn’t going to be there because it is out on loan, but there is plenty of other fun stuff to see.
Lots of fun descriptions and pictures after the break…
Beth and Irene are ready to start the adventure. Notice Beth’s new hair? Pretty cool color, huh?
Before the museum we had to have something to eat and when you are in Manhattan right near Times Square, you can’t eat at McDonald’s. Since the ladies wouldn’t let me go to ESPNZone, we went to Planet Hollywood. It’s not cheap but the food is good and they give you lots to eat.
Michel is beautiful as always but she wanted to make sure she knew how she feels about me and the camera.
I think Beth was quite impressed by the art. Modern art can not be experienced by a picture in a book. You need to see it in person to appreciate what makes art.
Here’s Beth between two amazing pieces of art just before she got yelled at for leaning on the wall. I think Beth was so amazed that she needed to rest for a moment.
The pure genius of modern art left me in deep thought as well. Here Beth caught me trying to get a deeper understand of this unique piece.
Beth was most impressed with this Jackson Pollok piece. It is one thing to be told about drip painting or to see a picture in a book but to actually see one is a different story. This particular piece which very much attracted Beth’s attention was like a Where’s Waldo. In the picture, Pollok had dropped a button, nail, penny, even a cigarette and painted over them. Finding them wasn’t easy and the search only added to the appreciation of the beauty of this early work of his.
Michel enjoyed this work by Picasso titled, Three Musicians which was painted in 1921 in Picasso’s cubist style.
More pictures tomorrow.
Rebecca wrote,
I love Michel’s faces.
Looks like everyone had a great time.
Link | March 21st, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Elbog wrote,
What a great day! I have been there a few times (I’m married to an artist whose middle name is “Van”, you know), and I’ve even seen “Starry Night” there, neeener neeener. Buried in my secret thoughts was the opinion that Jackson Pollock was a hack, until I walked into that room. . . I know what you’re saying.
A great place. And now you know how to get to Carnegie Hall. . . ah, you finish it.
Link | March 22nd, 2009 at 10:05 am
Tom wrote,
I saw Starry Night the last time I was there. I’m going to take Beth back here during the summer so she can see it.
I saw Guernica at MOMA when I was younger. It’s back in Spain now that Spain is a democracy. I remember walking around a corner and there was this huge cubist black and white painting hanging there. I froze in my spot and my jaw dropped to the floor. I don’t think I understood the effect that art can have on a person until I saw that picture. You can look at the picture in a book or on the web but there is nothing that can compare to seeing the original. Picasso was a genius.
Link | March 22nd, 2009 at 11:28 am
Tom wrote,
Jeff: Practice, practice, practice.
Link | March 22nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Leah wrote,
I love that you got to have some time to do some grown-up stuff. The next time I come to NY (because there will be a “next time”, I will make sure I have time to see stuff! Hugs all around! Angela says she hopes Mikey had a good time at camp.
Link | March 22nd, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Ecki wrote,
You know what’s sad? I worked in Midtown for 3 years for McGraw-Hill, we even got free passes for MOMA and the Natural History Museum (among others) and I never got around to either of them!
Link | March 23rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Tom wrote,
One of the problems with working in the city is that you assume that you will always have easy access to the museums, sites, and theaters. And then you stop working in the city and suddenly you don’t have easy access anymore! So my advice to those who live and work in the city… enjoy it!
Link | March 29th, 2009 at 12:51 pm