PoloPlayr - So - what do you do?
Do you get one of those headphones that tells you the history of the exhibit -- when the painter painted what. And why each painting is notable? Or do you read the little signs by each painting? Or do you already know those things?
Does the museum charge money to get in?
And what are the Seagram murals? Is the the same Seagram with the liquor distributorship? The Seagram family that some people say was in the mob bringing liquor in from Canada (where liquor was legal) during Prohibition - across the great lakesto the USA (where liquor was not legal during Prohibition - but people wanted to buy anyway?)
Because we are very interested in fun experiences here at MMC. And if going to that Rothko exhibition was fun - I would like to know about it.
All very good questions.
Well for a start, during this visit I did not borrow the audio guide but I did do that to my first visit and it's something I very often do at more extensive exhibitions. I have friends who work at galleries who shun such things but let me tell you, since I started actually using the audio guides (often extremely well produced, informative and plain FUN) my appreciation for the art and artists I knew very little about has increased so much.
I feel the audio guides (and at Tate they have hi tech ones with a touch screen display with video/pictures too) bring so much to the visitor. The give you information which will transform a piece of art from "something my kid could have done" to something of pure brilliance, when you realise the thought process, the aim or just the progress it took to reach its state you see before you.
As for the entrance fee, I am actually a member of the Tate museums (there are 2 in London; Tate Modern for modern art and Tate Britain for mostly British art through the ages as well as a couple smaller ones around the country). It's not very expensive and gives you plus a guest free access to any exhibition plus access to the members lounge, which is my favourite bit. It's a lounge/cafe/restaurant on one of the top floors with a huuuuge outside area with tables, which is amazing in summer and one of my favourite spots to take my afternoon tea with scones with views over the London skyline.
Regarding the Seagram Murals, which is perhaps Rothko's most famous piece of work, they were a number of big murals which he was commissioned to make for the Four Seasons restaurant in the Seagram building in New York in the 50s. The funny thing is that it's said that Rothko did not fully understand where in the building the murals would hang. Some say he believe they were for the workers' canteen while others claim that when he found out they were to be displayed in the rather posh Four Seasons restaurant had said that his aim with the paintings "was to make every last bastard in the place lose his appetite".
I hope that explains a few things at least.
I have had a couple of weeks with no work lately and have been enjoying the greatest luxury I know: free time. Over the past years I have worked horrid hours (often over 100 hours per week) and had almost no chance to see my friends, so trying to make it all up now. Today I intend to go to the V&A here in London to check out this exhibition, which I honestly have heard mixed things about:
http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/fashion/tsars/
Will let you know how it was!
Hi everyone. Well after being "snowed in" for our daughter's
....I hope she makes a nice dish for dinner...
i was supposed to go this year but ended up in new york instead!
