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June 28, 2007
we're thinking of buying tickets to hell
We’re a little culture starved around here, snug within the benign mycelium of silicon valley. Granted, if I’d just know where to look around here, I’d find something interesting on exhibit. But the truth is that I’m just acheing to go to a fussy art museum where I can feel the music of terrazzo under my feet and experience air conditioning without a trace of retail and ride that fabulous chase from security guard to security guard, close behind Chas, always on the fringe of expulsion as he tries to weave fast arcs around freestanding sculptures. Art is, after all, mostly about the personal experience one has with the piece, and with Chas there is no exception. He loves sculpture, it FASCINATES him to discover giant colorful pillars shooting from the ground or brushed-steel geometry shining in the sun. OH! The joy! Must scream and run circles around them all!
There’s one exhibit in particular that I’m planning on taking them to see sometime soon, the Matisse exhibit at the SFMOMA. Ford is a collage guru and I figure it might provide a springboard for translating some of his 2D work into a new dimension; specifically, creating something 3-dimensional that his younger brother might be tempted to play with (especially if it’s made of paper or papier-mache). But again, really, I’m just sad that we haven’t been able to go for so long, for fear that we might die during the struggle to patiently corral our children politely through a quiet space for art.
I think it’s more important that they experience art from a very young age for several reasons. First, I think it’s fun for them to see how some people have translated emotions or themes into art. Secondly, I like for them to understand the value and purpose behind the art process. Thirdly, I want them to grow to respect the work of others as well as their own art, because the enduring value of art is that it has the power to change the future in many ways: it can alter a person’s perspective, create controversy, quiet a restless mind, you get the idea. Lastly, I want them to evolve quickly within the rigid confines of the art museum institution so that they naturally respect that paticular environment as they would a shrine, an that is mostly because I’d LIKE TO ENJOY THE MUSEUM, TOO.
So, this weekend I’ve requested we pay the MOMA a visit, take our chances, hope for the best. There’s a book I heard about that recommends certain tips for taking 5 year-olds and older children to the museum, How to talk to children about art: is the title. As an art teacher, I feel qualified enough to come up with my own suggestions (which, in all it’s conceit, is actually true) but I’m still curious about what it has to say and am ordering it anyway.
Wish us luck! Double that for the MOMA.
Posted by Steph at June 28, 2007 07:00 AM
Comments
I can't think of a better place to take a kid of any age than the museum and, honestly, any better way to enjoy art than through the completely unadulterated viewpoint of a little kid's.
I hope y'all have a swell time.
Posted by: Heels at June 29, 2007 06:55 PM
As a new father who both enjoys art and unmediated experience and also despises formality and restriction, I'd love to see an art gallery established primarily for children where social graces are tossed aside. No security guards, no silence rules, maybe important art reproductions encased in plastic for kids to climb upon. Think of the new perspective one would get seeing a piece from above!
And yes, good luck at the MOMA
Posted by: scott spitz at June 29, 2007 07:21 PM
Scott, that's an ingenius idea, and something that surely couldn't be hard to pull off (aka cost-effective). You could also simply hang those covered pieces at their eye level. Hmmm.....
Posted by: Steph at June 30, 2007 06:06 PM
I love finding the word 'mycelium' on a blog. Good surprise. :)
One of my earliest memories is at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. They had a huge Jim Dine heart made of straw and sitting in a pile of it, and I (being three or so), wanted to play with the straw. That didn't go over too well with the guards! Ha.
Posted by: eireann at July 8, 2007 05:39 AM
Oh Steph!
I think you are just so fabulous!
Your photos of your children are the greatest, especially the action shots!
My exposure to fine art first came in grade school, but if only we had been privileged enough to of had a worldly mother like you!
I was working on my second college degree and took an art appreciation class. Suddenly, my black and white world began to see color! I was amazed to say the least. I learned Picasso, DeVincee, and oh my goodness, I literally flipped over VanGogh's Iris Garden. In fact, I did a replica of that piece using would you believe pastels, and for the lone white iris in the garden I used white out for texture! Gave it a three dimensional effect, the teacher gave me an A for originality. Ahaaha!
It was a gas and I truly loved that class! I never realized that I had any artistic talent whatsoever or even entertained the thought until I took that class. I was moved by a wood sculpture that the teacher had done, she did mostly bronze sculptures, but in this case she did wood. It was a (Carousel) I can't think of the word, like a marri-go-around, the kind with horses, and carriages that go up and down as it spins around. You having children may now the name of the circus, carnival ride, it spins horizontally, not vertically. It was the coolest thing I had ever seen, it looked so real I couldn't help myself but touch it.
I was so moved by her piece I did a replica of it in styro-foam, using wood sticks for the top, ribbons for the items on the Carousel that you ride, really simple design, and I just painted the styrophoam, glued beads on it, stuck lapel pins in it and stuff like that. Ended up getting an A on that too.
I sure hope your children get as much fun out of this as I did. I have found my calling in the art world and I am now doing photography, I find your photography is better than mine! I'm an amature, but hey? All it takes is one lucky shot, I think again, I'm an amature, lol.
Thanks for your great story, what a blast this will be for your kids to read when they're older. I hope you have printed it and saved it in a scrap book or have had it commercially printed and published or something.
With kind regards,
Judith
Posted by: Judi at August 3, 2007 09:35 PM