A quick Museum tour

Art to me is a humanitarian act and I believe that there is a responsibility that art should somehow be able to effect mankind, to make the word a better place.
Jeff Koons

I saw this on the wall of a store that sold modern art objects and books and collectables. The quote resonated with me, that my art/photography is created and shared to effect mankind, to awaken them, to inspire them, to offer a view of the extraordinary of the everyday.

I was in NYC for the day on Wednesday Dec 8th, I was meeting a long time friend who I had not seen or had much contact with in last 10 years, and when we reconnected on Facebook a few weeks ago he mentioned he was coming in to New York to do the museums, he is a big art fan, mostly modern but is aware of all forms of art, is a collector and supporter of the arts. So I thought it was great way to do some creative viewing while spending time together.

I researched the bus time tables and cost, I was going to take the Chinese bus out of Philly but once I got into town I was unclear of where that particular bus left from and I did not wish to walk all over looking for it. I bought a ticket a the Greyhound bus terminal for $38.00 rather then the $ 20.00 that the china bus would have been but I wanted to get on the road. I discovered where the china bus was on my way back from getting coffee while waiting for my 9 am departure. I will know next time, of course each bus leaves you off in completely different area of the city, the Chinese bus in China Town, the Peter Pan bus in the theater district at 42 and 8th.

Need a cab?

Phil and I were to meet at the MOMA, and he was right there when I walked into the gift shop of the museum, big smile, warm hugs, and off we went, he had already bought my ticket, he is a member, we headed to the cafe on the second floor for nourishment, to relax a few moments before taking on the 4th floor exhibit of what the critic call “abstract expressionism”.

A viewing

Here is the museums words:

“More than sixty years have passed since the critic Robert Coates, writing in the New Yorker in 1946, first used the term “Abstract Expressionism” to describe the richly colored canvases of Hans Hofmann. Over the years the name has come to designate the paintings and sculptures of artists as different as Jackson Pollock and Barnett Newman, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko, Lee Krasner and David Smith. Beginning in the 1940s, under the aegis of Director Alfred H. Barr, Jr., works by these artists began to enter the Museum’s collection. Thanks to the sustained support of the curators, the trustees, and the artists themselves, these ambitious acquisitions continued throughout the second half of the last century and produced a collection of Abstract Expressionist art of unrivaled breadth and depth.

Drawn entirely from the Museum’s vast holdings, Abstract Expressionist New York underscores the achievements of a generation that catapulted New York City to the center of the international art world during the 1950s, and left as its legacy some of the twentieth century’s greatest masterpieces. Galleries on the fourth floor present Abstract Expressionist paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photographs, films, and archival materials in a display subtitled The Big Picture, marking the first time in the history of the new Museum building that a full floor has been devoted to a single theme. The exhibition continues on the floors below, where focused shows—Rock Paper Scissors in the second-floor Prints and Illustrated Books Galleries, and Ideas Not Theories in the third-floor Drawings Galleries—reveal distinct facets of the movement as it developed in diverse mediums, adding to a historical overview of the era and giving a sense of its great depth and complexity. The exhibition is accompanied by a richly illustrated publication.”

impressionistic view of Phil

It was my first time to really view most of this type of creative artist painting, I know of Jackson Pollack, William de Kooning, the others I had not known by name but many of the paintings by sight! The museum was fairly busy, these galleries where teaming with all sorts of folk viewing and taking notes as well as photographing, so out came my camera, unfortunately many of my shots are not very good, we where to much on the move. For we were to head to the Metropolitan Museum for a look at David Baldessari’s wild and creative work using photography (film) and word.  Then off to the Whitney to take in Paul Thek and Charles LeDray . This was a whorl wind gallery viewing for both of us had to catch buses back to our home by 6:30/7:00 pm and we where on the other side of Center Park from where we needed to catch our buses.

I think I know where I am?

It was a day worth having, a meeting worth expressing, a viewing of works to induce creativity and wonder, as well as research and wonder into the creative process of each of these artist works. My day yesterday was to do just that, as well as rest, get back into the swing of regular life, whatever that is.

There will be more about the artist, the trip, my friendship with Phil and my experience in NYC in future blogs. I just feel I have come to the end of this for now! Enjoy the links, hope you enjoy the photographs.

Growth Question: Have you allowed yourself an artist date in a while, if so what, where?

I am Love, Jeff