11.17.2009

Museum Post 1

I'm back! We had a great trip, spent lots of time with family, and still had time to play tourist. As I mentioned in my last post, we saw three museums in Dallas and Fort Worth (the metroplex has so many amazing museums, filled with important works). I've broken my museum visits into two posts because I went a little photo crazy as usual. This post features The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth - a museum that every modern art or architecture lover must see.
Frommer's review expresses it perfectly: "The most noteworthy recent development in Fort Worth -- and one of the most important on the national culture scene -- is the Modern, a landmark design by the celebrated modernist Japanese architect Tadao Ando and a true notch on the city's belt. It is my favorite new museum -- or work of architecture, period -- since Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain. Opened in 2002, the museum, quickly hailed as a masterpiece, contains over 50,000 square feet of gallery space, making it second in size only to the Museum of Modern Art in New York among museums dedicated to contemporary and modern art. The galleries, of warmly textured poured concrete with 20-foot-high ceilings and suffused with spectacular natural light, are housed in three rectangular, flat-roofed pavilions built around a large pond."Museum goers have permission to photograph some works, but not others (including the Susan Rothenberg exhibit). Forgive me for being an idiot - I forgot to log the artists' names so most of these works won't be identified. Above, a series of photographs of four sisters taken annually, over 30 years, and the Standard Oil - one of my favorite paintings whose creator I cannot recall. Below, a Jackson Pollack.
The curved concrete wall that encircled this large sculpture appeared to have been designed around it.
The second Jackson Pollack (sidebar, modern art lovers should really read this book).
Exactly what it looks like: silver pieces hammered flat and suspended from the ceiling. And yet I stared at this piece for a full five minutes.


Above, a view of the Cafe Modern from one of the museum's rectangles. Gourmet Magazine named it one of America's Best restaurants (although not knowing this, we ate at The Kimbell in the courtyard, also good but not as spectacular a view).



My husband sits in my favorite non-Eames chair: the Barcelona.
I wish I had a better pic of this sculpture, called "Conjoined", by artist Roxy Paine. The sculpture stands 40 feet tall and 45 feet wide, and consists of two stainless steel trees whose branches "cantilever in space to connect in midair."

View of downtown Fort Worth from a second floor window. Note the pool that runs the length of the back of the museum.
A monumental metal sculpture outside the museum.
Inside the sculpture, looking out. Voices have an interesting reverberation when inside the sculpture.
Coming soon: Museum post 2. My posting may be light these next couple of weeks for various reasons, and it will take me a while to catch up on my blog reading. I promise I haven't forgotten about everyone! Shop sneak peak also coming soon. I have lots of great new stuff to be listed these next few weeks. Think Curtis Jere sculptures, Scandinavian pitchers (Picknick and Arabia), lots and lots of deer...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi there! What a great write-up of your trip to The Modern! Isn't it a gem? I interned at the DMA, so I have some loyalty there, but I must say I think Fort Worth has Dallas beat as far as art museums go! I hope you enjoyed your trip here. Thanks for posting on my blog this weekend, great to "meet you" via the internet!

L

Bree said...

Looks like you had a great trip!

Hello Lindello said...

Looks like an amazing trip FULL on inspiration! I love going to museums. So jealous!

Anonymous said...

Oh your post makes me want to trek to the cosest good art gallery

TERI REES WANG said...

The entire idea of flat roofed pavilions sitting of a reflecting pond, is my real ideal place to be.

Between the suspended hammered silver pieces and the conjoined silver trees, I could really be serene there.

Thank you for taking us along.

A Perfect Peach said...

that barcelona eames chair is such a classic - love it! great post!

Gabbi said...

What a gorgeous museum! I would so love to visit... will have to keep in mind if I'm ever in the area!

Sam said...

Fabulous fabulous post! There are the best museums and galleries over here in the States!!! I actually love the look of the building itself too! Glad you had a great time and welcome back!

Kitty Stampede said...

Great photos...loved seeing all your favorite pieces. looks like you had an awesome time and can't wait to see your other posts about your trip!!

Rachel Follett said...

Very cool! I love going to museums.

Christina said...

i wanna go! glad you're back:)

drollgirl said...

i hate texas, but i sure would like to visit this place!!!!!!!

Teresa @ good-grace said...

Thank you for the scoop on this incredible museum.

(I love the Barcelona chair... and your hubby looks quite dapper sitting in it, too!)

And this is soooo lame ... but your shop "tease" has me on pins and needles! I can't WAIT to see all of your goodies!!

THE BRICK HOUSE said...

Hey, the Standard Oil is by Ed Ruscha. Google him. He is awesome.

Museums are my fav.