Viva Las Vegas

Reeds and Logs - Dale Chihuly - 2009

I love everything about Las Vegas - the glitz, the food, the outstanding people watching. The casinos themselves are an exercise in excess.  That turns some people off, but I am fascinated by what people create when imagination and the laws of physics, rather than finances, are the limiting factors. 

"Family Friendly" may not be what comes to mind when I mention Vegas, but for my Mom's side of the  family it is THE spot for family get-togethers, birthdays and general celebrations.   So last weekend I headed out to meet my Aunts and Uncles (and, unbeknownst to me, my Mom) at the MGM Grand for a belated birthday get together. 

Clockwise from center, Teri, Joe, Bev, Mom

As much as I love Las Vegas, I'm not a gambler.  If I'm parting with $50, I expect there to be a shoebox waiting at the other end of the exchange.   Most of the shopping there can get dangerous (see the Louis Vuitton shoes below that I covet, but did not purchase), so Mom, Aunt Bev, 

Uncle Joe and I went over to CityCenter, the newly opened casino complex on the strip to see the CityCenter Fine Art Collection.

Bev, Joe, and Mom     "Veer", one of two leaning towers in CityCenter

Spread out around the grounds of CityCenter, viewing the collection is akin to going on a really hot scavenger hunt.  Some of the pieces are inside, in hotel lobbies or in the shopping center, but others are out in the baking 100 degree desert heat.   Given the effort involved in seeing each work, some of them were a bit of a let down leaving us with a "that's all there is" feeling (or worse yet...in the case of one of the paintings, not being sure that it whether it was part of the fine art or a piece of generic hotel art).   For the most part, the sculptures were worth the trek. 

The group favorites were a large stone rendition of Mother and Child by Henry Moore, a gravity defying sculpture by Nancy Rubins composed entirely of canoes, and an abstract stone piece with a center of basalt polished to a mirror-like sheen.  

Reclining Connected Forms

Henry Moore 1969-74

Overview (L) and Interior Look (R) at Masatoshi Izumi's Untitled Basalt Sculpture

Big Edge - Nancy Rubins - 2009

The buildings of CityCenter were beautiful in and of themselves making it a destination even if you aren't interested in the art scattered throughout. Incidentally, viewing the art doesn't remove the temptation to shop. Did I mention the Dale Chihuly store?  Reeds and Logs - Price Available Upon Request...

Lincoln's Cottage and the Soldiers' Home

Having visited the Lincoln Memorial, Ford’s Theatre, and Petersen House the weekend before, I wrapped up February’s Lincolnpallooza with Lincoln’s Cottage. Before starting this project, I had never heard of Lincoln’s cottage or the Soldiers' Home, but I took the green line to Petworth / Georgia Avenue and trudged in my rubber snow boots to Church Street NW. The Soldiers' Home is the nation’s first veteran’s home, and cemetery. Established in 1851, the Soldiers' Home provided a much needed sanctuary (it was actually referred to as a soldiers’ asylum) for veterans of American wars. Many of the early residents were actually immigrant soldiers and their families.

Soldiers' Home

Lincoln’s Cottage (http://www.lincolncottage.org/) is located on the grounds of Soldiers' Home and provided a presidential retreat that was used by numerous presidents including Buchanan, Hayes, and, most extensively, Lincoln. The Lincoln family resided there during three of the four summers of Lincoln’s first term in office. Each day, the president walked or rode to the White House, located about 3 miles away. Lincoln’s routine was so established that his advisors became concerned that his daily ride was a security risk. An unsuccessful assassination attempt did, actually, take place one evening in 1864. Despite the danger, the Lincolns continued to reside in this home away from the White House and Lincoln continued his daily commute to the White House alone.

The cottage provided an escape from the heat and humidity of central DC and provided some measure of privacy for the family. Prior to becoming an historic site, it had also served as an Officer’s Club and Infirmary. Painstakingly restored and dedicated as a National Monument in 2000, it stands much as it was during the Civil War. Under the care of the National Park Service, there are daily guided tours of the house and grounds.

Back View of Lincoln's Cottage

After my tour, I decided to take on a little more snow and retrace Lincoln’s daily walk to the White House. Passing through Petworth, down Seventh Street past Howard University, and over to Farragut Square, I made it to the White House in about an hour. I could see how this daily trek, in the midst of the pressures of the Civil War, would provide much needed time for the President to be alone with his thoughts at the start and end of each day. Despite the cold and snow, it was an experience to walk in the footsteps of our Sixteenth President and a fitting end to my investigation of all things Lincoln.

Lincoln, Lincoln, and more Lincoln

The theme for today was Lincoln (and chocolate and keeping warm, but those are lesser themes). I made reservations to visit Ford’s Theatre and Petersen house in honor of President’s Day this weekend. Ford’s Theatre, the site of Lincoln’s assassination, is located in the heart of DC on 511 10th St NW (http://www.fordstheatre.org/). The theatre is actually through a partnership with the National Park Service so at the appointed ticket time, I got in line behind my ranger and was led into the basement of the theatre.

 I really just wanted to see the theatre itself, but, as it turns out, the museum displays in the basement are actually much more interesting. The NPS has packed an enormous amount of historical information about the Civil War, the Lincoln presidency, and timeline of the leading to the President’s assassination into the museum at the Theatre. By contrast, the tour of theatre seems somewhat anticlimactic. I went up to the balcony and sat in a front row seat of the refurbished theatre then headed over to Petersen house, the next stop on my agenda that day.

Petersen house sits directly across the street from Ford’s theatre. This was the house where Lincoln was taken after his being shot on April 14 and where his family sat by his bedside until his death on the morning of April 15, 1865. The façade of the house has recently been restored and the interior is decorated in period style. There are only a few rooms to see, the most interesting of which is the preserved bedroom in the back of the house, where the mortally wounded president lay until his death.

Not having had my fill of Mr. Lincoln, I started to walk to the Lincoln Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/linc/planyourvisit/index.htm). Like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial was something that I had driven past and seen pictures of, but had never taken the time to visit. In retrospect, I might have picked a day when the mall and the steps of the monument weren’t cocooned in a thick blanket of ice and snow. This thought occurred to me as I tried to avoid a series of very painful face plants on the walk over. Rubber boots…not so good for the traction. Despite the snow, ice and cold, I was awed by the beauty of the monument. The monument was designed by Henry Bacon and the sculpture inside created by Daniel Chester French. Composed of marble and granite, groundbreaking began in 1914 and the monument was dedicated in 1922. Although a secular structure, I had a feeling of reverence, like going into one of the old cathedrals of Europe for the first time, when I walked through the columns into the inner chamber where Lincoln’s Statue is housed. The statue is striking….Lincoln looks imposing, but most of all, kind. The pressures of the presidency come through in his posture and expression; as if he’s carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The memorial also has Lincoln’s Inaugural Addresses carved into the walls on either side of the main room.

I’m the first to admit that I’m a bit of a zealot about proper museum decorum. Loud inane conversations, cell phones, stupid people (no judgment)…make me crazy. I don’t know if it was the cold or the churchy feel of the space, but the LM crowd was reverent. I’d like to go back this summer, but maybe the quiet of the February ice and snow complement the memorial more so than bright sunshine and throngs of tourists ever could.

Evergreen 6

I’ve been working like a dog this week so decided that a nice Sunday brunch was in order to relax this weekend. I drove to Baltimore to meet Catharine and Ron at Petit Louis. After sating ourselves with mimosas, poached egg salad and cheese galore for dessert, I went to explore one of Baltimore’s hidden secrets, Evergreen Museum and Library. http://www.museums.jhu.edu/

Evergreen is the former family home of John Work and Alice Garrett. In 1942, it was bequeathed to Johns Hopkins University and has served as a museum ever since. This year, Evergreen is hosting, "Simultaneous Presence", the sixth biennial Sculpture at Evergreen. Ten invited artists have installed pieces around the grounds of Evergreen. The works play on existing man –made and natural features of the landscape – some hidden in overgrown corners of the garden others jarringly out of place in the bucolic setting.

I had been excited about seeing the exhibition because of photos I'd seen of artist Shannon Young's How Does your Garden Grow?  I was lucky enough to happen upon the artist herself.  How Does your Garden Grow? is a collection of small gardens housed in shopping carts with a nearby Greenhouse cum kitchen and small oven.  For the duration of the exhibit, the gardens are being tended by the artist with a cooking demo each Sunday afternoon.  I missed the cooking, but was lucky enough to get a ripe strawberry and a tour of the nasturtiums. 

Rounding the corner of the carriage house, is wood lined meadow with small stream and graffiti adorned basketball court.  Well, the court and associated graffiti are only temporary.  Evergreen Commons by Eric Leshinsky, C. Ryan Patterson, and Fred Scharmen is strikingly out of place on the grounds.  This little piece of downtown Baltimore is positioned across the creek from a small brick walled permanent garden on grounds creating an interesting city mouse / country mouse paradox.

For anyone interested in visiting the Evergreen there are tours of the Sculpture at Evergreen every Sunday in June and on June 29th from 5:30 to 7:30, an evening open house that will feature visits from the local artists, a tour of the first floor of the house, and a preview of Shakespeare in the Park.

Hide and Hide - Yukiko Nakashima - 2010

Skip - David Page - 2010

The National Museum of Women in the Arts

Today was one of those gorgeous early summer days that makes it hard to justify spending time inside a museum.  Cool, breezy, not too hot...so I headed to New York Avenue and 13th to the NY Avenue Sculpture Project at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  http://www.nmwa.org/sculptureproject/  The first phase of the project features four of artist Niki de Saint Phalle's large scale sculptures.  Saint Phalle is best known for her design of the fountain at the Centre George Pompidou in Paris.  Like fabulous multicolored disco balls along the median, the sculptures looked fantastic in the day's sunlight...the Serpent Tree with its big smiling snake heads was my hands down favorite. 

Les Trois Graces - 1999

L'Arbre serpents - 1999

The museum itself, housed in a former masonic temple, was opened to the public in 1987.  In addition to the New York Avenue Sculpture Project, the museum houses works of prominent female artists through the ages.   Some of the older pieces date back to the 1400 and 1500s when women were limited in their subject matter (no nudes allowed) and their ability to market their work.    I was happy to finally see works from a female member of the Peale family (see Rubens, Rembrandt, Titian, and Raphael Peale from the National Portrait Gallery).  Sarah Miriam Peale, daughter of James Peale and cousin to the artistically named Peale brothers, was a gifted portrait artist.  A set of wedding portraits of of hers were among the 19th century items displayed.

Melpomene, The Muse of Tragedy                                 Isaac Avery

Elisabetta Sirani                                       Sarah Miriam Peale - 1821

Unexpectedly, I found another favorite room among the museums of DC.  After working through a few cool and some horrid paintings from the 60's and 70s, I walked into the early 20th century with Frida Kahlo, Grace Hartigan, and a few surreally beautiful pieces.  

At the Flower Market                 Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky

 Alice Beard - 1912                                                 Frida Kahlo - 1937

 How Doth the Little Crocodile - Leonora Carrington - 1998

Retrato de Belem - Maria Izquierdo - 1928

Even if a visit to the museum itself isn't in the cards, a stroll down New York Avenue is enough to bring a smile to anyone's face these days.  The long term plan for the project is to extend the display of sculptures down New York Avenue to Mount Vernon Square.

National Museum of African Art

I spent the morning on Capitol Hill perusing Capitol Hill books and revealing in the glory that is Peregrine Espresso.  I decided to walk back home since it was such a nice day, but when nice day turned to lightning on the mall, I ducked into the National Museum of African Art.

It's a small museum tucked away from the main museums on the mall and conveniently located at the spot where my umbrella turned inside out.  Founded in 1964 as a private museum, it officially became part of the Smithsonian in 1979.  I started with the Artful Animals exhibit, a display of African artwork and crafts with animal motifs.  http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/animals/index.html  .  I particularly liked the large elephant shaped coffin. 

Fantasy Coffin - Paa Joe - 1945

 

Mami Wata Mask - Guro peoples - Cote d'Ivoire - Mid 20th c

The museum is also featuring an exhibit of Zambian born Paul Emmanuel.  http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/transitions/index.html.  Emmanuel now lives in South Africa and,  for the last several years,  has been focusing on rituals of transition and transformation.  The exhibit is comprised of a video as well as pen and ink drawings displayed in a multiframe cartoon style.  The video focuses on images of new army recruits getting their first haircuts.   Mixed with these are clips from daily army life (the canteen, marches) and some haunting images of hundreds of white T-shirts hung on a clothes line.  The shirts, all alike, allude to the anonymity created by unifroms and shaved heads.  When the wind isn't blowing and the shirts are still, they look hauntingly like rows of white grave stones in a field.  The drawings cover non-military topics from the mundane ritual of a man putting on a suit in the morning to a baby's circumcision. 

I am looking forward to a trip back when the permanent collection is on display. 

The Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

The Hirshorn Museum has been on my mind since a UPS truck drove through the concrete barriers and plate glass window in front of the museum in early May.  The museum reopened the following day and there was no damage to the exhibits, but I felt like checking in on the museum all the same.

With its sculpture garden, view of the mall from the upper galleries and a few new exhibits, the Hirshorn has something for everyone.  I could write for pages about the beautifully designed sculpture garden or the room of Calder mobiles on the third floor, but I was blown away by two of the current exhibitions: Yves Klein: With the Void, Full Powers and Chris Chong Chan Fui's Block B.  (http://hirshhorn.si.edu/exhibitions)  

Seated Yucatan Woman                                            Pendour

Francisco Zuniga - 1913                           Barbara Hepworth

                                                                                  1947-48

 Yves Klein is a French artist who died at 34 years of age after only 7 short years as a working artist.  He is best known for his monochromatic pieces.  I'll admit that when I entered the exhibit, and saw rows of paintings, each squares of a single color, I thought nice, but boring.   As I kept moving, however, I became captivated the way in which working with a single color allowed Klein to explore texture and dimension in ways that wouldn't translate as well if the viewer was distracted by other colors.  The monocolor brings the other aspects of the pieces (not all of these were paintings) to the forefront. 

Not only did he invent and patent his own blue (International Klein Blue (IKB), which is pretty cool, but the man used blow torches to texturize his paintings.  There is a video of Klein standing with a giant torch (and firemen at the ready to cool the paintings down) happily burning his canvases then adding his signature blue in various areas.  Some of the alternatives to burning on display include, painted canvas sprayed with water, whole body prints rolled on canvas, and sculptures large trays of pigment like a big blue sandbox with sculptures suspended above.  His exuberance is almost palpable in his pieces. I came away a huge fan of Yves Klein and with a new appreciation for monochromatic work.  A little IKB may be in order as an ode to Klein for my next pedicure.

Untitled Fire Painting - 1961

The other exhibit that I loved was Chris Chong Chan Fui's Block B Video.  The video is a mesmerizing look into a massive apartment complex in Malaysia.  The video focuses on 50 + apartments and the comings and goings of the residents through several days and nights.  Voice overs with English subtitles guide us through the imagined plotlines in this voyeuristic soap opera.  So much better than any reality TV...