Off to the Met

We got a day off from this new job, and thus, we hightailed it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art since there were some wonderful new exhibits - including quite a bit of Oriental art.  The great thing about the Met is you go to see one thing, and something else pops up which is better than what you went to see.

This time that honor goes to "Essential Korea".  We just sort of wandered into these galleries on our way to the Kyoto exhibit.  It turns out the South Korean government sent some national treasures.  And, Korean art created in the 12th century looks like something turned out in 2019.  The clean, modern quality of this country's art was striking. 

We began with the moon.  The Met has an exhibit focusing on moon photography in honor of the 50th anniversary of the United States landing on the moon.  Prior to satellites, the best photos of the moon's surface were actually taken by a couple of Frenchmen in the early 20th century.  Those pictures were interesting from an historical point of view.

What was really amusing was the 1969 'console TV' in which Armstrong's first step onto the moon was being played in a constant loop.  People were sitting around and watching that TV just as people did 50 years ago.  I was working the graveyard shift at the nursing home the summer of 1969 and just by chance, the day/night of the moon walk was my day off.  Remember how dramatic it all was, and how it took hours and hours for that 'first step' to happen?

I also wanted to see the new contemporary art exhibition called "Epic Abstraction - Pollock to Herrera".  And, once more, something unexpected.  There was this absolutely phenomenal pink granite statue which was nine interlocking pieces held together by two pins.  Drake speculated the pins had to be on the bottom.  Pins sunk into the floor would hold the sculpture steady, so it wouldn't fall over.

Noguchi - "Kouros" - 1945

 I saw a new artist, Sam Gilliam, (well, he's new to me), who attracted my eye with his color palette. 

This is called "Whirlirama"

 And, to my delight there was an enormous piece by Louise Nevelson. (She's one of my fav modern artists.) She was a native New Yorker who took 'found art' to a new level.  Her pieces are instantly recognizable - they are all painted flat black and are assembled pieces of wood (and other stuff) she has 'found'.  All major museums in the United States own at least one of her pieces.  This piece was about 15' x 15' and incredibly intricate.  It took her 13 years to complete it, and she thought of it as her crowning masterpiece.  Upon her death, she willed it to the Met.  Her art is surprising and fun.

Mrs. N's Palace

What I thought would be the number one exhibit was basically the history of art created in Kyoto - the ancient name for modern Tokyo.  This exhibit was one superbly beautiful object after another including more priceless treasures sent over by Japan.  Here's one of my favorites 

 This is a document box from the early 1700's.  My picture doesn't really do it justice. 

There were several screens, but my favorite was this one:

 From this angle, there's a slight optical illusion.  It looks like you could 'walk across' this golden bridge.

There was also an exquisite kimono filled with hand embroidery.  Not surprising I was enamored with this piece. 

There are also some odds and ends of American decorative art. as well as Drake posing in front of a set of baseball cards which he swears he owned as a child.  (These priceless cards were tossed in one of their many family moves, and is, on occasion, still discussed.....)

As always there are tons of pictures

https://photos.app.goo.gl/GLyX4r2vbU6SaCzAA