Friday, January 09, 2015

Art in Many Forms

My recent visit to the Smithsonian museums before the holidays was fulfilling and exhausting.  One of the venues at the Freer/Sackler gallery of art was the display of the personal art collection of the Cosby family.  Bill's recent fall from grace did not prevent me from wanting to see works of art that are not normally available to the public and I was glad that I did.  There was an enormous range in style, medium, and history.  Much of this collection was social commentary.  While there I took one photo of the large space and was immediately told they did not allow photos of this particular exhibit.  I am guessing it might have something to do with insurance, but who knows.  I was a little frustrated, but I do not really like to take photos of art anyway, because everything gets lost in the digital translation.  I was just trying to capture the variety in style that this collection has and also the interesting juxtaposition of art that the Smithsonian curators displayed next to Cosby artworks.

Not to be thwarted I captured some really 'cool' expressions in the architecture that you can take in a museum and I am putting up a few below.  This building was designed by Charles A. Platt at the turn of the century. The Freer was the first of his public commissions in 1913.   I am not sure to what extent he was involved in the underground passage between the Freer Gallery and the Sackler Gallery (both devoted to Asian Art and an odd place for the Cosby exhibit unless it was chosen because it was the most secure or had the most free space.)  Platt favored Italian Renaissance in both buildings and garden design.  I read that his design philosophy emphasized the integration of interior and exterior space through strong visual and circulatory connections, so probably he was indeed an influence on the underground which I photographed below and which you can see reflects that philosophy.  (As an aside and a very small brag, I sold another photo that I took from this subject area recently.  Amazing what a thrill one gets to see someone else likes their expression of art even if so little money is made from it.)


AND I just learned that you can go here and see over 40,000 works of art from their collection digitally.  This is their 2015 gift to us all!

16 comments:

  1. Thank you so much. I shall browse at my leisure.

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  2. So frustrating. Our National Gallery, here in Ottawa, doesn't allow pics at all, except in the halls. So silly.

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  3. Some galleries now allow photos where they used to ban them because they have finally learned the new cameras (especially in phones) aren't damaging to the art as the old ones were. I know some reluctance has come out of the fear of someone taking a photo they can reproduce but without a tripod and flash, that's not likely.

    And congrats on selling a photo. having your work appreciated by an offer of money is always a good feeling. They are trading their labor for yours :)

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  4. Thanks for the link. Glad to hear you were paid for the results of your artful eye.

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  5. We had only one day to go to the Smithsonian museums and I'm thinking the Freer wasn't open that day or else we just didn't choose it but what great architecture. and I know well the thrill of selling your art.

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  6. I'll follow the link when I get off work. Yes, cloister art. I like it. You got caught before I did.

    Bravo for the weights. Wednesday was the first day I worked and did the pool too. I wanted to go to bed at 8. LOL

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  7. Wonderful photos. The building is exquisite. Maybe I'll get there some day (sighs).

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  8. Several years ago we visited the Smithsonian and my wife had to pull me out or we'd have been there all day.

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  9. Lovely photos. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  10. Wow! Beautiful!
    And congratulations on another sale! How exciting!

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  11. Wonderful background and photos of the building. Thanks, T


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    <3

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  12. Tabor, you really did capture some amazing photos of the architecture. It's tough to get a camera through and in use in most museums.

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  13. Anonymous10:24 PM

    I've been to the Smithsonian so many times, but never made it to this one. What a beautiful building! I didn't realize the Cosby family was full of artists!

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  14. Thanks for the link and well done on your photo sale. Most museums are the same here when it comes to cameras although I have seen the exception where they don't mind.

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  15. Some exhibits seem to allow picture taking while others don't. I try to be discreet and usually get a couple before I am busted.

    I love the idea of art to hold art, inside out.

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  16. It's nice to see a gallery that is itself a work of art. Some i've been in were not, not really.

    Why do i have the feeling that the link will lead me into hours and hours of lost time?

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Take your time...take a deep breath...then hit me with your best shot.