Memoirous

In 2015 I first blogged about the series of photos taken by Nicholas Nixon of the Brown Sisters. I was intrigued by the honesty of the photos—women from girls into midlife into post middle age, marking the external changes, telling details (such as the Blackberry attached at one of the sister’s waist). Secondly, I was amazed at how a photographer (albeit one related to the oldest sister through marriage) could consistently organize an annual shoot. It is sooo hard to get family together even casually let alone for a project on a year-to-year basis. See family reunions, headaches, #moretroublethanworth Kudos to Nixon and the Brown Sisters! Now almost 50 years since the first photo in 1975, the project is still ongoing. I was so pleased when visiting the Art Institute of Chicago over the past weekend to see the 41 images plus a few more more on display. My friend and I before setting out to explore the museum wanted to fill water bottles and wandered downstairs to the bathrooms. Wow...

In my last post I wrote about visiting the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art. At both I took in NEW exhibits. Of course, we ask ourselves: What is new? I’d venture to say it is art that speaks to us today and hopefully to those in the future. There’s nothing like a plague to drive people into the hands of God and into outpouring of their soul. I mean if you thought the end was near wouldn’t you want to express your innermost longings, desires—or to leave a message for the survivors? Kilroy was here . Medieval art is full of representations of the Black Death: corpses and skeletons. Along with interpretations of the Devil and demons. The macabre was a big draw. Like today: shock jocks pull in an audience and ratings. The church used such depictions to warn congregants against rough living and the vices. The seven deadly sins. Indeed, much of religion was a warning against instead of for living/life. Not a lot has changed. Fast forward to the worldwide p...

The first of the new year there is always so much hope. Then the days turn gloomy and dreary and the sweets are all gone. As it happened, I had four days off (slow season at bike shops) and my daughter didn’t need me to babysit, so I hopped a train to Chicago. I knew from living there that Chicago is just as dreary and gloomy, but the museums are mostly free. The visit was sandwiched with meeting friends at coffee shops and sitting for long hours chatting. Yesss!! I had so many conversations and meeting up with friends broken up by trips to area museums. There’s nothing quite like the slow feel of the Art Institute on a Monday winter afternoon. No one is in a hurry. There was no crowd around Hopper’s Nighthawks. The painting was just as lonely and isolated as the figures framed within. Surprisingly there were new additions to the galleries. I had the feeling that during the pandemic someone rooted around in the vaults and brought some new stuff to light. It appeared there were mo...

Art Institute of Chicago What a wonderful world to get lost in—this place of armor, hydra heads, Nighthawks , Ivan Albright, Louis Sullivan, and miniature houses/interiors. When I first came to Chicago in the early 80s you could get into the Art Institute with a donation. I once paid 25¢, rather donated . I have to admit I wasn’t always an aficionado. Today I work for a gallery, helping to curate their exhibits and write up descriptions. Back in 1982 I used to think what was the difference looking at art in a book or up close in person. Then I turned a corner. It happened in Washington DC at the Corcoran, I turned a corner and came across the Moor , with his black bold face, flaring nostrils. I loved that picture. And, because it was hard to find my way around, I kept turning that corner and encountering the Moor. At lot of how I discover cool stuff is by getting lost. When I came back to Chicago I paid a visit to the Art Institute and it was as if I’d woke up; I was ali...

I was at the Art Institute yesterday. I know--can there be anything more delicious than taking a day off work to go to the art museum, alone. Well, yes there can. It was free, for Illinois residents (that's me). And, on top of that! There was snow, piles of it, laying on top of fences post, pilings at the lake, park benches etc etc etc all like confectionery sugar, drifting, puffing a little with the wind, and sometimes--when the pigeons startled it, plopped down. All along the city sidewalks there were signs: Watch for Falling Ice! I made it to the museum in one piece, and there I found a delightful show. Now I know very little, less than little, about contemporary art, but there was a special exhibit entitled Conceptual Light, which was all about artists whose work requires light to be a. illuminated or b. to make sense. Some made no sense. Again, this is beside the point.  I walked into a small room buzzing with projectors--that alone made the trip down worth it! Film whizz...