Some colleagues at work decided to do some offsite bonding. Away from work. On the last day of summer we headed to the local museum of modern art or MOMA.
Now modern art by definition is not logical. Far from it. This was about 40 miles away from our office. But really as in into the far reaches of the artists expressionist mind to seek out a unique perspective not obvious to anyone but them. The museum has undergone recent renovations and was an opportunity to let our minds wander from the daily ho hum of work.
I think the facility lived up to it. We started by walking into the cavernous space which is the lobby where newly unveiled set of two canvasses greets the visitor. As you look up at the light filled atrium you observe the sweep of the stairway leading to the second level and making you feel small are these colorful squiggles on canvas, interrupted with dark colored squares one on either side. It is the work of an Ethiopian born and raised artist called Julie. It represents her version of the struggles of life in Africa, the eastern part in particular and lets the visitor grapple with the emotions she is trying to convey.
From the second level onward all the way to the top which is the seventh level you are introduced to art from the mid to late 20th century that sweeps from canvas and oils to multi dimensional using unusual materials like meteor dust and grass to ash and molten metal.
There was also a gallery dedicated to the intersection of sound and light. Called Nog (for Noise and Fog) it was a rendering of the artist's imagination portraying a series of frames, photographs of their breath condensing on glass followed with a sound from a trumpet that echoed in a series of audio speakers mounted across.
There was Mondrian and Lichtenstein and of course Warhol.
Some famous lithographs of his original work and some real originals donated by private collectors for the public's enjoyment.
We ended this appetite inducing tour with a modern twist on tea drinking at a local food stop called Samovar. Named for a Russian tea urn the place specializes in pairing food with different types of tea.
It was a gastronomic departure from the ordinary and we collectively enjoyed a variety of fish and fowl (duck that really tasted like bacon without the grease) to Hong Kong style milk tea and a sampling of Yuzu infused beverage.
Finished the adventure with a hard to pronounce but real easy on the palate Gelato at a local stop.
Good time was had by all.
Now modern art by definition is not logical. Far from it. This was about 40 miles away from our office. But really as in into the far reaches of the artists expressionist mind to seek out a unique perspective not obvious to anyone but them. The museum has undergone recent renovations and was an opportunity to let our minds wander from the daily ho hum of work.
I think the facility lived up to it. We started by walking into the cavernous space which is the lobby where newly unveiled set of two canvasses greets the visitor. As you look up at the light filled atrium you observe the sweep of the stairway leading to the second level and making you feel small are these colorful squiggles on canvas, interrupted with dark colored squares one on either side. It is the work of an Ethiopian born and raised artist called Julie. It represents her version of the struggles of life in Africa, the eastern part in particular and lets the visitor grapple with the emotions she is trying to convey.
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| Going up |
From the second level onward all the way to the top which is the seventh level you are introduced to art from the mid to late 20th century that sweeps from canvas and oils to multi dimensional using unusual materials like meteor dust and grass to ash and molten metal.
There was also a gallery dedicated to the intersection of sound and light. Called Nog (for Noise and Fog) it was a rendering of the artist's imagination portraying a series of frames, photographs of their breath condensing on glass followed with a sound from a trumpet that echoed in a series of audio speakers mounted across.
There was Mondrian and Lichtenstein and of course Warhol.
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| Nine Marilyns |
We ended this appetite inducing tour with a modern twist on tea drinking at a local food stop called Samovar. Named for a Russian tea urn the place specializes in pairing food with different types of tea.
It was a gastronomic departure from the ordinary and we collectively enjoyed a variety of fish and fowl (duck that really tasted like bacon without the grease) to Hong Kong style milk tea and a sampling of Yuzu infused beverage.
 |
| Going Russian - one colleague had the borscht |
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| Salmon Bowl |
Finished the adventure with a hard to pronounce but real easy on the palate Gelato at a local stop.
Good time was had by all.
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