Nelson-Atkins Museum Part III

This is the last installment covering the day we spent at the Nelson-Atkins Museum.  There are many wonderful things about Kansas City and this place is at the top of my list.  This blog entry gives you just a taste of some parts of the museum.  We did not get to cover many areas.  That is OK as we plan on returning to KC and surely will fit this into our schedule.  

The interior of the museum is spacious, elegant, resplendent and yet comfortable.

Cafeteria food set at a very high standard for taste and healthfulness set in an awesome indoor patio was inexpensive and a great way to rest our weary feet.

Dusasa I, 2007 by El Anatsui (1944-) Found aluminum and copper wire.  This  very large wall hanging was one of the first art pieces that we saw after entering the Museum.  "Dusasa I was created from recycled liquor-bottle tops that have been flattened and stitched together using copper wire.  Working with the metal shapes, El Anatsui allows the material and colors to suggest the composition.  The artist's use of liquor-bottle tops acknowledges the historical role of liquor as a commodity traded by colonial powers for slaves and its ritual use as a libation, when it is poured as a form of prayer. . . The title Dusasa comes from Ewe words (people of Ghana), da and sass, meaning a fusion of disparate elements on a monumental scale.!

At the end of a long walkway one will see a huge panel entitled, Gates of Paradise.  "They are famous because they mark major advances in rendering perspective, or receding space, and the human figure.

One of the panels from the Gates of Paradise.

Elberta, 1975, by Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011), Acrylic on canvas.  "To create Elberta, Helen Frankenthaler diluted paint to the consistency of watercolor and poured it directly onto raw canvas laid on the floor.  The result is a composition of sweeping planes of warm yellow, radiant orange and a contrasting highlight of vivid blue.  The narrow band running horizontally along the lower edge of the work is evocative of a horizon line.  This horizon-like band and the expansiveness of the composition give this lyrical painting the sense of an abstracted landscape.  Elberta's forms and luminous hues make it a quintessential Color Field painting."

Chance Meeting, 1989 by George Segal (1924-2000, Plaster, aluminum and galvanized steel.  "Chance Meeting" represents one of George Segal's favorite motifs: people on city streets. . . This pose, along with the title, implies that they are friends or acquaintances who have unexpectedly met on the street.  Segal often used family and friends as models.  In Chance Meeting, the woman wearing the high heels is the artist's daughter, Rena Segal.  This plaster sculpture, part Pop Art and part Realism, contains details captured by the casting process, including folds in the clothing and even top stitching on seams."

Makerchair Jigsaw, prototype, 2014 by Joris Laarman (1979-), ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene).  "Often 3-D printing is used for prototyping small objects.  Here, Dutch designer Joris Laarman has pushed the boundaries by creating a functional chair constructed of printed components.  This prototype features 202 black and white jigsaw pieces that fit together to form the back, seat and supports."

The Chariot, 1950 by Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) painted bronze.  "The solitary, emaciated figure in The Chariot, frozen in a precarious stance, is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life.  The sculpture is associated with Etruscan and Egyptian chariot motifs as well as with Giacometti's memories of 'a pharmacy wagon being wheeled around the room' in the Bichat Clinic where he was a patient during World War II.  Equally significant to The Chariot is he existential philosophy of his friend Jean-Paul Sartre.  Existentialism emphasizes the isolation of the individual  in an indifferent universe, where existence is defined by an individual's choices."

Atalanta and Meleager with the Calydonian Boar, 1864-1865, Francesco Mosca, called Il Moschino (1525-1578), Carrara marble.  "The ancient Roman poet Ovid provided the subject matter for this sculpture.  Here, Meleager, prince of Calydon, is moments away from embracing Atalanta, the virgin huntress with whom he has fallen in love.  The two have just killed a wild boar that had been unleashed upon the countryside by Diana, goddess of the hunt, for lack of attention paid to her by the kingdom of Calydon.  The head of their trophy, the boar, lies between the two lover's feed.  The smooth sensuality of the surface of this sculpture is typical of the refined tase of Mosca's Florentine patrons at the time."

Head of Abe Lincoln, the Hoosier Youth, about 1932, Paul Manship (1885-1966), Bronze.  "Representations of Abraham Lincoln abounded throughout the Great Depression, elevating the former president as a champion of the common man.  The image of him as a hearty youth full of promise was the most popular.  This large sculpted portrait by Paul Manship was commissioned for the Lincoln Life Insurance Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Responding to the wishes of his clients, Manship portrayed a young Lincoln.  The artist imagined his subject at age 21, creating this image using the smooth modeling and simplified forms of Art Deco."

Natural Bridge, Virginia 1835 by Jacob C. Ward (1809-1891) Oil on panel.  "Jacob Ward painted the  Natural Bridge in Virginia so that viewers gaze at the geological marvel from below.  This low vantage point emphasizes the 200-foot height of the bridge.  Listed among the natural wonders of the world, the Natural Bridge was first owned by Thomas Jefferson, who received it from King George III in 1774.  During the early 19th century, many artists rendered the Natural Bridge because the site ranked with Niagara Falls as one of the new nation's most inspiring landmarks and tourist attractions.  Such natural monuments were thought to distinguish America from Europe."

Gloucester Harbor, 1873, by Winslow Homer (1836-1910), oil on canvas.  "Winslow Homer is best known for his dark, brooding seascapes of the 1890s.  In the 1870s, however, he was distinguished for scenes of children at play that were considered decidedly lacking in sentimentality.  This view of three children in a dory in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts, not only depicts a delightful summer outing, but also suggests, by the presence of the huge schooners in the background, the boys' possible future livelihood."

A Lazy Fisherman, 1844 by John Gadsby Chapman, (1808-1889, oil on canvas.  From the information tag: "A critic in 1844 described this barefoot boy in ragtag clothing as "laziness personified".  His complete ease is embodied in his languid pose and heavy lidded eyes and echoed in the fallen basket, lax fishing line and sluggish river.  This sentimental view, rendered with creamy, smooth brushwork, developed from John Gadsby Chapman's experience illustrating volumes of romantic verse.  His talent for drawing is revealed in the boy's hat, clothing and especially in the out-turned foot. . . . Pleasing scenes of children were especially popular in the mid-19th century as they offered musings on childhood innocence and freedom in an increasingly challenging world."

Two-Tiered Still Life with Fruit and Sunset Landscape 1867, Severin Roesen (1815-1872), oil on canvas.  From the information tag: "Severin Roesen's bountiful still life celebrates and reinforces the popular 19th century notion that America's natural resources distinguished the nation from the rest of the world. In majestic proportions and a vivid palette, an abundant variety of fruit sits atop a two-tiered marble shelf.  The dense forest at left and the mountain landscape at right suggest the diversity and power of the American landscape.  Painted around the time of the Civil War, the canvas' dramatic and somewhat threatening sky may suggest the question of whether or not America's unique democracy would prevail."

Water Lilies, 1915-1926 by Claude Monet (1840-1926) oil on canvas.  From the informational tag: "In 1893, Claude Monet bought land adjacent to his property in Giverny, dug a pond and turned it into a Japanese-inspired water garden.  This contemplative environment served as inspiration for a series of paintings that occupied Monet's artistic productions from 1901 until his death in 1926.  Typical of his other paintings dedicated to the water lily pond, the subject here is not so much tho flowers but the dream-like effects produced by light reflecting off this liquid world."

Mill at Limetz, 1888 by Claude Monet (1840-1926, oil on canvas.  In his later life, Monet gradually became more interested in capturing the effects of light on water, including rivers, the ocean and his famous water lily pond.  This is an excellent example of that later period, a dense application of paint woven int a tapestry of luminous color.

The Sonata, 1893 by the American Childe Hassam (1859-1935), oil on canvas.  From the tag: "Combining luminous color, staccato brushwork and academic drawing, Childe Hassam's The Sonata exalts sensory and aesthetic experiences.  The painting feature a pianist having just performed Beethoven's famously difficult Sonata Appassionata, a score for which she holds in her lap.  He slouched posture, echoed by a similarly beautiful but fragile looking yellow rose atop the piano.  A Japanese scroll showing a blossoming cherry tree also evokes the dual pleasures of sight and smell."  The piece demonstrates the artist's endorsement of a late-19th century movement that proclaimed that art was not obliged to tell a story or to impart morals. Instead, art  could be viewed as uplifting society by celebrating beauty.

Man with a Pipe, 1890-1892 by Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), oil on canvas.  The artist wrote' "I love above all else the appearance of people who have grown old without breaking with old customs."  This painting is one of a group of studies related to The Card Players, one of Cézanne's most important pictorial projects.  The local workers reminded him of qualities he admired - steadfast, unchanging, and monumental.

Crystal Bridges Part II

The outside and grounds of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art are worth a trip all of its own.  Go inside and it is just icing on the cake.  Lots of icing!  Rich creamy icing!!  The space is open, light and easy to maneuver.  There is a wonderful restaurant with a brunch served on Sundays (table cloth included).  There are well placed sculptures, special exhibits and places to rest.  At this time the special art exhibit is a good representation of the work of Stuart Davis. Our photographs of the paintings could be boring, however, for some it will provide a sense of the place. Photographers are welcome at the Museum but tripods are not encouraged, except outdoors.  The use of flash is prohibited (as usual in museums).  We hope you enjoy your visit to the Museum.

Section of the Museum devoted to the Stuart Davis Exhibition.

This mobile by Alexander Calder (1898-1976) is a classic example of Calder's standing mobiles.  Made of painted sheet metal, Trois noirs sur un rouge (Three Blacks over Red), 1968, achieves graceful balance in motion.  Calder, ''challenged the traditional definition of sculpture as three-dimensional mass, creating works of art made from metal rods and biomorphic sheet metal planes that move with the air in varied and spontaneous paths."

This painting, Pecos Escarpment, is an egg tempera on cradled panel by Alexandre Hogue (1898-1994).

This is a painting by George Copeland Ault (1891-1948).  It is an oil on canvas.  The information on the side tells the viewer, "Daylight at Russel's Corners expresses the melancholy and anxiety felt my many Americans following the Great Depression, which was further amplified by the Second World War.  The precise line and geometry in this work convey a sense of order.  The phone lines, frosted in ice, are the only connection to the outside world - potentially delivering chilling news from the war.  The quietness of the scene, coupled with the precise, hard-edge style, helps to make this image feel frozen in time."

This Lobster Wars, by Bo Bartlett (1955-) is an oil on linen depicting the sometimes violent conflicts that arise between lobster fishermen who have, for generations, squabbled over fishing territories.  His allusions to pirates and Vikings link these present-day sea farmers to historically fierce warriors of the high seas.

This is an untitled piece made of bronze wire by Ruth Asawa (1926-2013).  The side description states: "At the center of the circular shape, a knot of wrapped wires extends outward, eventually unraveling into spikey forms that look similar to tree branches.  As a child during World War II, Ruth Asawa was interned at Rohwer War Relocation Center in Desha County, Arkansas.  Much of her artwork was influenced by this imprisonment and marginalization.  Untitled, with its organic appearance, nod to the fencing that surrounded the internment camp, giving the lovely object a subtle sinister edge."

Evan Penny, born in 1953, uses silicone, pigment, hair, fabric and aluminum to create Old Self: Portrait of the Artist as He Will (Not) Be.  Variation #2. "Larger than life-size and hauntingly realistic, Evan Penny's self-portrait marries traditional sculpting processing with cutting-edge technology.  using a 3-D scanner, Penny made digital scans of his body, created clay form based on the scans, and then manipulated these clay forms by hand.  He cast the clay version in resin before adding pigment and other elements - such as his own hair - to the sculpture's silicone surface.  In this work, Penny attempts to transform the fleeting moment captured by photography into three dimensions.  The artist suggests that we imagine ourselves through the lens of photography, even though we live our lives in three dimensional space. . . he reimagines himself as an elderly man.  By making himself look decades older, he created a self-portrait that manages to be both realistic and make-believe."

As mentioned earlier, there were lots of places to sit and rest.

We had way too much fun!!

Andy Warhol (1928-1987) Self-Portrait with Camouflage made of silkscreen inks and synthetic polymar on canvas.

Another Untitled by Ruth Asawa, this time made of iron wire.  The cage-like organic shape binds and encloses smaller forms within the larger composition.  The negative space between the wires creates volume.  The sculpture evokes fencing materials surrounding internment camps.  Diane and I spent some time seeking a perfect balance of the cages and their shadows.

I loved this painting!  It was done by Arthur Dove (1880-1946) and is titled, Moon and Sea No. II.  Dove describes the storm he was hoping to express, "It is now 3:45 a.m. in the midst of a terrific gale and we are anchored in the middle of Manhasset Bay, held by a 3/4 inch line run through a shackle to a mooring.  Have been trying to memorize this storm all day so I can paint it.  Storm green and storm gray."  Dove is considered America's first abstract painter, striving to make the basic processes of nature visible in his work.

Reflections of the ceiling ribs on the windows of the restaurant were intriguing.  I tried to figure out how they were created and then painted the landscape outdoors.  Lunch was excellent!

This is Harriet Whitney Frishmuth's (1880-1980) The Bubble, made of bronze and glass in 1928.

Mary Ann Currier painted this oil pastel on board entitled Carolina Apples.  She is known for using commonplace subjects in her contemporary still lifes.  In this painting she emphasizes the fleeting nature of existence by picturing music, food and other transient and sensual experiences.  The artist was born in 1927.  The painting was done in 1985.

Abstraction, by Georgia O'Keefe (1887-1986).  It is made of white-lacquered bronze.

George Segal (1924-2000) sculpted these figures with plaster.  They represent the Americans waiting in line for public assistance during the Great Depression.  The title, Depression Bread Line, suits the intent of evoking the emotional tenor of how it felt to live during this time.  A bronze cast of this original sculpture marks the Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.

We could not leave well enough alone.  We suggested that Tom stand at the end of the line.

Tom created an image that adds him to the 5 men in line.  Nicely done considering he did not have an old trench coat.  There is one other subtle difference that I noticed.  Tom is at the end of the line and it is his first time there.  He is not quite as beaten down and discouraged as the other men.  He is the optimist in line that he is every day.  His shoulders are straight and his head held high.

This was shown at the start of the special Stuart Davis exhibition.  I really enjoyed the collection of about 150 or so paintings.  I could back again and walk the area several more times.

Electric Bulb, by Stuart Davis (1892-1964).  Davis was very interested in modern European art and spent decades investigating the many ways that French artists, in particular, simplified their compositions.  Here the artist used a modern item, for its time, and its protective wrapper to create a bouncy, almost cartoon-like image that is pushing the definition of abstraction.  It was noted that in 1924, the date this painting was created, 30% of American homes still did not have electricity.

We hope you have enjoyed your tour.  If you have a chance and are in the area, spend a day at this museum.  Admission is free.

Titan Missile Museum

It is the only museum of its kind in the United States. If you love history, space technology or are just curious about missile silos this is a great place to stop by and tour (on the hour). The tour starts with a brief description of the Titan program and its mission of deterrence through fear of mutual total nuclear destruction. It must have worked because none of the missiles were ever launched. Today's missiles are very different and much smaller. Security in such a compound is fascinating as were the plans for the crew's survival of an actual launch. The technology seems old by today's standards but in its time it was the beginning of a technologically rich space program.

The briefing is followed by a long climb down stairs or by taking an old elevator (I did stairs down and elevator up). First up was the command room. It is in this room that an order to launch would be received and executed. There were many small but important checks in place to keep one individual from being a rogue 'button pusher'. The crew did not know the destination target, thus keeping any emotionality out of their duty. The gentleman in the red shirt is a volunteer who led our tour. The command center is a calming green color. If you take the tour you will learn so much more than I can write in this blog.

Then, down a long corridor to the actual silo where the missile is housed. The corridor can be a pedestrian shot (like mine) or an artistic rendering of multiple images that create a completely different effect (like Tom's). You can trudge along my corridor or feel like a crew member might have felt of being transported quickly into another world.  Tom achieved the look and feel by imposing another image, that of the inside of one of the lift off rockets (stage one engine) which I will show you later.

This missile, like all Titan missiles is decommissioned. To prove that it is not active, the top of the silo is cut away so that satelites can see that it is not armed. I am not sure which surprised me more, how small the missile was or how big it was. Phyllis got the best photo in showing both the fueling line (top) and communication/electrical lines (bottom black).

In the image below you can see the cut away window at the top. There was a lot of attention paid to minimizing the vibration, heat and fire from a launch. If I recall correctly, the pads seen at the top are part of that protection.

In case you missed the details, there are signs that explain the basics.

Once topside you can look down into the silo. Notice that 'cut out' yellow hole?  That is to show that the missile is not armed.

Topside there are exhibits showing the different rocket stages, an old security jeep that might have responded to a call of an intruder on the site and a tanker truck that would have supplied fuel to the rocket. It was here that I found the most interesting shapes, designs and color. The image below is a close-up of the inside/rear of the first rocket that is fired on a missile's launch. You might recognize the geometric lines that Tom used from his similar image to create the illusion of movement in the long corridor!

The image below is of the third rocket that fires.  It is called a vernier motor and fires after the second stage rocket completes its lift of the rocket. It is a solid fuel motor that fires only seconds to stabilize the speed and direction of the missile.

And finally, in a complete throwback to an earlier time . . . a security vehicle that would have responded to a report of a possible intruder. The bird was a nice touch!

From the museum we drove south on Highway 19 to Tumacacori. That is the next blog. Feel free to leave a comment, especially if you have been to this museum and would like to share your thoughts.