Gray skies are gonna clear up

I woke up last Sunday to the gloom of dense clouds and howling winds. I tried to close my eyes and think of sunny Spanish beaches and bright Paris studios, to no avail. So, as a resourceful girl, I called up my best girlfriend and planned a trip to MOMA. Where better to see the colorful world displayed than in a museum?

The Museum of Modern Art is 7 blocks from my apartment but I hadn’t been there since their grand re-opening 2 yrs. ago (except for an exciting catering job I did for the premier of the NY Film Festival opening film “The Interpreter”).

The center of the enormous space is flooded with natural light – it actually seemed sunnier inside than outside.

We decided to see the Georges Seurat drawings first , as the exhibit was closing soon. Most of the pieces were done with black ink but WOW were the shadows and figures he created, very powerful. We both agreed that our favorites were the circus and cafe series. There were some seascape oil paintings that were lovely blues and greens – very cheery.

Then , we headed to our faves- the paintings and drawings. The first painting I see is “The Ohio Gang” by R.B. Kitaj. He gained fame in London then came back to live in NY. The yellow and orange stripes of color almost take your eyes off the bare breasted woman above a baby stroller. Something almost sinister about this painting…can’t put my finger on it.

My eyes follow the frames until I get to Picasso’s ” Les Moiselles d’Avignon.” Naked women again, but this is a celebration of life. I want to be one of those women standing before Pablo- even if it’s the wolf faced lady. His other 2 paintings “Woman Dressing Herself” and “Girl Before A Mirror” are intimate but more lively. He has taken a solitary experience of a woman’s day and glorified it with his exuberant palettes. I believe it takes a Spanish gentleman to appreciate the true beauty of all women. (Or at least a Spanish cubist living in France).

Claes Oldenburg’s “Giant Soft Fan” bring us to our Swedish sensibilities. Who else could create a giant blow up plastic fan- the fog is finally lifting.

I don’t care how many times I see Van Gogh’s Starry Night – it thrills me. The lovely swirly clouds and stars seem to be dancing in the indigo sky. It’s shocking to me that he was in an asylum , in Saint Remy France, as he painted this – I hope he got as much pleasure from it as I do.

Through another gallery and I’m back in Paris. By way of Russia , Kandinsky enters my view. He’s my dad’s favorite artist- probably because his paintings look good in every room (every color in one painting). I know that Kandinsky has very heavy themes (The Apocalypse and political unrest) but his forms are pure and easy joy.

The gleam of Constantin Brancusi’s” Mademoiselle Pognania” proves that “All that glitters is gold” or bronze. I love the shininess of this beauty. She has a cute hairdo and looks both shy and coquettish at the same time. His travels from Romania to Paris seem to have been worth it.

Salvador Dali was in Paris when he painted the 11 layered glass piece “Petit Theatre”. My eyes are fixated on the red shoe. To me , Dali is simply another sort of being. I can”t understand how he does what he does with paint – all I know is that he is proof of the Divine to me. I’d love to talk about Dali all day long….but there’s more to see. We are done with paintings.

After a brief stop for refreshments- we decide to head to the Design Area. Patrick Nortguet designed “Rainbow Chair” – very cool and rainbowy. I want to put this chair next to a bright window and stare at the colored stripes . I feel like if the designer Paul Smith made furniture , it would look like this. Tailored , colorful, and engaging.

The only thing cooler than the chair is the Capsule Lights – they look like oversized pills- very “Valley of the Dolls”.

The perfect ending to my MOMA experience is to see a shiny Airstream trailer. As a very vintage girl….I have had many dreams of driving Route 66 in one of these very American vehicles. I agree that this should be in a museum – it’s very simplicity and functionality represent the America I love ; offering a promise of possibilities. On the road of life – take time to smell the roses and take in some art. I leave MOMA oblivious to the clouds

I’m looking forward to some shows coming to the museum. Color Chart: Reinventing Color , 1950 to Today will be exhibited March 2nd – May 12th. And my favorite, Salvador Dali, will have his paintings and films available June 29th – September 15th.

Related links:

• MOMA: Visit the museum online
• Color Chart: Reinventing Color , 1950 to Today will be exhibited March 2nd – May 12th
• Multiple Choice: From Sample to Product on Color Pro Blog
• Vintage style: 1960’s telephone colors on Color Pro Blog
  
• Salvador Dal will have his paintings and films on display June 29th – September 15th