Are You A Museum Goer?

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Are You A Museum Goer?

Last week, after visiting SFMOMA, I wrote about color. On Sunday, we decided to visit another museum – the Legion of Honor. I looked online to see how many art museums there are in San Francisco, and to my surprise, the Legion of Honor was not on the list. Subsequently, I learned that it is one of the two museums that belong to the Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco; the other one is the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. Both are considered the largest art museums in California. The reason for our visit this time, was to see the new exhibition “The Public and the Private”, with works of the irreverent Swiss artist, Urs Fischer. In the article which appeared on Saturday, April 22, 2017, in the Datebook of the SF Chronicle, titled “At Legion Exhibition, Times are Changing”, Max Hollein, the new director of both museums, pointed out that “In the 100 year history of the Legion of Honor this is the first exhibition to bring works by a contemporary artist into dialogue with a wide range of the Museum’s permanent holdings.” It was organized by a new contemporary curator, Claudia Schmukli, who did a marvelous job selecting 30 substantial works for the exhibit. Just entering into the familiar Court of Honor with the Auguste Rodin statue, the Thinker, which has been there since the opening of The California Palace of Legion of Honor (as the museum was formerly known) in 1921, I was greatly surprised to see the sculptures, which looked like unfinished works made of clay. I learned that they were actually cast in bronze. After going inside and seeing more sculptures and huge art works on the walls which were positioned within the old conservative art, and the effect was stunning. If this exhibit would be in the SFMOMA, the reaction could be different. For me it was a bold decision to show the works of an artistic genius.

The neoclassical building that overlooks Lincoln Park and the Golden Gate Bridge was a gift from Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, the wife of the sugar magnate and thoroughbred race horse owner/breeder Adolf B. Spreckels.

The museum is also known for concerts, which are performed on Saturdays and Sundays at 4 pm on the Symphonic Organ. This can be the reason in itself to visit the museum and to become a member. Just plan to come early enough to enjoy the incredible art collection, as well. There is another current exhibition –“Monet. The Early Years.” If you will get there before May 29th, you might be able to enjoy both exhibits. And do not forget about De Young Museum, one of their current shows is called “Summer of Love Experience”.

Enjoy and Share.

P.S. My four images (as before) were focused on the visitors wearing red, including the self-portrait in the “sculpture of the eye”. The museum courtyard is also an attractive spot for photographing special events, where I met this young woman in red to add to my collection.

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Cheers,

Manny<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Signature