Out and About

 We have been busy, too busy for me to post. I'm feeling a bit as if I have missed a passel of school assignments. Let's see if I can catch up enough so that posting will feel just too difficult to do.

Thursday we attended graduation at The Jewish Theological Seminary. Two dear friends were being honored with honorary doctorates.

Friday we went out to the Poconos to a retreat center for a reunion of a group of my husband's dearest buddies.

Google Maps sent us mostly on tiny rural roads.

It was a beautiful ride. The weekend itself was wonderful .

As we turned into the gas station I had noticed some Hebrew or Yiddish writing on the tan building in the center of the photo.

It reads Satmar Bungalow Colony

Our older son is visiting from Israel for the week. We had had a big family dinner on Thursday evening. Yesterday my husband, my son and I went to MOMA.

Back when I was an Art History major there was a specific way one had to look at art. Each piece of art needed to be looked at long and seriously so if you were called upon to write an essay about the painting you could comfortably produce a thoughtful three or four pages. Now I go to museums to have fun and to look at whatever catches my eye for as long or as little time as I please. Mu husband, my son and I all go through exhibits at our own paces. We check in with one another but feel free to enjoy at our own paces.

When this iteration of MOMA was new I hated it. I think that they hadn't quite figured out how to light the place so that the artwork didn't get lost in the vastness of the spaces. I remember one art critic complaining in those early days of this newest building that Monet's Waterlilies looked like dirty bandages in the vast space.  I think that they have finally figured out how to best use the vastness of the spaces.

During this visit I was struck by how the architecture of the building interacts with the street and the artworks.

I just loved seeing this Louise Nevelson sculpture next to the windows of the apartment house across the street.

They seem to be enjoying placing art works so they have a lively conversation with one another.

I got to visit some of my favorite things in the museum

Shadows!!!!

 This sculpture reminded me of the work of  El Anatsui - but pre-dates this phase of his work by more than twenty years.  His work though is made out of discarded junk and is all the more magical for it.

It feels a little comforting to see that the seemingly flat surfaces of Matisse collages are in reality a bit rough.

The groupings of Bertoia chairs in the courtyard seemed  like  art itself.

On the way home we passed an amusing street sign.

 While I was taking these photos there was more that I was planning to say. However--this will have to do for the moment