Showing posts with label Museum of Fine Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museum of Fine Art. Show all posts
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A Spoonful of Ginger
A Spoonful of Ginger is an annual event put on by the Joslin Diabetes Center to benefit the Asian American Diabetes Initiative. They raise money and awareness each year through this well orchestrated culinary and cultural experience. It was held in the gorgeous, ultra sleek and modern Art of the Americas Wing Courtyard at the Museum of Fine Arts. I attended as media, capturing the delicious bites of food and taking in the scene, while learning how diabetes significantly affects the quality of life and health outcomes for a rising number of Asian Americans. It was inspiring to see local restaurants and chefs such as Ming Tsai, Jasper White and Joanne Chang come to together to support Joslin and AADI in their commitment to finding a cure. .JPG)
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The participating restaurants put on an impressive spread. In order of appearance: Seafood Pearl Balls from Summer Shack | Wonton Soup from Xinh Xinh | Tuna Tartare (with chive, shallots, kiwi, truffle oil and yuzu tobiki, served on a lotus root chip) from Lotus Blossom | Pork Buns from Bao | Cockles with Ginger Broth and Chinese Sausage from The MFA's New American Cafe | Salmon Tartare from Basho | Carrot and Ginger Soup from Myers + Chang | Sushi Boat from Basho | Spicy Tuna Volcano Maki from Empire.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Chihuly: Through The Looking Glass
It has been on display in Boston since April 10th and will be here until August 7th, which means you have the rest of the spring and a good majority of the summer to plan a trip to The Museum of Fine Arts. 
The Chihuly: Through The Looking Glass exhibit provides an opportunity to view the full range of Dale Chihuly's artistic achievements with hand blown glass over the last four decades. Based in Seattle, Washington, Chihuly actually works with a team of glassblowers to bring his revolutionary visions to life in grand form. 
Room size installations create enchanting environments with bold colors, fascinating shapes and mystical designs. It is truly an extraordinary glass blown wonderland to which my pictures do very little justice. 
In summary - If you're local: Go. If you're not: Patiently await the day when this exhibit comes to a museum near you. And in the meantime, feel free to live vicariously through this post.
"My installations are singular in scale, composition, and form. At times they sit peacefully in nature, sometimes they hang from the ceiling or spring fourth from the walls. In any setting the color, form and light unite to create something magical" ~Dale Chihuly
The Ikebana Boat is a captivating installation that grasps hold of your attention and doesn't want to let it go. The mash up of whimsical pieces float out of the boat towards you while simultaneously reflecting the smooth black Plexiglas surface below. It's a different work of art every which way you look at it. 
Stacked among one another ever so delicately are the Tabac Baskets, inspired by Native American baskets that Chihuly used to weave in the 70s. The way the light reflected off their muted tones of brown, tan, taupe and white turning them into sheer sparking objects was pretty amazing. 
In this same room, a Pendelton blanket display also commanded my attention. 
Unfortunately, I am not sure the connection to Chihuly, but these were gorgeous.
And really, it's all about the glass so I suppose the fact that I missed the explanation of the blankets is nothing to worry about. The next installation titled Mille Fiori means One Thousand Flowers. 
It is a flamboyant maze of awe striking-brightly colored botanical forms. They are displayed in an arrangement of vast proportion and shape, where some garden areas are crowded and others sparse.
"People have asked what inspired me to do the Mille Fiori. It wasn't so much trying to replicate the plants as it was a way to work with all the techniques we've learned over the last fourty years" ~DC
This assembly combines pieces from some of his earlier work in the 80s and 90s as well as more recent work. 
This garden brought to life through glass at the MFA is the largest Mille Fiori to date. "My philosphy says when one is good, a dozen is better" ~DC
Moving into the enchanting Persian Ceiling - you'll leave this room with a sore neck from constantly staring up, and it will be well worth it. 
Dynamic colors and an endless bounty of shapes radiate through the glass, it's all you can do to absorb every inch of the happenings above. It is phenomenal. 
The Boston Phoenix article quoted "It's like looking up from the bottom of a fairy-tale tide pool". I could sing its praises with even more fancy adjectives and exclamations, but I have a feeling you're catching on just fine. 
It is me, or does that yellow shape suspended below take on the fine form of martini glass?!
From candy and cups to seashells and sea creatures - (there is definitely a baby octopus floating around in the shot below!) the loosely derived shapes are open to interpretation.
The next room beholds a Chandelier Gallery which contains six chandeliers, apparently more than Chihuly has included in any previous museum exhibit! These are some of his most complex structures in which thousands of elements come together to create a single powerful piece. 
Oynx and Caramel Colored Chandelier above.
In the foreground radiating a pale light blue is the Chiostro di Sant'Apollonia Chandelier. In the background and below is the Palazzo di Loredana Balboni Chandelier.
The Orange Hornet and Eelgrass Chandelier showcases a favorite complimentary color combination of bright orange and royal blue. 
The final MFA installation fuses the glass with nature in Neyodimium Reeds on Logs. 
From start to finish, this artists creative vision pushes the boundaries and blurs the ideals of art as you know them. I have a sneaking suspicion I'll be back to see it again before it leaves Boston. 
The exhibit rooms were super crowded. Mom, Leah, Tray and I were among the "first" to arrive when the MFA doors opened at 10am on Sunday. The museum encourages weeknight visits (with the exception of free Wednesdays) for good reason. 
Next door in the Art of The America's Wing the crowds become sparse over four floors and multiple galleries. I visited for the first time back in February and found myself excited to check out some favorite pieces again while happily discovering new / unseen works. 
Just outside the galleries the Shapiro Family Courtyard was a buzz - especially with diners waiting in line to check out the New American Cafe, which we would have dined at had the line not been 20 deep at 11:30 am. (It opens at noon.) 
Instead we marveled at one last glass blown statue, the Lime Green Icicle Tower which took Chihuly and his team over a week to install in the courtyard. Mounted on a steel frame, assembled on location from an original photograph, each time this statue is put together it is different than the last.
I found it fascinating to learn that this 40 foot statue contains 2,342 individual pieces and weights in at a mere 10,000 pounds.
The MFA is located at 465 Huntington Avenue and can be reached by Public Transportation on the Green Line via E trains (Museum of Fine Arts stop). Visitors have ample parking options including lots which cost $6/half hours or valet.
The Sunday Funday had only just begun as the four of us set off on foot in search of lunch!! To be continued....
The Chihuly: Through The Looking Glass exhibit provides an opportunity to view the full range of Dale Chihuly's artistic achievements with hand blown glass over the last four decades. Based in Seattle, Washington, Chihuly actually works with a team of glassblowers to bring his revolutionary visions to life in grand form. 
Room size installations create enchanting environments with bold colors, fascinating shapes and mystical designs. It is truly an extraordinary glass blown wonderland to which my pictures do very little justice. 
In summary - If you're local: Go. If you're not: Patiently await the day when this exhibit comes to a museum near you. And in the meantime, feel free to live vicariously through this post.
"My installations are singular in scale, composition, and form. At times they sit peacefully in nature, sometimes they hang from the ceiling or spring fourth from the walls. In any setting the color, form and light unite to create something magical" ~Dale Chihuly
The Ikebana Boat is a captivating installation that grasps hold of your attention and doesn't want to let it go. The mash up of whimsical pieces float out of the boat towards you while simultaneously reflecting the smooth black Plexiglas surface below. It's a different work of art every which way you look at it. 
Stacked among one another ever so delicately are the Tabac Baskets, inspired by Native American baskets that Chihuly used to weave in the 70s. The way the light reflected off their muted tones of brown, tan, taupe and white turning them into sheer sparking objects was pretty amazing. 
In this same room, a Pendelton blanket display also commanded my attention. 
Unfortunately, I am not sure the connection to Chihuly, but these were gorgeous.
And really, it's all about the glass so I suppose the fact that I missed the explanation of the blankets is nothing to worry about. The next installation titled Mille Fiori means One Thousand Flowers. 
It is a flamboyant maze of awe striking-brightly colored botanical forms. They are displayed in an arrangement of vast proportion and shape, where some garden areas are crowded and others sparse.
"People have asked what inspired me to do the Mille Fiori. It wasn't so much trying to replicate the plants as it was a way to work with all the techniques we've learned over the last fourty years" ~DC
This assembly combines pieces from some of his earlier work in the 80s and 90s as well as more recent work. 
This garden brought to life through glass at the MFA is the largest Mille Fiori to date. "My philosphy says when one is good, a dozen is better" ~DC
Moving into the enchanting Persian Ceiling - you'll leave this room with a sore neck from constantly staring up, and it will be well worth it. 
Dynamic colors and an endless bounty of shapes radiate through the glass, it's all you can do to absorb every inch of the happenings above. It is phenomenal. 
The Boston Phoenix article quoted "It's like looking up from the bottom of a fairy-tale tide pool". I could sing its praises with even more fancy adjectives and exclamations, but I have a feeling you're catching on just fine. 
It is me, or does that yellow shape suspended below take on the fine form of martini glass?!
From candy and cups to seashells and sea creatures - (there is definitely a baby octopus floating around in the shot below!) the loosely derived shapes are open to interpretation.
The next room beholds a Chandelier Gallery which contains six chandeliers, apparently more than Chihuly has included in any previous museum exhibit! These are some of his most complex structures in which thousands of elements come together to create a single powerful piece. 
Oynx and Caramel Colored Chandelier above.
In the foreground radiating a pale light blue is the Chiostro di Sant'Apollonia Chandelier. In the background and below is the Palazzo di Loredana Balboni Chandelier.
The Orange Hornet and Eelgrass Chandelier showcases a favorite complimentary color combination of bright orange and royal blue. 
The final MFA installation fuses the glass with nature in Neyodimium Reeds on Logs. 
From start to finish, this artists creative vision pushes the boundaries and blurs the ideals of art as you know them. I have a sneaking suspicion I'll be back to see it again before it leaves Boston. The exhibit rooms were super crowded. Mom, Leah, Tray and I were among the "first" to arrive when the MFA doors opened at 10am on Sunday. The museum encourages weeknight visits (with the exception of free Wednesdays) for good reason. 
Next door in the Art of The America's Wing the crowds become sparse over four floors and multiple galleries. I visited for the first time back in February and found myself excited to check out some favorite pieces again while happily discovering new / unseen works. 
Just outside the galleries the Shapiro Family Courtyard was a buzz - especially with diners waiting in line to check out the New American Cafe, which we would have dined at had the line not been 20 deep at 11:30 am. (It opens at noon.) Instead we marveled at one last glass blown statue, the Lime Green Icicle Tower which took Chihuly and his team over a week to install in the courtyard. Mounted on a steel frame, assembled on location from an original photograph, each time this statue is put together it is different than the last.
I found it fascinating to learn that this 40 foot statue contains 2,342 individual pieces and weights in at a mere 10,000 pounds.
The MFA is located at 465 Huntington Avenue and can be reached by Public Transportation on the Green Line via E trains (Museum of Fine Arts stop). Visitors have ample parking options including lots which cost $6/half hours or valet.The Sunday Funday had only just begun as the four of us set off on foot in search of lunch!! To be continued....
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Art Worth Exploring
I had been meaning to check out the new Art of the Americas Wing at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts since its grand opening in late November. The last time I visited the MFA was when the Napoleon exhibition was featured, which if memory serves was back in 2008.
A trip down the Huntington Avenue E-line trolley was long overdue. Additionally, I remembered that the MFA offers free admission on Wednesday nights and so off we went after work!
The Art of the Americas wing was built with a purpose to enrich how we view great works of art. The exhibition space contains four floors set up in ascending chronological order featuring pieces from the Native American time all the way to the 20th Century. 
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The similar layout of each floor holds a long gallery at the central core flanked by smaller galleries on each end. The new wing allows for many rooms of exploration, showcasing more than double the amount of works previously on display in the museum. 
The gallerys integrate all types of media from the obvious paintings and sculptures to works on paper, textiles, furniture and household decor, as well as clothing, jewelry and instruments all serving to highlight the different time periods and cultures. A few interactive demonstrations appear on flat screen computer tables and a presentation of an abstract painting by a museum representative we took in was well done. 
Level LG: Ancient America, Native American, 17th Century and Maritime Art.
I missed this floor! (Hangs head in shame). I didn't even realize there was a basement level. Guess that means I have to return again soon.
Level 1: 18th Century Art of the Colonial Americas and Early 19th Century Art.
The gallerys integrate all types of media from the obvious paintings and sculptures to works on paper, textiles, furniture and household decor, as well as clothing, jewelry and instruments all serving to highlight the different time periods and cultures. A few interactive demonstrations appear on flat screen computer tables and a presentation of an abstract painting by a museum representative we took in was well done. 
Level LG: Ancient America, Native American, 17th Century and Maritime Art.I missed this floor! (Hangs head in shame). I didn't even realize there was a basement level. Guess that means I have to return again soon.
Level 1: 18th Century Art of the Colonial Americas and Early 19th Century Art.
The galleries elegantly incorporate wallpapers displaying the rich colors and textures of the period in history.
I seemed to be more fascinated by the 1920's martini shakers than the Colonial teapots, but that's not to say I don't appreciate what they had to offer in the 18th Century. I enjoy John Singleton Copley's work, the MFA is known for being home to the notorious Colonial American painters collection. Below: Adam hangs with Washington, followed by a portrait of the one and only Samuel Adams.
Level 2: 19th Century and Early 20th Century Art.
The galleries on the second floor boast American impressionism, folk art, American Renaissance, and more. Installed with furniture, paintings, ceramics, sculpture and metalwork, all serve to create a captivating and diverse display. Below: Stain glass wall art followed by a statue overlooking Huntington Ave.
Level 3: 20th Century Art through the mid-1970's.
Same idea as far as the various forms of media presented in Level 2, but with early modernist paintings, abstract works, bright colors and 20's & 30's jazz age influenced pieces. More objects to view and ponder life in such a time, more artifacts to enrich along your journey. I'm down to sip a cocktail in 1920 from these ornate martini glasses. You?
That is just a very small taste of what awaits you. Fascinating as well is the Shapiro Family Courtyard, housing the New American Cafe. 
A sleek modern space with ceilings soaring to 63 feet, supported by steel expanses and constructed mostly of glass, the pristine walls of vast proportions look out onto a snowy walk. Floors of granite imported from Finland sparkle underfoot. 
The New American Cafe's contemporary tables and high top counters are a focal point of the courtyard. What I'm sure is a memorable eating experience, we didn't dine here or even take a moment check out the menu. This could potentially be a fun space to eat though!
Our time spent that evening lasted about two hours, but by no means did we cover all the exhibitions and galleries the MFA has to offer. We had to explore The Art Of The Ancient World where among the sarcophagi and the mummies, I discovered gold Egyptian fingernails. 
Visit! Take time to discover the new wing showcasing diverse art that expresses the United States and the Americas over time. 
I seemed to be more fascinated by the 1920's martini shakers than the Colonial teapots, but that's not to say I don't appreciate what they had to offer in the 18th Century. I enjoy John Singleton Copley's work, the MFA is known for being home to the notorious Colonial American painters collection. Below: Adam hangs with Washington, followed by a portrait of the one and only Samuel Adams.
Level 2: 19th Century and Early 20th Century Art.The galleries on the second floor boast American impressionism, folk art, American Renaissance, and more. Installed with furniture, paintings, ceramics, sculpture and metalwork, all serve to create a captivating and diverse display. Below: Stain glass wall art followed by a statue overlooking Huntington Ave.
Level 3: 20th Century Art through the mid-1970's.
Same idea as far as the various forms of media presented in Level 2, but with early modernist paintings, abstract works, bright colors and 20's & 30's jazz age influenced pieces. More objects to view and ponder life in such a time, more artifacts to enrich along your journey. I'm down to sip a cocktail in 1920 from these ornate martini glasses. You?
That is just a very small taste of what awaits you. Fascinating as well is the Shapiro Family Courtyard, housing the New American Cafe. 
A sleek modern space with ceilings soaring to 63 feet, supported by steel expanses and constructed mostly of glass, the pristine walls of vast proportions look out onto a snowy walk. Floors of granite imported from Finland sparkle underfoot. The former outside facade (at least we assumed as much) now stands as the front wall of the grand courtyard.
The New American Cafe's contemporary tables and high top counters are a focal point of the courtyard. What I'm sure is a memorable eating experience, we didn't dine here or even take a moment check out the menu. This could potentially be a fun space to eat though!
Our time spent that evening lasted about two hours, but by no means did we cover all the exhibitions and galleries the MFA has to offer. We had to explore The Art Of The Ancient World where among the sarcophagi and the mummies, I discovered gold Egyptian fingernails. 
Visit! Take time to discover the new wing showcasing diverse art that expresses the United States and the Americas over time. Embrace the modern expansion (designed by internationally renowned architects) of a beloved Boston landmark.
Spend a snowy evening soaking up the previously existing cultures and charms.
I already can not wait to return!
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