Let’s face it, when you’re walking through a museum looking at art, most of the time, you look at it, think, “Oh, that’s nice.” and move on to the next piece.
Or, maybe, in an effort to document your artistic pursuits, you take a picture of the piece and post to social media. When I have the time and ambition, as I walk through a museum, I read the wall plaque or listen to the audio transcript, in an effort to gain a greater understanding of what I’m viewing.
I recently re-visited the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, and although I blocked out an entire day, it was still not enough time to appreciate and understand the art displayed throughout six floors of galleries. Some of the art, such as Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Van Gogh’s Starry Night, became mere checks on my lists of “Seen” and “Done”.
The current exhibit A Closer Look at the Olana State Historic Site breaks the art-viewing check-the-box pattern of “Seen” and “Done”. The exhibit takes two paintings by Frederic Church, usually not displayed together, and hangs them in one gallery. A small group of people, with a guide, takes a closer look at each painting, and then has a discussion. The exhibit, A Closer Look, engages the viewer, and encourages you to take your time to understand the art.
Both paintings are landscapes of the Catskill mountains, but are often displayed in different parts of the house.
In the discussion, someone may point out something you missed on first glance, or confirm what you were thinking. For instance, in the two painting at the current exhibit, one person in the group noted that the light shining on the side of the house in the second painting, could not be solely from the lantern in the window, and maybe Church’s intent was moonlight. In the first painting, Twilight Among the Mountains, the guide explained that the person in the foreground (dressed in a red coat, like many subjects in paintings at the time) was intended to be Thomas Cole’s son. The detail Church gives to every leaf on every tree is purposeful. People did not have encyclopedias or atlases. When Church’s Heart of the Andes toured the world, it was the first time that many people saw the flora of the South America.
Each month, there are two different Church paintings in the gallery for discussion.
A Closer Look at The Olana State Historic Site not only helps reacquaint us with the art of Frederic Church, it redefines the art-viewing experience.
Slow down, and check it out.
Do not take your phone out or they will yell at you.
You must sit quietly, with your thoughts and feelings, and appreciate the art.