Oh, MoMa, I love you so much.
You are the one who introduced me to Cy Twombly and Robert Rauschenberg. I'll always thank you for that.
Even with your $25 entrance fee and uncharacteristic closed-on-Tuesday-instead-of-Monday-like-every-other-museum policy. Your awesome permanent collection, stellar restaurant, and visit-worthy MoMa design store compels me to forgive you for that.
By some miracle, Jeremy and I were able to squeeze in a Wednesday morning (see above complaint re: closed on Tuesdays) visit to MoMa in November. Here are some highlights.
Cy Twombly, Untitled, 1970 - Oil-based House Paint and Crayon on Canvas.
I have a hard time explaining my love affair with this piece. To start, its enormous. I would guess 15 feet wide by 10 feet tall. It has an incredible presence. It looks like a letter, all scratched out and scribbled in passion. Viewing it makes me imagine the process of making it, and that begins all kinds of joyful thoughts.
The strokes completely change character when viewed from different angles.
Mr. Twombly, thank you for reminding me to let go a little. Its not my artistic strong point.
These lovely drawings are from the Architectural Design Wing. They are plans for New Welfare Island, Roosevelt Island, New York - by artists Koolhaas and Zenghelis, gouache on paper. I found them so fascinating, and just as inspiring as the wild Twombly paintings. Hence a duality - I'm so drawn to structure and so drawn to wild. I think most of us have that problem.
These etchings are Sol LeWitt - titled Straight, Non-Straight, and Broken Lines in all Horizontal Combinations (Three kinds of lines and all their combinations), 1973. Beautiful.
The stunning and gorgeous Monet Water Lilies, 1914-26, Oil on Canvas. The presence these paintings have in person is also hard to describe.
Kazimir Malevich, Suprematist Painting, 1916-1917, Oil on Canvas. Another structured work.
And to end our day - an amazing lunch.
Still love you, MoMa.
Love,
Caitlin
