I like what I like. Here in the most ancient of cities with the most history, I am still drawn to modern art. In Rome, contemporary art is on the rise.
In the heart of Villa Borghese, the beautiful "Central Park" equivalent in Rome, is the National Gallery of Modern Art. Off the beaten track, so-to-speak. While crowds normally run to the Vatican, I enjoyed a leisurely and relaxing visit through their collection of Italian modern art, showcasing work from other artists as well such as Degas, Pollock, Van Gogh, and Cezanne. Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" was there! By taking a urinal and giving it the title of "Fountain", Duchamp raised the question of "What is art?"
Their current exhibition was tremendously inspiring: Avant-garde Feminists in the 1970s. Female artists who mainly worked in Vienna questioning identity and exploring different ideas using their bodies and other objects. With different modes of expression, these woman certainly went against the grain. For example: There was a video of Valie Export who did a performance art piece where she went out in public, enclosing her bare breasts in a box and told spectators to use her body as a "Touch Screen". Interesting. By the way, she was educated in a convent. As Birgit Jürgenssen's back says, "Everyone has their own opinion."
Most of the 15 artists highlighted used photography as their medium, dressing up in different guises, using self-irony, often dressing up as males. Such as Cindy Sherman's series of Bus Riders where she dressed up as different riders on a bus and photographed herself in different positions.
Not all museum exhibits and galleries here have translations in English, which is quite understandable. I DO realize that I am in a foreign country and in NO way do I expect everything to be translated for my understanding. It is nice, however, when I am able to read about the artist or art that I am looking at. There was one section of the collection where they made the art more accessable to people who are deaf or blind. For example, they had this painting by Filadelfo Simi. Near to the painting they had a communication board complete with information regarding "The Glare." They had the information in brail and a video of a man signing about the painting, as well. The coolest thing was the small reproduction that was 3D and you could actually
feel the painting.
In the heart of Villa Borghese, the beautiful "Central Park" equivalent in Rome, is the National Gallery of Modern Art. Off the beaten track, so-to-speak. While crowds normally run to the Vatican, I enjoyed a leisurely and relaxing visit through their collection of Italian modern art, showcasing work from other artists as well such as Degas, Pollock, Van Gogh, and Cezanne. Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain" was there! By taking a urinal and giving it the title of "Fountain", Duchamp raised the question of "What is art?" 
Their current exhibition was tremendously inspiring: Avant-garde Feminists in the 1970s. Female artists who mainly worked in Vienna questioning identity and exploring different ideas using their bodies and other objects. With different modes of expression, these woman certainly went against the grain. For example: There was a video of Valie Export who did a performance art piece where she went out in public, enclosing her bare breasts in a box and told spectators to use her body as a "Touch Screen". Interesting. By the way, she was educated in a convent. As Birgit Jürgenssen's back says, "Everyone has their own opinion."
Most of the 15 artists highlighted used photography as their medium, dressing up in different guises, using self-irony, often dressing up as males. Such as Cindy Sherman's series of Bus Riders where she dressed up as different riders on a bus and photographed herself in different positions.
Not all museum exhibits and galleries here have translations in English, which is quite understandable. I DO realize that I am in a foreign country and in NO way do I expect everything to be translated for my understanding. It is nice, however, when I am able to read about the artist or art that I am looking at. There was one section of the collection where they made the art more accessable to people who are deaf or blind. For example, they had this painting by Filadelfo Simi. Near to the painting they had a communication board complete with information regarding "The Glare." They had the information in brail and a video of a man signing about the painting, as well. The coolest thing was the small reproduction that was 3D and you could actually feel the painting.
Love this post Callie! I love the classics, but I am a modernist at heart! The museum, though, is quite Classic in architecture!
ReplyDeleteSO true. Ironic, isn't it?! Wait until I write about the other modern museums, those are certainly modern in architecture!
ReplyDelete