April 7, 2011

MoMA Impressions


It was a pure coincidence that my blogger friend and I visited New York at the same time. Now I read her posts with great pleasure, enjoying her descriptive style and her sense of humour. I especially love to read her experiences that parallel mine in uncanny ways. Check out Zazie's blog, and be sure to read her impressions of New York.

The thing I enjoyed about the MoMA is how lively it is. I’ve been to so many museums with a dead atmosphere, so I can always sense the difference. A “dead” museum is not necessarily empty. It may indeed be full of visitors – people brought by tour guides, and then other people who consider that this museum simply must be visited. In these museums, you will not find a foyer full of people exhausted from an afternoon of communing with art, with tired yet satisfied faces, struggling to find the energy simply to leave this art-filled place. These people have spent hours in a lively museum, and haven’t even seen half of the galleries. They’re so overwhelmed that they can’t figure out whether they want to eat, drink, breathe, or simply die blissfully of emotional overload.

I entered the MoMA excited, fresh, and full of energy, only to encounter a pile of young people, lying around the seats in the foyer as if they had just barely survived a battle. “This is a little much,” I thought. I took a few photos of them from a higher floor, and they waved at me feebly. Three hours later, when I was looking for a place to sit down, I really didn’t care where and how that would happen. It’s only because of my extensive practice that I didn’t drop right on the floor.

A lively museum is full of children, who don’t really understand everything, and get sick of it pretty soon. Some of them ask questions – “How many paintings are we going to look at before we go to eat?” or “Mom, this painting isn’t finished – can I finish it?”

There are some children who plainly say (or scream) “No more art!”

I have decided to break down my visit to the MoMA into several parts. The first chapter is called “Impressions”.
























49 comments:

  1. Merci à toi, Olga, pour nous faire partager la visite de ce musée, avec autant d'enthousiasme.
    Bonne soirée!

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  2. I like how you took more pictures of the people in the museum rather than a lot of the art pieces. It's interesting to see how people react to art. I don't understand why a lot of the young crowd was laying down on the couches, I would of loved to explore the place! I loved the Andy Warhol painting featured in your first few photographs and also the view in your 10th photograph is really amazing.

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  3. A great museum, very specialty was some pictures.

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  4. Great shots, Olga. Don't you love NYC? Don't you love MOMA?

    Beautiful posting -- I am living vicariously through your pics.

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  5. Such a kaleidoscope of impressions on which to feast the eyes .... am loving it!

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  6. J'ai moi aimé ce musée que l'autre billet...
    cela semble plus conventionnel et donc cela me ravi moins, moins de couleur, moins de créativité me semble t'il !
    mais bon j'ai ton billet malgré tout. Merci Olga

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  7. Wonderful candid shots. Thoroughly enjoyed this series. Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Great color in this post. Nice to see so many young people taking in and appreciating art culture!

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  9. Olga, thank you so very much for sharing this wonderful photos. I have always longed to visit this museum. I love seeing it from your point of view. I look forward to more!

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  10. Great shots! I loved them! First impressions must stay. Kisses from Brazil

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  11. Olga Have a great day and upcoming weekend. Thank you for your kind encouraging comment for further shooting. Another great photo reportage of the exhibition transferred me to New York. It had to be very interesting. Color paintings, sculptures. Greetings from Peter.

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  12. Dear Olga
    Very nice pictures! So cool!
    Have a nice weekend and all the best from Switzerland.
    Yours Yvonne

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  13. I love all those "sensitives" pictures...
    I love museum and peoples...
    Great work !

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  14. Mainiota kuvausta siellä missä tapahtuu...
    Taiteen 'pyhäkössä' kovaa tohinaa.
    Hienoa huomata ettei se 'taiteen-katselu' ole aina niin totista puuhaa...!

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  15. Le MOMA est un Musée de légende, fantastique !
    Merci de votre passage sur mon blog d' artiste !
    Je vais vous mettre sur la liste de mes blogs à Versus Anima blog.-http://staive-vestale.blogspot.com/
    Very strange, we have a Art Gallery in Quercy, Cahors and just to morrow, a client of Toronto... ( Lytton Blvd. ). The world is a very small place, isn't it ?
    Bonne journée.

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  16. Beautiful photos, that envy, as I like to visit this museum, perhaps one day fulfill my dream to travel to New York Many thanks for your photos. Greetings.

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  17. Olga this was pure joy to visit a museum I have longed to see for years, and to see it with you through your eyes. Well done girl! A great "first impression" and I look forward to the other six chapters. Excellent posting!

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  18. Olga:

    I love MoMA, I agree with you about museum either being alive with vibrant energy and some are not.

    What struck me about your wonderful photos wasn't the ART, but the PEOPLE, there was so much affection, and hand holding, and comfortable & intimate friendly vibe going on with all ages.

    Lovely,
    joanny

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  19. I agree that the people interacting with the artwork, figuring the artist's intent is most interesting.

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  20. I love very much your blog, Olga!!! Thanks again for following mine!

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  21. I enjoyed your description of a live and dead museum and captured photos of the live museum well. What a great place to get tired in.

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  22. Hi Nikki Kendall,
    Thank you for your visit! I'm glad you liked my story about the MoMA.

    Hi Richard,
    Je suis heureux de vous montrer ma visite au musée. Mon enthousiasme était débordant:)

    Hi Brenda,
    I'm surprised that my tenth photograph turned out, because the weather was very gloomy. It didn't give me the chance to take an even more beautiful photo. I think that most of these young people were already on their way out, which would explain their tiredness.

    Hi Juan Sánchez Sotelo,
    I have a few more surprises in store for those who are interested in art :) Thank you for your visit.

    Hi Rick,
    Thank you for your comment. The feelings are mutual, because my jaw tends to drop whenever I see your photos from your last trip :)

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  23. Hi aguja,
    Thank you very much. I`m glad I can show a variety of impressions about the MoMa.

    Hi Jean-Philippe,
    Ce n'est pas la fin de mon histoire sur le MoMA. Il ya plus de découvertes que je voudrais montrer:)

    Hi ruma,
    Thank you leaving this comment. We are so concerned, and we hope to see Japan overcome this difficult period.

    Hi Laura,
    I`m glad you liked my photos. I try to share my own point of view when I see interesting things in the art world.

    Hi Naturegirl,
    I`m glad you noticed it; there was a tremendous amount of young people at the MoMA. A teenage son of my friend`s who was in New York with us asked `How do you get to the MoMA?" first and foremost.

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  24. Hi Randy,
    Thank you for your encouragement. I'm happy to know you'd like to see more photos. More is definitely coming soon :)

    Hi Gisa,
    I'm glad you enjoyed my photos. The energy that I felt in the air at the MoMA was something I tried very hard to capture.

    Hi Peter,
    It's definitely saying a lot that you enjoyed these photos, seeing as you're surrounded by the riches of the European culture. I always enjoy the photos you post, and I look forward to seeing more of them.

    Hi Yvonne,
    Thank you for your comment. I hope I'll be interesting in the future :)

    Hi Pierre,
    Thank you. I really love your latest photo of the coffee mug, and the light that falls onto it.

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  25. Olga, you are such a good guide, and every picture seems to be telling its little story.
    Thanks again.

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  26. Hi Eko,
    Se oli minun tavoite välittää energiaa tämän valtavan museo. Ollakseni rehellinen, olin loppuun lopussa päivän. Viisi kerrosta, niin monet ihmiset, ja niin paljon taidetta on liikaa yhden päivän.

    Hi Jean Marie Staive,
    Qu'est-ce qu'un petit monde bien. Je serais heureux d'être sur la liste de vos blogs. Je suis content de découvrir votre blog, et je suis content que vous avez aimé mes photos de la légendaire MoMA.

    Hi Leovi,
    I don't want to tease you, but half the floor there is dedicated to contemporary photography ;) I'm sure that the interiors of the MoMA could give you inspiration for abstract photos.

    Hi Dolly,
    I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have a feeling that you would also like my upcoming posts :)

    Hi Joanny,
    I was bathing in the diversity of emotions and impressions that I got from seeing the people enjoying art. It was a special treat. My next post is going to be a continuation of this theme.

    Hi R. Jacob,
    Thank you for your compliment. I'm working on my next post, and I would appreciate your feedback.

    Hi Zazie,
    I'm honoured to know you and it's a pleasure to read your talented writing :)

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  27. Hi Pet,
    I'm glad you liked it. The story is not over yet :)

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  28. Great candid shots, Olga :)
    I particularly like picture number one and the picture with the window with the view. MoMA seems such a vibrant place, a museum worth visiting!

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  29. Hi M@risa,
    Thank you, but I wish I was this good at capturing light as you are. MoMA is a unique place indeed!

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  30. My favorite is the guy standing next to the Marilyn Monroe. I kept imagining switching their heads!

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  31. olga
    I will be most happy to take a look!

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  32. nice shots Olga - I loved this place the one time I visited

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  33. I like the moments you captured! These are priceless. Everyone seems to have their own connection/thing going on. I so desperately need to visit the museum!


    LOVE!

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  34. Hi Olga!
    Thanks for the tour.
    Hugs
    M

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  35. Hi Lydia,
    I like this moment too. He stood there for quite some time. He took a step forward and a step back, and it wasn`t easy to capture him.

    Hi Tiago Braga,
    Thank you for your compliment :)

    Hi R. Jacob,
    I`m working on it :)

    Hi David,
    I`m curious - what would captivate you the most in this whole contemporary art museum?

    Hi tywo,
    You've expressed the whole essence, as I saw it - the interaction was between the people and the paintings, and not to much amongst each other. However, some people came to the MoMA to spend time together, and they would socialize in quite a lively way.

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  36. Hi Mariann Lennert ,
    Thanks for the lovely comment! I am glad that you liked my post!

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  37. thanks a lot for that wonderful trip!!!
    have a happy weekend!

    A big hug,
    Elena

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  38. Hi bicocacolors ,
    It is my pleasure to show some episodes that I like about NY for you:)Thank you for visiting!

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  39. Terrific stuff, Olga. It's been many years since I last visited MoMa, and I felt as if I was right back there!

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  40. Hi Olga! Thank you so much for passying by! I'm so flattered that an artist as you are finds elegant images on my little blog! I follow you and hope to hear from you so soon!
    Greetings from Rome!
    Laura@RicevereconStile

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  41. Wow, this visit looks like so much fun. Your images, so well crafted, make me feel as though I am there, enjoying such amazing art. Thank you for the tour.

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  42. Hi o,ga wow you have really captured the atmosphere of moma. Thanks for sharing. Carla x

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  43. I'm glad you like the music on my blog.
    Thank you so much for your support.

    LOVE!

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  44. Hi Deborah Lawrenson,
    A big thank you, I'm really touched! I am glad you love the way I show my fascination about MoMA.

    Hi Laure,
    Thank you for saying such a nice words and welcome!

    Hi Doug Hickok,
    My pleasure! I am happy that you noticed how much fun we had in MOMA :)

    Hi Carla,
    Thank you! If only I was good enough as you are.
    Your photos are always gorgeous!

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  45. Hi tywo,
    Yes, I love it. I also love that what you do with your posts looks somehow effortless. Which is not true, I am sure:)

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  46. Well I can certainly understand the overload. There seems to be a wonderful abundance of items to explore!

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  47. Hi Charlene,
    It`s really a place that you need more than one day to explore. Lots of opportunities to take interesting pictures for photographers!

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