A/NT Art Gallery (Week Forty-Seven)

I strolled into what I thought I was a small, unassuming, independent art museum.  What I did not realize until I entered was that I was in an art gallery.

It was a slightly different experience to walk around, see little prices typed by the artist’s name, and realize that any of those pieces could have gone home with me.  I started to approach each piece I liked with, “Yes, but do I like it enough to pay for it and see it every day?”

Whimsical, sure. But is it “must have”?

There were several different sections.  One area was created by high schoolers.  (Those teenage students have much more artistic skill than I do.)  There were plenty of pieces that I liked, but my apartment is already decorated by Bierstadt, Rockwell, and Hopper.  It is a tough crowd to compete with.  Yes, you can buy an original.  However I would rather have a print of brilliance than a one-of-a-kind, “Interesting”.

Fun to see, but also pricey. (And where would you put it?)

In the interest of keeping this blog PG-13, I will go light on the details.  However, between the pentagrams, the naked woman having sex with a wolf, and other creations along those lines, I scurried out of there rather quickly.  Many of the pieces were clearly created by talented individuals.  The colors, the depictions; they were all quite graphic.  (In many senses of that word.)  Personally, I prefer my art to avoid bestiality.  However, if their goal was to elicit an emotional reaction or challenge my boundaries, then they succeeded.

Happily, the next room was full of bright colors.  Columns of balloons were photographed in front of bridges.  Yay for not ending on a dismal note!  I returned to a pair of paintings and a bear that I had seen before but wanted to take in again.  Then I scurried back out into the real world. 

Color! Hope! Yay!

Metal and glass= Vision?

And I just can’t handle that much red.

Looks a little posed to me, but I get it.

Architecture? Geometry? Deco?

The tamest of all art from “that” room.

Why does the guy get all the clothing? (shrug)

I did like the metallic ink, but I’d like to have seen a skyscraper photo.

Pollack-y?

I like it. I really do. But it means getting the red one to properly pair with.

As a bonus, museums cost money, but galleries are free.  (That is, unless you go home with a few canvases under your arm.  Ah, the high price of art appreciation.)