Nov 7
I was down at the National Gallery of Art this weekend to see Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections (more on that later…) and saw this incredible view of the Fall foliage and the juxtaposed with brilliant white Capitol building.
There were a few clouds that kept casting interesting shadows alternatively between the trees and the Capitol building. I also love this view down Pennsylvania Ave; its so dramatic.
Even the monuments get dressed up for Halloween in Boston!
Paul Revere on Halloween!
This is the Paul Revere statue from the North End of Boston commemorating his famous “Midnight Ride”. It looks like he’s dress up as the Headless Horseman from the Legend of Sleepy Hallow. Very scary!
Hopefully you’ve been following Banksy’s month long residency and outdoor exhibit in New York City this month. Without even touching the somewhat provocative messages of this pieces, there is something really fun about this style of guerrilla street art. I wish I could be hunting his new pieces each morning! I love the thrill of discovery and that moment of personal appreciation and enjoyment in front of clandestine art. There is no gallery, no reviews of the show and no artist to hear your praise (or criticism). Street artists create art out of their own creative need and to hopefully make us think as we pass their work. I certainly appreciate street art and think it improves our urban areas.
Pasted paper street art in Cambridge, MA
Regional artists are often the best at capturing the spirit of place. Many such artists are never known outside their area, but one such American art movement is gaining national attention. The Florida Highwaymen were a group of African-American painters who beginning in the 1950’s produced landscapes of the coastline and swamps of their native Florida. In a time when the American South was highly segregated, they sold their works out of a car trunks thus earning the group it’s nickname. These local artists and their dreamy, iconic landscapes are being re-discovered and appreciated by a new generation of collectors for their historical, social and aesthetic value.
Harold Newton – “Afternoon Seabreeze”,
We sometimes forget that beautiful works of art may have been created with ulterior motives. Think of a pharaoh using a heroic frieze to solidify his power, an elegant Renaissance chapel donated to erase the sins of the patron, or a lovely oil portrait sent to encourage a royal marriage. Sometimes the circumstances behind the message change and the image must be adjusted. I notice one such major revision in Chicago and was surprised to hear about some political turmoil that led to the defacement of a glorious royal sculpture.
The Khorsabad Gate, Oriental Institute, University of Chicago (Photo: American Lady, Flickr)
Daydream Tourist 