We wandered aimlessly, and came across a work by Carroll Dunham, which depicted square objects that looked like trees, monsters, or robots with shooting penises:
For a few minutes, we were stunned.
"When I went to museums with some other friends, I used to play a game we called, 'Can I make, too?'" Rebecca said. "I think the answer here is yes. It looks like a doodle made by a fourth grader!"
"Nah, I think you don't give him enough credit. I say an eighth grader. Fourth graders might not draw so many penises."
We continued through the museum, coming to a room with white walls and black writing on it. The art project is to have a museum staff person measure your height and record it on the wall with your first name and the date. The swirling black writing concentrated in the range on 5'3" to maybe 6'00" looked like a swarm of angry bees against the stark white paint. This was pretty awesome, Rebecca and I agreed.
Ah, modern art. I scratch my head (or laugh) at most of it, but then something really connects with me.
I think much modern art is crap. But you're right, then you find a piece that makes it all worth while. I stumbled onto a piece by Isamu Noguchi at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art that took my breath away.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you feel the same way. Sometimes I wonder if I am just culturally clueless or biased or both. Then I hear from people like you who agree, and I realize I am just rational. Or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI think a guy I went to highschool with used to doodle the same "penis-shooters" all over his notebooks and bookcovers every year....would have never pegged him as an "artist" though!
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