I went to each because of specific temporary exhibits featured in which I was interested. Part of the reason I do not often visit museums is because I get overwhelmed and dread the endless wandering. Going with particular exhibits in mind helped to nullify that conflict. I think I've found the impetus for any future museum trip I will be making!
At the beginning of the week I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Robert Frank exhibit. His outstanding black and white photographs are spotlighted in this exhibit called "Looking In: Robert Frank's The Americans," which is open until January 3, 2010. As the title suggests, most of the exhibit features the pictures that Frank took when he traveled throughout the United States. They were taken in the mid-1950s after he secured a grant from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
Of all visual art mediums, photography (black and white in particular) is my favorite. I spent an exorbitant amount of time going through this exhibit and in doing so remembered why I love photography so much. His photographs were beautiful, artistic, unique, and made political commentaries on American people and culture.
Let me quote one of the accompanying plaques: "[This section of photographs implies] that the American political system drown out the voices of its average citizens; that Americans worship false icons such as cowboys and movie stars; that Americans' work is restrictive and unsatisfactory and that America's rich are arrogant, its poor are meek, and its middle class is lulled into quiet submission by a consumer culture."
In fairness, while that is a mighty harsh critique, he also portrays America's splendor.
Later in the week I went to the Museum of Modern Art for the Tim Burton Exhibit. It does not open to the public until November 22, 2009 (until April 26, 2010), but my friend, Jon, had membership tickets and was thoughtful enough to bring me and a couple of other friends along.
I have seen almost all of Tim Burton's films but would not have considered myself a dedicated fan. It was only after seeing this exhibit that I fully realized he has influenced pop culture in such an idiosyncratic fashion that he is truly worthy of this MoMA exhibit. It is dedicated to his life's work (and it's not posthumous! Impressive).
The pieces span his life, starting with childhood drawings and high school projects into his college and early professional career. By the time his works from Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, James and the Giant Peach, Big Fish, Sweeney Todd, and others were presented, I felt like I understood them in context of his overall artistic vision. This exhibit helps viewers glimpse how Tim Burton expresses his genius. Now I want to go back and rewatch all of his films.
