Located on the banks of the Hudson River in Beacon, NYC. this museum houses 1960's to the present major collections. I didn't really know I would be going here and it wasn't my idea but it was a great escape from the concrete anyways. My oldest brother was a successful and very talented fine artists (before he opened his own business that dabbled in a separate hobby), so I have an appreciation for the craft and a fascination with the history and concepts that revolve around it all.
However, in all honesty, I sometimes have a hard time really understanding the kind of art that is more about the process than it is about the piece. It's so important to read the pamphlets at that kind of museum to understand the significance of the work because so much of it is about how it was done. It's a bit easy to make fun of because it stems from such lofty, esoteric ideas but as a philosophy minor in undergrad I suppose I find the mental exercise just enjoyable even if tinged with a bit of, "I could have done that too." I suppose the point is, I didn't do it, huh?
Anyways, there is one great room with a series of similar (difference caused by contrasting colors) paintings by Warhol (not pictured). There were 4 big smooshy sofas in the middle of this huge, great, open room and I have this fond memory of all the natural light coming in through the ceiling while all the people in the room sunk into the sofas to think about or not think about who knows what. It seemed like soothing place to be quiet, to stop, to hold time still for a couple of minutes and to smell the roses (or just soak in the color and the paintings). Serenity!
The New York City Ballet: Romeo & JulietI've danced my entire life and I worked at a ballet company. I love dance. I understand the dedication, the way the body marries itself to the music, the adrenaline, the beauty, the work ethic, the practice, the hours, and everything else in between. I'm fascinated, moved, and enamored by the poetry, the story, and the beauty that takes place on stage- usually to the point of tears. It just moves my soul and I crave dance as corny as that probably sounds.
But the point of this post is that i finally got the chance to see the world renowned New York City Ballet. I've never seen Romeo & Juliet performed and it was spectacular! The Lincoln Center is gorgeous and I loved seeing all the people dressed to the 9's in honor of this art form. The night was clear and it felt like I was in the middle of some fabulous 1950's movie.
Thinking about the Romeo & Juliet story, I realized for the first time that it must have been so new and so incredibly moving to see it performed back in Shakespeare's day (even if not ballet). It's complex and it's heart-wrenching! And it's amazing that without words, a story, drenched in poetic descriptors and known for its iambic pentameter can be conveyed in an equally as compelling way without using any words at all and replacing it with expression and movement instead. How cool! That's the power of a good story and I think it says something about the importance of good stories- it doesn't matter how they are told as long as they are.
Anyways, seeing the crowd at both of these places was yet another reminder that while newer, bigger, better, and faster is certainly good and often sought out, there are still people out there that crave history and appreciate the stories of a yesteryear retold from occasion to occasion. I guess some things just never get old!
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