Tag: #Museums

  • ODDS and ENDS: Tottenham Woes, Something Worse, and Museum Day

    (Stuff and things…)

    On Wednesday, Tottenham played, the facing relegation, Burnley FC in Burnley, and the Spurs found a way to lose. This is the same Tottenham team that beat Man City on the road, which was just about impossible. Yet when it comes to playing a bottom of the table team, Tottenham can’t seem to even get a draw. Then when Tottenham’s manager comes out and says that he doesn’t get why they can’t win consistently, well that just screams that this team is in trouble. Sadly, I don’t see the Spurs qualifying for the Champions League, and that will be the death nail for Harry Kane’s departure. (I have a feeling that Kane is going to go hog wild scoring in the World Cup this summer to drive up his contract price.) Not sure what this team will be like without Kane, but it might mean hanging out in the middle of the table for the next couple of seasons.

    I can’t get rid of the feeling that something worse is coming with the war in Ukraine. I know I wrote about that yesterday, but, surprise!, it’s still on my mind today. Who fights a land war? I really thought that was one of the things that World War II put an end to; wars of conquest. Economies are no longer based on how much land you have. But still, I feel awful for the people of Ukraine, and also for the people of Russia, who will be the ones to really suffer from the sanctions. The sanctions won’t have an effect on Putin and the other corrupt billionaire cronies; they won’t suffer. It’s always the people who do.

    Today is the final day of the kid’s Winter Break from school, and our big activity of the day is to ride the bus down to the Guggenheim! Yup, taking the kid to look at some art, and this was actually her idea. Going to a museum, not specifically the Guggenheim. I want to make sure that I raise a kid that can apricate all the different forms of art, and also apricate how great the City she live in is. I liked going to museums as a kid, and my Dad was pretty good about taking me to the Dallas Museum of Art growing up. I feel like I’m completing the circle by take my kid today.

  • If Art is Made And No One Sees It, Is It Art?

    Today, I took the kid over to the Museum of Modern Art. This was our second time there, and I let her lead the way. Explore what she wanted, ask whatever questions, and just let her discover what she liked.

    What really set her on fire today was the Henri Matisse Cut-Outs. At first, she just liked the colors and the shapes, but when I read the description of the work provided by the museum, she quickly made the connection that she too cuts out construction paper and makes pictures! She decided that she needed to sketch these cut-outs so she could try it at home.

    It was pretty busy today, so we found a bench in the adjacent gallery so she could draw in her sketchpad. The gallery we were in was displaying films and photographs of artists who were documenting their different cities that they lived in during the late 60’s and early 70’s. This I found interesting and inspiring as it seemed like something I should be doing, and could be doing as well. (Maybe I am doing it?) But I came to a question; Were they documenting for themselves or for an audience?

    You can make all of these things, follow these creative endeavors, but at the end of the day, do you need someone to share it with? Does expression need to have an audience to be expressed to? My uncle, who was an artist, would have said no, that art doesn’t need a witness. He would say art is a process, and not explicitly a product.

    Maybe he was right. Maybe the work is the thing.

  • ODDS and ENDS – England v Germany, REI Again, and SCHOOLS OUT!

    “Odds and Ends” is my continuing series of random thoughts and follow ups…

    So, England made it out of the Group Stage at EURO 2020/21, and is in the Knockout Round. It’s not a clean path. First, they have to play Germany, who isn’t playing like Germany of old, but at the same time, Germany is never easy. If England gets past that, my guess is that they will have to play Sweden, which I think they should win. After that, all bets are off. In the semi-finals, England will play either the Dutch or the Czech Republic. Sadly, I don’t see Wales or Denmark beating the Dutch or the Czechs. Am I getting ahead of myself? Oh, yes! But, as of this moment, EURO 2020/21 is the only sport that seems interesting to me. (And I am fully aware that Cubs threw a combined no-hitter against the Dodgers last night.)

    Last week, I talked about going to REI to exchange my boots for a half size larger, and I was curious if their 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed return policy was real. It’s real. They exchanged my boots, no questions asked. And in my excitement, I bought a day pack. Now, the kid-o is saying that her boots are too small as well. So, Saturday, we are headed back to REI for another exchange. And I might pick up a small first-aid kit for the day pack. (Yes, I keep buying hiking stuff.)

    And today was the last day of school! I never want to do a remote school year again! I know I am not alone on that, but man, never again. SO starts the adventure of a real Summer Vacation, of Day Camps, road trips, museum runs, and sleeping in. All Hail Summer!