SF MOMA

(Myself in front of SF-MOMA)

This semester I was able to go on a little trip to SF-MOMA (Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco) with some of my fellow class mates.  Last year I went to the one in New York so I was really excited to be able to compare the experiences.   

When I walked in I noticed that the inside of the museum is nice and spacious, and light and airy, which I really like when I am looking at art (especially on a free day and there’s A LOT of people).  I was excited so I jumped right into looking at the art.  

(Louise Bourgeois, Spiders, 2003, stainless steal)

The first exhibit that really leaped out at me was Louise Bourgeois’ Spiders.  Made out of steel, these spiders are extremely interesting subjects to me.  I really don’t like spiders so seeing them on such a large scale brought me into a new perspective of seeing the creatures. There is beauty to them, one that I haven’t recognized before.  I love how she brought us into this different world by creating them on such a ginormous scale.

(Chuck Close, Lorna, 1995, oil on canvas)

(Chuck Close, Agnes, 1998, oil on canvas)

(close up of Agnes)

Seeing Chuck Close’s work is also very exciting for me.  I love his distorted large scale portraits.  The human figure and portraits are a common theme for me in my work so seeing his work up close and analyzing his organic shapes within each grid is truly a sight and just makes me happy.  

(Gerhard Richter, Stadtbild Madrid, 1968, oil on linen)

Gerhard Richter’s Stadtbild Madrid certainly struck me as well.  The way he created this city scape just from different shapes and black and white value changes is very impressive.  I enjoy this piece immensely as well as his others that were displayed. 

(Gerhard Richter, Fenster, 2002, oil on linen)

Fenster is eye-catching to me because Richter was able to capture the shadow extremely realistically.  I also find the intense contrast of black and white in this context luring.  Even though it is just a painting of a window, its convincing and makes me wonder about the story that goes along with this window and why he decided to paint it.  

(Max Beckmann, Frau bei der Toilette mit roten und weissen Lilien, 1938, oil on canvas)

One of Max Beckmann’s paintings was also available to view.  I really like Beckmann’s work.  This semester I recreated one of his paintings as an assignment and I just appreciate his style so much.  The piece above is abstract and literal, bright and dark, gestural and emotional.  He is different and that’s what I like about him as well as the contradicting elements is his paintings.  

There were so many other works that were so exciting to see however if I wrote about all of them we’d be here a while.  I just love seeing the works and artists that I have studied, it truly makes the experience that much better.  My classmates and I had a great time!