by Lindsay Shapka in Art, Artists, Art History
This stunning work by Picasso is housed in the Museu Picasso in Barcelona.
I was completely enchanted by this work when I came upon it while walking through the museum one afternoon. It is oversized, and unlike anything that I had ever seen before — by Picasso or any other artist for that matter.
Read Moreby Lindsay Shapka in Art, Artists, Travel
If you’ve never been to New York before, The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) might seem like it’s just another museum in the longgggg list of museums and art galleries that are on must-see lists for the city. But it is not just like the others, ohhhhhhh no my friend, it is not.
Here are 10 reasons why you need to add visiting The Met to your New York travel list.
Read Moreby Lindsay Shapka in Artists, Art
When the Peter Robertson Gallery described Canadian artist Steve Driscoll's show, And a Dark Wind Blows, to me as "a water installation that would reflect his paintings" and an unusual art exhibit, I wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe a few oversized tubs of water placed under the works?
Read Moreby Lindsay Shapka in Art, Artists, Art History
I was transfixed by the complex, layered, collage-like work by contemporary Swedish artist Kent Lindfors when I came upon it in a light-filled gallery at the Gothenburg Museum of Art in Sweden. The collection on display was a retrospective of the artist's work from the 1970s until 2016. Kent Lindfors was born and works in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Read Moreby Lindsay Shapka in Art, Artists, Art History, Travel
Sometimes watching fellow visitors to a museum or gallery observe and react to the art is as much of an experience as observing the art yourself.
There are those that walk slowly from work to work, one hand behind their back, one on their chin, never pausing for longer than a few seconds.
Others insist on standing right in the middle of the work for minutes at a time, blocking the view for everyone else.
Couples often chat and point, commenting on the "vivid use of color" or "visible brushstrokes."
Then there are the people that make security guards nervous because they insist on leaning in so close that it looks like they are actually touching the work from a distance (these observers are often wearing thick academic looking glasses or artfully tied silk scarves).
We can’t forget the art students that tilt their heads to the side as they shuffle back and forth, trying to see the work from all angles as they fill page after page of their big black sketch books.
The rarest observers and my favorite to watch are the ones that are truly moved by what they are looking at.
The ones that gasp and inadvertently cover their mouth with their hand when they realize that they are face to face with a beloved painting, sculpture, or drawing that they had only ever seen in photos. Their faces literally glow and you can see a range of emotions pass through them while tears gather in the corners of their eyes, and they barely breathe.
After a few minutes, a goofy smile will cross their face and then suddenly self-conscious, they will glance around the room making sure no one saw their reaction, before moving on to the next piece.
