Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings make a U.S. stop for the first time ever

by Jamie Rhein on

There’s an art exhibit opening at the Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama on September 28th that is a reminder that art museums other than the big name ones in the big name cities like the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Louvre in Paris or The Uffizi in Florence, Italy have wonderful exhibits that are trip worthy.

The Birmingham Museum of Art, a museum that was founded in 1951 and has enough of an endowment that admission is free, has snagged the first showing of Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings from his notebook “Codex on the Flight of Birds.” These drawings have never been shown together outside of Italy. The drawings created between 1480 to 1510 offer a look into the workings of da Vinci’s thought process.

Through an agreement between Biblioteca Reale and the Foundation for Italian Art & Culture and the Birmingham Museum of Art, the exhibit ” Leonardo da Vinci: Drawings from the Biblioteca Reale in Turin” is possible. You can see it through November 9.

I’ve always associated Birmingham with the Civil Rights Movement. When I was there a couple years ago, I went to the Civil Rights District, something I recommend. The Birmingham Museum of Art is another draw I know about. Spend a weekend in Birmingham, and I’d say you won’t be disappointed.

Labor Day themed sculptures: Hammering Man in Seattle and beyond

by Jamie Rhein on

Outside the Seattle Museum of Art is a kinetic sculpture called Hammering Man. The man who lifts and lowers his hammer four times per minute is one of several Hammering Man sculptures by artist Jonathan Borofsky.

Through his Hammering Man statues, Borofsky’s aim is to pay tribute to the workers of the world, as well as, indicate that the world is linked together through our labors. The sculptures hammer away at the same time.

Borofsky’s sculptures, in a way, are an artist’s version of what Matt Harding demonstrates with his dancing. The same dance, but the location changes. (Read Jerry’s Talking Travel interview with Matt here.)

The Seattle version is the second largest of Borofsky’s Hammering Man creations. The largest is in Frankfurt, Germany. You can also see outside sculpture versions in Dallas, Texas; Seoul, Korea; and Basel, Switzerland. Other versions are in wood and are located at various museums.

Last summer, when we went to Seattle on the way to Montana, we passed this sculpture on a Seattle Duck’s tour of the city. At the time, I didn’t know that the piece was part of a larger concept and could not view the whole sculpture from where I was sitting. In order to see it, we drove back to the museum.

As Borofsky says about this particular work, “At its heart, society reveres the workers. The Hammering Man is the worker in all of us.”

The statue, and the others like it, seems fitting for a Labor Day shout out.

Where are the world’s best art museums?

by Grant Martin on

Reuter’s just published a list of the world’s top art museums and for once I actually agree with a top ten list. Their top pick is the Louvre, on the banks of the Parisian Seine. One can get lost in that museum for hours (and stand in line to get in for more), and the wealth of art and artifacts on display is truly astounding. And while their classical antiquity collection is not as strong as the British Museum (not ranked) or the Getty (4), their painting and drawing collections are arguably the best in the world. Other contenders?

  1. Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
  2. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome, Italy
  3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York
  4. J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles, California
  5. Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France
  6. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
  7. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
  8. Tate Modern, London, England
  9. Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain
  10. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

I was pleased to learn that I’ve been to seven of their top ten choices, including all of the top four. I’ll have to make sure I visit the Musee d’Orsay next time I’m in Paris, which I hear is a less touristy, debaucherous Louvre.

One museum I’d like to have seen? The British Museum. Hundreds of years of imperialism and looting have resulted in an impressive collection of artifacts from around the world centered around a beautiful atrium. And it’s free.

I.M. Pei’s Genius Created a New Art Museum in Luxembourg

by Jamie Rhein on

Years ago I flew into Luxembourg to begin a summer train travel/backpacking trip through Europe. Back then it was possible to get cheap stand-by flights to Luxembourg from New York City. Fresh out of college with a BA in sociology, cheap was the only way to go to Europe. We stayed in Clervaux for the night before heading out to Amsterdam and points beyond. I remember Luxembourg as being lovely and worth a longer stay if we weren’t hell-bent on seeing as many places as our Eurorail Pass would take us in two months.

I’ve just come across a reason to head back there. The Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (MUDAM) just opened July 2006. The museum designed by architect I.M. Pei is an architectural masterpiece. It’s interesting to read the museum’s website just to learn about the concepts (PDF file) behind the building. I have to warn you. The website feels like a visit into a modern abstract painting. It’s worth the trip, but be prepared for some fishing. I’m starting you off with the links page. The art collection is an eclectic mix of works by modern artists from around the world. You can access this by going to the link “collection.”

An aspect of this museum that appeals to me is “Be the Artist’s Guest” which incorporates artists’ paintings, drawings, sculptures and photographs into areas that are not just traditional exhibit spaces. The café, reception areas and auditorium have the artists’ works as a way to engage the viewer. I think the artists whose works are featured in this manner may be part of the changing exhibits, but I’m not sure.

24 Hour Museum website: a resource to tour for hours

by Jamie Rhein on

If you are in the United Kingdom or if you are heading there anytime soon, the website “24 Hour Museum,” is a handy reference guide. This is where you can find out about the listings and features of 3,000 museums and heritage sites around the United Kingdom from the large to the small venues. Instead of just listings with brief descriptions, there are downloads of art, other websites and articles about what is going on pretty much everywhere.

One thing I like about the site is that you can find places you may not have thought about. Sure the British Museum in London may be on your list of places to go, but how about The Chinese Arts Centre in Manchester? There’s an exhibit going on with the theme Collective Identity that features the work of 10 Chinese artists.

The 24 Hour Museum also has a feature called Trails. Each trail has a theme that shows travelers what museums and cultural spots have a particular connection to each other. For example, the trail “A History of Enlightenment, Buddhism in London” leads travelers to various museum exhibits, temples and gardens that show a Buddhist influence. There are detailed descriptions of each place so you can brush up on each site’s importance beforehand.

I wish I had known about this site when I was in London for just a day. It would have been great to know what exhibits to look for when we popped in and out of museums in a mad dash to see as much as possible.