Thursday, October 25, 2012

City Mouse, Country Mouse

 
While visiting family up in Michigan, this past July, we took a field trip to the Detroit Institute of Art Museum (DIA).  I took lots of photos on my handy cell phone so I could relive the day later.  I hadn't been to a really good art museum in YEARS, so was in heaven for the day.  Later, when I reviewed my pictures, all of them on my phone, I noticed a pattern.  The pictures I took at the museum, in The City, had similar compositions to other photos on my phone that I had taken in and around where I live, namely The Country.  And so I bring you my personal Smart Phone Retrospective of Art as seen through a former city dweller, now imbedded in the country.  Art is what you make it, not where.
 
Above is a room in the modern wing of the DIA with art by various artists.
And below, unassuming yard art as found next to a barn in Levasy, Missouri.
 
 
Below, a mural by Diego Rivera.  It's been one of my favorite installments since first seeing it as a kid on a class trip.
I highly recommend the on-line virtual tour of the mural.
 
 
And apparently I am still fascinated by "industrial art", because here's my view of a grain elevator in  Kansas City, Kansas.
 
 
Now a collage assemblage piece by Raymond Johnson (American 1927-'95).
 
Which has its country inspiration, photographed in Levasy, Missouri.
(You will be wanting to visit Levasy- it's chock full of "art" in a bucolic setting!)
 
 
Finally, an abstract print by Fernand Leger.
I love his color and design sense.
 
 
And here's my daughter, Victoria, playing with collage self portraiture.
I love her design sense too.
 
This is not Photoshopped.  She is holding a magazine clipping up to her face.
Neat, huh?
My china cabinet in the background adds an architectural element a la America Gothic by Grant Wood.  (Internet photo below)
 
 
But now I digress, because American Gothic is housed in Chicago, which is another trip. ha!
Thank you for visiting my exhibit.
Please be sure to sign my guest book and leave a comment on your way out. ;)
 
 


5 comments:

~*~Patty S said...

LOVE this post dear Nathalie!
Cool on many levels!

Life IS Art and you've captured and shared it beautifully here

Victoria's photo should be entered in some contest = VERY cool!!!
(oops used that word twice here LOL)
oxo

Linda Jo said...

I love Victoria's photo, too! Ditto what Patty said! And I love the industrial mural, too.... always have.... The whole post was great!

Margaret said...

So much cool stuff to see on this post, very very clever pic of Victoria!

I love the industrial shots and the yard art, but then the collage assemblage takes my fancy as well hmm... love it all! Mx

Jill said...

You are too "cool" Nathalie!! (keeping up a theme here)
This post makes me want to say that you are blooming where you are planted. :)

Ann said...

i had a marvelous time visiting your "exhibit" !!!!!
xo