It's a been a non-stop month of still photography and video production. There's a certain amount of mental wear-and-tear that goes along with juggling a lot of things all at once. So, after a quick assignment downtown this morning, and a quick lunch, I invited Belinda to go over to the Blanton Museum with me to see the newly hung show of Peruvian photography.
As is typical of the Blanton Museum, the show was set up nicely, the lighting was good and the curators did a nice job with their selection. There was a good sampling of really well done, black and white photojournalism balanced with some exquisite, large format, fine art landscapes and, a bit of experimental work tossed in for good measure. Parts of the permanent collection of modern paintings have changed; one of our favorite Ben Shahn paintings is gone but there's a nice Franz Kline that I hadn't seen before, just down from an Andy Warhol painting of Farah Fawcett. Eclectic, for sure.
I took along a camera and a short zoom lens (24-70mm) but I had no serious intention of taking photos any more meaningful than snapshots for the proverbial, endless scrapbook. After our visit to the museum I came back into the real world when I checked my messages and saw the latest round of changes to our latest project. Why do CEOs seem to always wait to chime in after all the approval stages are done and the project is in the final phase? I should be used to it, after all, I have been doing this long enough to know the routine.
On a totally different and very happy note: the house next door; the one that took three painful and acrimonious years to complete, finally sold to a very nice family who just happen to be mutual friends of my friend, Ellen. Same politics, same basic philosophy and great taste in friends....
Finally, a happy ending to the endless construction stories....
There's just something about using a camera instead of a phone -- for me it's the grip, the viewfinder, and the shutter.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear about the new photos at the Blanton. I will be taking a tour of UT next week with my wife and daughter and already warned them that the Blanton is a must stop after the official walk is complete. Now I have two excuses--the photos and the fact I will be teaching Advanced Placement Art History beginning in August! Life is good! I enjoyed the previous blog about grabbing the wrong camera--glad it worked well. I have done that before, with less successful results. Enjoy a few rain free days in Texas!
ReplyDeleteAubrey
Looks like an interesting exhibit! I love seeing others work in the flesh. And if you can photograph it, that's a bonus. With a real camera, the only way! I can definitely empathize with you about construction distraction, and how much skin you have to put into their game. But sounds like a plus for you now!
ReplyDeleteDJ Oberst
My goodness. You referred to a nice Franz Kline. I find that folks who can actually identify and enjoy the work of the abstract expressionists to be in a rarefied percentage of the population. There are about three of us in Oklahoma.... maybe the percentage is higher in Austin! ;-) I must visit there someday soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the camera.
ReplyDeleteOh Gosh, I don't remember...
ReplyDeleteI just found out that there is a Vivian Maier exhibit at the Arlington Museum of Art here in the Dallas area. I need to grab my art loving friend and visit this sometime soon. It's only a few hours drive from Austin.
ReplyDeleteI went to the same museum to see an Ansel Adams exhibit. It included some of his more famous prints such as Moonrise Hernandez New Mexico. The venue is older but functional.