Live.....It's Saturday Night!!! Can TV generate an authentic the goods for a great museum installation? When it's Lorne Michaels you can count on it.

 

Standing in front of the big "step and repeat" background outside the front door of the museum.

They pulled all the stops out for this one. Photo by B. 

Last week B. and I spent an afternoon at the Blanton Museum taking in a show of Baroque paintings from Spain, Portugal and other parts of the Spanish empire circa: hundreds of years ago. Yesterday we made the short trip over to the Harry Ransom Center (aka: The Humanities Research Center, the HRC) to see a huge exhibit of material sourced from the professional life of Lorne Michaels, the originator of the incredibly long running and popular TV show: Saturday Night!

The usual conservative and quiet first floor gallery at the HRC was hopping. Packed with people. Every demographic imaginable. And all laughing, reminiscing and remembering their favorite episodes, actors and cultural memes. Behind a red curtain in a room last used to show early Ansel Adams photographs was a non-stop video of greatest hits from the TV shows Michaels helmed. Scattered about the exhibits were costumes worn by actors in some of the most memorable skits. Church lady. Two Wild and Crazy Guys. And the wig used by the actor who portrays our current president. The crowd was wild and crazy. And loud. But the exhibit, from the extensive, donated collection of Michael's life's work was still amazing. 

I took along a camera and made photos of the stuff I liked the most. And yes, that includes the mannequins. The camera was the Leica M240 M-E along with a recently acquired Thypoch 50mm f1.4 Simera. It's a really nice lens. Mostly shot wide open which also showed me that my current rangefinder calibration is right on the money. Yay.

The Church Lady. 

Life Coach, Matt Foley. 

The Donald Trump wig.

Hitting the limits of the rangefinder's close focusing.

"We are two wild and crazy guys!"

And, of course, Michaels was the executive producer behind many of my favorite movies....

Hello "Waynes World."

Go behind the red(ish) curtain to see video.

It was a fun way to spend time on Sunday afternoon. So much to see and so much really good stuff. I can't wait to go back mid-week when I have more time, space and quiet to really soak up the details.

Getting out and going to museums and galleries. It's all part of a continuing visual education. 

After the museum we headed over to the Whole Foods Flagship store to hit their awesome and huge salad bar. Fresh fruit, green leafy vegetables, dolmas, hummus, and just for grins, a chicken strip. What's not to like? Later, dinner at home with the boy who regaled us with fun stories about corporate life and also upcoming travel plans. A good Sunday by most any measure.

And yes, it all started with an 8 am swim practice.