cousins take a closer look to discuss jackson pollock’s ‘one’
—
“there is no must in art because art is free.”
—wassilli kandinsky
credits: jackson pollock, ‘one -number 31,’ 1950,
museum of modern art (manhattan, new york, ny usa)
Nov24
Tag Archives: museum
May23
whimsy.
Spread across two floors of a regal old 1920s bank building in Astoria, Oregon, this collection is packed with unexpected finds at every turn. It’s a smorgasbord of quirky curiosities, so you never know what treasures or trinkets you’ll come across.
There’s little rhyme or reason to the assortment of oddities. The oldest item, a Native American chair seat made from colored porcupine quills, dates from the 1850s. But the rest of the whimsical wonders are a medley of old and new artifacts from around the world.
You can climb inside a full-sized replica of a British canal narrowboat parked unceremoniously within the old bank building, scan the exhibits for intricate wax boxes, or simply wander the room until you stumble across a piece of vintage clothing or jewelry that sparks your interest.
There are so many things to see, it’s difficult to decide where to start. A striking collection of Folies Bergère dresses and hats immediately catches your eye as you enter—some of the hats even have the name of the dancer who once wore them scrawled inside. Dolls, both daintily beautiful and disturbingly lifelike, are scattered throughout like well-stationed guards. Taxidermy creatures, including a charmingly cute miniature horse, lurk in unexpected places and antique curios hide among newly commissioned works.
The museum is the work of Trish Bright, a retired stockbroker who bought the former bank with her husband in 2005. The curated odds and ends that fill the space are her ever-growing passion project.
—
“museums are custodians of epiphanies,
and these epiphanies
enter the central nervous system and deep recesses of the mind.”
-george lois
—
credits: museum of whimsy, trish bright, atlas obscura
Apr21
hidden.
A small horde of mythical creatures lurk almost imperceptibly within the museum’s wildlife dioramas.
Back in the 1970s, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science hired artist Kent Pendleton to paint the backdrops for many of the museum’s wildlife dioramas. Little did it know that Pendleton’s penchant for hiding tiny mythical creatures in these paintings would add a whole new dimension to the museum experience.
It all began with eight elves—or gnomes, or leprechauns, depending who you ask—hidden in Pendleton’s wildlife dioramas. An elf hiding in the lowland river. An elf riding a dinosaur along a cretaceous creekbed. Another elf sat on a rock in the Great Smoky Mountains. And others, hard to spot but definitely there, in various backdrops throughout the museum.
When these eagle-eyed volunteers began to spot the museum’s incongruous and thoroughly unscientific inhabitants, the whole thing began to snowball. The staff decided to go along with the game, adding more elves and gnomes to the museum. A ceramic elf, for example, found his way onto the Candor Chasma of Mars. And now a digital elf exists in the entrance video, cleverly concealed within a cluster of stars.
The fantasy easter eggs diversified, too; there are angels, unicorns, even a Millennium Falcon and a tiny Yoda hidden in the museum. Precisely how many creatures are hidden around the museum is an open question. The museum’s official elf scavenger-hunt guide currently lists nine. But Maura O’Neal, the museum’s communications and media relations manager, says there are about double that amount.
So even if you do go on the scavenger hunt, guide in hand, you’ll never quite know when you might spot an undocumented elf lurking somewhere, surreptitiously, in the Denver museum…
Mar28
museum.
curbside museum
a small and quirky museum hidden is inside a fence
in canmore, alberta, canada
curbside museum is an unassuming curiosity in the mountain town of canmore, canada. the tiny museum is always packed with intricate little exhibits that rotate every so often. each exhibit is incredibly detailed, their contents all stuffing the glass showcase to the brim with a delightfully unexpected assortment of items.
this tiny museum is hidden within a hole in a fence that lines a busy street. the gilded frame is the only hint that this particular stretch of fence holds more than first meets the eye. you could easily walk right past it if you weren’t paying attention.
you’ll find subjects ranging from common scenes to those that transcend into the realm of fantasy. some of the showcases take on a more serious, factual tone, though many exhibits do indeed have an element of whimsy and charm.
the museum is a fun addition to the town and adds a moment of joy for any pedestrians who stop and take a peek. it’s a reward for eagled-eyed passersby who take the time to notice their surroundings. the museum is free and is open day and night.
“a museum should not just be a place for fancy paintings
but should be a place where we can
communicate our lives through our everyday objects.”
-orhan pamuk
—
credits: curbside museum, atlas obscura.com, city of canmore, alberta
Jan18
how things work.
seeing firsthand how things work –
up close and personal style.
—
“i always want to know how things work.
had i been aladdin, i am certain that just after one wish or two,
i’d have taken that old lamp apart
to see if I could make another, better lamp.”
-walter p. chrysler
Dec7
be the wonder
with my class, discovering a small bit of the world, so huge and all new to them, on a beautiful fall day
—
The process of scientific discovery is, in effect, a continual flight from wonder. – Albert Einstein
I didn't have my glasses on.... 