Wednesday, September 27, 2006

The Nelson-Atkins, Shuttlecocks -- a stripper and a couple of acidheads.





Recently Tyler Green of Modern Art Notes posted a bit on the Nelson Atkins museum of Art which will be re-opening the Sculpture Park as well as the new Steven Holl-designed Bloch addition next year.

Reading Tyler’s post of his childhood memories of the Nelson did indeed spark some of my own: I was probably four or five years old when my mother took me to the Nelson to peruse the art. What I liked most were the Giant bronze Buddha in lotus position and the tiny ancient Chinese cricket cages complete with food bowls. When we came to Duane Hanson’s security Guard (Roy) my mother told me to ‘go and say hello to the nice man’ which I hesitantly did. A second later we were asked to leave the museum as my screaming and crying was disturbing the other visitors.

Much later, in a not so bright high school state of mind, my friends and I would drop acid and camp out under the Henry Moore sculpture. At dawn we would climb into Oldenburg’s shuttlecocks (apparently those pieces have really been around) to watch the sunrise. I often wonder what Claes and Henry would have to say about that.

So thanks for sending me down that avenue Tyler. And cheers to the Nelson and all its new endeavors.

Also for those of you in the area, tomorrow from 6 to 7 pm is a lecture by sculptor Tony Cragg. Tickets can be purchsed on-line here
Mary Atkins Lecture Series A View of Sculpture Speaker: Tony Cragg 6-7 p.m. Atkins Auditorium Single ticket cost is $10 members/$15 nonmembers/$5 students.

Two bronze works by Cragg, Turbo and Ferryman (below, but in NY), are the latest additions to the Kansas City Sculpture Park. Cragg's lecture is the premier event in the September reopening of the Park

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yes, I grew up in KC and have fond memories of the Museum. My favorite room is the Seated Bodhisattua (Budda) room.