not-an-art-review

[lagilman]

Friday I (finally) made it to the Monet exhibit at the Gargosian Gallery -- this was a collection of nearly 30 of Monet's later works, most from various museums worldwide but several from private collections. I am, as some of you know, quite mad for Monet, so standing in line while they filtered people through the gallery was perfectly fine by me, although several people were quite taken aback.

(the gallery is exactly that -- a commercial gallery, not a museum. Nothing was for sale -- they weren't even pushing the usual posters/whatnot, although you could buy a book of notecards) The owner is *cough* rather wealthy and can afford to do things like this for no immediate financial gain.)

There were 3-4 areas, sparse white space except where the paintings were hung. Guards everywhere but no ropes or anything to keep you from getting as close to the paintings as you might if they were hanging in someone's home. Having seen a lot of his work before (including "Nymphéas” at the Musee de L'Orangerie) I was struck most by three different paintings of L’Allée de Rosiers, which just... wow. Intense and dark and Monet, clearly Monet, but with a different hit to the gut.

I wish I'd gone earlier, to encourage people to go see this, since it closes today (gallery is open from 10-6, I believe). If you happen to be in NYC today with nothing else to do, the trip over to 10th avenue and 21st is well worth the time.



EtA: The WSJ reviews the exhibit.

Comments

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

No fair!

We've got a Monet here (Rocks At Belle Isle), and I've sat and looked at it for ages. (Or at least until the kids tell me to get a move on.)

[lagilman]

at the L'Orangerie I utterly lost any sense of time, sitting and looking. I was not alone.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Mmm, Monet. I still remember the sheer impact of being in Rouen as a teenager, seeing the cathedral, and then walking into a roomful of Monet's paintings of it.

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

Monet. Yum. The Portland Art Museum has a couple of them.

The setup you describe (security but no ropes) was what I remember about the Rijksmuseum (sp?!) in Amsterdam, as well as the Van Gogh Museum. Nice, very nice (and with all the stereotypical art museum attendees!).

[threeoutside.livejournal.com]

*suffers envy*

One morning when the conference I was attending didn't have any offerings worth going to, I marched down to the Chicago Museum of Art (I think that's the right name) and was one of the first twenty people into the building - everyone who was waiting on the steps to get in. Without any plan in mind, I wandered into the first room I found - and was surrounded by the Impressionists. Many Monets, of course. I floated around in there in some kind of blank ecstacy until I suddenly realized I'd spent almost half an hour ALONE in this room full of those gems. Quite the morning, it was.

[graygirl.livejournal.com]

Lucky! I remember seeing my first Monet and could only stand there and gape for a very long time. Each one is precious.

[threeoutside.livejournal.com]

I think, when I'm lying in my death-bed, that morning will be one of the few that plays over and over in my fading brain...if I'm lucky.