Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Birmingham Museum of Art (3/14/2017)

Tuesday, March 14, 2017
After a short, but productive visit with Kent's dad in Pensacola, FL, we headed north.  We took an hour to visit the Birmingham (Alabama) Museum of Art.
Birmingham Museum of Art (founded 1951, building 1959,
designed by architects Warren, Knight & Davis of Birmingham,
with a major renovation and expansion in 1993
by Edward Larrabee Barnes of New York)
The art museum actually has one of the finest collections in the southeastern United States, and an hour was not enough time to do it justice.
The Persian Wall (1995-96) by Dale Chihuly graces the lobby (KSS)
The Persian Wall detail
Turned left to contemporary art.
The Deserted Studio (1971) by Robert Motherwell (KSS)
Barbie (1964) by Grace Hartigan (KSS)
Four Men (2003-2004) by Stephan Balkenhol (KSS)
Red Mountain Garden Club Memorial Garden
Upstairs to the changing exibit area with Third Space: Shifting Conversations about Contemporary Art.
Soundsuit (2009) by Nick Cave (KSS)
Soundsuit detail (KSS)
Mementoes of District Six (1993)
by Sue Williamson (KSS)
Mementoes of District Six detail; District Six
is a former neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa
Twin Brothers (2000) by Jose Bedia (Afro-Cuban American) (KSS)
Twin Brothers detail (KSS)
Runaways (1993 series) by Glenn Ligon (KSS)
Runaways (1993), the posters use friends'
descriptions of the artist (KSS)
History Bites Its Tail (2013) by Esterio Segura
(Cuban) (KSS)
The Birmingham Museum of Art has one of the most comprehensive collections of Wedgewood in the world, with artifacts dating from 1759 to the 20th century.  Wedgewood is so much more than white on blue ceramics!
Bell (1953-55)
There is an extensive collection of Asian art.
Fans (c. 1900) by Nozawa Teiu (KSS)
Detail of wall hanging, Daikokuten's Mallet (c. 1900) by Soho Kasai (KSS)
African art, Pre-Columbian art, Native American art...
Matrilineage: Dress Form #1 (2004)
by Lillian Bladdes (Bahamian) (KSS)
Ear Ornaments (1000-1500) by the Sinu culture in Colombia
Cradleboard (1850-1875) by Kiowa or Comanche people
Ghost Wolf (?) (KSS)
Downstairs to American and Alabama art.
Quilt (1886) by Mattie Green (KSS)
Quilt detail (note the various stitching!) (KSS)
A Captain of Infantry in Field Rig by Frederic Remington,
was "discovered" at an Antiques Roadshow
when brought in by the subject's
(Captain Febiger's) great-grandson
There was a special exhibit on Wedgewood artist
David Puxley
The ceramic set in the photograph above
Finally European art.
The Children of the Marquis de Béthune Playing with a Dog (1761)
by Francois-Hubert Drouais
Meissen ceramic figurines (c. 1740) of dancers,
Mockery of Age (top right), and Harlequin with
Goat Bagpipes and Pass Glass
 (a tall cylindrical
drinking glass with horizontal markings where each person
was to drink to the next mark before passing the glass)
View of the Grand Canal (c. 1720s) by Canaletto
It seems you can find Canaletto paintings everywhere except in Venice! They were almost the postcards of his time (early 1700s).
Gardens of the House Zijdebalen (1700-1725) attributed to
Jan Aelmis; tin-glazed earthenware tile (KSS)
We continued the drive north to Franklin, TN, a "cute" town to meet Janice T for dinner at 55 South.
Main Street in Franklin, TN
The Historic Franklin Presbyterian Church (1908)
Many thanks to Janice to treating us to a tasty dinner!
Later we were able to visit with Cousin Mary and her son-in-law, Al, in Mount Juliet, TN, for some laughs and to work on a jigsaw puzzle.  Thanks to Mary and Al for their hospitality!

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