I called on my way. she wanted to go, despite her crutches. she'd seen the exhibit before, but my impatient dad and brother didn't want to watch the video. so she wanted to join me. I was to leave her to watch the video and look around.
she's a member of the Fine Arts Center. so we bypassed the long line to get in. a very nice gentleman at the security desk found a wheelchair for her, so she could go around the exhibit with me. it was a comedy of errors I'm sure to watch the one-handed wonder try and wheel her mom around the exhibit amongst thousands of other procrastinators.
I'd seen Chihuly's ceiling in the lobby of the Bellagio in Las Vegas. it's called Fiore di Como, it has over two thousand separate hand blown glass pieces.each time I've been to Vegas, I've taken a little time out of my gambling or drinking or kissing random guys to stand under this amazing piece of art to look up at this colorful ceiling. the picture, I'm afraid, does not do it justice.
so when my mom told me there would be an exhibit, I knew I wanted to go. but with my crazy summer, time had slipped away until the last day. and although I put it off, I refused to let it be one of those things I would regret not seeing.
the exhibit was incredible. I truly cannot describe the amazing works that were displayed throughout the Fine Arts Center. growing up I'd taken all kinds of classes there. pottery, drawing, painting, acting. I don't think I'd been in the building since high school. it was like coming home in a way.the exhibit began with hand blown bowls. based on native indian baskets. there were bowls within bowls within bowls. creating random nests of translucent color. there were the outdoor installations that looked like sea plants or creatures. and the intricately amazing chandeliers and towers.
unfortunately we were only allowed to take pictures outside. but the exhibit website, has some amazing shots of this and other exhibits. admiring his amazing art, after watching the video on the many places he'd traveled to create it, I may have caught a bug. I may have to try my hand at blowing glass next. well, when I have two good hands again.
6 comments:
Wow, that is truly amazing!
I love Chihuly's stuff...if you haven't already, you have to go to Tacoma and check out the Bridge of Glass and the Museum of Glass. Incredible!
I just wrote a ton of words here and then closed the comment box without submitting. Because I'm cool like that.
Suffice it to say that I walk by the Bridge of Glass every day. These installations remind me of growing up in tacoma; some of the sculptures are lifted straight from Chihuly's best installation, in my mind, which celebrated the new Tacoma Art Museum building. (Not the same thing as the actual glass museum, mentioned above. They're both incredible. Go see them!)
I love Chihuly glass! An art gallery down by Venice Beach had a showing of some installment type pieces recently. And the big flower ceiling thing in the Bellagio, just gorgeous! One of my favorite things in all of Vegas. I love how glass is kind of solid yet fluidly liquid at the same time. Chihuly got his MFA at my alma mater, UW – Madison. There’s a big installment of his work, which I believe he donated, at the Kohl Center (sports arena) on campus.
Hey cool, I found a picture of the Kohl Center installation on the website. That’s the place where my commencement ceremony was…ah, memories.
Post a Comment