Inspiration at the MIT MUSEUM
Inspiration is inevitable at the MIT Museum!
The MIT Museum is one of the coolest places on earth. There are robots, inventions and exhibitions that had me shaking my head in awe. Their impressive collections include science and technology, architecture and design, and holography – just to name a few!
If you want to visit the MIT Museum, here are the details:
Open Daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. except major holidays
Adults: $10.00; youth under 18, students, seniors: $5:00; children under age 5: free
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Building N51
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: 617-253-5927
Fax: 617-253-8994
E-mail: museuminfo@mit.edu
Some of my favorite exhibits at the MIT Museum:
Robots and Beyond: Exploring Artificial Intelligence at MIT
An exhibit that reminded me of Terminator – just kidding (sort of)! There you will see tele-operated surgical robots, robotic legs, socially intelligent humanoid robots and other prototypes.
Gestural Engineering: The Sculpture of Arthur Ganson
Featuring Arthur Ganson’s kinetic sculptures, this exhibit was both staggeringly inventive and aesthetically beautiful. The artist’s invitation: “The objects are part of a cycle. I take an idea from my heart, but it is not complete until you have seen it, and found your own meaning in it.”
Photography
Their photography exhibits were also pretty amazing!
I am still reeling from my visit to the MIT Museum. Have you ever been there? If I hadn’t visited with my three-year-old and five-year-old who wanted to race through and see it all (as fast as they could), I imagined myself hanging around there all day, sketching the robotics and sculptures, reading every informational panel and soaking up the creativity and inventiveness of the students and expert thinkers and their ideas shared within the space. What a gift! Maybe on my next trip to Cambridge, MA.
What museums get your mind buzzing?
What places do you find yourself lingering and soaking everything up?
A Visit to the Art Gallery of Alberta
I love visiting art galleries. It is one of my favorite things to do. Typically, I either leave inspired or disappointed, sometimes neutral. I use the word ‘inspired’ when I’ve seen some truly interesting work that revs me up to get into my own studio, regardless of whether the artwork I saw was paintings, sculpture, photography or instillation art, – or – ‘disappointed’ because I failed to connect with the curator’s vision or the work simply didn’t speak to me.
Claude Tousignant, “Gong” 1966, acrylic on canvas, The Double Bind: Conversations Between Modernism and Postmodernism
Art is so personal. It’s okay to love it – just like it’s okay to hate it. Different art forms/artists/concepts/etc. speak to different people, each in their own unique way.
My recent visit to the Art Gallery of Alberta was a mix. The Jack Bush exhibit was fascinating and I learned so much. I’m eager to find a biography of Bush’s life. If anyone has read a good one, please let me know! The Modern/Postmodern show was a bit confusing. The description to differentiate the successive artistic periods was excellent, but I was hoping the visuals exhibited would bring the words to life. Unfortunately, the gallery room was a bit sparse.
Jack Bush
May 30 – August 23, 2015
The Double Bind: Conversations Between Modernism and Postmodernism
May 2 – September 13, 2015
If you make it out to any of the Art Gallery of Alberta shows, let me know what you think!
Have you seen any interesting exhibits lately?
Here are some photos from the visit:
Jack Bush exhibit at the Art Gallery of Alberta
The Double Bind: Conversations Between Modernism and Postmodernism
Sculpture by Barbara Hepworth, The Double Bind: Conversations Between Modernism and Post Modernism, Art Gallery of Alberta
Brian Jungen, “Companion” 2013, steel, deer hide, Audi fenders, freezer
