 NYC #1: My brother, my dad and I went to see the Picasso - Matisse exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art at its temporary location in Queens. We were told that we would have to stand there in the rain for 4 hours to get in, but my brother recognized someone he knew who worked there and she worked some magic to get us in right away. It felt cool to be connected. You may guess from reading this that this type of thing never happens to me and you would be right. If you are an ordinary human, you have to go in the morning to pick up timed tickets for the afternoon.
It was the art history course I never had. I usually have enough capacity to be moved by one piece of art in a museum show and then I am done. That was the case here. The explanation of Picasso's Demoiselles D'Avignon and the effect that piece had on the art world and especially on Mattisse took my breath away. The exhibit had little head phones for everyone and the curators did a good job comparing and contrasting the two painters. For me, the emotions I get from a painting are secondary and only available after I am informed of the history of the painting. The fact that this painting blew everyones mind in its day brings tears to my eyes. I can't really explain why. Those watershed historical breakthroughs, be it of science, literature, art or politics really take me away.
11:44:40 AM 
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