I'm spending days watching and listening to people, cities and different neighborhoods, going through places and discovering small things, trying to feel the atmosphere, more contemplative than critical (although this impulse awakes every time I enter any art space).
Za početak, pesma švedskog benda Hello Saferide o San Francisku, ilustrovana sa video posetom dve korejske turistkinje: http://vimeo.com/29874457 Dovoljno da se zagrebe raznolikost grada.
Trg Ujedinjenih nacija - mesto gde su UN nastale 1945.
For beginning, a song by Swedish band Hello Saferide about San Francisco, illustrated by a visit from two Korean tourists. Enough to scratch the diversity of the city.
United nations plaza - a place where UN were initiated in 1945.
Po gradu...
Around the city...
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| Crkva Sv. Ignjacija / Church of St. Ignatius |
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| Umetnost treba da pruži utehu uznemirenima i da uznemiri utešene (The art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable), Eclair Bandersnatch |
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| Pogled ka ostrvu i zatvoru Alkatraz / A view towards the island and jail Alcatraz |
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| Crkva Sv. Petra i Pavla / St. Peter and Paul's |
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| Soliter Transamerička piramida / Tranamerican pyramid |
Prvi muzej koji sam posetio u SF je Azijski umetnički muzej (Asian Art Museum) koji se nalazi tik na Trgu Ujedinjenih nacija. Posvećen najvažnijim kulturama azijskog kontinenta, ima zanimljivu strukturu stalne postavke. Pre svega, prolazak kroz kolekcije je mahom pravolinijski - kreće se od najvišeg, trećeg sprata, i silazi se do prizemlja. Ne postoji mešanje u smislu višestrukih ulaza/izlaza, osim ako se ne napravi predah i obiđe centralna (Samsung) sala ovog neoklasicističkog zdanja. Kolekcije su raspoređene prema geografskim odrednicama datih kultura, a zatim i hronološki. Unutar toga se često nalaze male celine, u odnosu npr. na materijale korišćene za izradu (porcelan, žad), specifične običaje (japanski ritual pijenja čaja) ili topografske celine (palata ili hram). Neki natpisi se ponavljaju u više sala (npr. glavne karakteristike Budizma). Većina sala je osvetljena prigušenim svetlima, numerisana i veće celine se razlikuju drugačijom bojom pozadine zidova.
The first museum I've visited in SF was the Asian Art Museum just on UN plaza. Dedicated to most important cultures of the Asian continent, it has a interesting way how to present it's permanent collection. First of all, the walk is mostly linear - from highest, third floor, to ground level. There are no multiple entrances/exits, unless one makes a brake and enters the central (Samsung) hall of this neoclassical building. Collections are formed according to geography of each culture, and then also chronologically. Within there are small showcases, focused to e.g. materials used (porcelain, jade), specific customs (Japanese tea drinking ritual) or topographical wholes (e.g. main characteristics of Buddhism). Most of the halls have adjusted lights, are numerated and the main ones are differed also by the color of the background.
Ono što mi se učinilo zanimljivo je i da unutar ove strukture (geografija-kulture-hronologija) postoji još jedna podela, koja je vidljiva po natpisima svake sale. Numerizaciju svake sale (nazivanih galerijama) prati ime kolekcije (prema donatorima ili vlasnicima predmeta). Pored toga, imena osnivačkih ili stalnih finansijskih donatora i sponzora (pretpostavljam) su takođe vidljivi u većini sala-galerija, kao i na ulazu u muzej (slike ispod). Muzeji, kao načelno neprofitne institucije (koje ipak nalaze načina da zarađuju npr. izdavanjem prostora), pri tom često skupe (bilo da je reč o vrednosti umetničkih dela ili njihovom čuvanju), itekako zavise od finansijske podrške koja nije isključivo državna. Na ovoj listi godišnjih donatora je vidljivo učešće ne samo državnih institucija i korporativne filantropije, već i velikog broja privatnih lica. Muzeji u SAD su ovu transformaciju doživeli pre nekoliko decenija, što je u Srbiji još uvek proces u tranziciji (najblaže rečeno).
What's interesting for me is that within this structure (geography-culture-chronology) there is also one sub-categorization, visible through inscriptions of every hall. Numeration of each (called galleries) is followed by the name of the collection (according to donors or ex owners). Besides, the names of founding and regular donors and sponsors (I guess) are also visible in these small halls-galleries, as well as in the museum's entrance (photos below). Museums, as primarily nonprofit institutions (which do find ways how to make money by e.g. space rent), as well as expensive (whether related to the value of artworks or their protection), are very dependent from financial support which is not just state based. On this list of annual donors once could notice the high presence of state institutions and corporative philanthropy, but also a number of private sponsors. Museums in USA have undergone this transformation several decades ago, which in Serbia is still in transition (to put it mildly).
U prizemlju se nalazi muzejska prodavnica, edukativni prostor, lobi i nekoliko galerija sa privremenim izložbama. SF Muzej moderne umetnosti je nažalost ovom prilikom bio zatvoren zbog rekonstrukcije (privremene, a ne dugoročne bez naznaka kraja), ali je deo njihove kolekcije bio izložen u Azijskom umetničkom muzeju, kroz izložbu Gorgeous. Ova izložba je, bez rezervi prema tematici, kulturi, materijalu, tehnikama, geografskim ili vremenskim odrednicama, obuhvatila niz dela koja orbitiraju - bilo ilustrativno ili konfliktno - oko pojma velelepnog i različitim percepcijama istog.
On ground floor there's a museum shop, education space, lobby and several temporary exhibitions galleries. SF Museum of modern art was unfortunately closed this time due to reconstruction (temporarily, not indefinite), but part of their collection was visible in Asian art museum, via exhibition Gorgeous. This display, without reserve to themes, cultures, materials, techniques, geographical or time limits, has included a variety of artworks which orbits - as an illustration or almost a conflict - around the term gorgeous and different ways of perceiving it.
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| Dišanova fontana / Duchamp's "Fountain" is gorgeous too... |
Za mene je jedan od najzanimljivijih delova stalne postavke bila posebna, privremena soba posvećena razumevanju duhovnog pojma mandala, koji potiče iz Hinduizma i Budizma. Naime, kroz instalaciju, postavku umetničkih dela, natpise i video snimak, kustosi muzeja su sagradili trodimenzionalni i imaginarni nacrt mandale. Znaci na podu prikazuju kružnu, spoljašnju granicu mandale, koja u sebi sadrži kvadrat i ponovo manji krug u sredini.
One of the most interesting part of the museum's display was a special, temporarily room focused on understanding the spiritual concept of mandala, which originates from Hinduism and Buddhism. Via installation, setting of artworks, inscriptions and video, museum curators have build a 3D and imaginary scheme of mandala. Floor plan shows a circular, outer border of the mandala, with a square and a smaller circle inside of it.
Putanja je unapred zadata za posetioce (koji žele da je prate), kroz četiri strane sveta oličene u kvadratu i praćene predstavama Bude kao "kapija" za ulazak u središte mandale. Ovaj interaktivan i edukativan momenat izložbe na direktan način objašnjava koncept mandale, opredmećen, ali i ostavljen delom da se "sastavi" u umovima posetioca. Više o ovome možete videti na sajtu Ulazak u mandalu - kosmički centri i mentalne mape himalajskog Budizma (Enter the mandala - cosmic centers and mental maps of Himalayan Buddhism).
The travel is set in advance for visitors wishing to follow it, through four parts of the world represented on square's sides and followed by representations of Buddha as "gates" to the center of mandala. This interactive and educative moment of the exhibition directly communicates the concept of mandala, reconstructed in space, but also left to be "build" in the minds of visitors. More about this you can see at Enter the mandala - cosmic centers and mental maps of Himalayan Buddhism.
Sasvim slučajno, naleteo sam na Međunarodni umetnički muzej Amerike (International Art Museum of America). Dugo vremena mi se nije desilo da uđem u muzej s nekim očekivanjima i izađem potpuno zbunjen. Naravno, poseta "na slepo" garantuje nepredvidljivost. Muzej, i pored svog naziva, je 90% posvećen radovima H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, čoveka koji navodi da je reinkarnacija Bude i čija se bista nalazi na ulazu u stalnu kolekciju. Izložba navodi da je on "napravio" 16 novih stilova u umetnosti i da, kao takav, predstavlja jedinstven primer umetnika u istoriji. Uz pojedine radove su istovremeno izloženi i istorijski primeri koji verovatno treba da dokažu poštovanje (mahom azijskih umetničkih) tradicija, međutim lebdi osećaj da li se radi o kreativnoj reinterpretaciji istorijskih stilova, kopiranju ili preuzimanju (aproprijaciji) tehnika različitih perioda... Zbunjenosti o Autorstvu (sa velikim A) doprinose i legende uz radove koje spiritualno-poetskim tonom pokušavaju da približe ovu raznolikost, a konfuziju dodatno pojačavaju nasumično postavljeni radovi američkih/evropskih slikara XVIII i XIX veka. Simpatičan članak o muzeju možete videti ovde.
By chance, I've also been in the International Art Museum of America. For a long time I haven't had an impression to walk in a museum with one set of assumptions and leave totally confused. Of course, blind-visit guarantees only unpredictability. Museum, conflicting its title, is 90% devoted to the works of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, a person who claims that he's a reincarnation of Buddha and whose bust is facing the visitors at the beginning of the permanent collection. The exhibition informs us that he "made" 16 new art styles and, as such, presents an unique example in world art history. With certain works there were also exhibited historical examples which probably should show respect to various (mostly Asian artistic) traditions, but there's a constant feeling of questioning: is this what I see a creative interpretation of historical styles, copying or appropriation of different techniques... This confusion about Authorship is additionally strengthen with inscriptions with spiritual-poetic undertones, and also a shuffle of USA/European paintings from XVIII and XIX centuries. A nice article about it you can read here.
Na severo-zapadu SF se nalazi Golden gate park (koji se, i pored svog naziva, ne nalazi uz istoimeni most), u kome se nalazi čitav set muzeja, bašti, skulptura i sl. Moja kratka poseta je bila usmerena na De Young muzej posvećen primenjenim umetnostima (uz svoj parnjak Legion of honor).
On North-West of SF there's a large green rectangle called Golden gate parc (which, opposing its name, is not by Golden gate bridge), with numerous museums, gardens, sculpture parks etc. My short visit was focused towards De Young museum dedicated to applies arts (with its pair Legion of honor).
Za razliku od Azijskog muzeja, ovaj muzej je znatno otvoreniji za istraživanja posetioca u smisli višestrukih ulaza, izlaza i preplitanja izložbi. Međutim, ova "sloboda" mi je na trenutke smetala, i to ne zbog iznenađenja kada u okviru privremenih izložbi od apstrakcije preko umetničkih zanata dođete do murala Teotihuacan-a. Početak i kraj svake izložbe je određen manje postavkom umetničkih dela, koliko natpisima i "pričom" - koji morate da "ulovite" ako se prepustite lutanju. Možda mi je ovaj osećaj bio pojačan i ogromnošću unutrašnjosti samog muzeja...
Unlike the Asian art museum, this one is much more open for visitors' explorations, meaning having multiple entrances, exits and exhibitions' intersections. But, this "freedom" seemed to me at moments confusing, and not when in situations like while going through temporary exhibitions from abstraction painting and contemporary art & crafts you end up at Teotihuacan's murals. Starting and ending points of each exhibition were less depending on the setting, while the essential guidelines were the inscriptions and the "story" - which needed to be "grabbed" if one's exploring around. Maybe this feeling was just caused by the grandness of the interior...
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| Frank Stella: Lettre sur les aveugles II (1974) |
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| Anthony Friedkin: The Gay Essay |
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| El Anatsui: Hovor II (2004) |
Svidelo mi se da umesto da prođem kroz klasičnu istoriju umetnosti (koja je dostupnija u većini velikih muzeja), obiđem kolekcije obe Amerike (kulture pre dolaska evropljana), Okeanije i umetnosti afričkog kontinenta.
Instead going to the classical (Western) art history (available almost everywhere I've been), I liked seeing the collection of both Americas (before the contact with Europeans), Oceania and art of Africa.
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| Medved u šamanističkoj transformaciji / Bear in shamanistic transformation, David Ruben Piqtoukun |
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| Lines on a horizon: Native American art from the Weisel family collection |
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| Oceanic art collection |
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| I ponovo malo donatora... more donators! |
Kolekcija različitih kultura Afrike je postavljena uz dve napomene - jedna se tiče generalizacije celog kontinenta i traženja zajedničkih imenitelja svih predstavljenih (tradicionalnih) kultura.
Collection of various African cultures is set with two important guidelines - one speaks about the generalization of the whole continent and trying to find the mutual denominators of all presented (traditional) cultures.
Druga je vredna napomena da su izloženi predmeti tradicionalnih zajednica postali umetnički uvođenjem u galerijsko-muzejski svet, dok njihova prvobitna uloga nija bila umetnička per se, niti namenjena izlaganju. I pored današnje opšteprihvaćenosti ovog stava u struci, bilo mi je zanimljivo da se ovaj mali doprinos samo-refleksiji nalazi na samoj izložbi.
The second one brings forward the narrative that exhibited objects of traditional communities have become art just after their introduction into the gallery-museum world, while their original role was not artistic per se, neither conceived to be showcased in that way. Apart from general acceptance of this attitude in the profession, I found this small piece of self-reflection interesting on the exhibition itself.
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| Da, ovo je kovčeg u obliku ploda kakaa... Yup, cacao shaped burial chest (Kane Kwei) |
I pored raznolikosti predmeta grupisanih po celinama (tematski - maske sa životinjama, oltari, dvojne figure predaka, itd), ova postavka ostaje ograničena izlaganjem pojedinačnih predmeta iza staklenih vitrina gde se ne primećuje (osim u tekstu) u kojoj meri je korišćenje predmeta zavisilo od više elemenata rituala. Maska Sirige (koja deluje nezamisliva na glavi zbog svoje visine), npr. naroda Dogon iz Malija, je deo celine koju čini i kostim, plesač, ukrasi na telu, muzika, i ostali predmeti i učesnici rituala. Bez njih, maska deluje usamljeno, lišena saznanja konteksta upotrebe... Za sada, još uvek u potrazi za boljim pristupom.
Apart from the variety of objects grouped by unity (themes - animal masks, altars, double ancestor figures, etc), this setting remains limited by exhibiting singular objects behind glass showcases, thus not providing visuals grounds (although this is mentioned in the inscriptions) and showing how much the objects' use depended on several ritual factors. Mask Sirige (which seems unbelievable on player's head because of its height), e.g, from Dogon people of Mali, is part of a whole together with a costume, a dancer, body decorations, music, and other objects and participants of the ritual. Stripped bare of these elements, the mask seems lonely, lacking the knowledge of the original context... For now, still looking for the better approach.
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| Dogonske maske Sirige i Kanaga / Dogon masks |
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| Maska slona iz tri ugla, narod Igbo, Nigerija / Elephant mask from three angles, Igbo, Nigeria |
Toliko o ovoj, pretežno muzejskoj poseti i podužem blogu. Inače, red je i da pustim jedan od SF bendova.
So much for this, mostly museum orientated visit to SF and a longer blog entry. It's already time to play one of SF's bands.
Jefferson Airplane: Somebody to love.
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