The Art Institute of Chicago according to Mimi and Indiana

I miss talking about art, this was so fun.

David Smith, Tanktotem I, 1952

Indiana:"I don't know what it's supposed to be..."
Me, gearing up with a explanation and defense of abstract art.
Indiana:"...but it's pretty cool."
Me, just fine with that.
_________

Gustave Caillebotte. Paris Street; Rainy Day, 1877.
Indiana:"I think those people are in NYC, oh wait, they're in Paris."
My guess is he thought the building was the Flat Iron building.
__________

Grant Wood, American Gothic, 1930, Oil on Beaver Board
Mimi:"Those people look sad."
__________

Georges Seurat, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte -- 1884, 1884-86
Me:"What do you see in this picture?"
Mimi:"A snow man."
__________

Me:"Why are they all naked?"
Mimi:"Because they are getting ready for a bath for 6 days."
__________

Edward Hopper, Nighthawks, 1942, Oil on canvas

Me:"What is the feeling in this painting?"

Indiana:"There is none."

Me:"Does it feel kinda lonely?"

Indiana:"Yeah, it's late they should be home asleep."

__________

I'll never understand why someone would go to a museum just to take pictures of works of art. Pictures already exist, especially now with the internet, you can see what the painting looks like in photo taken by a professional. Besides there are all sorts of copyright laws and stuff, and almost no one knows how to turn off their flash, just don't try, people!

But two people that day took pictures that I really liked.

1- a couple had their picture taken in front of a famous painting-- now that's a good vacation picture.

2-a man took pictures of people's faces as they looked at and crowed around a famous painting. He actually took a bunch of me with the kiddos while we were talking about Nighthawks. My hope is that he got my expression when Indiana told me the people in it should be asleep.