brooklyn gal for a while

Yesturday TS and I joined the MET. I am so excited. I mean this MUST be something a true NYer does, yes?

Actually, we partially joined so we wont feel so daunted by the treck to 82nd st and will go more often.

While I was hoping to see the couture collection, that of course had just closed, we ended up wandering through the modern art section, drawn in by the craft movement exhibit. One of the many Picassos on display is this painting of Gertrude Stein. While wandering through we learned there was a class to start soon, called discovering art, or seeing the big picture, or something like that. Interested, we joined the group.

Our fearless leader, an artist herself as she let us know right away, brought us first to this painting. She discribed, in detail, the orientation of the painting (the group is for people who may not be able to pick up all the specifics of various art peices). One thing she pointed out that I did not pick up on my own, is the orientation of Stein's hands on her lower body and the sense of roundness of her back . . . as if she was about to get up. The other thing our instructor mentioned was that during this time Picasso was studying African face masks. When you know that, and look back at her face, one can see the influence of the mask on her "flat" features.

All and all, I hope we go to the next one in April, about Gaudi and Dali in Barcelona . . . its definitly a more thorough approach to gallery gazing . . . although hopefully we will get a more swiftly moving groups.