The other day I was on a tour with a visitor from England who commented on what we Atlantans consider an "historic" building. She was referring to the Swan House, built in 1928.
OK, so 1928 wasn't that long ago, but we're a young country and Atlanta is an even younger city, especially considering how much of the city was burned during the Civil War. Remember, we're called "The New South," so a lot of the surviving antebellum (pre-Civil War) buildings and artifacts are indeed "historic" to us.
Check the Phoenix Flies website for available days and times and remember that some of the tours require reservations, some do not (most of the walking tours do not). It's going to be a gorgeous weekend so get our and explore our beautiful, new (and historic) city.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
If the buildings of Atlanta were stars, the High Museum of Art would shine the brightest.
I've been visiting the High since 1987 and it was spectacular even then. Its 2005 expansion, an addition of three Renzo Piano-designed buildings that doubled the size of the museum, was remarkably complimentary to the existing Meier building.
The High offers a variety of tours ranging from a daily 1:00 p.m. highlights tour to tailored group tours. I personally recommend a visit to the High for any and all art lovers, architecture enthusiasts, and anyone wanting to experience one of the more uniquely beautiful destinations in Atlanta.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
The exhibition, at Oglethorpe University, features 50 modern and contemporary works by 28 artists from India, created since independence from British colonial rule in 1947. The exhibition artists represented include some of the biggest names, including many women, in the Indian art scene.
Coming from another tourATLANTA research excursion, I arrived about 30 minutes after the opening reception had started, but in plenty of time to enjoy the impressive event.
Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest
There was a great crowd of visitors, more than I expected. Some were from Oglethorpe, many regulars (I presume), and quite a few more who heard about the exhibit from various sources.
The reception was quite lovely. Admission was free and there were complimentary beverages (wine, beer, soda, water) and an impressive, delicious spread of Indian cuisine, created by Oglethorpe catering. Food for the fundraising Gala the evening the before was provided by local Indian restaurants.
Rebecca, quite enthusiastically, regaled us with the origin of the exhibition and her work with Shelley and Donald Rubin.
Her favorite, although she noted more than one, is an untitled piece by Ganesh Pyne. A drawing of black, white, and gray pastels, the depiction of Hanuman, the monkey-god who played a pivotal role in the rescuing of the God Rama’s wife, is a rather profound drawing that evokes a curious mood.
Rebecca's Presentation
After the presentation Rebecca answered a number of questions from the audience…some great ones at that. One visitor asked about the popularity of modern art in India compared to the immense popularity of modern art in the United States.
The NGMA was first conceived in 1949, only two years after independence, in an effort to capture, preserve, and showcase the modern art of India.
One of the challenges Rebecca told us about that modern artists have, against the stereotype of Indian art, was how they were to express themselves in a modern manner while retaining their Indian heritage.
Goddess, Lion, Peasant, Priest
Based on the pieces Rebecca chose to share in this exhibition, I personally feel the artists have met that challenge with outstanding success.
The Rubins generously provided 1,000 copies of the exhibition catalog to be sold at $20 ($18 for museum members), which is a significant deal compared to the price for most exhibition catalogs. The proceeds from catalog sales are being contributed to the museum.
Dr. Brown was kind enough to autograph catalogs during the remainder of the reception and very kindly allowed me to make a photograph…it’s not every day I meet a curator of her stature, so I was honored by her graciousness.
I explored the exhibition before and after the presentation. The exhibition is presented in various themes.
"Untitled" by Seema Kohli
The demarcations in the pieces in the exhibition—a mere portion of the Rubins’ total collection of contemporary and modern Indian art—includes characters, inhabiting spaces urban and rural, and spiritual.
Within the galleries one will find depictions of a goddess, a lion, a peasant, and a priest, giving to the name of the exhibition.
My personal favorite, and judging by the crowds around it, is an untitled piece by Seema Kohli. The bright blues, reds, and oranges draw the eye and the detail revealed up close captures your attention sending your imagination on a journey of another land and different world.
Said of Kohli in the exhibition catalog:
“Throughout her work, Kohli explores the power of female energy within Indian culture, producing images overwhelming in their detail and yet clear in their multilayered message.”
A few other pieces that I like very much are Skin Grafted by Mahjabin Majumdar, Man on a Cane Chair (this one reminded me of Scrooge, explained by Sen’s dark humor) by Paritosh Sen, and Ascension by Arpana Caur.
Exhibition Visitors
This was my first Oglethorpe University Museum of Art reception, the first of many, I hope. I’d received invitations before, but for various reasons was unable to attend. I think that from now on, I’ll be rearranging my calendar so that I can attend…it was a wonderful way to spend an hour or two on a Sunday afternoon.
On other Sunday afternoons, there are docent-led tours.
Tours
Docent-led tours are available on Sundays at 2:00 p.m., which I highly recommend. Self-guided tours are available any other time during museum hours. If you’d like to further enhance your visit, stop by the gift shop for an exhibition catalog.
The Return
I’ve been to the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art…return again? Yes. At this point, I consider myself a “regular.” This museum’s collection and special exhibits are truly superb…any visit is certain to impress and impart a desire to return for their next exhibit.
Touring the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art
Date toured: Sunday, March 13, 2011 Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Location: 4484 Peachtree Road, NE (directions and map) Cost: $5 Parking: Free onsite parking Website: http://museum.oglethorpe.edu/
The Fabulous Fox Theatre is one of the crown jewels of Atlanta. On the brink of demolition in the 1970s, the 1929 Moorish and Egyptian themed grand theatre was saved at the behest of a powerful public outcry to Save the Fox.
Over the next few days, the public is being treated to free tours of the Fox, compliments of the Atlanta Preservation Center through their Phoenix Flies program.
The Fox can seat more than 4,600 guests and hosts approximately 750,000 annually. The Theatre is the site of concerts, special events, and the Coca-Cola Film Festival that features current Hollywood box office hits as well as globally loved classic films.
If you've ever wanted to be on TV, here's your chance: Next month, April 2011, the television show "America's Got Talent" will be taping in the Fox Theatre and they're giving away free tickets of the filming.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
There is all kinds of advice for tourists and of course most of it is based on the experience of the giver of said advice. One tip that I'd like to offer, as a tourist who always has a camera handy, is to always park at the top of a parking deck.
Especially in places like downtown Atlanta, when you park on the rooftop parking level, you often will have some incredible views of the city's skyline and some very unique views, that you just don't get at ground level, of various buildings, parks, and attractions.
The same goes for dining establishments with rooftop patios or rooftop bars, such as the AltoRex Rooftop Lounge at the Hotel Palomar in Midtown. Go to the top and enjoy the view. Your friends will call you 'hero' for making great photos of them in an ultra-hip atmosphere and you'll enjoy the skyline photos you snap during the same outing.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
The Center is also a mini-museum featuring a cockpit of a Delta airplane, interactive stations (several with video) conveying information about Atlanta's top tourist attractions such as Stone Mountain, and informative displays telling of Georgia's rich history, including cotton production (photo).
On this day in Georgia history, March 14, 1794, Eli Whitney secured a patent for the cotton gin, which he invented the year before while living in Georgia. The cotton gin (short for cotton engine) significantly changed the production rate of cotton eventually making the South a global provider of the staple, which came with pros and cons.
Today, Georgia continues to produce more cotton than any other state in the U.S., except for Texas.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
As with most, there are special events associated with this exhibition. Coming up next Sunday (March 20, 2011) is a viewing of the classic "The New Adventures of Wonder Woman," starring Lynda Carter. The following Sunday (March 27, 2011) there will be a viewing of "Snow in August," starring Stephen Rea.
As a special exhibition, Zap! Pow! Bam! is here for a short time. After it closes on Sunday, April 24, 2011, the exhibit will continue its worldly travels. I highly recommend this exhibit for everyone, but especially for comic book enthusiasts, history buffs, graphic designers, and anyone who just wants to have a little fun.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
