The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Another excellent weekend! After sleeping in and lounging around the house for a while I decided that i had better get outside and get moving, so I hopped on the train and decided to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met, for short). Again, like all of my other weekend adventures, the museum did not let down!

For general admission it is $20, but for students it is only $10 - yes! I've noticed that at museums around here you don't pay for admission. The sales clerks always say, "It is suggested that you make a $10 donation. Is that ok?" This time I asked the guy what would happen if I said that I didn't want to pay $10. He told me that he would just ask how much I wanted to pay and then that is what I would pay. So apparently they can't charge you, but prefer that you make the suggested donation. I think that you car really say that you don't want to make a donation and they would still have to let you in. I would try it, but $10 is nothing for a nice day in a lovely air conditioned building.

Upon entrance I went directly to the gift shop to get some postcards, which I still need to write on and mail out. I also bought two rocking blue bracelets... well I bought one at the beginning, then another one later when I decided that they would look rad as cuffs. Anyways, after that quick stop I entered that galleries. I started with the Egyptian Wing. It was full of art, sarcophaguses (or sarcophagi, whatever you prefer), sculptures, and actual walls from some of the buildings and tombs in Egypt. The Egyptian Wing was certainly one of my favorite parts of the Museum (along with Islamic, Asian, and Oceanic Art). It still creeps me out a little that we dig up bodies that have been entombed for thousands of years. Seems so disrespectful. I wonder if there will be any creatures around to to the same to us in a few thousand years. Another thing I found interesting were the ancient flip-flops on display. I guess it's true - some things never go out of style!

After the Egyptians came the American Wing....zzzzzz.... snooze. I didn't much like the over the top furnishings and huge beds... there wasn't really much art, mostly just artifacts, I guess you would call them. Early American artifacts. I went through there pretty fast and made my way through Medieval Art and on to European Sculpture and Decorative Art. I went through those two sections rather quickly. Then came a small Modern Art section, which was ok. Next was Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas - kind of an odd group to cluster together, but whatever, it was one of my favorite areas! I took some good photos in that area but when I got home some of the photos were destroyed! I was a little upset over loosing a few really good photos, oh well though, no use in staying upset. Anyways, I thought the Ambrym Silt Gongs were really neat, and really huge! They are one of the largest freestanding musical instruments on earth and can carry sound for miles enabling them to be used for communication over very long distances - even, in some cases, between islands! All of the colorful headgear and costumes were neat as well.

The last section of the first floor was the Greek and Roman Art. The art was nice but what I enjoyed even more were the sculptures. They are all so big and beautiful and all with such detail. Just as I do with art work (and sarcophaguses), I like to look at the expressions on the faces of the sculptures, well the ones who still have faces anyways.

After finishing my tour of the first floor I went on up to the second floor where I spent most of my time in the Asian Art area. I especially liked the Ancient Near Eastern Art, Islamic Art, and South Asian Art sections. Upstairs there was also sections for Cypriotic, Central Asian, Korean, Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Japanese Art, along with more American and Modern Art.

Two Cut Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh

Another area that I spent a lot of time in was the European Paintings Hall. That is where I saw my very first real life Vincent van Gogh painting, who, up until this point, has been my favorite painter with his "Starry Night," (Starry Night is not in the Met, but is at the MoMa, where I will go this coming weekend) but after seeing some Monet I think Mr. van Gogh has some serious competition in vying for the favorite spot in my book. There were two paintings that I absolutely adored, but the descriptions of them were among the photos that never made it out of my camera, so now I don't know their titles or the painter... maybe you can help? You can see them here and here.

Currently, there is Pablo Picasso exhibit going on at the Met. It is quite large and shown many of his famous works as well as many of his lesser known works that he created throughout this life. There was even one, called Erotic Scene, finished in 1982, that Picasso himself disowned and is now on display for the first time ever, well since April 2010. That painting was getting quite a lot of attention and elicited more than a few giggles. I'd say my favorite Picasso painting that is saw was Guitar and Clarinet on a Mantelpiece (1915). I also enjoyed The Dreamer (1932) and Bacchanal with Kid and Spectator (1959).

Erica on the roof of the Met

After spending some time admiring all of the artwork at the museum I must say that I think I enjoy bright, vivid colors but I also enjoy a good neutral colored painting, especially ones with blues (such as uitar and Clarinet on a Mantelpiece). I also found that I like Pointillism very much.

Once I had seen everything I began heading for the exit when I recalled seeing a sign that pointed to an elevator to the rooftop garden - there is not way I was going to miss a rooftop garden! And good thing too, it was spectacular!!! The Met, you see, is in Central Park, so the view from the roof looks over the park towards downtown Manhattan. What an incredible view and there was a nice breeze blowing - just perfect. I decided that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a cool drink on the roof of the Met, because really how often will I get that chance. I put down $12 for a deliciously fruity martini, walked to the edge and stood drinking in the flavors, the view, the breeze, and the wonderful day.

Metropolitain Museum of Art rooftop view