A Man at the Museum

Photo essay: Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

by Sid Sarshar
18-Oct-2009
 
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Marjan about #38

by Sid Sarshar on


masoudA

Art Got Killed in California?

by masoudA on

I like modern art at times - but what the hell is this??????  and I am not just reffering to the dicks and dykes. 


IRANdokht

ok then

by IRANdokht on

Maybe the second time I read it, I got your point then! I thought you were interchanging nudity and sex, but when I read it again I didn't see it that way.

:o)  my bad!

IRANdokht


Anonymouse

ID I didn't change my comment.

by Anonymouse on

Everything is sacred.


IRANdokht

Sid

by IRANdokht on

Thanks for the pictures! Although I am not into modern arts, I liked your idea of a Cathedral... 

Anonymouse, 

I guess you changed your commentso nevermind :o)

 

IRANdokht


Anonymouse

To be honest I didn't even notice the children in those photos

by Anonymouse on

To be honest I didn't even notice the children in those photos in the beginning.  After reading your comment I took another look and noticed them.

I agree with you on the parenting reaction but in this particular case I think we'll have to agree to disagree.  In my case I'd pass on the photo exhibits and if a 6 year looks at my computer while I'm watching nude photos, I'll change the screen and play with the kid instead.

I don't even know what a 6 year old "thinks" or "supposed to think" about sex photos.  Do you?

As for "modern" art museums getting crowds, they get far less than other "non-modern" museums.  Not that there is anything wrong with it! LOL 

I too like the less crowds in any venue, but that is another point.

Everything is sacred.


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mouse.....

by Sid Sarshar on

What reaction do I expect from the child?  In my case I was expecting my daughter to shout “mommy mommy, dad is looking at pictures of people with no close on the computer” :)

 

I don’t know if you are a parent or not.  When a child falls down, the first reaction is to look at the parent to see if something bad happened.  If the parent shows distress, the child cry’s,  If the parent jokes about the incident, the child will get up and laugh.  The idea is the child’s judgment on what is ok and not, is greatly influenced by the parents reactions and judgments. 

 

Just a side note that MOMA can get very crowded.  I don’t like crowded museums, so I paid a visit on a slow day.  I also purposely keep unwanted subjects out of the photographs.


yolanda

.......

by yolanda on

Thank you, Anonymouse, for your post! I agree with you totally!

Last time I visited an Art museum was several years ago, I went to LA Art museum for King Tut exhibits. It was very crowded with adults, children, and families. I waited for a long time to get in. After I got in, I found out that visitors could only spend 15 minutes in each exhibit hall......the business was great (a boom!) and the exhibits were very popular. Of course, I can't compare King Tut's artifacts with this museum's art collection....

 

This San Francisco museum seems to have scarce visitors from photos shown here.  I wonder why...? 


Anonymouse

Sid, 'children young as what?'!

by Anonymouse on

Assuming they were 6, what would be an abnormal reaction for the 6 year old?  To shy away? Maybe they did in the beginning but you weren't there to see it.

I don't understand the whole "normality" comment.  I don't think showing nude pictures to children is "normal".  The musem doesn't say don't bring children, but if it was me, I'd pass the nude photos if I had a 6 year old with me.  I don't mean any disrespect. 

Everything is sacred.


yolanda

......

by yolanda on

not a lot of visitors

 

thanks,

 


Marjan Zahed Kindersley

yolanda

by Marjan Zahed Kindersley on

"...but museum business with nude men's pictures is a bust!"

 

What kind of "bust" do you mean? 


Ari Siletz

Well put, Sid

by Ari Siletz on

"In a way, museums are exempt from normal social and judicial restrictions...For me, museums are like a cathedral for ideas and tolerance. "

yolanda

.

by yolanda on

.


khaleh mosheh

Numero ocho

by khaleh mosheh on

Me thinks its awfully cold out there.


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Museum or a Cathedral?

by Sid Sarshar on

I have always enjoyed visiting museums.  Typically museums are located in a stimulating and peaceful building. The other day as I was visiting MOMA (Museum of Modern Art), I stood in front of a glass wall on the 5th floor overlooking other buildings in downtown San Francisco, contemplating that some of the thoughts and ideas presented in various forms at the MOMA, would face scrutiny if they are moved 2 feet on the other side of this glass wall (image 27).  The architect created an atmosphere which blurs the lines between the museum and it’s surrounding.  In a way, museums are exempt from normal social and judicial restrictions.  You can display a nude picture in the museum, but move it one foot outside of its walls, and you are now breaking a law.  For me, museums are like a cathedral for ideas and tolerance.  This is a very powerful component of our society to allow limits be stretched and ideas expressed.

 

The nude pictures are not the subject, but the normality which Parents and small children were expressing in the room was noticeable.

 

Later that day as I was downloading these images my 6 year old daughter walked in the room.  For a second I was conflicted.  Then my attention was drawn to my daughters face to see if she noticed the pictures.  She took a couple of glances at the monitor, but since I showed no reaction, she quickly moved on to the activity on hand.   Would I have reacted the same if I had not experienced seeing other families with small children in the room where the nudes were on display?


Marjan Zahed Kindersley

Fun shots

by Marjan Zahed Kindersley on

1,17,18,20,22,24,28,30

Thanks for sharing the "show".

 

What is no 38?


Anonymouse

Naked beautiful girl would change my mind,it is not "modern" art

by Anonymouse on

Everything is sacred.


jamh

How about a naked beautiful

by jamh on

How about a naked beautiful girl? Would that change your mind?


Cost-of-Progress

It's probably just me

by Cost-of-Progress on

because apparently I am not very cultured in this sense, but how does a blown up picture of some guys with their dicks hanging out count as "art"?


Anonymouse

Have you noticed museums of "modern arts" are never crowded?!

by Anonymouse on

Everything is sacred.