WEDNESDAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE | MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES I’VE VISITED

I’m not a huge art gallery and museum person, so most of the ones I’ve visited I’ve either been dragged to by my parents or I’ve visited because of a particular artist, or I like the building. The best building I’ve been to is the British Museum – I love the curved glass roof – not only because it’s stunning to stand under, but because it’s awesome to experiment as an amateur photographer! I don’t remember much about the actual museum, though. Lots of old stuff. An art gallery I remember going to while traveling was the Van Gogh Museum in Holland, which had both Van Gogh and Picasso pieces on display when I visited. I was captivated by the emotional response I had to a painting called The Good Samaritan, but I remember just being mildly confused by most of the Picasso pieces. My all time favourite Van Gogh piece is Starry Night, completely unoriginally. I don’t think it was at the Van Gogh Museum, but I did get a notebook with that painting as the cover during that trip, so that’s the connection.

I’ve been to the Tate Modern (mostly because I was nearby and it was free I think) but I don’t remember much. I have been to the Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) many times because it’s my local gallery, but the only exhibit I was excited to see was Frida Kahlo. Her pieces were so much smaller than I had expected, but still had a huge emotional impact. Her imagery is so vibrant, yet so viscerally representative of pain. You can feel her every emotion in her pieces. I love her work because of it.

I’m glad to have had these experiences – access to museums and art are very important for beginning to understand our histories and the massive range of art human beings are able to create. I will also say, however, that there is amazing art to be found outside of galleries, too. I have spent most of my life peering down alleyways, and have seen some of my favourite pieces on an otherwise unremarkable wall above a dumpster. Artists can be found all over the place.

What about you guys? Which galleries or museums have you visited and enjoyed? Which do you still want to get to? Which are your favourite historical periods to explore in museums, and who are your favourite artists? Any other street art fans out there?

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