Millennium Park, Chicago
Took a day off yesterday; we wanted to see the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition at the Chicago Art Institute. It was OK, but it was typical in the way all of the institute’s exhibitions have been since they discovered – with the Monet exhibit – that blockbusters sell tickets and trinkets.
The exhibit was nice – there were some nice additions of contemporaries’ work mixed in – but it was your typical cattle drive. Just these big masses of people – most with the goddam recording tour blaring, so they pretty much just run over you – moving like a stream from room to room. That’s not how you view art. That’s how you say “I saw the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition!”
After seeing TL, we did a little wandering around the museum, and THAT was how it should be: Big, bright rooms; some crowds but not crowded; the ability to just stand back and see the Renoirs, Van Goghs and so on. Wonderful.
There was a great photo exhibit downstairs that tied in with the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition – I believe it was called Paris: Photographs from a Time That Was.
As the name implies, old pics of Paris. Atget (of course), Kertez, Cartier-Bresson and others I wasn’t familiar with (which is unusual for me). Great stuff, and a nice tie in.
The highlight of the day off was the weather: Slight breeze, about 75 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. Perfect-o!
Before and after the institute, we wandered through Millennium Park – first visit for both of us. Yeah, it was way over budget and way late opening, but it’s a nice space. The Bean – the huge Cloud Gate sculpture – has to be the most photographed object in Chicago now. Remarkable.
Had lunch at Heaven on Seven, and while it was the worst lunch we’ve ever had there, was still good. Get the gumbo!
Quick trip though my old neighborhood to rubberneck at some small stores and then hit the Coffee and Tea Exchange for a few pounds of killer caffine. Man that store smells great…
Still managed to finish up a stealth project for work, so it was a full day. Today, it’s back to the Same Old Same Old.
Still nice weather, however. About time. Now that it’s freakin’ October!