On Friday, I took my good friend Chris who was visiting from my hometown to the Guggenheim Museum. On Fridays you get to pay what you want (in our case $5 each) instead of the full $18 admission. At the Guggenheim you can view works from such Masters as Picasso, Renoir, Degas and many, many more. There are also temporary exhibits that usually last a few months. In one instance of temporary exhibits, you will find one photographer named Catherine Opie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Opie). She is a shock photographer. She has crisp photos that make you step closer to look at the detail. For instance, her surfer photos are amazing. This surfer photo (http://www.shag-ny.com/3%20Water/opie_surfer.jpg) is like seven feet tall and the surfer is almost minute on the canvas. You have to step in to truly see the surfer floating in the great expanse.
Chris and I made our way through the surfer exhibit, the ice fisher exhibits and several other Opie pieces. We, like the other patrons of the Guggenheim, would lean in to evaluate the piece and make observations. Until… The last of her pieces to be displayed were at the top floor of the Guggenheim (keep in mind that you are walking up a spiral when visiting this museum) in the back room, next to the elevators that take you to the lobby. As we walked in I was taken by surprise by a seven foot picture of a rather large man’s nude backside. And though I can not find a representation of it online, one of the other photos from the collection would be this one (http://www.artistswithaids.org/artery/centerpieces/opie/opie_cutting.html). The man I reference would be the one BEING cut. In awe, I stood at this photo, amazed at the enormity of it. Wondering why it is considered art. What is the meaning behind it. And who would hang this in their living room, over their mantel. Suddenly, to my left, I hear a gasp and a deep chuckle from Chris as he happened upon another piece from this collection. The picture says more than I could possibly describe: Pearls (http://www.artistswithaids.org/artery/centerpieces/opie/opie_pearls.jpg). Yep, you are seeing correctly. That is a rather huge tattooed man with pearls in his buttocks. It would suffice to say that we wrapped up our tour of the Guggenheim at this photo and headed for the exit. (At least there is one more item off my bucket list…lol)
Added 2016-11-17:
Thoughts and Ponderances 