Modern Art: A Day at the Centre Pompidou
Having greatly neglected the treasure troves of art around this city, I resolved yesterday to visit the Centre Pompidou this morning with a friend. The Pompidou hosts a public libraryand cinema, but mostly famously a wonderful collection of modern art. The building itself can be considered a work of art (modern, that is) in itself. Built as though the building were inside out, the most striking features are the variously colored pipes. As it turns out these are just as practical as they are aesthetically pleasing; blue pipes funnel cool air, yellow contain electric wires, and red mark the tunnels through which people move.
The museum is on the 4th and 5th floors of the center and boasts a truly remarkable collection of art. Mediums range from pastels to recycled car parts; subjects may be your classic nude woman, or perhaps it is a grand piano wrapped in a bland grey covering; the presentation may be a simple portrait, or you may be to walk into a room insulated with large felt rolls so as to become a part of the art.
Most of the art did not speak to me. I adore Renaissance art and the glorification of human beings. Modern art, however, seemed to me to deal more with patterns and colors than with tangible subjects. In my estimation, it tries to capture an emotion whereas Renaissance art tries to capture an idea.
My friend, Lindsay, however, prefers modern art. While not as technically gifted as say Da Vince or Micheangelo, she argued, modern artists create something from nothing. It is impossible to imagine the designs they create in their work, whereas anyone can picture the ideal man such as The David. I countered with my observation that if I were to sit down in front of many of the paintings in the Pompidou for an hour I could get no more out of it than I would with my initial impression. She assented, but argued that that is part of the beauty of the art.
There were many incredible pieces in the exhibition though. I saw Picasso, Dali, and Braque. Cubism started to appeal to me as I meandered through a room comparing Picasso and Braque as friends and as artists. I hope to revisit and test my 1-hour theory some time in the near future. Until then I’ll just try to learn more about and appreciate this very different form of art!
