We next went over to the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. This was where I began my list of artists. There was a large contemporary art exhibit. In fact there were a couple. One that I believe was a permanent collection, and one which featured local artists. There were also older art pieces featured (a few of which I listed yesterday). The museum was large (probably the largest one I visited down there) and really focused heavily on modern art (something I felt some of the others didn't focus on enough). Some of the neatest exhibits was a collection of lunchboxes through the century. It was silly, but neat. What was really cool, was an exhibit on Clement, Edith and Thatchur Hurd. Clement Hurd is the artist responsible for illustrations in the classic children's book "Goodnight Moon." I didn't realize until this exhibit that the book "Runaway Bunny" were illustrated and written by the same people. Thatchur Hurd is his son. He wrote and drew his own children's books with some original themes. Art Dog (a book I ended up purchasing) is interesting in that it seems to condone graffiti art. The story is that a guard at the local art museum named "Arthur Dog" becomes a mysterious masked character named Art Dog when the moon is full. He goes around town at night and paints beautiful murals throughout the city. He is framed for stealing the "Mona Woof" and uses his art powers to escape and catch the real thieves. It isn't complicated are trying hard to push a message. It's a children's book. The fact that the hero of the book is a graffiti artists is very interesting though.
We had dinner at a little Italian Restaurant. I had a deliciously spicy Italian Sausage sandwich with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
After wards we headed back to the house. We rented "I Heart Huckabees" on the way. I'd seen previews for it and they hadn't seemed that interesting, but I had heard good things so I was curious. I'm very glad we did. This movie is hilarious. A lot of the humor is in the fact that it is just absurd but there is also a lot of mockery of philosophical and political views. The far left and right each are portrayed as incredibly ridiculous and existentialism (already a very odd philosophy) is made more absurd by its connection to the characters who support it and what it does to those who embrace it. The cast is great and the soundtrack is by the ever talented Jon Brion. See it.
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Diane Marsh does beautiful paintings of people. I really like the paintings cut in half with a person on one side and a landscape on the other. They're beautiful.
I like Robert Ellis abstract landscapes.
While searching for the above Robert Ellis I stumbled across this beautiful photography taken by a different Robert Ellis.
Jane Abrams has pretty abstract, as well as more realistic paintings as well as some interesting sculptures
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In a completely unrelated note. I recently learned that NBC is remaking the Office for American audiences. This is infuriating. Why must it be remade? I can think of a few reasons, none of them I like... Because the original actors have accents? Because they are foreigners? Because the humor of "The Office" isn't perfectly dumbed down to what American audiences "want?" It is completely ridiculous and a perfect example of why business dictating art is not a functional system. In their attempt gain audiences and keep mass appeal NBC is going to fund a complete revamp of the show. They liked the show, the just don't like it enough to show it as is. It isn't American enough. It doesn't appeal to the intellectually deficient masses enough.
-Brandon
