Botany, Art, and Native Americans

This week my big adventures have included visiting the Botanic Garden and Conservatory, the Hirshhorn Gallery, and the Museum of the American Indian.  On Monday when I visited the Botanic Garden, it was also the day that the famous titan arum was starting to bloom, and apparently, it is still blooming, four days later.  However momentous an occasion, I'm really grateful I didn't have to walk around the conservatory with the aroma of onions and rotting flesh.  It was interesting as I walked through the Conservatory to feel the different temperatures and levels of humidity as I went from one simulated area of the world to another.

In the Jungle area of the Conservatory

In the walkway from the Jungle to the Southern landscapes part of the Conservatory

Tradescantia pallida, "Purple Heart", spiderwort; found in the Southern Landscapes area of the Conservatory

An orchid; found in the endangered-orchids part of the Conservatory

Close up of one orchid

The Hawaii section of the Conservatory

One of my personal favorites--in the Ancient Plants section--I love the dinosaur!

After spending some time inside the Conservatory, I made my way outside to the Regional Garden.  At the Botanic Garden they pride themselves on their use of natural methods of fertilization and getting rid of pests, rather than using chemicals and pesticides.  They try to make it very plain that you can garden and have a beautiful garden, without having to use chemicals that harm the environment.

Flower Fountain outside the Conservatory, going into the Regional Garden area

Giant dragonfly

A nice swampy area

American White Water-Lily

Later in the week, after doing research on Tuesday and Wednesday, I was able to venture forth again.  This time I visited the Hirshhorn Gallery--not just the garden this time--and was able to see some more of the modern art in DC. 

Venus of the Rags, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Italian, 1967

 This piece made me laugh!  I love that Venus is trying to find some clothes to put on!  And isn't that what every laundry room looks like? I think it's a great take on a "classic" piece.

Wall Drawing #1113: On a wall, a triangle within a rectangle, each with broken bands of color, Sol LeWitt, American, 2003, acrylic

 I think I just have this thing with color. There was an exhibit called "There and Back" that I took four photos of because it shows the progression of one color to another. However, with this piece, I love the vibrancy of the colors, the rigidity of the lines, the way it seems 2-D and 3-D simultaneously, and the different lengths of the color bands. I just really enjoyed this piece, besides the fact that it is HUGE--it fills an entire wall.

1950-M No.1, Clifford Still, American, 1950

 Another example of my crazy love for blue. It looks sooooo much lovelier in real life. The contrast between the blues is more subtle.  I just love blue.

Sanctuary, Gerhard Richter, German, 1988, oil on linen 

 This was an fascinating piece to look at. It looks kind of crazy in a photograph, but in real life it is actually more crazy.  It seems like there is very vivid underpainting of color--the greens, blues, oranges--and then this thicker, almost still liquid looking overpainting of the reds, darker orange, black and brown. And then over that there is still another layer of blackish-white and redish-orange specks.  The brush strokes are very deliberate and thought out--except at the far right where the artist is able to make it look like the paint is dissolving into nothing. It is sooo cool! I really, really enjoyed looking at this painting.

Untitled (Dog), Peter Coffin, American 2012, Mixed Media

 This is apparently the world's largest canine. What I couldn't get a picture of was of my hands-down favorite piece in the entire gallery. It's also by Peter Coffin in the Here & There exhibit. It is called Untitled and it is an animated projection on paintings from the Hirshhorn collection.  In the handout I got it reads, "Where does the brain 'ping' when looking at art? Sound, music, and superimpositions 'animate' works in the collection, encouraging new ways to consider them."  I loved this work!  There were 11 or 12 framed canvas paintings hanging on the wall in a darkened room. There was a projector aimed at each wall/painting that would superimpose images onto these paintings, with music and noises to accompany it. It was done masterfully with colors seeming to jump up out of their place on the painting and move about the canvas and onto the wall, or to have a shape painting have the colors and shapes react in response to a classical piece of music playing.  It was engaging, surprising, and insightful.  I wish I could somehow share it with all of you, but I can't.

My next visit was to the Museum of the American Indian.  I first viewed a film on the fourth floor that talked about and showed the relationship that Native Americans have with the Earth and how it is a part of their culture, livelihood, and art.  I walked through some of the exhibits and finished off by eating in the cafeteria.

Sculpture in one of the alcoves in the Museum of the American Indian

Navajo taco