My review of the Portland Museum of Art

[gwendally]

I enjoyed the trip to the Portland Museum of Art. It was very uneven, though, more so than normal. I got the sense that one gallery of post modern work was from large donors who insisted their own uninspired works be hung

Comments

[daphnep]

Did you go to the store? In my real life I was just hanging out with the woman who runs that store--I like her. And did you buy anything there? I'm always curious what people want to take away, to solidify an art experience after the fact.

I was just talking about the ISGM today...I'm currently deep into the biography "Mrs. Jack", and I'm having fun thinking about that collection all over again from the personality angle.

[gwendally]

Have you ever been to the ISGM? It is the opposite of uneven. A central personality looked at each piece in person and said "that is fabulous!" That is the unifying theme: this one quirky, well-travelled woman saw the awesomeness of the piece and gathered it in. It serves as her epitaph, really. She loved this. It's enough to know she rocked human existence.

Hmm. It is time I went back, come to think of it. I see something new each time.

[daphnep]

Yes--I was just there again in January. I don't actually love it as much as I love some other places, because I think her personality overshadows her artwork. I had been before, years ago, and planning my January trip, I found myself telling someone "even though I've been there before, over the years I've forgotten the actual art and remember only the general mood of the place." then, this time, I realized "ah-ha! I remembered the mood, because that is the dominating force. The paintings, textiles, etc are not the focus, but merely costumes to contain the personality of the founder."

Which is really a bummer, because there are some good paintings there, turned into costumery. (and yes, I'm exaggerating a bit for contrast. I would delight at spending more time there, any time, because I think it is rich and fascinating and gloriously beautiful.)

[gwendally]

I think that I would have liked her, and that is certainly a material matter in whether you really enjoy the museum. I find myself giggling with delight. I know what you mean about costume, but you really LIKE costume! When you took pictures of random clothing choices at the Getty you were appreciating the things people collect and how they present themselves.

[tobor_1138]

PMA has some real gems in hard-to-find places. There are Turners and Bierstadts where you least expect them, and their 18th century local landscapes collections are personally striking, especially where some portray vistas viewed on the (only) road to Bridgton, which I drive on regularly.

There's something very satisfying in knowing somethings haven't changed at all in over two centuries.

Landscapes

[gwendally]

Yes! I forgot to mention the 19th century collection was lovely, you are right.

[gwendally]

I guess the reason I found it uneven is because sometimes it was fabulous. I will go back.

[daphnep]

"knowing some things haven't changed at all in over two centuries"

...beautifully said. I've been thinking lately about why I love art, what's behind it, personally, for me, and why I crave it so--and I think this is one of the things. I take solace in the timelessness, the ability to pass a wordless expression down for centuries and have it arrive, partially mistranslated due to changed cultural references, but comforting just the same.

[anonymous]

Wow, thank you. I am blushing!

[fitfool]

oh...I never did make it over to the Portland Museum of Art except for a small peek sneaked during an evening event hosted there. I ought to head back up that way. I love the courtyard at the Isabella Stewart
Gardener Museum. I think I could've just sat in that courtyard for the whole visit and skipped looking at any of the other stuff in the collection.