Curves in All the Right Places

Curves in All the Right Places. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. May 2019.

Curves in All the Right Places II. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. May 2019.

Frank Gehry designed staircase at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

I visited the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) specifically to see this Frank Gehry creation. I went with my friend Matthew (an incredibly talented painter, http://www.matthewcarver.net/home) and he told me that Gehry actually grew up a stones throw away from the gallery. Gehry and Partners renovated the Art Gallery of Ontario in 2008 and one signature piece of the restoration was this beautiful wooden staircase. The spiral bursts up from the first floor, breaks through the glass covered courtyard, and into the other contemporary gallery floors of the museum. This section connecting the second and third floor is my favorite perspective. From this particular point of view, you can see that the railing keeps curving up higher as someone walks up and instead of becoming parallel with the floor. In this way, if you look over the railing as you ascend or descend, your view of the courtyard disappears in some steps and then returns in others. It is meant to mimic your peekaboo line of sight as if you were riding a wave.

From the view below, the staircase, to me, looks like a piece of ribbon being spun off to one side, tilting off kilter, and adding a bit of movement to the wooden structure.

She's Out of This World

She’s Out of This World. Tokyo, Japan. January 2019.

teamLab Planets immersive digital art museum. Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan. January 2019.

When I first heard of teamLab’s digital art museum, I was skeptical. I’ve seen a lot of these “museums” pop up (ehem Museum of Ice Cream) that are created just for that “Instagram moment” and completely without any artistic meaning or value. I’m happy to report back, I was proven wrong with this museum.

teamLab Planets is a beautiful experience. There are five vignettes (some are better than others), however overall it is a very immersive and impressive experience. This was my favorite room, aptly named “The Infinite Crystal Universe”. The lights and music were so well coordinated and there was not an angle or reflection that did not look other worldly.

Here is my friend Hiroko walking through one of the corridors of the exhibit. To me, she looks like she’s amongst the stars and in a galaxy far far away.

If you find yourself in Tokyo, I highly recommend stopping by teamLab Planets and their other museum teamLab Borderless. You’ll get more than just an Instagram.

Besos Por Soumaya

Besos Por Soumaya. Mexico City, MX. March 2017. 

Mexico City, Mexico. March 2017. 

Museo Soumaya is the most visited museum in Mexico and for good reason. The museum is deceptively large, six stories with over 66,000 pieces of art. The most impressive part of the museum (in my opinion) is the top floor that houses founder Carlos Slim's collection of Rodin casts, the largest collection of casts outside of France, 380 to be exact. 

Speaking of Rodin, this sweet moment on the steps of the Soumaya reminds me of his sculpture "The Kiss". It was drizzling and dusk as I was leaving the museum; when I glanced back to admire the architecture, I saw this couple sharing un beso. 

Museo Soumaya itself is quite a romantic structure. It is named after Slim's late wife Soumaya who passed in 1999. Slim began collecting art largely due to Soumaya's influence. He built this version of the museum and dedicated it in her honor in 2011. Soumaya was a fan of Rodin's work and that is why Slim has collected so many of the works over the years. 

Cool House

Cool House. Milan, Italy. May 2015.  

One is the Loneliest Number. Milan, Italy. May 2015.

Rem Koolhaas was the lead architect behind Fondazione Prada in Milan, and it is incredibly fitting because it is indeed one very "Cool House." Koolhaas and his firm OMA were tasked with transforming this former distillery south of city center into a mega complex for the Prada family's extensive collection. OMA is a favorite of Prada; they collaborate on catwalks and shopfronts for the brand. In my opinion, Fondazione Prada is the best testament to their collaborative relationship. 

OMA converted seven standing buildings and created three news ones that matched the industrial style of the distillery. The Fondazione Prada was established in the 90s to be a cultural hub of cinema and art and the design of the complex honors that. It is minimal, spacious, and sleek, allowing the art and exhibitions to take center stage. However, with this being said, one of the most beautiful aspects of the foundation is part of the building itself; its 24-karat gold leaf covered tower. You can see a glimpse of the gold base in the top photo. 

Fondazione Prada has brought new life to a largely ignored neighborhood of Milan and I look forward to the day I get to visit it again and see the changes it brings to the surrounding area. 

Ciao Bello

Ciao Bello. Milan, Italy. July 2015. 

One of the benefits of living in Milan is being in the middle of high fashion. The same day Expo Milano 2015 opened, so did Armani/Silos, a fashion museum dedicated to creations by Giorgio Armani. When I visited last year, Armani/Silos was hosting a retrospective exhibition displaying 40 years of Armani's works over 4,500 square meters of industrial space designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Tadao Ando. The building was actually a silo for grain in the 1950s and is now home to roughly 600 dresses and 200 accessories. Walking through the corridors, you have to fight every impulse to touch and feel everything, although, on second thought, it would be a good way of catching the attention and starting a mild flirtation with one of the black-suited models/docents.

Wave After Wave

Wave After Wave. Milan, Italy. January 2016. 

This is the controversial, yet beautifully designed MUDEC (Museo Della Culture). I visited the museum for an exhibition in February and the space is constructed unlike any art space I have seen before. These wavey walls are just one distinct characteristic that makes the MUDEC a worthwhile building to pay the admission price for. The museum complex was a former factory and is located in Via Tortona, the arts district of Milan. 

What's That?

What's That? Stockholm, Sweden. July 2013. 

Without a doubt, my two favorite museums in Stockholm are the Vasamuseet and Fotografiska; they actually sit across the river from each other. Fotografiska is a beautifully designed museum dedicated to contemporary photography. It houses ever-changing exhibits and it is a "must see" for any photo enthusiast. I was lucky enough to be there to catch an exhibit of Helmut Newton. In addition to the various exhibits, the museum is also known for it's scenic cafe and restaurant. One side of the cafe is lined with windows where you can veg for hours on end (and I definitely did). I took this shot because of the couple peering out the window, however I also like that the amusement park Gröna Lund is featured in the background.