- Name
- Miguel Tejada-Flores
A few weeks ago I drove down from Oregon, where I live, to spend a few days visiting my older brother, who lives in Emeryville, in the 'East Bay' of the 'Bay Area' (aka the San Francisco Bay Area, as it's known in some circles). One of the highlights of my trip was a visit to a very cool smallish museum in the larger, neighboring city of Oakland: the OMCA (Oakland Museum of California). A relative newcomer to Bay Area Museums, the OMCA has wonderful collections in both its 'History' and 'Art' wings. In the Art Wing, there is a permanent exposition showcasing Dorothea Lange's work; in preceding years, I've seen a number of fine temporary photography exhibits. Though I only spent a few hours wandering around, it's the kind of place one could easily spend days in, and only barely 'scratch the surface'. I had a camera with me, and couldn't help taking a few pictures, along the way...
This is the patio outside the museum---
Entering the 'History' wing, the first thing one sees is a stuffed, flying Night Heron--
An ancient restored automobile has been transformed into a semi-mobile movie screen, playing period movies from the beginning of the 20th century. Including movies of a car traveling down a road (the car-within-the-car, so to speak)---
In one section of the wing, three exhibits overlap - the artistry of custom car builders - the art of fast food franchises - and a separate exhibit dedicated to the birth of the Black Power movement of the 1960's, which happened nationwide but was propelled in the Bay Area.
Part of the Black Power exhibit features the words, faces, and deeds of the Black Panther Party, founded in Oakland, California---
When I moved to the neighboring Art wing, I was blown away by Michael McMillen's 3-dimensional installation piece, Aristotle's Cage, an atmospheric 3-dimensional sculpture in its own tiny room, surrounded by a corrugated metal frame, with its own soundtrack, that seems to plunge viewers into another time and place---
In another room, Viola Frey's Pink Lady seems to be surveying those who have come here to see and experience 'Art'---
In her hands, the 'Pink Lady' is holding a somewhat incongruous pet, a tiny Monkey that almost seems to be one of the tortured souls from Gustave Doré's 19th century etchings of 'Dante's Inferno'---
Another sculpture piece, composed of complex mirrors that seem to reflect multiple dimensions, seems to be inviting visitors to stare at multiple reflections of themselves - and in this case, of their cameras---
A neighboring exhibit reminds one of an obvious facet of urban life: that some vehicles, including the 2-wheeled variety, are not merely built for 'transportation'---
In another room that housed a photography exhibit, I was transfixed by Imogene Cunningham's Rolleiflex. Seeing the tools great photographers have used kind of gives one goose-bumps or a frisson...
On my way out, I stopped briefly in the Museum's gift shop... and once again, found myself thinking of Dante's Inferno, though this time with a south-of-the-border flavor.
Every time I've gone to OMCA, it affects me differently. I can't wait for my next trip there.
Postscript: that night, my brother took me to dinner in the neighboring Bay Area city of Walnut Creek... and I realized: Museums (and Galleries) aren't the only places one encounters works of art. They're everywhere... even when they dress up and disguise themselves.
This is the patio outside the museum---
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Entering the 'History' wing, the first thing one sees is a stuffed, flying Night Heron--
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
An ancient restored automobile has been transformed into a semi-mobile movie screen, playing period movies from the beginning of the 20th century. Including movies of a car traveling down a road (the car-within-the-car, so to speak)---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
In one section of the wing, three exhibits overlap - the artistry of custom car builders - the art of fast food franchises - and a separate exhibit dedicated to the birth of the Black Power movement of the 1960's, which happened nationwide but was propelled in the Bay Area.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Part of the Black Power exhibit features the words, faces, and deeds of the Black Panther Party, founded in Oakland, California---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
When I moved to the neighboring Art wing, I was blown away by Michael McMillen's 3-dimensional installation piece, Aristotle's Cage, an atmospheric 3-dimensional sculpture in its own tiny room, surrounded by a corrugated metal frame, with its own soundtrack, that seems to plunge viewers into another time and place---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
In another room, Viola Frey's Pink Lady seems to be surveying those who have come here to see and experience 'Art'---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
In her hands, the 'Pink Lady' is holding a somewhat incongruous pet, a tiny Monkey that almost seems to be one of the tortured souls from Gustave Doré's 19th century etchings of 'Dante's Inferno'---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Another sculpture piece, composed of complex mirrors that seem to reflect multiple dimensions, seems to be inviting visitors to stare at multiple reflections of themselves - and in this case, of their cameras---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
A neighboring exhibit reminds one of an obvious facet of urban life: that some vehicles, including the 2-wheeled variety, are not merely built for 'transportation'---
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
In another room that housed a photography exhibit, I was transfixed by Imogene Cunningham's Rolleiflex. Seeing the tools great photographers have used kind of gives one goose-bumps or a frisson...
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
On my way out, I stopped briefly in the Museum's gift shop... and once again, found myself thinking of Dante's Inferno, though this time with a south-of-the-border flavor.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Every time I've gone to OMCA, it affects me differently. I can't wait for my next trip there.
Postscript: that night, my brother took me to dinner in the neighboring Bay Area city of Walnut Creek... and I realized: Museums (and Galleries) aren't the only places one encounters works of art. They're everywhere... even when they dress up and disguise themselves.
Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
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