A Lesson In Modern Art: Featuring the Works of Ai Weiwei

Following are several examples of some of the works I saw recently at the Hirshhorn Museum, The African Art Museum, The Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. 

The Hirshhorn has become my favorite of the Smithsonian museums, mostly due to the fact that they frequently change the exhibits.

"Flowers" -- Andy Warhol.

"Red Yellow Blue V" -- Ellsworth Kelly.  A study in perspective.  When viewed from the right,  the work appears square.

When viewed from the left or straight on, the true dimensions are much different.  

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The next series of pictures are all works by Chinese dissident artist, Ai Weiwei.  Ai Weiwei is known as one of China’s most prolific and provocative contemporary artists. He is best known for contributions to the participation on the design of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Stadium and is a leading figure among Chinese artists.

"Cube Light" -- Displays Ai Weiwei's interest in re-examining Minimalist artistic strategies through questioning the perceived solidity and exactitude of the iconic cube.   

The cube was created out of glass crystals, lights and metal.

"Beijing's 2008 Olympic Stadium" and Divina Proportione, F-Size" -- Ai Weiwei. 

This Ai Weiwei piece  is a list of the over 5000 children killed during the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.   A 3 hour, 41 minute voice recording titled "Remembrance" plays at this exhibit in which the names of  the children are read off in Chinese.

"Straight" is a display of re-bar recovered from the rubble of collapsed schoolhouses destroyed during the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake.

"Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn" and "Colored Vases" -- Ai Weiwei. 

As I took a picture through the holes in a series of large wooden blocks titled "Moon Chest", I realized someone was at the other end doing the same thing.  I hope his shot came out too!!!

Shadows from a display case.

Study of Perspective: Tiananmen Square.

Study of Perspective: White House.

The above pictures are just a sampling of Ai Weiwei's body of work.  I highly recommend you research him further and explore more of his work as I found him fascinating!

One last Ai Weiwei piece.

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This and the next two pictures are from "Belief+Doubt", by Barbara Kruger.

"Surrogate Paintings" -- Allen McCollum.  Part of the "Dark Matters" exhibit. 

"Pentagon" -- Wayne Gonzales. Another part of the "Dark Matters" exhibit. 

Kongorikishi (also known as Ni-o) from the Kamakura period in 14th Century Japan .  These two carvings (photo below)  were created to stand guard outside Ebaradera, a temple located in the city of Sakei, near Osaka.   The Ni-o were the protectors of Buddha in his travels throughout India.  

"Restoring The Sublime"-- Leland Foster.  Foster was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease as a child and turned to art  as a form of therapy. 

Unfortunately, no photography was allowed in this exhibit at the Sackler Gallery which is touted as "An eye-opening look at the largely unknown cultural history of the Arabian Peninsula, this exhibition draws on recently discovered archaeological material never before seen in North America."  

Among the displays are a six thousand year old anthropomorphic stele (man-shaped stone slab),  a “Door of the Ka'ba”, and tombstones dating back to the 9th Century CE, from Al-Ma'la Cemetery, Mecca, Saudi Arabia. 

Anyone interested in Islamic art and history will find this a fascinating exhibit.  Of all of the museums in DC, this was the one time I felt I was really standing among some ancient history.  

Although I couldn't take photos of these, below are three pictures from the website; http://www.roadsofarabia.com/.  

Stele

Ka'ba Door

Tombstone from Al-Ma'la Cemetery, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

I hope I was able to capture some of the many wonderful sights at these museums.....