Part Two - Vassar College Art Museum - including exhibit by Gordon Parks

"Gem" was the word everyone used to describe this little gem of a museum.

 The very decent docent was telling us what to expect inside the Loeb Art Center.

We only had about half an hour to explore. When I exited, I realized I hadn't seen any Gordon Parks, so I ran back inside.

Parks, a Life Mag photographer AND director of the movie Shaft, documents African-American lives.

Reason I took so many pics is that I love looking at em after I get home.

There were cars in the parking lot but we didn't see any students.

 The guy on the left said you have to be smart and rich to send your kids to Vassar. He said he was neither when he sent his oldest boy here.

Now the kid lives in California and is doing important conservation work for the state of California.

Jan F., who I originally met in Deb Fries's poetry class, was wearing a black mourner's ribbon. Her brother died. She is taking a wonderful poetry class, she said, at Cheltenham, with only six people in the class, so she gets plenty of individual attention.

Wonder who teaches it. I could find out but I keep yawning.

 Okay, now we're inside. Back packs? Carry on one shoulder, please.

This is a very ancient statue. Maybe if we double click we can see the date.

B'ful desk. I'm wearing my Penguin Sweater I bought on my 10-day trip to New Orleans.

 Here's Mildred Chesney from the Upper Moreland Book Club.

 Is this Mr Vassar? Matthew Vassar was a brewer and merchant. Below is a portrait of him.

Mary McCarthy's book THE GROUP was a fictionalized account of what happened to a group of Vassar graduates.

Her brother was Kevin McCarthy, who starred in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. 

Thanks so much, Mr Vassar, for founding the college. Still going strong.  At least it was when I visited it today.

And, Matthew, I really dig all this ancient art.

 Oh, this is sad. It's the top of a sarcophagus for a dead child.

Sweet face

Artifacts from Sumer. I just made that up.

Chinese-made. Below is the description. You need a magnifying glass to read it.

 Ah, Matthew, here's the modern art. Nice selection. Here's a nice one above by Picasso. Must be an early one, Dig the long neck and texture of her hair.

 Never heard of this artist. Something like Delaney but that's not it.

 A classic Roy Lichtenstein. Was trying to remember where I saw a retrospective of the late Roy L. In Paris. Was it at the Pompidou?

Here's a nice abstract by the famous..... fill in the blank.

Archile Gorky.
He and his family were victims of the Armenian Massacre, which finally claimed his life.

 Joan Miro.

 John Biggers' Harlem Train above.
This black n white of the churning industrial city is also by Biggers. He's wonderful, isn't he? I'd never heard of him before.

 There were two by Matisse.

Below is a Jasper Johns, I believe.

 And, much to my surprise, this is a David Smith sculpture.

The Loeb Museum has a nice assortment of artists. Thing is, if you like something, say, Smith, you can find other words by them.

 Here's Francis Bacon.

 More Lichtenstein.

 Matisse. Yes, I know I'm repeating myself.

View of the gallery.

This was really nice.

Author Author!!

 Do not touch, said a sign by this Calder mobile.

 I loved this portrait of Ms Loeb. 

Do you think the artist had Don Manuel in mind?

  This portait hung in my parents' living room in Shaker Heights. Where is it now? I had it in my closet but gave it to Scott.

 Look at the lovely design on her sweat shirt. It's a seated woman facing to our right.

 Life mag wanted to put Parks's photos of the gangs on the front cover but Parks persuaded them not to. What a terrible light it would shed on African-Americans.

Lucky Strikes were my dad's favorite cigarettes. LS/MFT   Lucky Strikes Meant Father Taking.  Died at 59 yo from smoking.

 I'm in a glass enclosed hallway.

Outside I go to a lil courtyard to see this sculpture.

Vassar has a lovely campus, complete with red fire plugs, which are a work of art in themselves.