I’ve never been a modern art enthusiast. I never understood how a chair with a sculpted hand on top of it is called “art” (just like the photo below from the Rhode Island School of Design). Since it’s a non-conformist, non-traditional type of art, I find it a bit pretentious. That’s just my opinion but I am not an artist so what do I know right? However, I have the appreciation and admiration for beauty (at least I think I do!)
While I was in California a few weeks ago, I wanted to check out the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco. The reviews for this newly refurbished museum were overwhelmingly positive. Besides, I wanted to see a Frida Kahlo painting. That’s not the only reason I was excited to visit SFMOMA. I was also intrigued at the museum’s restaurants (a wanna-be foodie that I am, food always rules my world!)
From Fremont, I took the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) early morning to downtown San Francisco. I wanted to arrive at the museum as soon as it opens at 10am. FYI, I bought my entrance ticket online so I can skip the lines when I get there. The general admission price for an adult is $25. I arrived 15 minutes early and it gave me a little time to browse at the gift shop (one of my favorite places to browse is a museum store). My heart skipped a beat when I saw all the beautiful notebooks on display! If you knew me well, I’m completely obsessed with notebooks and journals. In fact, I even wrote a blog about this obsession.
When the museum opened, I showed my printed out tickets and I was immediately directed to the elevators. I decided to start at the highest floor (seventh) and work my way down to the first.
As soon as the elevator opened, I already sensed I was going to enjoy being there. I made sure I saw every art in every corner in each floor and since I was there early, it wasn’t crowded yet. I pretty much had the whole floor to myself.
Let me share some of the paintings, photographs, and artwork that caught my eyes.
Do you recognize who this girl is in the photograph? Brooke Shields when she was 10 years old! In 1983, Richard Prince rephotographed an image of a prepubescent Brooke Shields and titled it Spiritual America. I was flabbergasted to read this was taken with her mother’s consent. I’m not a very prude person but you have to draw a line somewhere especially when children are concerned. The contrast is especially astounding between her young body and her very mature, adult-like face.
Perusing the pictures from reviews on Yelp or TripAdvisor about SFMOMA, I saw many photos of this police officer. So when I saw him at the museum, I wanted to talk to him to let him know he’s quite a popular guy. As I got closer I was very surprised to find out he’s not human!
The details to make him look real is simply astonishing. Just look at the veins on his arm. It’s amazing!
Nicknamed as the gay capital of the world, San Francisco’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is one of the largest and most prominent among LGBT communities. Hence I’m not surprised to see a painting of two men as a couple. The story behind this painting is quite interesting. Alice Neel, the artist, met the two men (both artists themselves) one evening and invited them to her apartment the next day to paint their portraits as a couple. She asked them to wear the same clothes from the night before and positioned them as they had been sitting. They sat without moving while she was painting until she said it was ok for them to take a break.
Of course the main reason I went to SF MOMA was to see a Frida Kahlo painting. I was disappointed to find only one painting. Frida painted the “Frieda and Diego Rivera” for a friend while visiting in San Francisco in April of 1931. Its interesting that it’s still in San Francisco after more than 80 years.
It was time for lunch and I was excited to try the foods at Cafe 5. My friends and I planned to eat dinner at In Situ in a few days, one of San Francisco’s hottest restaurants right now which is located in the museum’s first floor. By myself, Cafe 5 was the place to be. I love the simple yet bright and airy ambience of the cafe. It also extends outside for outdoor seating, surrounded by skyscrapers.
I ordered the Chicken Banh Mi. If you’re expecting anything authentic or even close to a Vietnamese banh mi, you will be disappointed. But this was delicious, a thick chicken breast fried in perfection on a brioche with pickled veggies.
After lunch I had more time to explore the museum and found the Sculpture Terrace.
Also, what’s a modern art museum without Andy Warhol exhibits?
I abhor taking selfies in public so I asked other people to take my photos next to the artwork I thought were pretty “cool”. One of them didn’t understand why I wouldn’t face the camera. I told him it really wasn’t about me and besides it’ll ruin the picture! 🙂
I have to be honest, I didn’t understand what each of these artwork meant or represented, but I was drawn to their simplicity. Even when it was busy, the work still felt minimal.
I took a tea break at Sight Glass coffee shop. I was savoring my time alone while people watching. Some were busy having great conversations, others were busy working with their laptops, and a few were by themselves, staring at space seemingly lost in their thoughts.
My phone rang and it was my husband calling from Texas. He asked where I was and I told him I’ve been at the museum. It was now close to 3pm and I realized I had spent almost entirely the whole day there. However, the time went by fast, it really didn’t seem that long.
Surprised by my enthusiasm he asked, “Huh?! You enjoy modern art?” I giggled. “Yes. It seems that way,” I replied. It’s one of those unexpected self-discoveries, one more thing I learned about myself.
There’s something with all of those pieces of modern art that makes you want to look at them. They stir your mind in a beautiful way.
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They sure do!
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Ha ha! As I scrolled down I thought ‘Mmmm…that’s an interesting piece.’ Then realized it was your burger! 😀
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Haha!!! That’s is too funny!!
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…and true! Lol. 🙂
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Glad you like the thought. One certainly helps me appreciate the other 🙂
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Wow, I love it all! Any art will do actually haha! I can spend the whole day at the Museum as well so we will be ok together if ever we meet. I agree with you about Brook Shields and of that security guard really amazing! he looked real. Enjoy!
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Oh yes we would definitely be the right company at a museum! Perhaps when I visit UAE we can go to an art museum together! 😁
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Would love to! just let me know 😉
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Hi Boots, i would love to go here. Great photos. Love the policeman. We have a woman with her washing basket and hair in curlers in the Adelaide art gallery which doesn’t fool you for long because she is so out of place. But a policeman, well that’s not surprising….
Hope you are well. Louise x
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Yeah you can easily tell that’s fake! This policeman was incredibly human life. I usually am not fooled so easily.
Hope you’re doing well Louise!
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You too Boots, hope all is going well. All good here. Louise
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I think I need to go there! You made me interested for sure to see the cop!!
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Haha! He sure is intriguing! Another funny story is when I first saw him I smiled at him thinking he was just acting pretending not to move with his arms crossed! Then as I move closer that’s when I realized I was duped! 😂
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Too funny
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Yay for good days and self-discoveries. 🙂
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Thanks so much Gaya! Definitely yay for great days and self discoveries!
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I really enjoy going to art museums myself! Great to see your pictures of the San Francisco MOMA. I’ve been to both the London and New York MOMA’s, but haven’t been to the one in San Francisco yet. I enjoy some modern art, but not all. The Magritte museum in Brussels is quite amazing. I saw the recent Ensor exhibit in Chicago which was really weird and wonderful in it’s own very strange way. Great post!
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Hi Larry! Thanks so much. I’ve been to NY MOMA but a very long time ago. I couldn’t remember what it’s like.
I’m very impressed at how cultured you are! I wish I’m surrounded by people like you. I’d love to read more of your blogs!
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Hi Boots! Thank you for your comments. I must admit that I have a deep appreciation of beauty and of art. So, I suppose it makes sense that I seek out both in nature and in are museums as I travel. Hope to keep reading your blog posts as well!
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It makes to me now…since I became more interested in hiking, I have fallen in love with nature, learning to appreciate what true beauty means. So perhaps this is the reason why I enjoyed the museum- seeing the art in a different perspective! Thanks Larry for helping me realize that 😊
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