The Tasty Travels of the Swanky Budgeteer.

Friday, September 5, 2014

Family Fun with Fashion Crazed Foodie: A Fascinating Visit to MFAH


I am Pro-Arts, and Anti-Boredom. My educational background is performing arts, (violin & classical vocal music from the age of 5), but I also love visual arts. My son is enamored with visual artistry. He is a very talented artist, and a fan of pointillism.

 When we think of family fun, it isn't usually a trip to the amusement park, as we don't have one here. Our ideas of fun range anywhere from trying a new restaurant with interesting menu items, (crispy pig ears, anyone?) to taking a quick road trip to Austin, or hopping on a plane for a last-minute trip to California (something my children ask to do every single weekend, lol), or simply visiting one of our favorite museums. The children's favorite museum here is The Museum of Natural Science, and mine is The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Not sure which museum my husband calls his favorite.

A few weeks ago, we decided to hop in our car and head to The Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Though we have been there several times, on this particular day, we stayed for hours, dissecting every detail of every exhibit, and savoring each treasure.

My favorite experience? The Light Inside, (1999, James Turrell). The MFAH uses Turrell's phenomenal vessel as a tunnel/walkway to connect the museum's Caroline Weiss Law Building to the Audrey Jones Beck Building. As described on The MFAH website,
"Transcending the traditional confines of built spaces, The Light Inside acts as both a passage and a destination. The raised walkway guides visitors forward and gives them the sense of floating in space, while the changing cycle of illumination (which shifts from blue, to crimson, to magenta) further invites contemplation. The Light Inside makes the experience of moving between the Law and the Beck Buildings not only an exploration of light and space, but also a profound and awe-inspiring experience."
 My son spent most of his time in the tunnel inspecting the floors, and instructing me to stay on the main path, so as to not fall into the blue abyss. I was amused by the fact that he thought that stepping into the blue meant that we would fall, never to be seen again.

Soto: The Houston Penetrable 
My husband and children were most fascinated by the Jesús Rafael Soto exhibit, The Houston Penetrable. The MFAH describes this artistic wonder perfectly,
"A vast, floating sea of plastic strands suspended from the ceiling, the Houston Penetrable is completed only by the viewer’s participation. Intended to be touched, handled, and waded through, the strands compose a floating yellow orb on a transparent background. The 24,000 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) tubes, individually hand-painted and tied, hang two stories high from the ceiling to the floor in the Museum's Cullinan Hall. "
We became absorbed in the mass of yellow and white PVC tubes. This piece, or these pieces (you choose) stand 28 ft. high, hand painted, and took ten years to produce.
 Unfortunately, this exhibit ended on September 1, 2014. 

I also enjoyed the Charles Marville exhibition. Charles Marville was a 19th-century French Artist. The exhibit features nearly 100 photographs spanning the length of Marville's career. I simply stood and stared in awe at the exceptionally preserved prints. While standing and marveling, I was taken back to France by simply studying Marville's spellbinding views of Paris. Quick! You have until September 14, 2014 to witness this exhibit for yourselves.

Thanks to an amazing visit to Houston's Museum of Fine Arts, our Sunday Funday was an artful adventure!
Visit and discover MFAH. Children 12 and under are FREE, Student Admission is just $7.50, and General Admission is $15. Thursdays are FREE, courtesy of Shell.


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2 comments

  1. I simply can't wait each week to read your article...so diverse and well-read. From food to fashion, travel to art, I'm so impressed. I look foward to reading your first book...bound to be a best seller...no pun.

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  2. Not many people I know, even my educated colleagues know how to master the art of critically analyzing art. You are an amazing writer and a well-spoken individual. As a reader, I felt as if I was there with you in the tunnel before I even saw the picture. I plan to visit the exhibit as well. Thank you also exposing your children to fine arts....our education system has received a failing grade in this area. ...signed ---Houston Educator

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