Wednesday, August 31, 2011

White Mobile


A big white Calder is suspended in the entrance hall of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. There are Calder mobiles hanging in the entrance halls of many other museums around the world as well, of course. Alexander Calder is something akin to a reliable middle-of-the-road brand-name, the equivalent in the mainstream art world of Calvin Klein in retail.

The scene here is occurring a few minutes before 10:00 on a Sunday morning. These genteel-looking people are waiting for the attendant to withdraw the barrier tape and permit them to enter the galleries.

I myself am descending the main staircase in the process of leaving the building, having spent the past hour looking at Gertrude Stein's art collection (as the Museum has reconstituted it). The early weekend hour for members-only viewing has in practice proved to be a thorough blessing, especially since so few people take advantage of it.