Lately, I have been obsessed with feeling like a tourist at home. It is often that visitors visit Houston's best while the locals concentrate of work and no play. Ever think how ridiculous it is to wait until we are out of town to enjoy the things that other cities have but seldom make time an effort to enjoy what we have right here?
A place I love to frequent is the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Sculpture Garden at the North East corner of Bissonnet and Montrose. Especially during temperate weather, one can spend many hours being enchanted, confused, and perhaps a little perplexed by the works on display here. Two bronze sculptures always take my breath away. Rodin "The Walking Man" is rich in texture, playing on light and shadows. I remember distinctly my art teacher Lucy Durkin explaining how Rodin makes her just want to touch the works. The texture and play is completely sensual. http://www.mfah.org/sculpturegarden/artworks.asp?pid=1&aid=1
Matisse also has 4 works on display here. Back I, II, III and IV and spanning 21 years of artistic history. The portray the artists concept growth from 1909 to 1930. It gives me a sense of the character growth as the emphasis from anatomical and mannerist representation is abandoned in favor of a formalized and soft geometric approach.
Do you know how you feel when you look at pictures of yourself from 10 years ago? It is amazing to remember where you were, how you were, and more importantly, how you were feeling (although sometimes what were you thinking is appropriate). I feel these give us a deep look inside the artistic concept, and trace trends over 21 years.
