An April Afternoon at the MFA - Part 2
July 13, 2022
As I mentioned in my last post, back in April, I spent an afternoon at the MFA (Museum of Fine Arts) here in Boston. We saw 3 notable things:
My previous post covered my experience of the Turner Exhibit. Today, I'm going to share some of my photos from Art in Bloom 2022. If you're not familiar with "Art in Bloom," it's an event that many different museums host. In essentials, different florists and/or garden clubs are assigned works of art. Their mission is to create a floral arrangement in response to the work of art. The two are displayed together. I only took a few photos on this particular visit. Take a peek:
I understand all of the conservation-related reasons why it's not possible, but I really wanted to see this arrangement on top of that chest it's inspired by.
I think it's fun to go to Art in Bloom with a friend so that you can discuss whether or not the arrangements "work." Inspiration is personal and so what might work for one person, might not work for another. And that is the fun of going with a friend. You can have a lively debate. For me, this vase and this arrangement are color related but not stylistically related. And for me, they don't feel like a match.
On the other hand, this statue (below) and its arrangement are not at all color related, but they feel so well matched in shape and feeling.
I mean, there's even a face in the flower arrangement!!
Meh. The container is doing all of the work. I don't think those soft flowers "feel" like the hard and smooth salver.
However this one (below) does a good job capturing the hard edges and rigid structure of the inspiration statue. I particularly like that long stick, which echoes the missing staff from the statue.
What do you think? Do these inspiration floral arrangements work for you?
If you'd like more Art in Bloom, I have shared previous visits, including an epic four-part analysis and photo dump in 2019:
- Art in Bloom at the MFA: Boston 2018
- Art in Bloom at the PMA (Portland Museum of Art) 2019
- Art in Bloom at the MFA: Boston 2019: part one
- Art in Bloom at the MFA: Boston 2019: part two
- Art in Bloom at the MFA: Boston 2019: part three
- Art in Bloom at the MFA: Boston 2019: part four
I'll be back with part 3 and Philip Guston. Thanks for stopping by!