I spent about 75 minutes at the Metropolitan Museum this afternoon, as promised, and was very happy with what I saw of the New Greek and Roman Galleries.   Finally, the Met has housed Roman Art in a wing worthy of it’s large and, in the case of some wall paintings, almost unparalleled, collection.

I could tell you this - I will go back to the Roman wing often.   Having watched both seasons of HBO’s Rome, I feel as if I lived in Rome around the time of the early Caesars (who knows, maybe I did).    I’m sorry the show ended this season (I guess it was too expensive to produce more than 2 seasons) - I learned a great deal about Roman History that would  be difficult to really envision had I not watched the series, which covered the end of the Roman Republic, the Death of Caesar and the rise of Augustus.  Largely due to the series on Rome, I was able to appreciate Agrippa’s role in the early empire of Augustus Caesar, and some murals from one of  Agrippa’s Villa’s was on the walls of the Metropolitan, and in very good shape, I might add.

Here’s some pictures that I took today at the Roman wing of the Metropolitan - when I have information or thoughts about a picture, I’ll mention those ideas below the picture.

This is how the Roman wing looks like when you enter.

 

This Seated Muse was very powerful and the twisting and off-angle reminded me of the kind of thing I stumbled on in some of my paintings like Homage to Manet and a recent BAG Studio Study were by twisting and moving off center, I created dynamic movement in my work that’s not often there - much like what happened with this powerful stature from antiquity.

I think the part of a face is more interesting than the whole face in many of the ancient sculptures and this one caught my eye today.

 

Pretty powerful portrait of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor.

 

This wall painting reminds me of Brice Marden’s work - it also contains motif’s used in HBO Rome series quite often, including the Snake.

The Metropolitan has really delivered on the Roman Wing - Like I say, I’ll come here often, perhaps whenever I come to the Museum.

Been thinking about this a lot lately, but can’t seem to hold on to “it” when I can write about it - hope I can say it now.   The artist I am today, I was at 14, but I just did not know how to finish anything at 14, or 24, or 34 or after.   I had no real concept of what “finished” was - or how to complete anything.

In a way, every painting is already done in my mind, before I pick up the brush or pastel, or whatever; it always was that way - could not accept it earlier in my life.   In a way, everything I do now I did when I was 17 except one thing - I lacked a clear concept of what I wanted to achieve when I painted as a teenager and a young man - and I could not figure out what was me vs. being like the artists I admired.

When I paint now….it’s all me.  No matter who I admire - it’s my vision and my self development that I care about.  I think Self Development is the most “aligned” reason to paint today. 

So..if the painting is already done .. why does it need to be painted at all?  Because ….. the painting needs to be “realized” - the Artist needs to experience their own creation - yet it’s all done even before you pick up the brush; that’s my approach. 

I can stop when I see it’s done.. did not have that at 17.

In a way..the Trip to France I’ll be taking in a month or so…already happened.  I’ve been to Paris and Aix in my imagination - I’ve stood in Cezanne’s studio - and it’s as real, in a way, as if I had done it here, in physical world.

In fact, maybe my whole life already happened, and I’m just experiencing what already is. 

Maybe what we most need to watch out for is that we’re aligned to the path our life really needs to take - the rest should take care of itself.

Ok, enough rambling about Art.

Well, they finally opened and I plan to go by and see the New Roman Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum on Sunday, after I meet and interview Penelope Trunk who writes the Brazen Careerist column online and now has a new book being published,  which I’m reviewing an advanced copy of, called The Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success by Penelope Trunk.

According to the Michael Kimmelman of the New York Times:

“..In total there are 57,000 square feet of exhibition space for classical antiquity, around 30,000 for Rome alone, equivalent to all the galleries at the Whitney Museum combined. You can exit Rome into African art then go directly into modern art, which depended on both Rome and Africa for utterly different ideas about the human body. “

Getting back to today, Saturday, I intended to go and paint but it seems I’m finding myself sitting at the PostMark Cafe in Park Slope and quite enjoying it and deciding that maybe, with all the things I’m doing and have on my plate right now, sitting here and enjoying the nice atmosphere and light is what my soul needs today.

One thing I will say about the New York Times  that really irritates me … they so don’t “get it” when it comes to syndicated content.  I am looking at an online video made the other day by Michael Kimmelman and and Geoff McGee of the new Roman Wing at the Metropolitan that I’d like to embed here - but the Times won’t allow that …. why?  I don’t know. 

The New York Times policy is about owning exclusive rights to show their own online videos is going 180 degrees against what everyone wants.  The Times just does not get it!  You want more traffic, you have to share the goods - you want to be a dying newspaper - just keep doing what your doing.

Message to the New York Times - get off your high horse and change your syndication policy.