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A Night at the Museum XXV
September 9, 2008
Albert Pinkham Ryder's With Sloping Mast and Dipping Prow
You've been hearing a fair amount about Night at the Museum II: Battle of the Smithsonian in the papers, in the blog, and via general buzz on the street. It got me thinking about sequels to originals and sequels to sequels. I'm sure there will be many more Nights at the Museum on the big screen, but what exactly do you think they should be about? Perhaps it's just me, but I'd love to see Night at the Museum XXV: Revenge of the Blogger. Do you think anyone besides me would pay to sit through that one?
We who love museums often wander around the galleries with our imaginations in high gear. I'm wondering what works other people would choose as starting points of their adventures if objects really did come to life at the end of the day, then return to their usual fixed positions by morning. What would it be like to enter an Edward Hopper painting and feel the endless weight of summer, or end up on a storm-tossed sea in one of Albert Pinkham Ryder's moonlit works? As long as I'd be dry by morning, that would just be fine with me.
What work of art would you choose for your very own Night at the Museum experience?
Posted by Howard on September 9, 2008 in American Art Here
Comments
I loved that movie, and I find this concept very intriguing. I would like to see some of the characters in John Singer Sargent's paintings come alive. I want to talk with them about the everyday life that they experienced...
Posted by: Cathi Fournier | Sep 10, 2008
Cathi: I agree. I was looking again at Sargent's portrait of Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler at SAAM, and wondered what it would be like to enter her world. I'd probably have to dress better, for a start! Thanks for writing and sharing your idea.
Posted by: HowardSKaplan | Sep 15, 2008
I'd love to step into the large fresco of Diego Rivera's called The Zapotec Civilization. I love his world building paintings. Zapotec is vibrant, complex, and full of life. I could spend hours there visiting the different people, observing their work, and learning their caste system.
Very creative article!
Posted by: RealFantasy | Sep 17, 2008
That would be fantastic. I'm wondering how we can bring these ideas into the museum proper. Let me know if you have any thoughts. Oh, and if you see Frida, give her our best. Cheers!
Posted by: Howard | Sep 22, 2008
I really like your blog. It has quality articles --seriously I appreciate your writing style.
And about A Night at Museum i didn't hear about that. But after reading your article i was impressed.
Posted by: Muzica | Oct 19, 2008
Thanks Muzica! Glad you're one of our readers!
Posted by: Howard | Oct 20, 2008
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