Article 3: Contemporary Art and Us. Part 3: Where Are the Galleries?
Contemporary art indeed bends the form and the definition of art in ways that sometimes do not allow for an ability to exhibit works in one stationary location for an extended period of time. None the less, if you were to go one a journey of self-discovery through contemporary art or simply wanted to check a box on your interesting-person’s-to-do-list, these are some of the hubs that nurture contemporary art:
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco)
This one holds extra significance as it was the first museum on the West Coast of the USA dedicated solely to modern and contemporary art. As of now, the museum has accumulated an impressive number of 33 000 artworks, which are displayed in around 16 000 square metres of space. It was expanded and reopened in 2016 as a result significantly increasing in size of both gallery and public spaces. Albert M. Bender’s gift, which included “The Flower Carrier” (1935) by Diego Rivera, laid the foundation for the museum’s permanent exhibition. In it the museum holds famous works of Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon, Henri Matisse and Jean Metzinger among others.
Gallery of Modern Art (Brisbane)
Opened in December 2006 as a part of Queensland Cultural Center, it is the largest contemporary and modern art gallery in the whole of Australia. Its largest exhibition gallery has 1100 square metres at its disposal, and in total the gallery has the floor of 25 000 square metres, so it goes without saying that the exhibitions are monumental, impressive and abundant. Some of the more prominent exhibitions of the past include Yayoi Kusama’s “Life is the Heart of a Rainbow”, David Lynch’s “Between Two Worlds”, Matisse’s “Drawing Life” as well as Picasso and his collection. And for those to whom the art there for some reason might not be the first priority, there is always the pleasant sight of a river as the gallery overlooks the Brisbane River.
The Centre Pompidou (Paris)
The Centre Pompidou, located in Paris, receives the honours of holding the largest modern and contemporary art centre in Europe – Musée National d’Art Moderne. It is also home for a huge public library. It got its name from George Pompidou, a French president who ordered the building of the centre. It is not just a museum for one artistic medium, for instance paintings. It was established with the idea of creating a space where art in various forms could coexist and flourish. The modern art museum attracts huge numbers of people, but the record belongs to Dali, when 7364 people went to observe the artist’s work in one day.
National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo)
For those looking to explore the modern art side of cultures other than the Western one, National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo is one of the top spots. It holds numerous works of modern Japanese artists and is best known for its collection of 20th century works, includes Western-style and Nihonga artists. As of now, it also includes a Craft Gallery and a National Film centre.
