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To see all the reports from the Blanton Museum opening, click here for Saturday and here for Sunday.
Austin360 blogs > Live reports from the Blanton Museum opening
Farewell to art
Only a few discouraging words clouded this 24 hours of Blanton opening.
Nobody really embraces the exterior of the UT art museum. They admire the plaza and the loggia, but other than that…
The atrium lifts hearts. The galleries flow.
But it’s the art that makes the Blanton beat. One thousand works from a 17,000-piece collection.
This art has been my home for 24 hours. And right now, I don’t know why, I don’t want to leave.
People looked at me strangely when this stunt was announced. Why would we — Jeanne Claire, Marc and Erin — do this?
Well, who wouldn’t want to spend the night — and day and night — with all this art?
I will spend a good portion of the rest of my life, should I stay in Austin, in these rooms where I write these final words.
Moments ago, I ran into one of Austin’s higher angels, Michael Guarino, without whom the Long Center would not have been designed. He’s moving to San Antonio, which depresses me, partly, but I know that’s something he has to do.
But how perfect to see him in Austin for the last time? In a place where grace and nobility and art coincide in one building?
That is how I will remember this day — saying goodbye to someone who has contributed so much to Austin, in a building that promises so much for Austin’s future.
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Musical accompaniment
Determined to catch the “Art Brief: Collective Experience,” I used a quickstep to negotiate the crowds of people still jammed in every gallery of the museum. Eventually the heavens allowed me to catch up with docent Stephanie Nelson as she guided a group of 20 or so through a thought-provoking tour of a few of the museum’s masterworks.
Instead of spouting off her extensive knowledge, Nelson asked the patrons accompanying her what they thought about the various works they examined, including Peter Dean’s “Dallas Chaos II” and Ben Shahn’s transcendental “From That Day On.”
The Art Briefs were as multicolored as the paintings that they examined: Anglo, African American, Latino, Asian and every other ethnicity under the sun were seen perusing the gallery floors, debating the artists’ latent intentions.
It was a beautiful sight. Our sleepy little college town is growing up, and now we’ve got one more first-class museum to inspire our dreams.
“The collection is far better than I thought it was going to be,” Austinite Sean Fleming said. “I’ve really been enjoying all the drawings and sketches.”
Moments later, Austin Symphony Orchestra conductor Peter Bay vigorously lead a note-perfect quintet through the first of eight original pieces (18 short movements) - “Music for the Blanton” - composed specifically to represent a musical depiction of various works in the museum. The elegant orchestral movements were written by renowned composer/UT professor Donald Grantham.
Grantham’s airy, elegant pieces were modeled after Mozersky’s “Pictures in an Exhibition.” And it turned out that the music and audiences both benefited from the fact that the ceremonies began 30 minutes late at 7:30 p.m., just as the Blanton throngs began to thin out a bit about an hour before sunset.
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Not since LBJ
“Last time this many people were lined up in Austin, Texas, was to see LBJ lying in state,” said poet Jack Brannen to Blanton Director Jessie Hite as they watched a continuous line of people stream around the Blanton and into the front door. Hite, seemingly everywhere at once, was even clicking the hand-held counter herself, attending to the massive number of folks constantly moving in and out of the enormous entrance.
Inside, the appropriately exquisite sounds of classical guitarist Tony Morris and his Viva Trio, including Renata Green on flute and Jennifer Bourianoff playing violin, bounced around the walls of the atrium and floated into the European rooms and the eLounge.
“The acoustics in here are interesting … it actually sounds quite beautiful,” Morris said between songs. “I hope to play here again during their concert series!”
And downstairs: Since I, and a few hundred folks, missed the late arrival of the Krispy Kremes this morning, I was determined not to miss the cheese and crackers … and the “Blantinis.”
“We’re not serving those today … sorry,” a kindly bartender said.
Foiled again by the paper schedule. Oh, well, there are refreshments that many adults seem to be enjoying. Maybe I’ll brave the sun, and the long line to get back inside, and join them.
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Battle weary
So I spent time with each piece of art over the course of the past 20 hours. Not enough time, but time.
So what surprised me the most?
The consistency. It’s hard to find fault when each example does exactly what it is supposed to do.
This does no mean the Blanton is packed with masterpieces. But there are so many A minuses and B pluses, that I’d round it up to an A.
I blogged last time about the obvious elisions in the Blanton collection.
Yet in its strengths, the Blanton hits almost every note precisely.
Here’s an example: I actively hated almost nothing.
Which is not to say that it’s flavorless. But rather that I understood why each piece was chosen — and I most often approved.
The closest I came to disapprobation was regarding the Battle Casts. You couldn’t find more devoted admirer of classical culture than myself. And I do understand the educational and historical reasons for retaining and displaying them.
It’s the plaster. It’s not marble or bronze. There’s a falseness, a smooth facility about the material that sets my teeth on edge.
And it’s disheartening to think about firstime visitors mistaking them for the real thing.
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Busy bees
The crowd has in no way let up, but don’t let that discourage you from coming down. Two-step students are now putting their skills to the test as the band Heybale plays. Honestly, many of the same folks, not staffers that took the class, are now down there cutting a rug.
Outside there is plenty of shade for those in line, and KGSR is handing out fans. Last heard the cups had run out for the ice tea and lemonade station, and the cookies had attracted a small contingency of bees. But there’s good weather and good people watching and if you are willing to wait a spell, good art.
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Where’s sculpture?
So what’s missing from the new Blanton?
Sculpture. Could use a lot more. Not hard to do. And there’s space inside and outside.
Romantic, Impressionist and Expressionist paintings. Needed to fill the historical hole between the Old Masters and the full-blown 20th century. Also doable. Where and how to hang? I leave that to the museum’s trio of matchless curators.
Africa, Asia, Oceania, Near East. Would require three things: The donation of superb collections, academic specialists added to the Art & Art History Department and another dedicated building. So much less likely than, say, the addition of sculptures or Impressionists.
Antiquities. Not a chance, not with the international legal tangles inherent in the cultural heritage of any civilization, even if acquired by collectors or institutions for centuries. We’ll live with the Battle Casts.
Latest comments
Keep it up, only 2.30 hrs to go now. Attended 2 previews, 2 sessions as a volunteer and the members party last night and I am just amazed at the number of people who have attended. My kids with a few friends attended the grand-opening from the early morning
... read the full comment by jay | Comment on Not since LBJ Read Not since LBJ
The overwhelming success of the Blanton opening is only overshadowed by the overwhelming success. as someone once said “It’s always so crowded, no one goes there anymore”
... read the full comment by music | Comment on "Look, but don't touch?" Read "Look, but don't touch?"
Can anyone who is there today tell me if there is still a long line to get in? I went last night, but left because of the one hour plus wait in line. Thanks!
... read the full comment by claudia | Comment on "Look, but don't touch?" Read "Look, but don't touch?"
Michael, The South Pacific concert at Carnegie Hall is on KLRU now and Lilias White is singing Bali Hai with all her ‘flow-y’ glory, Alec Baldwin is losing his place to the delight of the crowd…Reba is a bit wooden as Nellie and tied to
... read the full comment by Dave Steakley | Comment on Late, late show Read Late, late show
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