Zen experience with living structures
Guggenheim Museum from inside.
It was a dream come true to visit some of the art destinations on wish list.
I was fortunate to be granted a visit at Guggenheim, MOMA and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling waters’!
One could feel the Zen experience in each of these.
Guggenheim had Kandinsky displayed elaborately through all his phases. i have liked Kandinsky for his thoughts more than his paintings but this exhibit changed my relation to his huge body of works and art journey!
Apart from the morphing phases of his interesting paintings, the Museum’s non-angular circular movements could not be missed. Though a backdrop to exhibits, the Guggenheim Museum offers a beauty of its own, without distracting the value of artworks on display. For me, it was a contemplative experience more intensified with Wassily Kandinsky’s presence.
The magic of a beautiful visual or melodious sound is that it lingers in our minds and heart long after we have parted with it That is what happened to me with Motherwell, Rothko and V Gaitonde’s Paintings. And later, the playful light hearted joy with Calder’s Art works at Museum of Modern Art. I still savor the subtle visual pleasures after returning miles apart.
Both, Rothko and Gaitonde had expressed their interest in Zen philosophy when they met at New York. A fact that was surprising to me. The influence of Zen is felt in both their paintings which are meditative. One has to be relaxed to feel these masterpieces.
About Mark Rothko: https://www.nga.gov/features/mark-rothko/mark-rothko-early-years.html
About Vasudeo Gaitonde: https://www.christies.com/features/VS-Gaitonde-7387-1.aspx
The abstractionist at MOMA reminded me of another fav contemporary artist from India, Pandit Khairnar, whose color field paintings create similar experiences of contemplative spaciousness. https://www.gallerythreshold.com/artist/pandit-khairnar/
While the visual pleasures still lingered, as though a cherry on top, I was gifted a ticket to tour ‘Falling Waters’ a Frank Lloyd work that I have always yearned to visit. A Huge thanks to the lady at entrance who helped me get into the tour in-spite of technical challenges and to my hubby who went lengths to procure a ticket for visit.
The ‘Falling Waters’ is not just visual experience it is deeply moving to ones being. This architecture is a precious gem in the wilderness of Pittsburg. We had Guide Gerald who had his own interesting way of sharing the narratives of history geography and science of this house, Thank you Gerald!
Frank Lloyd Wright’s ‘Falling waters’ built on top of a waterfall.
I could feel the Zen in entire structure! It was in rhythm with the surrounding natural formations. One particular corner in the passage that leads to guest houses has a partial rock cutting naturally thru the corner walls. There flows a tiny unnoticeable stream of water. Instead of repairing the wall, it is let to flow down with an outlet in the floor for water to subside. Gerald quoted Wright saying, ‘it is better to flow and play with the water rather than fight it’.
Lloyd’s love for Japanese paintings and its design principles shows its influence on his own designing philosophy.
After returning home, I did not want to waste time in trivial happenings of life. I think the 3 day trip changed me in some way (at least temporarily ;-)
Talking of home, I have always enjoyed the sanctity of my own house! The light and space are dramatic and the entire house feels connected! It is Amish built!
A well designed space can heighten our experience of living. And it doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive, in fact it needs to be simplified, connecting us to the immediate surroundings and to ourselves and to each other dwelling in this house.
Reminds me of an architect (may be from Texas university) I watched a decade ago on Art21 series. The episode was about how architecture (in this case housing) design should be space and environment specific. The conventional four walled structures cannot serve the best interest for all geographical regions. It was a genius solution to the heat and economic conditions of community living in New-Mexico.
I forget the name and details but loved the driving force behind designing simplified low budget yet strong and sustainable housing complex.
With the onset of lockdown, we have experienced our houses in an intense way. Many of us beautified our houses in our own way. This might be counted into the positive outcomes of Lockdown! Art works add to the mood of the space and sometimes it creates spaciousness of internal nature. Having an expensive art piece is not necessary, we can create our own art! This art adds beauty and belonging to everyday living.
Visiting great places is wonderful experience but creating some of these spacious zen aspects in our own homes is of better benefit and easily possible.
May we built structures to create space for awe and harmony not enclosed walls to disconnect from the flow of life.