Guggenheim Museum. Museums of New York

The Solomon Guggenheim Museum began its existence almost a century ago. The first mentions date back to the first half of the 20th century. Robert Guggenheim was the largest goldsmith and tycoon. Moving away from financial and trade matters, he became a patron of art, created a foundation and gave him his name.

About the founder

Guggenheim was not considered a great specialist in the field of sculpture and painting. However, this did not stop him from being a connoisseur of beauty. For the Guggenheim Museum became one of the most important projects of his life. For the selection of the first exhibits, the founder invited the famous German baroness - art critic and artist Hill Ribey von Enrainstein. While the first museums of New York began to appear.

Creating a repository

In 1939, the first Guggenheim collection appeared. The museum then occupied a small square. There was a collection in Manhattan. However, the number of exhibits quickly began to increase, so it was necessary to expand the area. For the construction of new premises in 1943, the chief architect was the famous Frank Wright. The construction of new premises was completed by 1959. By this time, neither Wright nor the Guggenheim were alive. The museum was subsequently completely reconstructed. In 1992, the additional elements provided for in the project were completed. As a result, the building began to look the same as now.

Modernity

Today on Fifth Avenue in New York, between 88th and 89th streets, one of the most outstanding masterpieces of 20th-century architectural art is located. Futuristic building is made in the form of an inverted tower. Visitors on the elevator go up to the uppermost level and, viewing the exhibits, descend in a spiral. To date, the Guggenheim collection (the Museum has more than 6,000 exhibits), in the development of the concept, along with Baroness von Ribei, participated artists such as Bauer, Kandinsky, Nebel, is considered the largest collection of classical modernism in the world. Among the exhibits are the works of Picasso, Miro, Boise, Rauschenberg, Kandinsky, Rothko, Mark and other outstanding masters. The Guggenheim Museum (New York) also presents the famous Hilda and Justin Tannhauser collections, consisting of works of early modernism, post-impressionism, and sculptures and paintings by Caterina Dreyer (early avant-garde).

The Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao, Spain)

This is one of the branches of the famous repository. There is a museum on the bank of the river. Nervyon. This branch is famous for the most incredible collection of modern art. However, the building itself can be called a masterpiece. It is a truly unique and amazing structure.

Appearance

The museum building itself is covered with titanium thin plates. They look like fish scales. Periodically, the plates intersect with glass elements. All the lines are smooth, and the molds are plastic. Some contours flow into others. The whole ensemble has a height of 50 meters and is filled with various reservoirs. In itself, the building looks like a huge sculpture in the background of the usual urban landscape. Before the museum there are two giant sculptures. One of them is a huge metal spider. The author of this sculpture is Louise Bourgeois. On the terrace there is another figure 13 meters high - the flower terrier of the artist J. Koons.

Architecture

The building itself, in which the museum was located, was built according to the project of the American-Canadian master Frank Gehry. Visits have become possible since 1997. The building of the museum almost immediately received the status of the most spectacular building in the style of deconstructionism in the world. The building embodies the abstract idea of a futuristic ship that could be used to travel to other planets. Sometimes the structure is compared with a blossoming rose, artichoke, airplane, bird and even superman. The central part has a height of about 55 meters. It looks like a huge metal flower. Petals leave from it. They accommodate the enfilades of exhibition spaces for different expositions.

Exhibitions

From the beginning of July to the end of August (in the most tourist season), the museum operates from 10 am to 8 pm on all days of the week. In the remaining seasons, Monday is a day off. The ticket price is 11 euros. Children can visit the museum for free. Every year the museum in Bilbao hosts about a million guests. The exhibition presents works of postmodernism, as well as the modernist era. The collection collected a huge number of works. In fact, no single direction of the 20th century was left without attention. It must be said at the same time that the museum contains not only paintings and sculptures proper. Here you can see a large number of electronic panels, installations and other wonders of modern art.

Features of expositions

In the museum the exhibitions are constantly changing. But at the same time, you can conditionally divide the building into halls according to subjects. So, for example, it is possible to single out rooms where works of abstractionists and futurists are presented, at the head of which are the works of Kandinsky. There is a hall of surrealism. Here you can see Dali's paintings. Picasso's masterpieces are presented in the hall of Cubism. Here you can also see the famous prints of M. Monroe, executed by Warhol. Particular attention deserves sculpture, authored by Richard Seri. They are made of special weather resistant steel. The collection "The essence of time" is called. This original collection is a series of abstract works of art-philosophical nature, a kind of "pointless space." The main exhibition of the museum presents the work done by the founder of "painting the color field" Mark Rothko. He is a vivid representative of abstract expressionism. By the way, it should be said that Rothko's works beat all price records at the largest auctions. Presented in the museum and collages of the famous Robert Rauschenberg. His work is full of saturation, fullness; They force you to analyze and think.