ENHANCING YOUR VISIT

By Barry Zander, Edited by Monique Zander, the Never-Bored RVers

If the title of this blog were really what it’s about, most people wouldn’t bother opening it, but I’ll try to make it worth your time to read on.

A few days ago we visited the J.P. Getty Museum in Los Angeles.  In addition to being housed in a true work of modern art, and in addition to having free admission, this is a place to see if you’re in the area.  But that only touches on “the where,” not “the what” that this is about.

“The What” is actually two-fold.  It’s about expanding any museum experience, and it’s about my wondering, “Why is the photographic art on the walls ‘art’ and my photography just photography?  Let’s take them one at a time.

Whenever Monique and I visit a museum of any kind, whether it’s high art, classic cars or American natives history, I try to engage the docents or guards in conversation, asking, “What shouldn’t I miss in this room or in the museum?”  When I first started doing this, Monique was skeptical … until she heard the kinds of answers it elicited.

“If you look closely, you’ll see the artist’s lover in the purple swirl.”  Or “It was

Smith’s earliest work, so there are inconsistencies that show how her artistry developed,” or “It’s here because the curator wants it here.  Makes no sense to me.”   I laughed when I heard something close to that at the Getty.

What was startling for me at first was when I asked a 25ish bearded guard which was his favorite work in the room he monitored, expecting him to tell me he had no idea.  Instead, he walked over to a very confusing piece, where he explained what he felt was the meaning of the subject depicted.  Wow!

Are you still with me? I want to digress for a moment and expand that to souvenir shops.  “Hi,” I say, as Monique looks for a place to hide.  “I’m a tourist.”

“Nooooo,” is the usual reply.  That leads to the clerk/often the owner asking the typical questions that don’t need answers about where we’re from, etc.  And now for the ‘payoff.”  I ask something like, “Where shouldn’t we eat around here?  That’s when the conversation opens up.  We learn the best place to eat, what we shouldn’t miss while visiting, and even a bit of hidden history, good and evil.  What was ‘just another town’ becomes a memorable stop in our travels.

Example:  Ask the forest rangers in El Rio, Texas, where not to eat.

WHY ISN’T MY PHOTOGRPHY ART?

Well, it is.  Why isn’t it hanging in galleries and museums?  Because I’ve never taken the time to have it prepared for canvas and framing.  Whether it qualifies as art or not is not the issue.  It’s the intention.

You take pictures during your travels:

To remember the great places you’ve been

To send to the kids

To post on your Facebook page

Because it’s free after buying the camera and memory card

To print and sell as a fund-raiser for your church bazaar.

It’s pretty much like crocheting or woodworking, I guess.  Are the crocheted  booties for your granddaughter or to sell at a flea market?  Is it a pastime while you’re watching reruns of Oprah?  Or something else?

Our granddaughter receives an exquisite carving every year from a friend of the family.  Each piece would sell for $75 to $250 in a gallery, but he gives it to her for free.  It’s love and it’s because he treasures his works so much he doesn’t want to consider their commercial value.

I was looking at a photograph of a stairway at the Getty.  I’ve got pictures just as good, but his is art and mine is, well, still in my collection of snapshots.

Maybe I should take the high road and say, “I don’t want to lower myself by having my work valued.”  Ain’t gonna happen.  It’s just not a priority to turn what my eye sees into museum or gallery art.

I always put the emphasis on taking photos for the memories – it’s part of our richness in life.  And, of course, to make these blogs more interesting.

It’s another reason we’re the “Never-Bored RVers,” We’ll see you on down the road.

© All photos by Barry Zander.   All rights reserved