SF MOMA: “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” -Picasso

Andy Warhol’s Liz Taylor.  My Mimi Cr@ven.

It was free day at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.  I’ve always been on the fence about lots of modern art.  There were certainly lots of paintings of a solid canvas painted blue, or some dumb things like that, but there were also some pictures that really grabbed me and my kids.

Since it was free admission, the place was crowded and noisy: perfect to storm through there with the minions.  They bounded from room to room drawn to one piece, then fluttering to the next.  It was captivating to see them so captivated.

Mimi and Jude literally stood looking at this painting for about five minutes.  They were so into it.  I don’t know why it drew them in so much, perhaps the size?  The lack of pattern in the color?  The precision?  It was one of those awesome parenting moments for me – my kids connecting with art.

Not all of the paintings were completely abstract.  In each room I told the kids to pick the pictures that interested them most and then we’d go up and talk about them.  This one used the medium of elephant dung.  YES THAT’S RIGHT!  Here’s a big fat picture made with elephant poop.  Jude could not contain his amazement.  It blew his mind that right here in this fancy artsy joint was something he is very interested in.  Poop.

I love this piece.  It reminds me of Kandinsky, but I’m not quite sure who painted it.  I’d put it in my house (if I had a million dollars).

In one room there were explosions of rock walls playing on a video loop.  The kids LOVED it.  They would jump off the bench exploding with the dynamite and cheer for the destruction.

 

Another part they liked was the sequential photographs showing what happened frame by frame in the explosion.  It was so fun to see them so engaged and excited about something we adults just walk by or some kids don’t connect with and say “so what?”  I feel so lucky that they wanted to learn all about the exhibits.

Outside family picture, taken by Pam who helped me get through the museum (read, chased naughty Silas).  Mimi being Mimi.  Such a shy little violet, no?

When we got home Mimi declared she wanted her room to be an art museum.  I happened to have some really nice oil paintings I inherited that were just sitting in my garage.  Now they are on display in my five-year-old’s gallery.  She give you a docent guided tour for a small fee. ;)